Gurgaon: Reconstruction of a key master stormwater drain is set to begin, with GMDA planning to replace a three-decade-old channel that has become a bottleneck for drainage in sectors located along Old Delhi-Gurgaon Road.The metropolitan authority has floated a tender to upgrade the 2.8-km-long Leg-1, which involves constructing an RCC box-type master stormwater drain using precast segments from Old Delhi Road to Rezang La Chowk. The work is estimated to cost Rs 32 crore and is expected to be completed within 10 months.The renovation of the master drain was first conceptualised in Oct 2021. GMDA initially planned to execute the work in two phases — from Old Delhi-Gurgaon Road to Rezang La Chowk and from Rezang La Chowk to railway culvert 47. However, the authority later altered the sequence and took up the second phase first because the Old Delhi Road-Rezang La Chowk stretch had a large number of trees along the alignment, requiring a redesign of the project.The stretch from Rezang La Chowk to railway culvert 47 was reconstructed by GMDA in 2024. Now, the metropolitan authority is undertaking the remaining section between the Old Delhi Road culvert and Rezang La Chowk, completing the rebuilding of the entire corridor.The reconstruction is aimed at addressing structural deterioration in the decades-old drain and eliminating a bottleneck that frequently leads to overflow during heavy rainfall.“We have invited bids for the upgradation of Leg-1 master stormwater drain. Once the tendering process is completed, work will be immediately started,” a GMDA official said.Built more than three decades ago using brick masonry, the drain has weakened over the years due to continuous sewage discharge and exposure to corrosive gases. Several sections, particularly in Sector 22, have suffered significant deterioration. The drain was transferred from HSVP to GMDA in 2018.Leg-1 of the master drain originates at Sikanderpur village and outfalls into the Najafgarh drain. It passes through sectors 18 and 19, Old Delhi Road, sectors 22 and 23A, Palam Vihar, railway culvert 47, Bajghera village and Sector 115, serving as a key stormwater channel for a large part of the city.Officials said the existing drain is 4.25 metres wide upstream of Old Delhi-Gurgaon Road but narrows to 2.1 metres downstream, reducing its carrying capacity. The narrowing often results in water overflowing near residential sectors in Sectors 21, 22, 23 and Palam Vihar during intense rainfall.Notably, the upcoming metro project between Millennium City Centre and Cyber City also passes along the stretch. Under Phase II of the Gurgaon Metro, the corridor will connect Sector 9 with Cyber City and pass through sectors 22 and 23A. Earlier, the metro agency had asked GMDA to complete rebuilding of the drain to ensure the elevated corridor’s construction is not affected.
