Gurgaon: Clogged surface drains along Delhi-Gurgaon Expressway are posing a major challenge as the monsoon looms, raising fears of waterlogging and traffic disruption.The stretch between Rajiv Chowk and Kherki Daula — one of the busiest corridors in the city — remains particularly vulnerable as the drains are brimming with plastic waste and debris.A visit to several locations along the expressway revealed stagnant water in drains, accompanied by a foul smell that has created unhygienic conditions for commuters and nearby residents. Unabated garbage dumping along the roadside of the service lane has compounded the problem. Much of the waste eventually finds its way into the surface drainage, reducing its carrying capacity and obstructing the flow of rainwater.Residents and daily commuters expressed concern that the situation could lead to severe waterlogging once the monsoon sets in. Navdeep Singh, a resident of Sector 83 who frequently commutes along the expressway, told TOI, “The drains are clogged on both sides of the highway from Rajiv Chowk to Kherki Daula. Every monsoon, the stretch witnesses severe waterlogging. Even the cleaning effort by civic authorities does not last for long. Basic maintenance, such as timely desilting of drains and cleaning of roads, can go a long way in ensuring proper disposal of rainwater. Why do people need to throw waste on the roadside and why can’t civic authorities improve the mechanism for door-to-door waste collection? Garbage should be disposed of properly instead of ending up in drains.”Officials of National Highways Authority of India, which is responsible for maintaining the expressway, said regular cleaning of surface drains is being carried out but admitted that garbage dumping remains a persistent hurdle. “We have intensified efforts and regularly clean and desilt the drains along NH8. However, until the MCG controls garbage dumping, nothing much can be done,” a senior NHAI official said.The official added that despite repeated cleaning efforts, fresh waste continues to accumulate in the drains, undermining maintenance work and increasing the risk of flooding during intense rainfall. “Even when we clean the drain, the situation is back to square one within 24 hours. Unchecked garbage dumping making it difficult to keep the drain clean despite regular maintenance efforts,” the NHAI official said.GMDA officials also acknowledged the issue of excessive garbage dumping and said coordination with NHAI is underway to improve drainage conditions before the onset of the monsoon. “We have been coordinating with NHAI, and a number of measures are being taken to improve the drainage system. We are already constructing a culvert at Narsingpur and the drain work is almost complete, which will dispose of the water into Badshapur drain. Additionally, a drain will be constructed at Narsingpur,” a senior official of GMDA said.The authority has intensified cleaning operations at critical junctions that frequently witness waterlogging. “We are constructing additional crossings where cross drains do not exist. Cross drains are being cleaned near key junctions, including IFFCO Chowk, Signature Towers and Jharsa Chowk,” the official added.Meanwhile, a senior MCG official said, “We have constituted special teams for the purpose and have managed to reduce this dumping. We are consistently working to completely prevent this garbage dumping in the surface drain.”With the monsoon just days away, civic agencies face mounting pressure to ensure that drains are cleared and garbage dumping is checked to avoid a repeat of the annual problem that disrupts traffic and inconveniences thousands of commuters.
