Gurgaon: With encroachments emerging as a hurdle in pond development, MCG has directed officials to conduct drone surveys to demarcate pond boundaries and identify problem areas. The civic body has found that 60 of the 113 ponds under its jurisdiction are yet to be developed.MCG had identified 140 ponds within municipal limits, of which 113 are owned by it. Currently, work has been completed on 32 ponds, 21 ponds are being developed and the remaining 60 await work.MCG commissioner Pradeep Dahiya reviewed the work being carried out by the horticulture wing on Tuesday and set a Dec 2027 deadline for developing 30 ponds and a Dec 2028 deadline for the remaining 30.Dahiya directed officials to address encroachment-related problems and use drone surveys to establish the boundaries of the ponds, which will help the civic body identify and resolve hurdles before development is taken up. The development is part of the city’s larger water conservation effort since pond restoration will help preserve traditional sources and improve rainwater management.Dahiya added that MCG was also focusing on expanding green spaces while conserving natural resources and maximising their usage. “Efforts are underway to revive ponds, develop rainwater harvesting structures, and use treated wastewater for park irrigation. These measures are aimed at conserving water, improving the urban environment and making Gurgaon a cleaner and greener city,” he said.MCG has also approved 277 modular rainwater harvesting structures, of which 145 have been completed and 81 are under construction. The structures have been allocated a budget of Rs 43.4 crore and have a combined approved capacity of 19,420 cubic metres (1.94 crore litres).The corporation is also planning to expand its treated wastewater pipeline network to reduce the use of freshwater for irrigating parks. At present, a 49.8 km network supplies treated water to 142 parks.Under the proposed expansion, another 55.1 km of pipeline will be laid, taking the total network to 104.9 km and extending coverage to 312 parks. The expansion is expected to replace around 1,138 million litres of freshwater annually.
