Gurugram flooded after heavy rain, traffic chaos leaves commuters stranded

Gurugram, Jul 8 (PTI) Gurugram struggled with waterlogging and traffic chaos as it received 115 mm of rain in the 33 hours, with commuters stranded on roads for hours. Traffic crawled on several major roads, including the Delhi-Jaipur Highway service lane near Narsinghpur, Basai, Kadipur and Sohna Road, with several vehicles reportedly breaking down in waterlogged stretches. Officials said teams from the Municipal Corporation of Gurugram (MCG), Gurugram Metropolitan Development Authority (GMDA), police and other agencies were deployed to drain out water and regulate traffic. The city's drainage system virtually collapsed as it recorded 115 mm of rainfall in the last two days. Official data stated that 83 mm of rainfall was recorded on Tuesday, followed by another 32 mm on Wednesday. According to locals, several rain related accidents occurred, including a cyclist falling into a pit dug for a sewer line in Feroze Gandhi Colony, while a cow was injured after it slipped into another pit on Wednesday. A school bus also got stuck in dug-up area in Rajendra Park, they said. People returning home from work remained stranded on the roads until well past midnight, delaying their journey home by five to six hours. Waterlogging was reported in several areas, including Sectors 31, 39, Sheetla Mata Mandir Road, Sector-10A, Pataudi Road, Basai Road, Kadipur and Umang Bhardwaj Chowk. The traffic police have deployed 260 additional personnel, five cranes, two Hydra machines, an ambulance, 17 motorcycle patrol units and six police vehicles. The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has forecast more rainfall over the next few days. Municipal Commissioner Pradeep Dahiya said the civic body had undertaken drainage improvement works ahead of the monsoon to address chronic waterlogging. "Our objective is not merely to drain water during the rains but to provide a permanent solution to waterlogging issues through technical planning and a robust drainage network. Field teams have been instructed to continuously monitor vulnerable areas and ensure immediate action wherever required," he added. PTI COR APL APL