GURUGRAM: With the monsoon merely a month away, widening of the stretch of
Badshapur drain that passes through Khandsa village is still stuck in a land-related hurdle.
Huda officials claimed the work on about 170 metre of the 600-metre-long stretch — the main choke point along the city’s arterial rainwater drain that was responsible for the 2016 Gurujam near Hero
Honda Chowk — was nearly complete.
But, work on the remaining 430-metre-long portion could not be started yet as 36 structures are still coming in the way, they added.
According to them, Huda has already acquired the land required for the widening work (on the 430-metre-long stretch) but could not get the possession due to a delay in rehabilitation of the oustees. Currently, Huda is working on 170 metre — the first 70 metre and the last 100 metre — of the drain.
Huda engineers have done piles work in these two thickly populated portions for the widening to avoid any damage to nearby structures. Officials said these two portions have been widened by 10 metre, in addition to the original width of 10 metre. “The piles have been driven to ensure the adjacent structures are not damaged. The work (on the 170 metre portions) is likely to be finished by May-end,” said Major Shweta Sharma, executive engineer, Huda. However, the remaining 430-metre stretch remains a major concern for the authorities. Officials said Huda had in August 2017 allotted alternative plots in Sector 37C to the oustees of Khandsa village whose houses were coming in the way of the widening work. But, the villagers are not willing to move to Sector 37C as the area is still underdeveloped and doesn’t have access to main road. Also, there is not storm water drainage, sewage etc. in the area.
A senior official told TOI it would take at least two months to complete the widening work on the 430-metre portion after the land was vacated and handed over to Huda. After the Gurujam in July 2016, the state government had announced widening of the Badshapur drain passing through Khandsa village to increase its carrying capacity and prevent waterlogging at Hero Honda Chowk. The 39.96km-long and 30m-wide Badshapur drain, which starts from
Ghata and empties into Najafgarh drain, narrows down to 10m at Khandsa, reducing its carrying capacity from 1,200 cusec to just 500 cusec. Last year before the monsoon, officials had completed de-silting of the Khandsa stretch.
A culvert was built by
NHAI at Hero Honda Chowk to ensure smooth flow of rainwater from one side of NH-8 to another without overflowing at the junction. Also, widening work was done on the stretch on the other side of the NH-8.
