Gurugram’s DLF Phase-3 residents protest against 10 years of civic neglect

Residents of DLF Phase-3 have once again raised complaints of poor infrastructure in their area, such as bad roads, poor drainage, and erratic supply of electricity and water. Residents say they have been dealing with these problems for well over a decade, and that some of the issues, such as water logging, have now become worse with the onset of the monsoon.

“These issues are not new. We have been highlighting them for the last 10 years,” said Suresh Kumar, a resident of Lane 44, U-Block, DLF Phase-3. “The state of roads is pitiable, and the developer has made no attempt to repair them in the past decade,” he added.

According to residents, the area most affected by rains this monsoon is S-Block, which is located in a low-lying region of DLF Phase-3. As a result, rainwater tends to collect here. “When it finally drains away, the water has eroded whatever is left of the roads,”said resident Ashok Ghalot. He also added that rainwater tends to collect in the potholes of the roads. The stagnant water soon becomes a breeding ground for mosquitoes, which spread vector-borne diseases like dengue and malaria.

Residents also said that they have gotten used to these seasonal troubles by now, and that the developer, Delhi Land & Finance (DLF), has allegedly not rectified their issues, despite repeated pleas. Divya Puri, general manager corporate communications, DLF, declined to comment on the matter.

Lanes 53, 54 and 55 in S-Block are the ones that are in need of immediate attention, according to residents. The roads here had been dug up a few years ago to lay an underground sewer pipe, and were never refurbished afterwards. This has exacerbated the problem of water logging and potholes, causing traffic snarls during peak hours. Most homes in this locality were built for the economically weaker sections of society, and the area also has many rental properties that cater to working-class individuals with jobs in the Cyber Hub area. Shafi, a resident of Lane 55, also said that rain water has been flooding his house this season.

Moreover, since the area does not have a dedicated residents’ welfare association (RWA), residents say they have not been taken seriously by the builder, who is duty-bound to provide them with the infrastructure they demand. Until roads, water and electricity are properly established, the maintenance transfer to the Municipal Corporation of Gurugram(MCG) cannot happen, they said.

In April 2017, Haryana chief minister Manohar Lal Khattar had announced the transfer of private colonies to the MCG, and a detailed project report for DLF Phase-3 was also prepared. However, the transfer has been held up due to administrative snags.

People living in more the well-off parts of DLF Phase-3 also had similar complaints against the developer. Umesh Sharma, RWA president of the Pink Townhouse, which is the only apartment building in the area, said that they are facing problems of erratic water supply. “Sometimes water comes at 2am, sometimes in the middle of the day. We can never be sure how long the supply will last. It is quite random and inconvenient,” he said.

First Published: Aug 10, 2018 13:03 IST