Water flows over Hero Honda Chowk underpass, FoB at Signature Tower caves in

A submerged underpass at the Hero Honda Chowk became the face of the misery that Gurugram went through after record rain on Tuesday. The photo went viral on social media with several residents sharing it, while raising questions over the efficacy of measures taken by the city administration and NHAI to prevent waterlogging.

The underpasses which were constructed to ensure smoother traffic flow on Delhi-Gurugram Expressway. The underground passes at Signature Chowk and Rajiv Chowk also went under the water, crippling traffic on the expressway and internal roads.

District administration officials said the Hero Honda Chowk underpass was submerged as stormwater from Badshahpur drain started flowing back from Khandsa drain 6 am onwards and filled it to the brim in two hours.

The police stopped traffic at the underpasses at 8.30 am as the water levels rose but by then six vehicles had already got stuck.

The designed capacity of 39.96-km Badshahpur drain is 1,250 cusecs. However, its carrying capacity at Khandsa is just 500 cusecs. On Tuesday, officials said the Khandsa drain got 1,000 cusecs of water, which then flowed back and flooded Hero Honda Chowk underpass.

NHAI project director Ashok Sharma said, “The underpass had five pumps of 7,200 litres per minute capacity but as the Khandsa drain is backflowing the pumps could not do much. Once the water goes down the drain, the underpass will clear. The problem arose because Khandsa drain widening is incomplete.”

The Haryana Shahari Vikas Pradhikaran (HSVP) had started widening Khandsa drain in 2016 but litigation delayed the work.

The one-way underpass near Medanta hospital was also closed for traffic as three feet water collected in it, said Gurugam police.

Heavy water-logging on the stretch between Maharana Pratap Chowk and Signature Tower affected vehicular movement. “It took almost four hours for the water to recede as drainage did not work. We tried our best to keep the traffic moving but we struggled since the underpass was also waterlogged,” said traffic inspector Krishan Kumar at Signature Tower crossing.

Highway concessionaire MCEPL said due to lack of an elaborate stormwater drainage system in the city, the highway gets waterlogged.

“If such heavy rainfall occurs, waterlogging will happen but it is important to prevent traffic gridlocks. The water is being pumped out,” MCEPL official Saikrishna Madiri said.

Deputy commissioner Vinay Pratap Singh said, “All underpasses will remain open for traffic on Wednesday morning.”

Foot Overbridge at Signature Tower crossing caves in

The base of the under-construction foot overbridge at Signature Tower crossing on the Maharana Pratap chowk side caved in on Tuesday as large amount of water seeped into the ground loosening the soil.

Traffic officials at the site said ground caved in by three feet. As a result, the stairs of the foot overbridge got damaged, the conveyor belt appeared wobbly and concrete pillars were also exposed.

The road adjacent to the FoB also caved in slightly but an earth excavating machine was strategically placed at that point to ensure no heavy vehicle passed over the damaged stretch. “A lot of water has gone in the kuccha stretch and it led to the damage to the road and this portion,” said a police official, who was posted at the spot but was not authorised to speak to the media.

NHAI officials were not available for comment on the issue.

First Published: Aug 29, 2018 04:05 IST