Monsoon just 2 months away, 80% of drain revamp yet to be done in Gurgaon

GURGAON: Old Gurgaon, Palam Vihar and adjoining areas of the city are bracing for waterlogged streets once again this monsoon as renovation of a stormwater drain, which would have eased the flow of rainwater, was running months behind schedule.

Officials of the Gurugram Metropolitan Development Authority (GMDA) on Tuesday admitted the project to renovate the Leg-1 master stormwater drain was likely to finish in the last quarter of the year as just 20-25% of the work had been carried out till now. The original deadline was July 11, a little after the rainy season begins.
GMDA started work on a 1.5km portion of the drain between Rezang La Chowk and Railway Culvert 47 near Palam Vihar this January. Leg-1 originates in Sikanderpur and crosses sectors 18 and 19, Old Delhi-Gurgaon road, sectors 22, 23 and 23A, and Palam Vihar. It flows into the Najafgarh channel near Bajghera and Sector 115.
Unexpected showers in March had caught authorities off guard as sectors 22, 23, 23A and Palam Vihar were waterlogged for hours. April too recorded above-normal rainfall.
Residents blamed the Authority for not taking adequate measures for timely execution of work.
“There is an underground power cable that falls on the alignment of the drain, but it hasn’t been shifted till now. This shows the lack of planning and coordination by GMDA. As monsoon hits, the drain will carry water from Sikanderpur village and water will overflow in this area. We already saw what happened after heavy rain in March,” said Brig (retd) Sukhbir Singh, vice-president of Palam Vihar RWA.
Residents also pointed out that the drain moves upslope, and without proper infrastructure, water would stagnate and overflow in the areas on level ground. Another concern, they said, was that industrial effluents and sewage is released illegally into the stormwater drain.
“With waterlogging, there is serious concern about sanitation, health and hygiene. We recently met the local MLA to discuss the issue but I don’t think work will be completed before monsoon at this pace,” said Rajan Sagar, president of Palam Vihar RWA.
When asked, a GMDA official said the project was delayed due to unseasonal rains in March and April.
“Due to frequent spells of rain, there was a delay in the ongoing construction work. One spell of rain halts work for at least a week as it takes time to pump out water from the site and allow construction material to dry. In addition to this, people living along the drain have illegally encroached on the area and converted parts of it into laws. We have asked for the work to be expedited and we’re hoping it will be completed this year,” the official said.On the shifting of an electricity cable, the GMDA official said that DHBVN was yet to give them expense details.