Cold shoulder for 41 flooding spots in MCG area as another monsoon nears

Gurgaon: The city may again face widespread waterlogging this monsoon, as authorities are yet to begin work on 41 identified hotspots, according to a review report by MCG.

Of the 155 waterlogging-prone hotspots across 35 wards under the corporation, desilting work has been completed at 55 locations, while work at 59 sites is under way. Authorities have missed key deadlines, raising concerns over potential flooding very soon. The deadline for desilting work, which was earlier May 31, has now been extended to June 15. However, with monsoon not too far away, officials say the likelihood of finishing the remaining work is slim.

With permanent drainage upgrades far from completion, the corporation has begun making temporary arrangements. “To manage emergencies during the monsoon, authorities will deploy 35 large generator sets, water tankers and tractors across key points to pump out accumulated rainwater,” said an officer. A workforce of 44 supervisors and 270 staff will be stationed across the city to keep the drainage and sewer systems functional. However, experts caution that unless drainage lines are interconnected and fully cleaned, temporary pumps and generators will be largely ineffective during intense rainfall.

MCG’s jurisdiction includes 607 km of stormwater drains. Of this, 408 km has been cleaned. Officials claim they will extend the cleaning to 473.6 km, but 153 km of drains remain unattended. Additionally, 66 km of the drainage network has not yet been mapped.

Last monsoon, eight people lost their lives due to waterlogging and open drains. Among them, an auto driver drowned in an open drain, and an engineer died after getting electrocuted from a streetlight pole. Major areas along NH-48, including Narsingpur, Hero Honda Chowk, Rajiv Chowk and IFFCO Chowk, saw 3 to 4 feet of standing water, triggering massive traffic jams and turning short commutes into hours-long ordeals.