Gurugram MP and union minister Rao Inderjit Singh on Wednesday expressed regret over the waterlogging that hit the city on August 24 and said a multi-pronged approach focused on harvesting rainwater, restoring natural drainage and fixing accountability would be adopted to address the problem.
The meeting followed multiple instances of waterlogging over the past two months despite civic agencies assuring that there would be no flooding this year. Singh, who held a review meeting at the PWD Guest House with senior officials from the GMDA, the Municipal Corporation of Gurugram, the district administration and the Haryana Shehri Vikas Pradhikaran (HSVP), said Gurugram’s water table had depleted to an average of 38.8 metres, making it urgent to conserve rainwater instead of diverting it to Yamuna.
Singh said the flooding resulted from systemic failure, inadequate delivery by state and local agencies, and unregulated real estate development.
“We have engaged multiple experts and agencies to study the issue and find a scientific solution. A large chunk of land at the Sirhaul border near Ambience Mall has also been sought from the state tourism department for conversion into a water body. He alleged that while issuing real estate licences during this period, natural river channels, drains and water flow paths were often included in development zones, gradually obstructing the city’s natural drainage routes. “I have issued directions that all natural drains, ponds and similar areas encroached on or captured by developers should be mapped through satellite imagery and reclaimed.
The Gurugram MP said unregulated real estate development during the tenure of the previous government between 2004 and 2014 had contributed to the city’s waterlogging woes. “I expressed regret, and I am sorry that the people, particularly children and their parents, and other citizens suffered due to heavy waterlogging as they were stuck in traffic for long hours.
I have held a detailed meeting with the senior officials and have also made it clear that responsibility and accountability will be fixed in the matter in coming months,” said Singh, adding that the real push on improving Gurugram’s infrastructure will have to come from the state government. He said experts and agencies had been engaged to develop scientific solutions focused on groundwater recharge and water harvesting. The objective is to move beyond merely draining out rainwater in Gurugram and instead maximise its utilisation for groundwater recharge and water harvesting,” he said. The civic agencies have decided to install injection tubewells to direct rainwater into acquifiers, develop water bodies on unused government and municipal land, revive existing ponds and conduct satellite mapping of natural streams, drains and historical water flow paths, Singh said. I have also said that action must be taken against developers if public land has been encroached. There are more than half a dozen ponds which have been encroached upon, and a report has been called in this matter also,” said the former Indian National Congress MP. Singh said he had limited authority as a member of parliament and asked the state government to slow the city’s expansion until infrastructure for the existing population was strengthened.
