New Delhi: Gurugram was brought to a standstill after around an hour of heavy rain on Monday, with several roads turning into waterlogged stretches and traffic
moving at a crawl. The district administration later announced a work-from-home advisory to help manage the situation.
In one of the worst-hit areas, an elderly man in a white kurta-pyjama was seen walking through knee-deep water while looking at his partially submerged scooty. A young quick-commerce delivery worker was also seen pushing her two-wheeler through muddy water, which residents said could have been mixed with sewage from a nearby drain.
Two school students carrying their bags above their heads carefully made their way through the flooded road. With the water hiding the surface, there was no way of knowing whether there were deep potholes or open manholes underneath.
Roads turn into rivers after rain
Residents of Gurugram, often called the Millennium City, said the same problems return whenever the city receives prolonged rainfall. Patel Nagar was among the worst-affected areas, according to residents, while several other parts of the city also reported severe waterlogging.
Students returning from school were seen running towards raised platforms, including bus stops, to avoid getting trapped in the flooded streets.
Several cars broke down after their engines stalled in the water. Two-wheeler riders faced an even tougher situation, with many forced to push their vehicles through the water or leave them on the roadside as the uneven surface remained hidden.
Traffic hit across Gurugram
Waterlogging also affected traffic on the Delhi-Jaipur Expressway. The stretch between Signature Tower and Hero Honda Chowk, which usually takes around 15 minutes, took commuters nearly 50 minutes to cross.
A large portion of the expressway near Cyber Hub, opposite Gateway Tower Metro station, was submerged, affecting traffic on one of the city’s busiest routes. Sheetla Mata Road, which has repeatedly faced flooding during the monsoon, was also badly affected.
Even areas around high-end residential developments were not spared. Roads outside The Magnolias, where some flats are priced at more than Rs 50 crore, were described by residents as looking like rivers.
“The drainage system in Gurugram is abysmal. One can keep posting, keep demanding accountability but nothing changes. Nothing!” a post on X said.
The district administration said Gurugram had received 70 mm of rainfall by 1.30 pm. Rajiv Chowk, IFFCO Chowk, Railway Road, Sector 5, Old Delhi Road, Mehrauli Road and Basai Road were among the areas worst affected.
