Gurgaon: The perennial issue of monsoon flooding along Southern Peripheral Road (SPR) could see relief this year, with the master stormwater drain between Vatika Chowk and NH8 now nearing completion. Officials from the GMDA said nearly 75% of the work was completed, and the remaining 1.2-km section is under execution. The authority is now targeting June for completion so that the infrastructure is in place before the onset of the monsoon.The 4.6-km reinforced cement concrete (RCC) box drain being constructed along the arterial stretch aims to address persistent flooding in the new sectors along the SPR.“The construction picked up pace, and we are working to ensure that the remaining stretch is completed before the monsoon season. The master drain will reduce the burden on the Badshapur drain by diverting and streamlining stormwater flow from newly developed sectors,” the senior official of GMDA said.While a 600-metre portion of the drain was constructed by the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) during the development of the Dwarka Expressway, the remaining 4.6 km is being executed by GMDA along the SPR.Once operational, the drain will channelise rainwater discharge from sectors 68 to 80 and ease pressure on the existing Badshapur drain, which frequently overflows during heavy rainfall. Sohna Road, SPR, and Golf Course Extension Road are expected to benefit from improved stormwater outflow, the official said.The Badshapur drain is one of the city’s 3 primary stormwater channels, carrying runoff from nearly 24,100 hectares, from Ghata village to the Najafgarh drain.To address the issue, GMDA planned to construct Leg-IV, which breaks off from the Badshapur drain beyond Vatika Chowk on Sohna Road and moves along the SPR up to NH8. The project was approved during GMDA’s 4th authority meeting in May 2019. However, the tender was floated nearly 3 years later owing to the pandemic and a revision in cost. The work was finally allotted in April 2023, with an initial completion deadline of Oct 2024. The timeline was extended multiple times, drawing criticism from residents who continue to face flooding even during moderate rainfall.Residents say the project is long overdue. “Every monsoon, we experience flooding along the SPR and adjoining sector roads. We hope the authority completes the drain this time before the rains set in. Because of poor drainage, the road surface deteriorates quickly, leading to traffic disruptions. The drain along the SPR must also be properly connected with internal sector drains so that rainwater is effectively channelised into the master drain,” said Rajat Srivastava, a resident of Sector 70A.
