Gurgaon roads come undone after rain

MG Road, Ghata Road, Sirhaul-Kapashera Border Road, Sheetla Mata Mandir Road, Palam Vihar Among Worst Hit

Akanksha.GuptaGurgaon: Potholes, damaged road surfaces, loose gravel and water accumulation on several key stretches — normal life appears to be in a shambles, with the monsoon playing havoc.For motorists in the city, the ongoing monsoon is not only adding to traffic snarls but also making daily commuting difficult.Rajiv Verma, who lives in Vasant Vihar and works as an IT executive in Udyog Vihar, told TOI, “The road is in such poor condition that the constant jerks make the commute extremely uncomfortable, with the impact felt on your back and spine.”Among the stretches where problems have been prominent are MG Road near Guru Dronacharya Metro Station, Ghata Road, Kapashera border, Sirhaul-Kapashera border road, Palam Vihar and Sheetla Mata Mandir Road.Roads carrying thousands of commuters every day have developed uneven and damaged patches, while rainwater has filled potholes and made it difficult for motorists to assess their depth.Vehicles are being forced to slow down, brake suddenly or change lanes to negotiate the damaged portions, affecting traffic flow and increasing the risk of accidents, particularly for two-wheeler riders.At Ghata Road, large portions of the carriageway have broken down, with loose aggregate spread across the surface. During rainfall, water collects in deep depressions, leaving motorists to navigate through a combination of potholes, stagnant water and loose material.The situation is particularly difficult for two-wheeler riders, who face the risk of losing balance when potholes are hidden under water. Vehicles moving through the damaged stretches also throw loose gravel onto the roadside, posing a risk to pedestrians and cyclists.Commuters entering the city from Kapashera side are facing a damaged stretch where cross-drainage work was carried out before the monsoon. Residents said the road was not properly restored after the work, with the damaged portion filled with debris and left uneven.RWA president of Surya Vihar Rajesh Gera told TOI, “The road cut has been lying unrepaired for nearly two months. This portion was already uneven due to road levels and then further damaged for carrying out the drainage work. Vehicles have to brake suddenly while crossing the stretch and despite the cross-drainage work being completed, the road has not been properly restored. Thousands of vehicles pass through this stretch every morning and the damaged road is causing traffic disruption. I had to spend nearly two hours helping manage the traffic, with police personnel deployed because vehicles were barely moving. There is also a concern about industrial wastewater being discharged into the surface drain and flowing onto the road, which is further damaging the road surface.”Sirhaul-Kapashera border road is an important link for office-goers working in Udyog Vihar. Parked buses and cabs on the sides and potholes in the middle of the road leave little space for commuters to drive through the stretch.Another badly affected stretch is MG Road approach near Guru Dronacharya Metro Station. Although GSB material and paver blocks have been used as a temporary measure, loose gravel on the wet surface continues to make braking and turning difficult.Motorists have to reduce speed and repeatedly change lanes to avoid potholes and damaged patches. Pedestrians also face risks from gravel being thrown up by passing vehicles.“Every day on my way to work, I dread crossing this stretch after Guru Dronacharya metro station. The potholes are so deep and numerous that vehicles have to slow down or brake repeatedly to get through. The condition has become even worse after the latest spell of rain,” Vasant Vihar resident Rajiv Verma added.With more rainfall expected during the monsoon, residents said temporary filling of potholes would not be enough unless the underlying drainage problems are addressed.Meanwhile, a GMDA official said the agency has started taking up damaged stretches following the recent rainfall.“Following the recent heavy rainfall, the number of potholes has increased. Repair work is already underway and we are taking up the affected stretches for restoration on priority. We are getting the damaged portion filled with GSB material and restoring the road to motorable condition. Similarly, the damaged portion near Atul Katariya Chowk has also been repaired. Repair work has started at multiple locations and the remaining damaged stretches will also be taken up. For Ghata Road, we have already floated tender for special repair of the entire stretch,” the official said.Residents said the problem is not limited to potholes but also involves the movement of traffic through the damaged stretch.Umesh Kumar, who commutes daily on this road, said, “Vehicles coming from the Guru Dronacharya side have to slow down, while traffic coming from the Cyber City side also has to negotiate the same stretch for a U-turn. As vehicles reduce speed or stop to avoid the water and potholes, congestion builds up on both sides. Gravel and loose material spread across the road are also thrown up by passing vehicles, creating a risk for pedestrians and two-wheeler riders. The road is already uneven and damaged, and simply filling the potholes with construction material will not be enough. The underlying drainage and water-flow issue also needs to be addressed to prevent the road from getting damaged again.”The impact of the monsoon is also being felt on Sector 102-102A road, where residents said waterlogging has worsened road conditions near the underpass on Dwarka Expressway and increased the risk to commuters.“There is a need for GMDA to take urgent action as Sector 102-102A road has been damaged and the area is prone to waterlogging. This is causing vehicle damage and posing a serious risk of injuries to two-wheeler riders. GMDA must inspect and repair the affected stretches on priority before a serious accident occurs,” said Parag Anand, a resident of Joyville, Sector 102.