Gurgaon: GMDA is planning to lay a piped culvert in Narsingpur under NH-8 — a development that is expected to control chronic waterlogging on the highway. The culvert will be built to channel stormwater from the Delhi-Jaipur carriageway into the Badshapur drain, an official said.The metropolitan authority has already floated the tender for the project and is targeting a completion date before monsoon. The project will cost the GMDA Rs 2.8 crore.The project has seen a tussle between GMDA and the National Highways Authority of India over the design and construction methodology.Under the plan, three 900 mm diameter pipes will be laid across the highway using trenchless technology, allowing underground construction without digging up the carriageway or disrupting traffic movement on the busy Delhi-Gurgaon expressway stretch.“The pipes will be carry stormwater from the Delhi-Jaipur side of NH-48 towards the drain being constructed near Radha Krishnan Garden in Narsingpur,” the official said.GMDA is already constructing a 650 m drain at Narsingpur to channelise stormwater accumulated along the service lane towards the Badshapur drain in Sector 37. However, while the drain was designed to cater to runoff from the Jaipur-Delhi side of the highway, officials said an additional culvert was required to carry stormwater from the opposite carriageway as well.“This is being done as a temporary measure before the permanent culvert is taken up by NHAI,” the official added.Last year, GMDA had asked NHAI to build the culvert for carrying stormwater into the drain across Delhi-Gurgaon Expressway. However, the project hit a roadblock after the highway authority rejected GMDA’s proposal in January, citing design deficiencies and non-compliance with road safety norms. NHAI had asked GMDA to submit revised drawings and fresh cost estimates before granting approval.Initially, GMDA had proposed excavation-based construction for laying the three piped culverts. However, the plan was dropped over concerns that digging across NH-48 would severely disrupt traffic.Subsequently, a revised proposal using the box-pushing technique — a trenchless method that enables underground construction without disturbing surface traffic — was explored, but the project failed to move forward.Last month, GMDA chief executive officer PC Meena took up the matter with NHAI chairman Santosh Kumar Yadav, urging him to facilitate construction of the culvert for better drainage management at the flood-prone location.However, GMDA maintained the latest project is a stopgap arrangement for the upcoming monsoon season and the permanent drainage system has to be built by NHAI.
