Heavy Rain Paralyzes Gurugram Roads
Heavy rainfall on Monday brought Gurugram to a standstill, with school buses and ambulances stuck in waterlogged roads and traffic slowing across several parts of the city. The district administration reported 70 mm of rainfall by 1:30 pm, as waterlogging was reported from Narsinghpur, Hero Honda Chowk, Rajiv Chowk, IFFCO Chowk and several parts of old Gurugram, with vehicles stuck around Rajiv Chowk.
School buses carrying children home bore the brunt of the waterlogging, with several stranded for hours at Rail Vihar in Sector 47 and Subash Chowk. School buses and ambulances were also caught in waterlogging on Sohna Road. One resident claimed their child had remained stranded in a school bus for more than four hours.
Major Roads and Expressway Affected
The rain affected several major roads, including Rajiv Chowk, IFFCO Chowk, Railway Road, Sector 5, Old Delhi Road, Mehrauli Road and Basai Road. The Naharpur underpass was also waterlogged, and traffic remained slow on several roads, with commuters seen wading through flooded streets.
The rain brought traffic movement in parts of old Gurugram to a standstill, with waterlogging leading to traffic jams that continued into the afternoon in areas like Sadar Bazar, Gurdwara Road and Old Delhi Road. A large section of the Delhi-Gurugram Expressway near Cyber Hub, opposite Gateway Tower Metro Station, was submerged, disrupting traffic on the major thoroughfare. Sheetla Mata Road, which has emerged as one of Gurugram's flood-prone locations this monsoon, was also among the worst-affected areas.
A senior traffic police officer said vehicular movement was choked near the Sirhaul border, Rajiv Chowk, Narsinghpur and some other locations. Traffic police personnel were deployed to manage the situation.
Administration's Response
In response to the situation, the administration ordered all government and private schools and educational institutions in the district to conduct classes online on Tuesday, citing the safety of students and staff and the likelihood of traffic congestion. The administration also advised corporate and private offices to allow employees to work from home on Tuesday, August 25.
Deputy Commissioner Uttam Singh, who is also chairperson of the District Disaster Management Authority, said the work-from-home advisory for corporate and private offices would remain in effect on August 25. The decision was aimed at reducing traffic congestion and facilitating repair and maintenance work on roads and drains by civic agencies, according to an official statement.
Gurugram Traffic Police deployed drones to monitor waterlogged areas and major roads during the rainfall. Officials said the aerial surveillance helped assess traffic conditions, identify sensitive locations and issue directions to personnel deployed on the ground.
Inspections and Ground Operations
Municipal teams remained on the ground as waterlogging continued. Municipal Commissioner Pradeep Dahiya and Additional Municipal Commissioner Yash Jaluka inspected affected areas along with officials from the Gurugram Metropolitan Development Authority and the National Highways Authority of India. They inspected several waterlogging-prone areas including Jhar Sa Chowk, Rajiv Chowk, Medanta Underpass, Tau Devilal Stadium, Sohna Road and Elante Mall.
Dahiya directed officials to keep pumping arrangements active and ensure teams reach waterlogged locations immediately to drain accumulated water.