Gurugram residents are facing the familiar monsoon woes of waterlogging, and this time, a civic body officer is pointing fingers at the residents themselves, blaming indiscriminate garbage disposal for exacerbating the problem. The officer's statement comes amidst a series of reports highlighting the city's struggle with its infrastructure during heavy rains.

Gurugram has seen extensive waterlogging in several arterial stretches, including the Delhi-Jaipur Expressway, causing traffic snarls and inconvenience to commuters. Key areas such as Rajiv Chowk underpass, Sohna Chowk, and Golf Course Extension Road were severely affected, with commuters sharing images of flooded roads on social media and criticizing the civic authorities.

The civic body representative stated that the city's infrastructure has improved over the last three years, which has kept the city running even during heavy rain and teams have been activated to deal with waterlogging spots. However, residents are not convinced and cite the failure to manage the situation. One resident said that the district administration must stop fooling people and start working on the ground because a few kilometers of traveling turned into hours, which is disgusting.

The Municipal Corporation of Gurugram (MCG) and Gurugram Metropolitan Development Authority (GMDA) have been working to address the waterlogging issue. MCG Commissioner said that teams were prepared and coordinated with GMDA to get the city moving again within a few hours. The GMDA has set up a flood control office to give quick relief to residents during rains, and has also released helpline numbers for citizens to submit their monsoon-related grievances.

To prevent flooding, the metropolitan authority has installed heavy-duty pumps at vulnerable junctions and mobile tractor-mounted pumps and suction tankers have been readied for deployment as per the on-ground situation. Regular desilting and cleaning of drain inlets, road gullies and stormwater channels are also being carried out to ensure that rainwater drains off quickly from the city's master roads.

Despite these efforts, the problem persists, and residents allege that stormwater drains are filled with construction and demolition waste, as well as fresh waste dumped by unauthorized vendors. They claim to have been complaining to authorities for many years, but nothing has changed. Commuters have also complained about the absence of timely maintenance of drains and rainwater harvesting pits, which has contributed significantly to the flooding.

The Union Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs told the Lok Sabha that Gurgaon does not face major civic infrastructure issues apart from waterlogging during intense rainfall. The ministry acknowledged that rapid urbanization and ineffective drainage systems are contributing factors. While efforts have been made to address critical waterlogging spots, recent monsoon seasons have exposed the ongoing challenges in managing stormwater and waste.

The Haryana government has cancelled the leave of all field officers till September 5 to ensure they remain on the ground during rainy days. Officers have been told to remain stationed at their posts and maintain a close vigil across districts.