Ex-Congress minister, now BJP MP, calls Gurugram waterlogging 'Congress-era mess'
What's the story
Gurugram MP Rao Inderjit Singh has blamed the Congress for the persistent waterlogging problem in the city. He called current measures a "band-aid solution" to a problem that originated during the Congress's rule in Haryana. However, Singh was himself a Congress leader when he was first elected as an MP from Gurugram in 2009. He later joined the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in 2014 and has been re-elected thrice on its ticket.
Infrastructure collapse
Singh suggests building underground tunnels on old drain paths
Singh said the problem is mainly due to construction over traditional drains that used to carry rainwater from hills to the Yamuna.
"We are still dealing with the consequences of this development that happened during the Congress era today," he told reporters on Wednesday. "Waterlogging has been occurring in Gurugram for years. The main reason is that development has taken place over the old, traditional drains that used to carry water from the hills to the Yamuna," Singh said.
Solution
He suggested building underground tunnels
He suggested building underground tunnels on old drain paths as a solution.
"The only way to fix this now is to construct underground tunnels, similar to those built for the Metro, along the paths of the old drains to channel the water through those original routes," he said.
Singh described the current measures as a 'band-aid' solution. "It offers some relief, but if we block...water in one place, it finds a way out elsewhere. The government is working on this."
Political blame
Congress hits back, says infrastructure has collapsed
The Congress, on the other hand, has slammed the BJP government for not solving the problem despite spending ₹1,400 crore.
Party general secretary Randeep Singh Surjewala said Gurugram's infrastructure had "collapsed," with flooded roads and streets.
He also highlighted incidents like school busses getting stranded and a service lane caving in along the Delhi-Jaipur highway due to sewer line leakage.
Monsoon challenges
School van stranded in waterlogged Gurugram
The city has been grappling with severe waterlogging during monsoons, even after installing 408 rainwater harvesting systems.
On August 24, around 70mm of rain in just 35 minutes submerged major roads and underpasses.
Speaking to NDTV, another BJP MP from Haryana, Dharambir Singh, said the problems of the people in the millennium city will go away come 2047.
"The new masterplan for 2047 will develop the city for future needs. All will be taken care of then."