Parents and Children Face Daily Struggles Due to Pothole-Ridden Roads in Sushant Lok 2

Gurugram, Haryana (Sarhind Times) – August 6, 2024

The internal roads of Sushant Lok 2 in Gurugram have become a daily nightmare for residents, particularly parents and children commuting to schools in the area. Marred by potholes and broken patches, the deteriorating road conditions have caused significant distress and frustration among the community.

Despite multiple complaints to the authorities, no action has been taken to address the issue. “The roads are terrible, and I feel helpless every time I drop my daughter at school. Both the approach roads to the school are filled with potholes and huge craters. This will have an adverse impact on the well-being of children in the long run. Despite raising the matter with MCG officials and even highlighting the issue to the chief minister, nothing has been done to ease the problem,” said Vibhor Gandotra, whose daughter studies in Class 2.

Rajiv Gutt, father of two school-going children, echoed similar sentiments, describing the exhaustion his children feel after traveling through the pothole-riddled roads. “The condition only becomes worse after rains as water accumulates on the road, leaving little space to navigate. This further adds to traffic chaos. Even vehicles get frequently damaged,” he lamented.

Most of the roads in Sushant Lok 2 were laid by the developer over a decade ago and have seen little to no maintenance since then. Although the Municipal Corporation of Gurugram (MCG) allocated ₹9.3 crore for the construction of roads in Sushant Lok 2 and 3 in June 2023, progress has been slow. Only 8-9 km of roads have been constructed in Sushant Lok 2, and no work has begun in Sushant Lok 3.

The residents attribute the delay to a dispute over payment between the MCG and the contractor. “There are many schools in the vicinity, and children are affected due to the dilapidated condition of the roads. Since the beginning, the progress of the road construction has been slow, with the agency making excuses one after another. We have made repeated complaints to the MCG and recently raised the matter with the MLA, but the MCG is not willing to address our concerns. If the issue is between MCG and the contractor, why should we suffer? Some lanes in F Block, which were constructed last year, have also started getting damaged, such is the construction quality. We have been paying taxes regularly and deserve better infrastructure facilities,” said Pawan Yadav, RWA president of Sushant Lok 2 and 3.

Sanjeev Kumar, the executive engineer of MCG, acknowledged the issue and stated that efforts are being made to resolve the matter. “We have already imposed a penalty of ₹50 lakh against the contractor and have issued a warning to start the work. If the agency does not respond within 10 days, we will take up the work at its risk and cost.”