Gurgaon, August 13, 2024 — The National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) announced on Monday that the Bajghera underpass on the Dwarka Expressway, which was heavily flooded and closed for traffic on Sunday, would be cleared of water by Monday evening. The underpass, a crucial link on the Gurugram-Bajghera-Najafgarh road, serves as a key route for commuters traveling from Dwarka in Delhi and Najafgarh towards Gurugram, often experiencing heavy traffic during peak hours.
NHAI officials attributed the flooding to a choked local drain near the Bajghera underpass. The heavy rainfall on Sunday caused water from the Bajghera rail overbridge to be diverted towards the Dwarka Expressway. The already low-lying underpass, compounded by water from a clogged one-kilometer stretch of the drain, became heavily flooded.
“The underpass was closed for traffic as it got flooded, and eight pumps that are permanently deployed at the spot were put into service to dewater the structure on Sunday itself. The pumps are still working, and the water will be cleared by today evening. The drain along the road is not functional,” said an NHAI official.
Recurring Issues and Resident Concerns
Residents living near the Bajghera underpass expressed frustration over the recurring waterlogging issues. Rakesh Rana, president of the Sai Kunj Resident Welfare Association (RWA), which is located along the Bajghera road, pointed out that water from adjoining colonies and roads had flooded the underpass on Sunday, leading to its closure.
“There seems to be design issues in this underpass as the entire water from adjoining colonies and the main road floods this underpass. The leg one drain of GMDA along the Bajghera drain is not choked. There is a need to work out a proper solution,” said Rana.
NHAI and GMDA’s Response
In response to the flooding, NHAI officials stated that they had previously written to the Gurugram Metropolitan Development Authority (GMDA), urging them to establish a proper stormwater drainage network in the sectors along the Dwarka Expressway to prevent similar incidents in the future.
However, a senior GMDA official refuted claims of a non-functional drain, asserting that the Leg one drain along the Bajghera road is indeed functional and has been channeling water towards Najafgarh. “We will ensure that the surface drain along the Dwarka Expressway with the master drain network or Leg one drain is connected. Any other issue will also be resolved,” the official added.
As the NHAI works to clear the water from the underpass, residents and officials alike are calling for a more permanent solution to the recurring waterlogging problem, which has caused significant disruption for commuters in the area.
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