'Germany of India, Lake View': Gurugram Goes the Mumbai Way After Heavy Rains Reveal Infra Woes
After incessant overnight rainfall, severe waterlogging was reported on Monday morning in Gurugram and residents took to social media to share images of flooded housing complexes, lashing out at the city's municipal corporation and bad infrastructure.
A road in Gurugram's Sector 65 caved in, making it unmotorable for over 3,000 people living in the adjacent Emerald Hills, and a crucial connectivity route near Artemis Hospital in sector 52 was completely waterlogged.
While Twitter was flooded with photos of roads damaged and clogged with overflowing drain water, people slammed the ML Khattar government for 'making Gurgaon the Germany of India in all the wrong ways.'
The India Meteorological Department had on Sunday predicted that Gurugram is expected to receive 'heavy to very heavy rainfall with thunderstorm or lightning' over the next two days.
The weather department had issued an orange alert for Monday and Tuesday due to heavy rain predictions. It said that the city may wake up to waterlogging in low-lying areas or disruption in electricity and water supply.
Severe waterlogging was reported in Delhi, as well, with the city registering 70 mm rainfall in the last 24 hours. The IMD predicted 'light to moderate intensity rain" over Delhi and NCR during the day.
According to the IMD, a below 15 mm rainfall is considered 'light", between 15 and 64.5 mm is 'moderate", between 64.5 mm and 115.5 mm is 'heavy" and between 115.6 mm and 204.4 mm is 'very heavy", and above 204.4 mm is considered as 'extremely heavy". The weather department issued advisory suggesting 'slippery roads and traffic disruption" due to thunderstorm and rain.
It also warned against 'partial damage to plantation, horticulture, standing crops, vulnerable structures, kutcha houses and huts" due to rains and strong winds. It added that moderate to heavy spells of rain may cause 'occasional reduction in visibility" and waterlogging may occur in the low lying areas.
The Delhi Traffic Police too reported waterlogging at Pulpehladpur under the railway bridge. 'Traffic is diverted from MB road towards Mathura road," it said on Twitter.