Haryana orders probe into Gurugram flooding, seeks action plan by December 31

The Haryana government has ordered an investigation into Gurugram's persistent drainage problems and directed the district administration to prepare a comprehensive urban flood management plan by December 31, 2026, as part of efforts to address recurring waterlogging during the monsoon.

Financial Commissioner, Revenue, and Additional Chief Secretary, Revenue and Disaster Management, Sumita Misra said on Thursday that the Gurugram deputy commissioner had been instructed to personally monitor flood mitigation measures and ensure coordination among civic agencies, development authorities, engineering departments and police.

The directions followed a high-level meeting convened by the Union Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA), chaired by the Additional Secretary (Disaster Management), during which senior officials discussed measures to tackle Gurugram's recurring flooding problems.

𝐏𝐫𝐨𝐛𝐞 𝐢𝐧𝐭𝐨 𝐝𝐫𝐚𝐢𝐧𝐚𝐠𝐞 𝐟𝐚𝐢𝐥𝐮𝐫𝐞𝐬

The state government has directed officials to identify individual flooding hotspots and investigate the precise causes of water accumulation, including blocked drains, inadequate drainage capacity and defects in stormwater drainage design.

Rather than focusing exclusively on clearing waterlogged roads after heavy rainfall, the administration has been asked to develop a long-term strategy addressing the underlying causes of flooding.

The proposed measures must also incorporate effective rainwater management and improvements to the city's drainage infrastructure.

"A City Action Plan for Urban Flood Management shall be developed by December 31, 2026 with clearly defined targets, milestones and time-bound interventions," the Revenue and Disaster Management Department stated in its communication.

The plan will be required to identify specific problems and outline measurable interventions for their resolution.

𝐇𝐲𝐝𝐞𝐫𝐚𝐛𝐚𝐝 𝐦𝐨𝐝𝐞𝐥 𝐮𝐧𝐝𝐞𝐫 𝐬𝐭𝐮𝐝𝐲

The government has asked the district administration to examine whether elements of Hyderabad's urban flood management model can be adapted to Gurugram.

The proposed assessment will focus on establishing a centralised control room and exploring the interlinking of lakes and other water bodies to improve rainwater management.

Officials will evaluate the feasibility of introducing similar arrangements based on Gurugram's geographical conditions and existing infrastructure.

The administration has also been instructed to coordinate with the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) for technical assistance in identifying the causes of urban flooding and developing practical solutions.

𝐃𝐢𝐬𝐚𝐬𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝐟𝐮𝐧𝐝𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐞𝐱𝐩𝐥𝐨𝐫𝐞𝐝

To support flood prevention projects, the government has directed officials to examine the possibility of using the State Disaster Mitigation Fund.

The district administration will be required to identify eligible projects and submit proposals to the state government for approval under the prescribed guidelines.

The proposed funding mechanism could support infrastructure improvements and other preventive measures aimed at reducing the impact of heavy rainfall.

The government has emphasised that flood mitigation should be supported by technical planning, interdepartmental coordination and clearly defined implementation responsibilities.

𝐓𝐫𝐚𝐟𝐟𝐢𝐜 𝐝𝐢𝐬𝐫𝐮𝐩𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐬 𝐚𝐝𝐝𝐫𝐞𝐬𝐬𝐞𝐝

The directions come months after the Haryana Human Rights Commission expressed serious concern over recurring and severe waterlogging in Gurugram.

In September, the commission highlighted traffic paralysis, disruption of essential services, inadequate drainage infrastructure and the difficulties faced by residents, commuters and schoolchildren.

Recognising these concerns, the state government has ordered the preparation of standard operating procedures (SOPs) to reduce flooding-related traffic congestion and improve emergency responses during heavy rainfall.

The Director General of Police has been asked to instruct the officers concerned to prepare the procedures and provide necessary support for their implementation.

The measures are intended to improve coordination between traffic police, emergency responders and civic agencies during periods of intense rainfall.

𝐀𝐠𝐞𝐧𝐜𝐢𝐞𝐬 𝐭𝐨 𝐜𝐨𝐨𝐫𝐝𝐢𝐧𝐚𝐭𝐞

The Gurugram deputy commissioner has been assigned responsibility for coordinating flood management activities involving the Municipal Corporation of Gurugram, Gurugram Metropolitan Development Authority (GMDA), Haryana Shehri Vikas Pradhikaran (HSVP), Public Health Engineering Department, Irrigation and Water Resources Department and other agencies.

The Gurugram divisional commissioner and GMDA chief executive officer have also been directed to ensure effective coordination.

The government has sought a unified approach to addressing drainage and flooding issues that involve multiple departments and administrative jurisdictions.

𝐄𝐦𝐞𝐫𝐠𝐞𝐧𝐜𝐲 𝐩𝐫𝐞𝐩𝐚𝐫𝐞𝐝𝐧𝐞𝐬𝐬 𝐭𝐨 𝐢𝐦𝐩𝐫𝐨𝐯𝐞

The administration has been directed to undertake geographical information system (GIS)-based mapping of critical infrastructure and emergency response resources.

The exercise is intended to provide authorities with readily accessible information on available resources during flooding and other emergencies.

Officials have also been asked to promote the SACHET application to improve the dissemination of disaster warnings.

The government has directed the district administration to strengthen its civil defence arrangements through adequate staffing, equipment and training.

Trained volunteers, including Aapda Mitra and Yuva Aapda Mitra, will be integrated into emergency response mechanisms to improve preparedness and community-level assistance.

The government's instructions cover seven priority areas, including root-cause analysis, water body management, disaster mitigation funding, technical planning and emergency preparedness.

The December 31 deadline will require the district administration to consolidate these measures into a comprehensive action plan aimed at reducing Gurugram's vulnerability to recurring urban flooding.