On Sunday, August 11, #Gurugram trended on social media as residents shared a flood of pictures and videos, highlighting the severe waterlogging that followed heavy rains in Delhi and its surrounding areas. The deluge transformed the roads of Haryana’s financial and technology hub into virtual rivers, sparking widespread frustration among locals who took to social media to criticize the city’s poor civic infrastructure.
The heavy downpour left parts of Gurugram, also known as the ‘Millennium City’, submerged under waist-deep water, with water even entering homes in some of the city’s most upscale neighborhoods. As a result, many residents sarcastically renamed the city “Jalgram,” a nod to the inundated conditions.
Rains in Gurugram are all nice and romantic until… pic.twitter.com/PIbYkdQ6RX
— Shuchi Singh (@theshuchisingh) August 11, 2024
Every year before the rainy season, Gurgaon admin declares, “we are fully prepared, there will be no water logging”, yet this repeats every year without fail.
People die of electrocution, houses get flooded. Multiple govt agencies keep blaming each other #Gurugram #GurugramRains https://t.co/P0jH8eTlof— Ankur Jain (@ajonit) August 11, 2024
Videos and photos shared online revealed the extent of the flooding, particularly in high-end areas like Golf Course Road, where luxury apartments are situated. The images showcased cars stranded in waterlogged streets and residents wading through the floodwaters. Many users tagged local authorities, including the Gurugram Municipal Corporation, the Gurugram Metropolitan Development Authority (GMDA), and the deputy commissioner, demanding accountability.
🚨🚨🌧️ Flash floods in #Gurugram #Gurgaon millennium city turns Jalgram. 70 percent of revenue in #Haryana but city still to get even basic drainage.🌧️🌨️⚡#HaryanaPunjabWeatherAlert #Rain #HeavyRain #FLoods pic.twitter.com/zpgK1VRcfK
— Kuldeep Rawat (@KuldeepRawat730) August 11, 2024
The social media uproar wasn’t just limited to complaints about the flooding. Users also expressed their anger at the lack of basic drainage facilities, with some alleging corruption in construction projects. One user suggested drastic measures to hold officials accountable, tweeting, “COORDINATED COOPERATION for CORRUPTION in CONSTRUCTION #GurugramRains NO ROADS NO DRAINAGE. Why shouldn’t pensions & salaries of officials responsible be put on hold and recovery for losses be initiated from their assets? @DC_Gurugram @gurgaonpolice @cmohry #Gurgaon.”
🚧 COORDINATED COOPERATION for CORRUPTION in CONSTRUCTION 🚧 #GurugramRains
NO ROADS NO DRAINAGE❗
Why shouldn’t pensions & salaries of officials responsible be put on hold and recovery for losses be initiated from their assets?@DC_Gurugram @gurgaonpolice @cmohry #Gurgaon pic.twitter.com/o1pLgZfi92— Sahil S. Goyal Advocate (@SahilGoyalAdv) August 11, 2024
Another resident, fed up with the state of the city, posted a video of a garbage-strewn road in Sector 52, calling the area “Kudagram” and questioning the government’s claims of a “mega sanitation drive.” The user wrote, “A drive down this road in sector 52 refutes all claims of mega sanitation drive in #Gurugram #Gurgaon. It’s a marsh of garbage which commuters have to bear in rains of Kudagram. @cmohry @NayabSainiBJP @Rao_InderjitS #Haryana govt needs to walk the talk here.”
A drive down this road in sector 52 refutes all claims of mega sanitation drive in #Gurugram #Gurgaon.Its a marsh of garbage which commuters have to bear in rains of Kudagram. @cmohry @NayabSainiBJP @Rao_InderjitS #Haryana govt needs to walk.the talk here pic.twitter.com/8PAm9ioyih
— Uttam Yadav (@Uttamveeryadav) August 11, 2024
The situation led some to compare Gurugram to “modern-day Venice,” as cars stood submerged in floodwaters, and power cuts added to the residents’ woes. One user tweeted, “Heavy rains have turned Gurgaon into a modern-day Venice, with severe waterlogging and no drainage in sight. The situation is dire and requires the immediate attention of MCG and other authorities to prevent further chaos. #Gurgaon @cmohry @MunCorpGurugram @rwa_ardeecity.”
Heavy rains have turned Gurgaon into a modern-day Venice, with severe waterlogging and no drainage in sight. The situation is dire and requires the immediate attention of MCG and other authorities to prevent further chaos. #Gurgaon @cmohry @MunCorpGurugram @rwa_ardeecity pic.twitter.com/436J8xVcLF
— Mohit Nanda (@aviatormohit) August 11, 2024
The widespread frustration and vivid documentation of the city’s challenges have amplified calls for immediate action to address Gurugram’s inadequate infrastructure, as residents brace for further rains.