Gurugram placed under orange alert as heavy rain floods roads and disrupts traffic

Gurugram came under an orange alert on Saturday after relentless morning rain submerged major roads, clogged residential sectors and brought peak-hour traffic to a crawl.

The India Meteorological Department’s regional centre in Chandigarh recorded 51.5 millimetres of rain in the city by 8 a.m. It forecast rainfall of more than 15 millimetres per hour over the following two to three hours, along with moderate thunderstorms and gusty winds.

Water accumulated to about two feet on Sheetla Mata Road, Old Delhi-Gurugram Road and routes linking Sectors 9A, 10 and 17. Persistent trouble spots including MG Road, Sectors 31, 46, 10 and 12, Narsinghpur, Sectors 69 and 70 also reported flooding. In Sector 15 Part 2, runoff entered internal colony roads and threatened ground-floor homes, prompting residents to move vehicles onto elevated ramps.

New Gurugram and the Manesar industrial belt faced major delays. Roads in Sector 81 and connecting Sectors 82 to 90 turned into streams. District data showed that Manesar received the highest rainfall in the previous 24 hours, at 54 millimetres. Wazirabad recorded 42 millimetres, Gurugram 41, Kadipur and Harsaru 29, Sohna 26, Badshahpur 12, and Farrukhnagar and Pataudi 10 millimetres each.

The district administration urged people to avoid unnecessary travel and flooded routes. It also warned residents to keep away from underpasses, low-lying areas, trees, electric poles and overhead wires, and not to cross flooded stretches. The rain quickly overwhelmed stormwater drains, again exposing the city’s vulnerability during the monsoon.

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Citizens are further advised to avoid waterlogged roads, underpasses and low-lying areas; stay away from trees, electric poles and overhead wires; and refrain from crossing flooded stretches. All concerned departments and emergency response agencies have been directed to remain vigilant and take necessary precautionary measures.