Gurugram traffic chaos: Centre, Haryana swing into action

With major arterial roads leading to Gurgaon, including the Delhi-Jaipur National Highway and the Delhi-Gurgaon Expressway, witnessing massive traffic jams, leaving commuters stranded for hours since last night, Union Transport Minister Nitin Gadkari on Friday directed National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) chairman Raghav Chandra to immediately send a team of officials to clear NH-8.

Meanwhile, the Haryana Government has directed the Chief Administrator of Haryana Urban Development Authority and the Director of the Local Bodies Department to visit Gurgaon to expedite the road clearance effort.

Haryana Chief Secretary D.S. Dhesi told ANI: "As per our feedback, and also shown by the media, the main problem is disruption in traffic movement. It's not that the water has entered in houses. The traffic movement was disrupted due to water-logging at the Hero Honda Chowk and on the NH-8."

"Short while earlier, I have received information that traffic has been restored at the Hero Honda Chowk, though slow as of now. Vehicles, which were left stranded in the night as their engines ceased to work, have been removed by cranes," said Dhesi.

"We have held a meeting of senior officials of the crisis management team for restoring traffic movement on the NH-8 and other arterial roads. We have regulated the movement of trucks and allowing only light vehicles so that traffic can be cleared from there. Besides, a team comprising HUDA chief administrator and director of the local bodies will visit there," he added.

Explaining reasons behind the traffic jams, he said, "Gurgaon received 4.6 cm of rain from 2-5p.m on July 28, which was unexpected. From June 1-27, the city received just 19 cm of rain, while yesterday it received 4.6 cm of rain in just three hours."

"Sudden rain inundated several localities, especially the Delhi-Jaipur National Highway 8. Besides, due to construction of a flyover at Hero Honda Chowk, the traffic is being diverted through service lanes. Moreover, Gurgaon's main drainage, Badshahpur drain, is also close to the Hero Honda Chowk, and due to excessive rain it inundated the chowk and nearby localities.