Authorities in Gurugram declared a holiday for schools and colleges after floodwaters disrupted daily life, with companies asking staff to work remotely.
BY PC Bureau
Gurugram, September 2, 2025: A few hours of torrential rain on Monday turned Gurugram into a city under siege, as roads disappeared under knee-deep water, vehicles broke down in the middle of highways, and thousands of commuters were left stranded for hours. The downpour, recorded at more than 100 mm in just four hours, exposed once again the fragile infrastructure of the Millennium City and prompted the administration to announce drastic measures, including closure of schools, colleges, and offices.
Schools and Colleges Switch to Online Mode
The District Disaster Management Authority (DDMA) issued an advisory directing schools and colleges to remain shut and move to online classes until further notice. Principals said the decision was unavoidable, given the risk of children wading through waterlogged streets or getting stranded in buses.
“We had no choice but to switch to online teaching. Students’ safety comes first,” said a principal of a leading private school in Sector 57.
“The roads were already waterlogged by morning. Many buses simply could not have reached the pickup points.”
Colleges too suspended offline lectures, while private tuition centres in Sohna Road and Golf Course Extension informed parents of a complete shutdown.
What a nightmare! #Gurugram choked for hours, roads #flooded, #commuters stranded. But hats off to @TrafficGGM 👮♂️—senior officers and #policemen stood in waterlogged stretches to clear chaos. Expressway, service lanes, Rajeev Chowk, Subhash Chowk, IFFCO & Signature Tower now… pic.twitter.com/haraCcZ4Zs
— Dr. Leena Dhankhar (@leenadhankhar) September 1, 2025
Offices Go Back to Work-from-Home
Private offices, especially in Cyber City, Udyog Vihar, and Golf Course Road, instructed employees to work from home. Several IT firms and multinational companies sent emergency alerts to staff, asking them to avoid commuting. The DDMA order explicitly asked companies to facilitate remote work to reduce pressure on already clogged roads.
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Employees who tried reaching their offices narrated harrowing experiences.
“I was stuck at Hero Honda Chowk for more than two hours. Eventually, I had to abandon my cab and walk back through knee-deep water,” said Shruti Mehra, a software engineer.
“It felt less like a commute and more like surviving a flood zone.”
Traffic Nightmare on NH-48 and Beyond
The heaviest blow came on the city’s lifeline — NH-48, connecting Delhi to Jaipur. At several points, including Hero Honda Chowk, Narsinghpur, and IFFCO Chowk, waterlogging caused massive jams stretching for five to seven kilometres. Social media was flooded with images of cars submerged to their bonnets, motorbikes being pushed through water, and ambulances trapped in gridlock.
“This is hell, not a millennium city,” a commuter posted online, echoing the frustration of thousands.
“Every time it rains like this, Gurugram collapses. Where are the crores spent on drainage?”
The city’s internal roads fared no better. Sohna Road, Sector 31, Sector 14, and MG Road reported long snarls. Residents attempting to return home from Delhi via NH-8 were stuck late into the night.
Emergency Measures Kick In
The Gurugram Metropolitan Development Authority (GMDA) swung into action, setting up a 24/7 flood control room and deploying high-capacity pumps at vulnerable points. Over 200 sanitation and desilting workers were pressed into service, while police personnel were stationed at major intersections to manage traffic.
The Haryana government also cancelled all leave for field officers until September 5, ensuring full deployment of municipal, drainage, and disaster response teams.
“We are working round the clock to clear the waterlogging. Pumps have been deployed at Narsinghpur and Basai Chowk. Citizens can use helpline numbers to report emergencies,” said a GMDA spokesperson.
Citizens Bear the Brunt
Despite official assurances, ordinary citizens bore the worst. Residents of low-lying colonies such as Palam Vihar, DLF Phase-3, and sectors along the Dwarka Expressway reported water entering homes.
“We have been using buckets to drain water from our living room. The society basement is flooded, cars are half under water,” said Rajesh Bhatia, a resident of DLF Phase-3.
Others were stranded mid-commute.
“My daughter’s school bus was stuck for more than an hour near IFFCO Chowk. We panicked until the driver confirmed they had managed to turn back,” said a parent from Sector 46.
Delivery workers and cab drivers also found themselves in precarious situations, as orders were canceled and cabs broke down.
The Infrastructure Question
The crisis has once again highlighted the long-standing problem of Gurugram’s faulty drainage system. Experts note that unchecked urbanisation, encroachment of natural water channels, and insufficient stormwater infrastructure have left the city vulnerable to even moderate downpours.
“Gurugram has lost most of its natural water bodies and storm drains. The city’s expansion has outpaced its infrastructure, and every spell of rain exposes this mismatch,” said an urban planner.
The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has issued an orange alert for the NCR, predicting more rain in the coming 48 hours. Authorities have urged citizens to avoid unnecessary travel, stay indoors, and keep emergency helplines handy.
Yet, with memories of Monday’s chaos fresh, citizens remain skeptical.
“We’ve been promised solutions year after year, but nothing changes,” said Kavita Arora, a resident of Sector 15.
“Until the drainage and planning issues are fixed, every heavy rain will turn Gurugram into a floodplain.”
