Haryana Urban Development Authority (Huda) is facing a big challenge in constructing a drain at Khandsa in Gurgaon that will allow storm water to flow seamlessly through Badshahpur drain that runs across the district.
Demolition of houses to make way for the drain has been tardy and several houses have only been partially pulled down with debris still left unattended, slowing down the project and increasing problems for HUDA.
HUDA needs to hurry as it has just a little over two months to finish the work and monsoon is scheduled to hit the NCR by the end of June. Or else, this monsoon too could bring traffic to a halt on the busy highway near the Hero Honda Chowk.
The engineering department of HUDA is racing against time, but can it finish the task on hand is the question that agitates the minds of the residents. HUDA has to widen 600-metres of the drain in Khandsa to allow storm water to flow seamlessly from one end to the other of the 29 km Badshahpur Drain, which passes through Ghata, Wazirabad, Badshahpur, Khandsa and Najafgarh.
Infrastructure Leasing & Financial Services Limited (IL&FS) is the company that has to transport waste to the Construction and Demolition (C&D) Waste Plant, Sector 37, Gurgaon.
Sweta Sharma, executive engineer, HUDA, said “we have started the drain-widening work in Khandsa. But unless all houses are fully demolished and their debris removed, we cannot get clear land for digging. We have requested the HUDA enforcement wing and IL&FS to make the land available so that we can complete construction before the onset of monsoon.”
The infrastructure company on the other hand said it was removing debris as per its commitment. A senior executive of IL&FS said, “we have been removing debris as per our commitment. In the past 15 days, we have removed approximately 2,500 tons of demolition debris.”
Just two years ago, massive water logging on the national highway during monsoon rain caused a massive traffic jam. Haryana chief minister Manohar Lal Khattar surveyed the area aerially and ordered the construction of the Khandsa Drain to end the problem.
However, residents of the adjoining areas lament that the pace of work on the project is far from satisfactory.
