Gurgaon: One of the worst-affected stretches along Delhi-Gurgaon Expressway — Narsingpur — has failed to draw the attention of National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) even as the work on upgrading the 28-km corridor moves at a snail’s pace.In Aug last year, NHAI awarded the upgradation of the highway stretch from Rao Tula Ram Marg in Delhi to Kherki Daula in Gurgaon. While some portions on the Delhi side saw recarpeting, progress on the Gurgaon section is still sluggish and Narsingpur’s wait for the resurfacing is getting longer. The service lanes are dotted with huge craters, broken edges and uneven patches. With the monsoon just a few months away, commuters say the damage will only worsen if repairs are not carried out as a priority.Ravi Shukla, a resident of Sector 69 who uses this stretch daily, said, “As the service lane is badly damaged, a large volume of local traffic spills onto the main carriageway, adding to congestion and increasing the risk of accidents. The service road itself carries traffic in both directions and is heavily burdened due to constant movement of vehicles, especially with factories operating in the area. With just a few months left before the rains, authorities must resurface the stretch and resolve the sewer overflow issue as a priority.” The service road was in a deplorable condition for the past many years and “no proper repairs were carried out” despite repeated complaints, Gopal Yadav, a resident of Narsingpur, said. Yadav added, “During the monsoon, the stretch becomes virtually unusable due to waterlogging. The drain along the highway is clogged with rubbish, preventing the flow of water. If authorities do not take up proper resurfacing and drainage correction before the monsoon, the situation will only deteriorate further.”Under NHAI’s upgradation plan, parts of the service road near Narsingpur are proposed to be rebuilt using ready-mix concrete to reduce recurring damage and maintenance. On the ground, however, no progress is visible.An NHAI official acknowledged that the condition of the Narsingpur service road deteriorated and said the stretch is part of the ongoing upgradation plan. “We are planning to rebuild portions of the service road using cement concrete to ensure it lasts long. The work is expected to begin in March so that major repairs can be completed before the monsoon season,” the official said.The stretch is prone to waterlogging due to inadequate drainage. The problem is further compounded by sewage overflow from adjoining villages. Wastewater frequently spills onto the service road and seeps into the surface, weakening the base layer and accelerating deterioration.In Nov 2024, MCG officials were asked to ensure sewer lines between Narsingpur village and the service road were cleared to prevent wastewater from entering the expressway’s surface drains. However, the problem still persists on the ground.Last year, ahead of the monsoon, a portion of the service road along the Jaipur-Delhi carriageway was dug up to allow water to drain out. Months later, the damaged stretch was not fully restored, forcing commuters to navigate uneven and dug-up patches. Responding to the persistent sewer overflow issue, the NHAI official said the damage is recurring because wastewater from nearby areas flows into the surface drains. An MCG official said, “We have completed the survey of the area and have already prepared the action plan to fix sewerage in the area. We are aiming to fix the problem before the monsoon arrives.”
