Gurgaon: Ahead of work beginning on new metro corridor, GMDA has approved reconstruction of Leg 1, a 2.8 km master storm water drain between Old Delhi Road and Rezang La Chowk.According to an official, an estimate of Rs 34 crore was prepared and a tender for the project will be floated soon. Built over three decades ago with brick masonry, years of sewage flow and corrosive gases have weakened the structure in several areas, especially Sector 22. The drain was transferred from the Haryana Shehri Vikas Pradhikaran to the GMDA in 2018.Leg 1 falls along the alignment of the metro corridor being developed by GMRL. Under the metro’s Phase II, the corridor will run between Sector 9 and Cyber City and pass through Sector 22 and Sector 23A. Earlier, the metro agency asked the GMDA to complete the rebuilding work by June this year so that construction of the elevated corridor is not hindered.The drain begins from Sikenderpur village and outfalls into the Najafgarh drain, passing through Sectors 18/19, Old Delhi Road, Sectors 22 and 23A, Palam Vihar, railway culvert No 47, village Bajghera and Sector 115.While the portion from Rezang La Chowk to railway culvert No 47 was rebuilt by GMDA in 2024, the remaining stretch from the Old Delhi Road culvert to Rezang La Chowk is now being undertaken for reconstruction, the official said.The drain is 4.25 metres wide upstream of Old Delhi Road but the width reduces to 2.10 metres downstream. This narrowing causes overflow near the residential sectors at Old Delhi Road during heavy rain.“The reduced width downstream further aggravates flooding during intense rain. Renovation of this drain is necessary to ensure effective disposal of rainwater,” the official said.Authorities said the existing section cannot handle peak discharge from the catchment, which expanded due to rapid urbanisation and increased paved surfaces. The plan is to rebuild the remaining stretch as a load-bearing RCC box drain with a uniform and adequate cross-section.The official said the upgrade is necessary to prevent structural failure and reduce the risk of flooding in adjoining residential sectors during the monsoon.
