Gurugram has faced two major episodes of extreme rainfall this year 133 mm of rain in just 12 hours on July 9–10, and over 100 mm in four hours on September 1 both of which triggered severe waterlogging, prolonged traffic jams, and power outages across key stretches of the city.
Following public criticism over the city’s flood preparedness and drainage systems, Union Minister M. L. Khattar directed the Gurugram Metropolitan Development Authority (GMDA) and the Irrigation Department to plan a new stormwater drain from Gurugram to Palwal via Sohna and Nuh. The objective is to divert excess monsoon runoff to the Yamuna near Palwal.
However, multiple hydrology and urban planning experts have questioned the viability of the plan, noting that Gurugram’s natural drainage system flows northwest toward the Najafgarh Jheel and the Sahibi river. Redirecting this flow southward would require pumping water against the natural gradient, resulting in high energy costs and significant engineering challenges.
Gurugram’s topography is shaped by the Aravalli ridge, which acts as a drainage divide. Runoff from the built-up urban landscape traditionally flows toward Najafgarh Jheel a natural stormwater reservoir with a capacity of around 32 million cubic metres (MCM). Scientific assessments based on Sentinel-2 satellite data show that the Gurugram Municipal Corporation area spans around 307 sq km, including both built-up and open land. Under moderate to very heavy rainfall scenarios, runoff generated from this area ranges from 9 MCM per day to as high as 29 MCM per day.
In contrast, the proposed stormwater drain even with deep excavation and heavy pumping is estimated to handle only about 2 MCM per day. During intense rainfall events such as those seen this year, the drain’s capacity would fall far short of the required discharge, potentially rendering it ineffective when needed most. Experts also note that large pumping systems, used only on a handful of monsoon days per year, would face maintenance challenges and risk failing during critical rainfall periods.
The estimated cost of the project, including land acquisition, is expected to be around ₹1,500 crore. Critics argue that such expenditure is difficult to justify given the limited operational window and the availability of a natural alternative restoring and utilising the Najafgarh Jheel for stormwater absorption, flood buffering, and groundwater recharge.
Gurugram has already been designated a groundwater ‘dark zone’ due to severe over-extraction, with the city drawing more than twice its sustainable limit in 2024. Diverting stormwater out of the region, instead of using it to recharge local aquifers, could deepen the city’s long-term water crisis.
Urban planners and water experts say the focus should shift toward strengthening localised drainage networks, restoring wetlands and ponds, improving soil permeability, and adopting nature-based solutions such as retention ponds, permeable pavements, bioswales, rain gardens, and green roofs. These measures, collectively referred to as low impact development strategies, can help retain stormwater where it falls, reduce peak runoff, and restore ecological stability.
Instead of exporting excess rainwater away from the city, experts argue that Gurugram must relearn how to absorb, store, and recycle it working with its natural watershed rather than against it. By strengthening the Najafgarh Jheel wetland and integrating decentralised urban water systems, the city can build resilience to both extreme rainfall and long-term water scarcity.