Thousands stranded, Centre asks CM to take stock of Gurgaon traffic woes

New Delhi: With Gurgaon facing massive traffic jams due to waterlogging, Urban Development Minister M Venkaiah Naidu on Friday asked Haryana Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar to take urgent steps to deal with the situation.

Thousands of office goers and other commuters were stranded in Gurgaon as heavy rains led to waterlogging on NH-8 causing huge traffic jams, forcing authorities to shut down schools in Delhi's satellite city while some offices too declared it an off.

"I just spoke to Harayana CM and told him that this is an important city and international focus and attention is on it. All steps should be taken to clear the jams and they are on the job. The state administration is attending the problem on an emergency basis," Naidu said outside Parliament.

The prolonged jams threw the traffic out of gear as many motorists abandoned their vehicles and waded through knee-deep water on both the carriageways of Delhi-Jaipur road, including Hero Honda Chowk, bringing the traffic to a standstill with the tailback extending up to 15-20 KM.

"The situation in Gurgaon is because of water logging and non-functioning of certain drains, some in Gurgram side and some in Delhi side. Governments are attending to clear those drains at the earliest," Naidu said.

"The Haryana CM told me that he was taking up the issue at the highest level and has alerted the entire administration to ease out traffic congestion. Certain long term measures have also been planned and being worked out for the future," he said.

Union Minister and Faridabad MP Krishnapal Gujjar stated that the Centre was taking all measures to rid Gurgaon of its traffic woes.

"It (congestion) is an old problem. But after our government assumed power, we have undertaken many steps to make Gurgram (Gurgaon) free of traffic jams. Work has already started and the tender process is on for it."