Gurugram’s Cloudburst Resilience Plan
We are seeing cloudbursts wrecking havoc everywhere. What to do?
In this article I combine blue-green (nature-based - parks, trees, water bodies) with grey (engineering) structures (drains, pipes, roads) to blue suggest some solutions taking Gurugram as an example. These are based on the pioneering work done in Copenhagen and New York.
The problem
Low areas like Sadar, Khandsa, Railway Road, Hero Honda Chowk, Narsinghpur, IFFCO Chowk, Sikanderpur, and Golf Course Road flood quickly.
Natural water channels (like Najafgarh drain) are blocked by construction.
Rainwater drains are few, and many are clogged.
Too many hard surfaces (glass towers, concrete roads) in Cyber City, Udyog Vihar, DLF I–V, Golf Course Road, Sohna Road, and the NH-48 corridor stop rainwater from soaking into the ground.
Water flow is blocked at points along the Badshahpur drain and where it connects to the Najafgarh basin.
Wetlands like Basai, Najafgarh Jheel, and the Aravalli foothills that could absorb water are under pressure.
People rely heavily on NH-48 and metro lines for daily travel, which also flood.
The problem areas are represented in the figure below.
Bringing Together Blue-Green & Grey Infrastructure
Develop a layered strategy given in the figure below.
Let us look at some examples on the ground of these controls in action.
Parks and Wetlands
Parks can serve two purposes: normal recreation on dry days and water storage during heavy rain.
Along main roads like Golf Course Road, MG Road, and Cyber Hub, plant green strips that soak up rain.
Create artificial wetlands (small water bodies with plants) to clean and hold rainwater.
Use areas like Basai wetland, Aravalli foothills, sector parks, and school playgrounds for water storage during floods.
Leisure Valley Park and Tau Devi Lal Park can double as “flood parks.”
2. Building-Level Measures
Encourage green roofs with plants, parking spaces that allow water to soak through, and more trees along streets.
Every large building should keep a small amount of rainwater on-site in tanks or crates before releasing it slowly.
3. Drains and Green Pathways
Clean and improve the Badshahpur drain, turning parts of it into green walking paths.
Fix smaller drains, add litter filters, and make space for regular cleaning.
4. Blue-Green Corridors
Guide rainwater flowing down from the Aravalli hills into safe channels.
Connect natural ponds and lakes so they can hold more water during storms.
5. Stronger Infrastructure (Grey Works)
Build large underground tanks or tunnels to temporarily hold rainwater at flood-prone junctions like Hero Honda Chowk and IFFCO.
Upgrade pipes and storm drains so they don’t overflow.
Modernise pumps at underpasses with backups to avoid breakdowns.
Stop backflow of water from the Najafgarh system into Gurugram drains.
Reshape some roads so water flows safely to storage areas instead of flooding streets.
Use pavements that allow rainwater to seep in, especially in new neighbourhoods.
What would success look like?
50–70% reduction in road closures at known hotspots.
< 60 minutes time-to-clear water after a 50 mm/hr, 2‑hour burst in pilot basins.
≥ 25 mm first-flush retention compliance for all new large developments.
Functional Badshahpur greenway segment with measurable water-quality gains.
