Gurgaon's Lone Sanitation Warrior: Durga Das Cleans 2km Alone Amid MCG Staff Shortage
Every morning at 8am sharp, 55-year-old Durga Das arrives in Gurgaon's Sector 23A. She carries her broom and waste cart with quiet determination. For the residents of this colony, her arrival has become something they genuinely look forward to each day. They cannot thank her enough for her tireless efforts.
A Solitary Struggle on Gurgaon's Roads
For three consecutive months now, Durga has been cleaning over two kilometers of internal roads completely by herself. What was once a three-member Municipal Corporation of Gurgaon sanitation team has been reduced to just one dedicated worker. She sweeps the roads thoroughly, gathers all the waste, loads it carefully into her cart, and then drags the heavy load to the designated dumping point. She completes this entire demanding routine within her eight-hour shift.
Durga pauses several times during her work to catch her breath. She finds moments of rest under the shade of nearby trees before resuming her sweeping. "It is not easy," she admits frankly. Her husband, who previously worked alongside her as part of the same sanitation team, retired ten months ago. Since his departure, the staffing shortages have become even more severe.
Empty Promises and Exhausting Shifts
Despite making repeated requests to her supervisor for additional help, Durga says she has only received vague assurances. The most recent promise suggested that reinforcements would arrive after Makar Sankranti. So she continues sweeping continuously, silently bearing the grueling physical demands of her shift. She returns the next day to do it all over again without complaint.
"I have been working completely alone for the past several months," Durga explains hesitantly. "It is truly exhausting to handle everything by myself. Residents sometimes complain about sanitation issues, but now they understand that I am working all alone without support."
Durga has served as a sanitation worker in Gurgaon for eleven years. Her husband worked alongside her for much of that time. What was once a three-person team has now become the solitary responsibility of this determined woman.
Residents Witness the Struggle Firsthand
Bhawani Shankar Tripathy, a resident of Sector 23A, has observed Durga's challenging situation closely. "She has often broken down in front of Resident Welfare Association members, seeking understanding and sympathy," he reveals. "The RWA has advised all residents to cooperate with her given the circumstances."
Tripathy adds that MCG sanitation inspectors have not responded adequately to their complaints about staffing issues. "The standard answer from sanitation inspectors has been 'where should we get staff from?' This raises serious questions about MCG's accountability to citizens regarding basic sanitation services."
"Durga works with remarkable sincerity," Tripathy continues. "I have watched both Durga and her husband working diligently in our sector for four to five years until 2024, when another private agency became involved in the sanitation work."
Official Response and Systemic Challenges
An MCG official addressed the staffing concerns by stating, "We are actively trying to streamline our sanitation system. We have sent additional requirements for sanitation staff through different contractual arrangements, including specific sweeping staff contracts. Our team is working consistently to improve the overall system."
The situation in Sector 23A highlights broader challenges in municipal sanitation services. While officials work on systemic improvements, workers like Durga Das continue their daily struggle to keep neighborhoods clean against difficult odds. Her story represents both the dedication of frontline workers and the pressing need for adequate staffing in essential municipal services.
