Thousands of families who moved into housing societies along Gurgaon's Southern Peripheral Road (SPR) and Dwarka Expressway continue to wait for a fully functional sewerage network. Over the past decade, sectors lining both corridors have witnessed rapid expansion, with high-rise condominiums and commercial complexes emerging across sectors 58 to 115. Many of these projects are fully or partially occupied, yet in several pockets, sewage disposal remains dependent on temporary arrangements.
As a result, untreated wastewater is either transported through private tankers or, in some cases, discharged illegally into open drains and vacant plots. Residents say this carries the risk of groundwater contamination and causes foul smell and mosquito breeding during summer, while monsoon rains lead to overflow on roads.
Residents Voice Concerns
Praveen Malik, president of the Rising Homes RWA, said basic civic amenities, including a functional sewerage network, remain inadequate despite people living there for over a decade. "The sewer network is still incomplete. As a result, wastewater is dumped openly or diverted into stormwater drains in some places. This leads to health and environmental risks. Residents have paid development charges, and providing infrastructure is the responsibility of the authorities," he said.
GMDA's Phased Approach
The Gurugram Metropolitan Development Authority (GMDA) said sewer infrastructure is being executed in phases. In sectors 77–80, around 10 km of sewer line is planned at an estimated cost of Rs 31.20 crore, and the tender has been floated. In sectors 68–76, a 7.9 km project is underway, with 2.8 km completed, while nearly 2 km is affected by litigation and land acquisition issues. In sectors 105–115, about 20 km of sewer line is planned, of which around 6 km has been laid. In sectors 58–67, sewer lines are laid but remain unconnected to the Behrampur sewage treatment plant (STP) due to a pending court matter.
A senior GMDA official said housing societies must manage sewage responsibly until master sewerage connectivity is provided. "Societies with occupation certificates must operate their in-house STPs and reuse treated water for horticulture and flushing within premises. If reuse is not possible, treated water must be transported through authorised tankers to designated STPs such as Dhanwapur, Manesar and Behrampur. Open dumping or discharge into stormwater drains is illegal, and action can be taken by the municipal corporation against violators," the official said.
Residents Report Weak Enforcement
Residents said enforcement remains weak. "Earlier, wastewater was dumped at night. Now it happens even during the day. When complaints mount, the dumping shifts elsewhere," said Amit Shekhar, a resident of Vipul Lavanya. He added that excess treated water becomes difficult to manage, especially during the monsoon and winter. "In summer, some of the treated water gets used for horticulture, and evaporation also helps. But during the rainy season, when the soil is already saturated, there is hardly any scope to reuse it. We proposed that if the authorities sent tractors or tankers, we could divert the treated water to nearby green belts, but there was no response. Besides environmental degradation, it is causing a financial burden on residents," Shekhar added.
HSVP's Update on Master Sewer Line
A senior official of the Haryana Shahari Vikas Pradhikaran (HSVP) said most of the master sewer line work from sector 81 to 104 is completed, but small portions remain stuck due to legal hurdles. "Around 95% of the work has been completed. The remaining 5% is stuck due to court-related issues and land hurdles at around 8 to 9 locations. Until connectivity is established at those points, the sewer system cannot be commissioned. Once the matter is resolved, the remaining work can be completed quickly," the HSVP official said.
