Chief secretary: Acquire land soon for drain at flood-prone Narsinghpur

Gurgaon: Authorities have been asked to expedite land acquisition for constructing a drain along Delhi-Gurgaon expressway to address persistent waterlogging near Narsinghpur on NH-8.
This directive was issued during a review meeting chaired by chief secretary Vivek Joshi on Saturday.
Officials were asked to engage with landowners for negotiations and resolve pending land acquisition issues. In Dec last year, the district administration was asked to explore land acquisition under the NDMA Act.
GMDA has proposed a 750m drain connecting NH-8 with Badshapur drain as a permanent solution to waterlogging at Narsinghpur.
A total of 3,750sqm is required for the project. While 2,000sqm are already available with HSIIDC, the remaining 1,750sqm are under litigation.
"The administration has been asked to hold meetings with the landowners and set the land acquisition process in motion. This project is critical for preventing flooding on NH-8 and ensuring the smooth flow of traffic, especially during monsoon," said a senior GMDA official, who also attended the meeting.
At present, MCG and GMDA have opted for a temporary fix at the stretch, with permanent pumps and heavy-duty pumps being installed during the rainy season to drain stormwater into the Badshapur drain.
Meanwhile, Joshi also reviewed other development projects, stressing on the need for better coordination among various departments and timely completion of work. "Gurgaon holds a global identity and is a key pillar for Haryana's economic progress. Developing it in line with future needs is a priority for the state govt. No delays or irregularities will be tolerated in project execution," Joshi said during a meeting held at the PWD rest house.
Discussing the city's key infrastructure projects, GMDA CEO Shyamal Misra said work on the upgradation of the Southern Peripheral Road (SPR) was being undertaken, with a tender for appointing a consultant for preparation of a detailed project report for the 5.5km signal-free elevated corridor between Vatika Chowk and NH-48 under evaluation. As many as five companies have participated in the tendering process.
Misra also added that two agencies had submitted bids for CIPP lining for master sewer rehabilitation from Subhash Chowk to Sispal Vihar and the crossing under Sohna Road, which are under technical evaluation.
The project is being undertaken in the wake of recurrent sewer line damages that also caused sinkholes on the Sohna highway.
In Dec 2023, the wall of a sewer chamber caved in, creating an 18-foot-deep hole on the highway. Subsequently, on July 12 last year, a 12-foot-deep sinkhole appeared on the highway due to the settlement of a sewer line between two manholes.
Additionally, the repair and desilting of the Manesar drain will be undertaken by HSIIDC, with estimates under preparation. The 10km drain will then be taken over by GMDA for maintenance.
Meanwhile, MCG commissioner Ashok Garg said two agencies were working on processing legacy waste and it is expected to be fully cleared by May-end. Construction and demolition (C&D) waste will be removed from Leisure Valley Ground in Sector 29 and the auto market site in Sector 10 within two months, he said, adding that tenders for the transportation of C&D waste had already been floated.