Gurugram rainstorm jams Delhi expressway as vehicles break down
Gurugram witnessed a major traffic paralysis on Monday morning after relentless rain and vehicle breakdowns on key arterial routes choked the Delhi-Jaipur Expressway and the Dwarka Expressway service lane. Heavy congestion stretched from Sirhaul border to Rajiv Chowk and from Khandsa to the cloverleaf junction, disrupting peak-hour travel for thousands. With waterlogging, potholes, and immobilised trucks hampering vehicular movement, the chaos exposed critical gaps in Gurugram’s urban transit resilience and rain-readiness.
Gurugram’s road infrastructure was severely tested after overnight rainfall lashed the city, leading to prolonged traffic snarls across NH-48, the lifeline connecting Delhi with Jaipur. The situation worsened early Monday when a truck broke down on the elevated stretch near Signature Tower, creating a bottleneck that extended all the way to Rajiv Chowk. Officials dispatched a crane, but the gridlock delayed its arrival, leaving hundreds of vehicles stranded.
Adding to the woes, the stretch near Shankar Chowk slowed to a crawl due to road depressions and fresh potholes formed by the rain. Patches of waterlogged tarmac near Narsinghpur and Khandsa turned into dangerous slush zones, further impeding traffic. According to Inspector Ashin Khan, although movement was ongoing between Khandsa and the cloverleaf interchange, it remained sluggish, testing the patience of commuters.
The Delhi-bound carriageway bore the brunt of the breakdowns, and as traffic built up rapidly, the city’s traffic police scrambled to deploy extra personnel to affected junctions. They also confirmed multiple instances of heavy vehicle breakdowns during the rush hour. Despite all hands on deck, clearance operations remained slow, reflecting the compounding inefficiencies caused by poor weather preparedness and chronic infrastructure neglect.
This episode yet again underscores the pressing need for rain-resilient roadways and rapid-response infrastructure in fast-expanding urban corridors like Gurugram. From stormwater drainage upgrades to regulated freight timing, city planners must prioritise transit efficiency and climate adaptation before monsoon mayhem becomes the norm. While temporary relief arrived as officials towed stalled vehicles and rerouted some traffic, structural reform remains the only long-term fix to prevent a rerun.
