GMDA moves to strengthen green infrastructure and stormwater absorption
The Gurugram Metropolitan Development Authority (GMDA) has approved an expenditure of more than ₹8.60 crore to develop, upgrade and maintain green areas along seven key sector-dividing roads in the city, officials said on Thursday. According to the authority, three tenders for the work have already been floated.
GMDA CEO PC Meena said contractors will be given six months to complete the development phase, followed by 36 months of maintenance. The programme forms part of a wider push by the authority to bolster the city’s green infrastructure while tackling recurring stormwater management and waterlogging problems during the monsoon season.
"The initiative is part of GMDA’s broader efforts to improve the city’s green infrastructure while simultaneously addressing stormwater management and waterlogging concerns during the monsoon,"
The green-belt works will be carried out along sector-dividing roads serving the following sector pairs: 47/49, 47/50, 43/53, 43/52A, 44/52, 45/52 and 46/51. GMDA officials said the spaces will be developed so they can absorb additional rainwater runoff during heavy rains.
- Scope: development, upgrade and 3 years of post-construction maintenance.
- Timeline: six months for development; 36 months for upkeep by awarded contractors.
- Objectives: enhanced green cover, improved stormwater infiltration and reduced road-level waterlogging.
Preparatory work and expected benefits
GMDA officers said preparatory cleaning and earthworks were carried out ahead of the monsoon. Debris and accumulated material from the existing green belts were removed, and ground levels were lowered at suitable locations to help channel rainwater into the planted strips.
As described by officials, the works will include planting quality trees and shrubs and ensuring their upkeep for three years. The authority expects the improved green belts to serve multiple functions: environmental enhancement, runoff absorption and an additional buffer that complements the city’s stormwater drains.
| Sector road | Main aim |
|---|---|
| 47/49 | Green belt development and runoff absorption |
| 47/50 | Vegetation, waterlogging mitigation |
| 43/53 | Drainage support and landscaping |
| 43/52A | Stormwater infiltration |
| 44/52 | Planting and maintenance |
| 45/52 | Green infrastructure upgrade |
| 46/51 | Runoff management and greening |
Officials noted that the green belts will be developed across road medians and verges located within the specified sector-dividing corridors. The combination of vegetation and earthworks is intended to increase the permeability of roadside areas so that a portion of storm runoff is absorbed on-site rather than overwhelming drains.
Context and limits
GMDA has in recent years faced criticism from residents and urban planners for recurring waterlogging at several low-lying junctions across Gurugram during heavy rain. The authority’s statement framed the current project as a targeted intervention to complement other drainage and desilting measures rather than a standalone solution.
Details on the number of trees and shrubs to be planted, the species mix, and the contractor selection criteria were not disclosed in the release. The authority said those specifics will emerge in tender documents and contracts with the firms that win the bids.
Work completion and maintenance performance will be subject to the contractual timelines specified by GMDA. Residents in the listed sectors are likely to see the initial landscaping completed within six months of contract award, followed by regular upkeep under the three-year maintenance clause.
GMDA’s move reflects a growing municipal emphasis across Indian cities on combining green infrastructure with conventional drainage measures to improve urban resilience to intense monsoon events.
