‘Why are we living like pigs?’: Gurgaon’s ‘millennium city’ hides a neighbourhood drowning in sewage and disease

It took several days for some parts of Gurugram to recover from waterlogging after recent rainfall. But in Saraswati Enclave in Sector 10B, the water never really left. Residents have been wading through sewage overflows, pools of stagnant water, receiving dirty tap water, and suffering from sickness since 2023. 

The Municipal Corporation of Gurugram office is just 4 km away from the area, but locals allege it turns a blind eye to their repeated complaints.

Nearly 60 locals rallied at the MCG office in Sector 34 this week, reiterating their demands: a permanent technical fix to the sewer line blockages, immediate provision of safe and sufficient drinking water, and strict disciplinary action against negligent employees and contractors who close complaints without solving them. 

“Stop corruption,” read one placard. “Why have we been living a pig’s life for the past six months? Commissioner, give us an answer,” read another.

Illnesses linked to unsafe water

Thirty-five-year-old Neelam of Block G has spent most of the last six months unwell. She contracted dengue in early March and typhoid later in the summer, both of which she attributes to contaminated water. She remains under treatment. The health crisis has also affected her livelihood. 

Neelam rents out two rooms in her small house – one tenant left three months ago due to a lack of safe drinking water, costing her Rs 5,000 in lost income each month. The remaining tenant still pays Rs 3,000, but she cannot find anyone new willing to move in. Her husband, the only earning member of the household, works as a cook in a hotel and earns about Rs 20,000 a month. 

Her neighbour, Susheela, fetched a bucket from her kitchen to show visitors. Dead insects floated on the surface, and dirt had settled at the bottom. “This is actually cleaner than what we usually get,” she said.

Illness is widespread. Apex Path Labs, a diagnostic clinic in Block F, confirmed that the most recent cases it has handled are related to stomach and liver infections. Its staff explained that while dengue is rising across NCR and cannot be attributed solely to water contamination, illnesses like diarrhoea, typhoid, and hepatitis in the colony are directly linked to unsafe water conditions.

Chemists corroborate this. Pritam, who runs a medical shop in Block F, said medicines for loose motions, liver ailments, and hair fall were now his fastest-selling products. “Hair fall complaints have become common – people blame the water.”

Families spend heavily just to survive. Neelam says she buys bottled water for Rs 150 every day, spending around Rs 4,500 a month. Another resident, Geeta of Block F, said her two children rarely come home from their hostel due to the poor conditions. “It is not about distance – they don’t visit because there is no clean water here. We keep falling ill and cannot keep going to doctors every week,” she explained.

Her tenant, 38-year-old Samina Malik, showed medical reports from August confirming typhoid and a platelet count well below safe limits. Another woman, Meera from G-Block, said she spends the same Rs 150 a day for four 20-litre water canisters for cooking and drinking. For bathing and washing clothes, she uses the tap water, which has caused rashes on her skin and affected her two daughters, who recently needed medical prescriptions for stomach infections. Meera works around Rs 18,000 per month working as a contractual builder. 

Bottled water sales have surged dramatically in Saraswati Enclave. Grocery shopkeeper Chadar Singh reports that approximately 30 customers buy three–four canisters (20 litres each) daily, consuming around 2,400 litres of water. Deepak, another shop owner, sees 60–70 customers daily purchasing 4–5 canisters, a total of 6,000 to 8,000 litres. Raghu, who opened his store a month ago, claimed 1,800 litres are sold daily at his outlet. These figures indicate residents spend heavily on bought water, severely impacting household budgets already strained by medical expenses and loss of rental income.

The crisis extends to disrupting education. A tuition teacher who teaches about 30 students daily from 4 pm to 5 pm reports that only 15 students attend regularly because of waterlogging issues, making commutes difficult. Many students have dropped out entirely, with parents seeing no value in continued tuition when children cannot attend classes consistently. Four students interviewed echoed these sentiments, reporting difficulties in commuting due to persistent waterlogged streets. Children risk accidents while wading through flooded lanes.

Endless complaints, no solution

The residents have sought redress for their grievances through multiple official channels since 2023. These include complaints to the MCG, the Haryana CM Window portal, and CPGRAMS. Official authorisations came late to the colony: Saraswati Enclave Extension Part I (Block F) was authorised on October 5, 2023, and Extension Part II (Block G) on March 18 this year.

However, the situation in F Block has remained dire. As detailed by Jaaly Sharma, a resident of F-66, in a complaint letter dated August 29 addressed to the MCG Commissioner, the chronic sewage blockages cause foul water to back up into streets and homes from Shani Mandir Lane through to Swami Satyam Vyas’s house. Sharma described life as “extremely difficult and unsafe,” with even small amounts of sewer overflow flooding homes and forcing repeated requests for sanitation work. Despite filing complaints to sanitation inspectors, workers, and junior MCG engineers, residents have seen no permanent solution.

Repeated complaints followed: a letter signed by 43 residents on September 10 highlighted the combined crises of overflowing sewage with human waste and contaminated drinking water. Earlier, a complaint filed through the CM Window Haryana on July 22, 2024, was acknowledged but remained unresolved, and a letter signed by 95 residents had been submitted to the Chief Minister’s Office on July 8, 2024, referencing complaints filed since 2023.

CPGRAMS records show a complaint filed on May 20, 2025, by resident Gautam Kumar Maiti was closed on August 2, 2025, with an official note stating the colony was “unapproved for hiring of consultant for preparation of DPR,” that tendering processes were ongoing, and temporary water and sewer solutions using bucket machines were in place.

The timeline of complaint handling reveals sluggish progression. After initial grievance registration via the CM Window on July 22, 2024, the matter escalated to the Chief Minister’s Office within two days, further reaching Urban Local Bodies’ Director cum Special Secretary and MCG Commissioner by July 25. EE Division-1A formally accepted responsibility on August 3, 2024, and provided an interim report on April 17, 2025, yet the problem persisted. Multiple reminders were issued, first on May 11 and again on June 25 this year, demanding an Action Taken Report (ATR), with additional pressure exerted on May 28 and July 4, 2025, by the Chief Minister’s Office and the Administrative Secretary to Urban Local Bodies.

Another complaint addressed to the Deputy Commissioner of Police on August 2, 2025, reiterated prior grievances and flagged ongoing inaction.

Technical input from resident and engineer Gautam Kumar Maiti has shaped much of the community’s demands. Writing to the Chief Minister’s Office on July 18, 2024, Maiti highlighted the central thoroughfare of Block F, including lanes near Shani Dev Mandir and Shakti Mandir, where old sewer lines are chronically blocked during rains. He pointed out that only 60 mm domestic sewer lines were installed, causing blockages and overflows. Maiti demanded an increase in sewer manhole cover sizes to 90 mm and the laying of MCG standard HDPE 3P lines with EH35 standard manhole covers. He also called for upgrading water lines, noting that the currently installed 20mm diameter water pipes do not meet IS:1839 standards for drinking water transmission and that pipes allowing repeated use at 100mm diameter were needed.

Protest and call for accountability

Maiti, with 25 years of engineering experience and a resident at the forefront of the September 10 protest, said, “A population survey is needed to calculate appropriate pipe diameters. A topographic survey comparing land elevation to water sources is necessary to set proper transmission line levels. MCG engineers visit and observe briefly, then leave. Contractors focus only on payments and ignore engineering requirements.” He offered to assist MCG’s design and engineering units during protest negotiations.

MCG Commissioner Pradeep Dahiya assured residents of action within two days. When Newslaundry sought details, the MCG Public Relations Officer responded stating that a solution was being worked on. When pressed for timelines, the spokesperson deferred, suggesting residents be asked about the timelines communicated, and soon disconnected the call, stating they were engaged in another programme.

Newslaundry reached out to two executive engineers, Pradeep Kumar and Sandeep Kumar, and assistant engineer Dalip Singh, who declined to comment, insisting we only talk to MCG Commissioner Dahiya.

Newslaundry has sent questions to the MCG Commissioner. This report will be updated if a response is received.

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