Heavy Rain Causes NH-48 Cave-In, Traffic Snarls Across Gurugram
Gurugram: Heavy rainfall on Tuesday caused a major road cave-in on National Highway-48 near Narsinghpur, resulting in severe traffic congestion and disruptions across several parts of the city. The incident occurred between 3 pm and 4 pm on the Delhi-Jaipur highway when a section of the main carriageway collapsed, prompting authorities to close two lanes.
The cave-in led to an estimated eight-kilometer-long traffic jam stretching from Hero Honda Chowk to Kherki Daula Toll Plaza. Commuters traveling from Rajiv Chowk towards Narsinghpur experienced unusually long delays, with a journey of around 10 kilometers taking nearly 40 to 50 minutes during the evening rush hour.
According to officials, the affected stretch had been undergoing drainage pipeline work by the Gurugram Metropolitan Development Authority (GMDA). The excavation weakened the soil beneath the road, and continuous rainfall caused water to seep into the base layer, ultimately leading to the collapse.
Traffic Inspector Manoj Kumar stated that while repair work was completed, the damaged section remained cordoned off as a precaution. The two closed lanes are expected to reopen early Wednesday morning, between 4 am and 5 am.
The heavy rains, which began around 2 pm and continued for nearly two hours, also caused widespread waterlogging on major roads. Apart from NH-48, traffic snarls were reported from Rajiv Chowk, Iffco Chowk, Vatika Chowk, Golf Course Extension Road, Sohna Road, Udyog Vihar, Basai, Khandsa Road, Pataudi Road, and Old Delhi Road.
Authorities reported another road cave-in on Civil Line Road, where the tires of two parked vehicles became trapped. In a separate incident, a school bus slid into an open drain on NH-48; fortunately, no students were on board, and no injuries were reported.
Recognizing the scale of disruption, Gurugram Police issued a traffic advisory and implemented route diversions for vehicles traveling from Delhi towards Jaipur. Motorists were advised to use SPR Road or the Dwarka Expressway as alternative routes.
Later in the evening, the police urged corporate offices and private establishments to allow employees to work from home for the next few days, citing a strong possibility of further waterlogging and traffic congestion if heavy rainfall continues.
The incident once again highlighted the vulnerability of Gurugram’s road infrastructure during the monsoon season and raised concerns about construction safety and drainage management in rapidly developing urban areas.
