Illegal parking and poorly maintained roads and infrastructure combined with the dropping visibility has turned Gurugram’s underground corridor, which helps ease traffic flow, into a safety hazard, motorists and experts say. At several key underpasses — near Hero Honda Chowk, Ambience Mall, Sohna-Badshahpur road, Rajiv Chowk and Subhash Chowk — commuters report illegal parking, poorly kept roads, missing signage, broken roofs, and flickering lights.
The situation is further worsened by the low visibility in NCR — reported at 800 metres around on Thursday morning— as smog enveloped the region and the sky remained generally cloudy. An HT spot check at multiple underpasses in Gurugram raised concerns over commuters safety, with vehicular undercrossings failing on the illumination and safety standards prescribed by the Indian Road Congress, a national body for laying down designing standards for roads and highway construction.
At approximately 1pm, taxis and auto-rickshaws were camped on the Ambience mall underpass towards Delhi-Gurugram-Jaipur (NH48) expressway, blocking one lane on each side at entry and exit points. Sajid (single name), a pick-and-drop autorickshaw driver, confessed how he, like many others, had no choice but to wait in the long parking queue extending up to the undercrossing’s tunnel.
“We know it’s illegal to park here. But there isn’t any waiting area for us. The commuters who come to visit the mall often book rides at the last minute and it’s a sweet spot to go unnoticed by authorities, while cutting short the travel time to reach passengers,” he said. Mobile cart-owners near the underpass entry added that the traffic police inspect only one side at a time, allowing taxi and auto drivers to escape during checks.
There were few working lights and the signs on its exit appeared to have faded. “This is the busiest route, yet we see no signage guiding us to the right speed limit or to not jump lanes,” said Gurpal Singh, a daily commuter.
The nearby four back-to-back underpasses on Golf Course Road also lack reflectors. There, motorists were also seen the speed limit warnings in the absence of traffic marshals or any other officials.
On Raguvendra Marg, the 500-metre patch from South Point Mall to the underpass towards Sikanderpur, earlier had an uneven road. This was restored by adding a bituminous layer. However, efflorescence deposits have formed on the walls inside the passageway.
According to a senior DLF official, maintenance of the underpasses, including their lighting and roads, is a year-long process, with dedicated inspection teams monitoring the situation dynamically.
Other underpasses at Hero Honda Chowk, Tau Devi Lal Stadium-Medicity, Sohna-Badhshahpur road, Subhash Chowk and SPR, too, had long stretches with poor lighting illumination. These undercrossings have had a long history of drainage issues. On Thursday, HT saw that several roof panels were broken and the route was not uniformly lit.
“We rarely do get to see lights on the entry of the underpasses. Many times, illumination begins midway, leaving a prolonged stretch in the dark. The divider itself should be illuminated with bright yellow lights–making it safer for commuters to travel,” said Sonali Vyas, director of road safety programs at Safetypin.
According to IRC norms, even the darkest spots on underpasses should be half as bright as the average brightness of the overall passageway. “We ensure that the lights are designed for 70 lux (measurement of the intensity of light on a surface – yes) and maintain a 0.5 uniformity throughout the year, especially during the winter season,” a senior official at the National Highway Authority of India said.
At the Rajiv Chowk underpass, garbage lined the carriageway, another hazard for drivers. “Waste dump on carriageway gets dragged along by vehicles, spilling across the stretch,” said Shyam Lal, another commuter.
Officials at NHAI acknowledged that concerns raised by the commuters about lighting and sanitation issues would be adequately addressed. “We will direct contractors to fix lights and place signages at underpasses,” the senior official added.
“Like expressways, underpasses should also be made commuter-friendly by displaying emergency contact numbers to assist in case of accidents or breakdowns,” Vyas said. She further emphasised that “dark” and “dingy” stretches are unsafe for women travelling late at night.
A senior official at the Gurugram Metropolitan Development Authority (GMDA) said that concerns raised by commuters about its only maintained underpass at Huda City Centre are addressed swiftly without any delays. “Our teams on the ground rectify any visibility or monitoring issues whenever they persist,” the official said.