Rain brings Gurugram to a standstill as police urge firms to allow WFH

New Delhi: A few hours of heavy monsoon rain were enough to bring Gurugram to a near standstill on Wednesday, with flooded roads, stranded vehicles, massive traffic snarls and a work-from-home advisory once again exposing the city's long-standing drainage problems. Several arterial roads, including Sohna Road, Golf Course Extension Road, NH-48 stretches and multiple underpasses, remained submerged after intense showers, slowing traffic to a crawl. Viral videos showed cars partially submerged, commuters wading through knee-deep water and roads resembling streams, prompting many residents to compare the city to "Venice". With traffic congestion worsening through the morning, Gurugram Police appealed to corporate offices and private establishments to allow employees to work from home to reduce pressure on roads and ensure public safety. Traffic personnel and rescue teams were deployed at several waterlogging hotspots to assist stranded motorists and regulate vehicle movement. The downpour also disrupted normal life across the millennium city. Several schools either suspended physical classes or shifted to online learning as parents struggled to navigate flooded roads and prolonged traffic jams, while many offices delayed attendance or permitted remote working. Despite repeated monsoon flooding over the years, residents complained that major roads and underpasses continued to get inundated within hours of rainfall, disrupting office commute and emergency movement. According to the India Meteorological Department (IMD), Gurugram received around 80 mm of rainfall, bringing temperatures down sharply but leaving large parts of the city waterlogged. The weather agency has issued a yellow alert and forecast more rain, thunderstorms and gusty winds across Gurugram and the wider Delhi-NCR region over the next several days. Authorities have advised residents to avoid unnecessary travel, monitor official weather updates and exercise caution, as intermittent heavy showers are expected to continue and could trigger fresh waterlogging at vulnerable locations.