Gurgaon News

The Gurugram Metropolitan Development Authority (GMDA) is set to revamp a 3-kilometer stretch connecting the Dwarka Expressway to the master roads of Sectors 83, 84, and 36A, with an estimated budget of ₹34 crore. The detailed project report has been prepared, and the tendering process is expected to commence soon. Originally built by the Haryana Shahari Vikas Pradhikaran (HSVP) in 2010-11 as part of the Dwarka Expressway project, this road segment was excluded following a realignment in 2017. In March of the previous year, GMDA conducted repairs on the damaged section in preparation for the expressway’s inauguration. The upcoming renovation aims to strengthen the main carriageway and introduce infrastructure improvements, including drainage systems, footpaths, cycle tracks, and greenbelts, to enhance safety and connectivity. A senior GMDA official stated, “We are examining the DPR. Once we get the administrative approval for the same, we will start the tendering process. While we are maintaining the stretch through repairs, it needs to be reconstructed. Moreover, proper drainage connectivity will be established to address the issue of recurrent waterlogging, which further damages the road.” The plan also includes installing road safety features such as solar cat’s eyes, road markings, and signage. Local residents have welcomed the initiative, expressing hope for a permanent solution to the road’s recurring issues. Puran Singh, RWA president of SS Coralwood, noted that over 10,000 people from sectors 82, 83, and 84, as well as Sihi village, depend on this route for direct access to the Dwarka Expressway.

In Gurugram, authorities have intensified efforts to collect outstanding traffic fines by impounding vehicles with unpaid challans. Over a recent 10-day period, 19 vehicles, including auto-rickshaws and motorcycles, were seized for accumulating more than 100 unpaid online challans each. Some of these vehicles had fines exceeding ₹1 lakh, with one auto-rickshaw facing 289 unpaid challans and a motorcycle with 195. On average, the traffic police issue over 3,000 online challans daily, primarily for violations such as wrong-side driving, unauthorized parking, signal jumping, and riding without helmets. To avoid vehicle seizure, drivers are urged to promptly pay their fines and adhere to traffic regulations.

Professor Sushil Kumar Tomar, currently the Vice Chancellor of JC Bose University of Science and Technology, has been appointed as the new Vice Chancellor of Gurugram University, succeeding Professor Dinesh Kumar. This appointment adds to his existing responsibilities. A government notification confirming this was issued by Haryana Raj Bhavan in Chandigarh. Expressing his gratitude, Professor Tomar stated, “I will make every effort to be proved worthy of the trust with which the state government has given me this responsibility.” A distinguished mathematician with over 35 years of academic and administrative experience, Professor Tomar has served as a professor of mathematics at Punjab University. His roles there included Dean Instruction, Dean Student Welfare, and Dean Research. He has over 130 publications in prestigious international research journals and has delivered more than 150 lectures across India and abroad. Additionally, he is recognized as a Fellow of the National Academy of Sciences, India.

DLF, a prominent real estate developer, has achieved significant sales in its ultra-luxury residential project, ‘The Dahlias,’ located in Gurugram’s DLF Phase 5. Launched in October, the 17-acre development comprises 420 apartments and penthouses, each with a minimum size of 10,300 square feet. To date, DLF has sold 173 units, totaling 1.85 million square feet, for approximately ₹11,816 crore. This equates to an average price of around ₹70 crore per residence, with a per square foot rate of about ₹64,000 on saleable area and ₹1,05,000 on carpet area. The company attributes this success to strong demand from ultra-high-net-worth individuals (HNIs) both within India and among non-resident Indians (NRIs). Following the success of ‘The Camellias’ in the same area, ‘The Dahlias’ marks DLF’s second ultra-luxury offering in this locale. The company plans to invest around ₹8,000 crore over the next 4-5 years to construct this project, which will feature a built-up area of 7.4 million square feet and a saleable area of 4.5 million square feet. Initially, the project’s revenue potential was estimated at ₹26,000 crore, but this figure could exceed ₹35,000 crore as sales continue. The surge in demand for luxury homes post-pandemic has been notable, with affluent buyers seeking larger and more opulent residences. In the quarter ending December, DLF reported a 61% increase in consolidated profit, reaching ₹1,058.73 crore, driven by record sales in ‘The Dahlias.’ The company’s total income for the quarter rose to ₹1,737.47 crore from ₹1,643.51 crore in the same period the previous year. Over the first nine months of the fiscal year, net profit increased to ₹3,084.62 crore from ₹1,803.71 crore year-over-year, with total income growing to ₹5,648.12 crore from ₹4,641.64 crore. DLF continues to maintain a strong presence in the Delhi-NCR and Tamil Nadu markets, having developed over 185 real estate projects covering more than 352 million square feet. The group also has 220 million square feet of development potential across residential and commercial segments.

Recent data from the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) indicates that between January 1 and 23, 2025, Gurgaon’s carbon monoxide (CO) levels have exceeded safe limits by over 100 times, with concentrations ranging from 110µg/m³ to 170µg/m³, far surpassing the permissible limit of 1.7µg/m³. This significant increase in CO levels poses serious health risks, including respiratory and cardiovascular issues. Experts attribute the surge to factors such as the burning of waste materials like plastic and rubber, as well as traffic congestion. In response, the Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM) has mandated stringent punitive measures and directed the Haryana State Pollution Control Board (HSPCB) to prompt the Municipal Corporation of Gurgaon (MCG) to inspect waste burning hotspots. They are also required to report on enforcement actions, case statuses, and strategies to eliminate open waste burning. Monitoring data reveals that Vikas Sadan, a commercial area near the Delhi-Jaipur Highway, recorded 90 hourly exceedances of the Indian National Ambient Air Quality Standards (NAAQS) limit of 4 mg/m³, identifying it as a significant CO pollution hotspot. Sector-51 and NISE Gwalpahari documented 12 and 9 exceedances, respectively, while Teri Gram recorded none. Residents have reported persistent illegal waste disposal and burning activities, despite numerous complaints to the police, MCG, and pollution control authorities. Additionally, particulate matter levels have repeatedly breached safe limits. On Thursday, PM2.5 levels peaked at Sector 51 (256 µg/m³), followed by Teri Gram (234 µg/m³) and Vikas Sadan (220 µg/m³). PM10 emissions were highest at Sector 51 (245µg/m³), followed by Teri Gram (230 µg/m³). The city’s Air Quality Index (AQI) remained in the ‘poor’ category for the fifth consecutive day on Thursday, registering 207, up from Wednesday’s 201. The air quality early warning system forecasts poor air quality from January 24 to 26, with predominant northwesterly winds potentially bringing additional pollutants into the region.