Gurugram’s civic infrastructure must match scale of city, says human rights panel

A resilient, adequately planned and effectively maintained civic infrastructure was an essential component of a safe, dignified and rights-compliant urban environment, the Haryana Human Rights Commission has observed, while taking suo motu cognisance of recurring waterlogging in Gurugram.

The three-member Commission led by Chairperson Lalit Batra, in a 17-page order, sought a conjoint compliance report from various agencies and suggested a series of measures to strengthen and improve the city’s civic infrastructure, including a comprehensive infrastructure audit, an integrated urban drainage and civic infrastructure revamp plan, mapping of natural drains and encroachments, measures to ensure the safety of schoolchildren and an emergency mobility plan.

Referring to media reports on extensive waterlogging in different parts of the city following heavy rain last month and the inconvenience caused to residents, particularly schoolchildren, the Commission said the matter had “a significant constitutional and civic planning dimension”.