Drones to Probe Gurugram's Polluted Badshahpur Drain

The Gurugram Metropolitan Development Authority (GMDA) is initiating a comprehensive plan to combat pollution and safety hazards along the 26km Badshahpur drain. Drones will conduct aerial surveys to geo-tag polluted sections and identify illegal pathways and unauthorized sewage discharge points. These measures aim to curb pollution, remove unsafe access routes, and ease pressure on the city's stormwater network.

Encroachments along a 6km stretch of the drain are slated for removal, with safety grilles to be installed afterward. Civic authorities are also focusing on diverting untreated effluent, with approximately 55 million litres per day (MLD) currently flowing into the drain. Illegal sewage connections from commercial establishments in Sectors 66, 67, and 69 are being sealed.

Further efforts include tenders for desilting and wastewater management pump sets. A new internal sewer line, connecting to the master sewer line by June 30, is anticipated to significantly reduce the load on the drain's stormwater channels. Diversions of wastewater from under-tapped discharge points are also planned.

Water quality tests from January revealed high biochemical oxygen demand (BOD) levels. Around 30 diversions of illegal discharge points are planned by June, indicating a multi-pronged approach to improving the drain's environmental health.