How Gurugram plans to fight waterlogging menace after children get stuck in buses

On Monday, intense monsoon rains overwhelmed Gurugram's roads, service lanes, and underpasses, trapping school buses filled with children in heavy traffic and severe water. The Indian Express reported parents had to rescue their children from flooded streets, particularly at Subhash Chowk. The district administration swiftly responded by issuing a Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) following a meeting of departments, aimed at preventing such incidents in the future.

This order, issued by Deputy Commissioner Uttam Singh, took effect immediately and would remain in place until September 30.

The SOP introduced stringent protocols for traffic police, education officers, civic agencies, and school administrations. An officer ranked Assistant Commissioner of Police (ACP) or above was appointed as the Nodal Officer for school route information within 24 hours. Traffic police were tasked with preparing and transmitting route reports, categorizing them as 'Clear', 'Slow-moving', or 'Waterlogged'.

These reports were to be released at fixed intervals during rainy periods or under India Meteorological Department alerts. Traffic personnel, tow vehicles, and PCR vans were stationed at key choke points during school commute hours to prioritize movement of school buses.

Civic and road agencies were directed to prioritize dewatering along school bus corridors and surrounding areas. A designated monitoring officer would oversee these efforts, and additional Deputy Commissioner (ADC) Sonu Bhatt would lead joint weekly review meetings. Schools were prohibited from dispatching buses onto waterlogged routes, instead being required to use alternate paths or keep students on campus under staff supervision if no safe route existed.

Each school appointed a Route Safety Officer to ensure student safety, with every bus having a staff escort, ample water, and drivers briefed against entering flooded roads. Students could only be dropped off at attended stops, and schools were instructed to inspect potential hazards before dismissal. Emergency helplines were established for immediate reporting of stranded buses or at-risk children.