But one citizen initiative by ‘I am Gurgaon’ kicked off in 2015, backed by the Haryana Forest Department and a few corporates has managed to transform and restore a 5.2-km corridor stretching from Phase 1 Metro station to Sector 56.

Latika Thukral of ‘I am Gurgaon’ in a report writes how sewage disposal from surrounding villages and residential colonies had been polluting the bund for the last many years.

And the restoration was anything but easy.

While cleaning the drain was a task they mastered, the challenge was to ensure it remained clean. And so, they fenced the areas to prevent large-scale dumping by residents. This was met with resistance as the locals were losing parking spaces to garbage.

But the green heroes stood their ground and continued their struggle for a year. Today, the drain channels are clean.

And while they have ensured restoration is a maximum area, they have another two km of the bund left for cleaning and restoration. The next plan of action is to clear out the garbage in the remaining area and divert the sewage. The citizens are also trying alternatives to ensure clean water seeps into the ground and is used for irrigation.

The restoration of neglected spaces helps in energising urban landscapes and creates a healthy environment for outdoor movement for city dwellers. 

Isn’t it wonderful to see how residents, backed by the government managed to restore a dying city bund and transform it into something beautiful?