The Shortcomings of Public Infrastructure in Gurgaon, India

Gurgaon is considered one of the largest, most popular metropolitan cities in India. The well-rated schools, tech companies and strip malls attract people from around the country, of which many choose to become residents of the city. Despite the city’s hip lifestyle, it falls short in providing basic services to its people including clean drinking water, access to electricity and flushable toilets, and safe and reliable transportation services. Those who are able to pay for private utilities move into fancy lofts and bungalows, while the lower-income individuals continue to lead meager lives. How did these differences begin and why does the gap keep widening? This podcast gives an overview of the city’s longstanding history with poor planning practices and how they continue to impact the lives of those who live and work there, some more severely than others. 

As someone who called Gurgaon home for over a decade, putting this podcast together was particularly heartbreaking. I was fortunate to have lived in a gated community in the more affluent part of town, a neighborhood that had important amenities located within walking distance and made me and my family feel safe. However, I remember hearing stories from my friends who lived in less affluent parts of town, communities which were operated by the municipal government; their narratives about the city would have sounded quite different from mine. 

The research process for this podcast was eye-opening and made me realize that I have led an ignorant life. I never thought about the issues that others in my life might be facing, perhaps due to the fact that I could not relate to them. It was shocking to read some statistics on the number of people in Gurgaon who even today struggle to access basic utility services like clean water and electricity that I never had to worry about. It was truly humbling to dig deeper into a place that I have a connection with. As a result of this podcast, I have become aware of the underlying concerns that persist in the city, issues that I might have seen or heard of but never truly paid attention to. I hope this podcast teaches you a little something about where I come from and hopefully provides tips on how to not plan a city.  

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