‘Millennium City’ to ‘Work-from-Home City’: MP Deepender Hooda Slams BJP over Gurgaon Crisis

Rohtak/ New Delhi, August 26, 2026: Congress MP Deepender Singh Hooda on Wednesday launched a sharp attack on the BJP government and Gurgaon’s elected representatives, accusing them of turning the once globally recognised Millennium City into a hub of traffic jams, waterlogging, potholes and pollution.

Addressing a press conference at the Congress headquarters in Delhi, Hooda said Gurgaon’s civic crisis had become a national embarrassment. He alleged that despite the city generating the country’s highest GST collection, basic infrastructure remained in poor shape. He demanded a dedicated Central budget for Gurgaon and accountability of the Gurugram Metropolitan Development Authority (GMDA), Municipal Corporation of Gurugram (MCG) and Haryana Shahari Vikas Pradhikaran (HSVP).

Deepender said Gurgaon was once regarded as a preferred destination for global companies and investors, but the situation had deteriorated under 12 years of BJP rule. He described the city as having changed from a “Millennium City” to a “Millennium Pity” and a “Work from Home City”, arguing that commuting to offices had become hazardous because of traffic and poor infrastructure.

He questioned the government’s handling of the city’s waterlogging problem and demanded a CAG audit of around ₹15,000 crore collected from Gurgaon residents as External Development Charges (EDC) and Internal Development Charges (IDC). “Gurugram generates the highest revenue, but where is it going?” he asked, alleging that public funds appeared to be disappearing as quickly as floodwater.

               The Congress MP also questioned the absence of metro expansion in Gurgaon during the BJP’s 12-year tenure. He said the city had witnessed major infrastructure initiatives, including Metro and Rapid Metro connectivity, during the Congress regime, but claimed that not a single operational metro pillar had been added under the BJP government in the past 12 years. He urged the government to accelerate metro expansion to ease congestion.

Taking a swipe at the government, Hooda said Gurgaon had effectively acquired new nicknames—“Guru-Jam”, “Jal-Gram” and “Gaddha-Gram”—because of traffic congestion, waterlogging and pothole-ridden roads. He claimed that 12 people had lost their lives in the past two years, including incidents involving drowning and electrocution, while a 48-hour traffic jam had set an alarming record.

He alleged that despite thousands of crores being spent on drainage and sanitation, the city continued to struggle with garbage, flooding and inadequate civic services. He claimed GMDA had spent ₹4,000 crore on drainage and ₹2,000 crore on sanitation over five years, yet the results on the ground were unsatisfactory. He also alleged irregularities in tenders related to sanitation, drainage and desilting works.

He criticised the government’s response to residents stranded during floods and traffic jams, pointing out that ₹1.5 crore was allegedly being spent annually on a call centre for such emergencies. He questioned the effectiveness of such measures when residents continued to face severe waterlogging and traffic disruptions.

The Congress MP also raised concerns over air pollution and environmental protection. Referring to a Lok Sabha reply, he claimed Gurgaon ranked first in the country in air pollution. He alleged that the city was facing problems on all three fronts—air pollution, waterlogging and contaminated water, and damaged roads. He also accused the BJP government of endangering the Aravallis through its policies.

Deepender Hooda further attacked the government over law and order, alleging a rise in extortion calls and a deterioration in public safety. He also accused the administration of suppressing criticism, claiming journalists had faced restrictions while Congress workers protesting civic problems had been booked.

Contrasting the current situation with the Congress era, Hooda listed several projects he said were developed under the previous government, including the Gurgaon Municipal Corporation, IMT Manesar, ESI Hospital, Gurgaon-Faridabad highway, Gurgaon University and Gurgaon Canal. He also claimed that substantial work on the Dwarka Expressway had been completed during the Congress regime.

He said Gurgaon needed long-term planning rather than temporary responses. He reiterated his demand for Haryana to host the 2030 Commonwealth Games, arguing that investment associated with the event could help address the city’s fundamental infrastructure gaps.

Senior Congress leaders, including district presidents Vardhan Yadav and Pankaj Dawar, former minister Sukhbir Kataria and Haryana Pradesh Congress Working President Jitendra Bhardwaj, were present at the press conference. Congress leaders later displayed posters carrying slogans such as “We want roads, not ponds” and “We want work, not traffic jams.”