- Gurugram administration advises schools to avoid waterlogged routes for buses during monsoon
- Students must stay on premises if no safe alternative routes are available during heavy rains
- Schools must ensure safe drop-offs and inform parents of any route or timing changes promptly
Gurugram administration is working hard and overtime. Not to make its infrastructure, that comes crashing down every monsoon, better. But to shift the responsibility onto its citizens.
After the harrowing scenes on Monday when several school buses, with scared children inside them, were stuck on heavily waterlogged roads in Gurugram, the administration has come up with a solution: "Don't send school buses on waterlogged roads".
The advisory has been slammed online as a knee-jerk and thoughtless reaction by the authorities who have failed to provide basic infrastructure in the millennium city that witnesses the same scenes every monsoon.
The DC also directed that no child be dropped off at a waterlogged or unsupervised bus stop. Children must be handed over only to their parents or authorised guardians. Every bus must have a staff escort, adequate drinking water, and drivers must be clearly briefed not to take buses through waterlogged routes or underpasses.
In case of any change in route or timings, schools must inform parents in advance through SMS or the school app.
As part of the directive, the Gurugram Traffic Police - in coordination with school authorities - must establish a system for sharing real-time information on waterlogging along school bus routes. On rainy days or when there is a weather warning, reports will be issued at 5.30 am, 10.30 am and 12.30 pm.
In addition, in the event of heavy rainfall or sudden blockage of any route, a flash update must be issued within 30 minutes.
During the meeting, the Deputy Commissioner of Police (Traffic) was directed to ensure deployment of traffic personnel, tow vehicles and police vehicles at sensitive locations along school bus routes. During dispersal hours from 7 am to 9 am and 12 pm to 3 pm, safe movement of school buses through affected routes should be given priority.
Then there is more.
During rainfall or in view of weather warnings, additional Haryana Roadways buses must be kept on standby. These buses will be stationed at pre-identified locations and will be used to transport students to safety if a school bus gets stuck or breaks down due to waterlogging.
The directions state that every school must appoint a transport in-charge or route safety officer. During rainfall, students must not be assembled in basements or any low-lying areas on the school premises. Schools must also ensure inspection of electrical panels and exposed wires on their premises.
Citizens slammed the directives, calling them a "shame" for a city that can't even ensure that schoolchildren reach home safely after a bout of rain.
"Real solution: Proper drainage. Administration's solution: Don't send buses, keep students at school," wrote an angry X user.
Real solution: Proper drainage.
— Ministry of JUGAAD (@Jugaad_Mantraly) August 25, 2026
Administration ka solution:
Bus mat bhejo, bacchon ko school me rok lo, parents ko call kar do.
Aur bol do “safety first”.
Janta khush, administration safe.
Ministry of JUGAAD salutes this major decision 🫡
Another wrote: "We won't make motorable roads. Won't clear debris. Won't de-silt drains. Won't make infrastructure to ensure drainage. Won't hold officials accountable. But would take out an impractical order making schools and parents responsible for Govt machinery's incompetency. Joke's on us."
We won't make motorable roads.
— R-T (@UdtaPilot) August 25, 2026
Won't clear debris.
Won't de-slit drains.
Won't make infrastructure to ensure drainage.
Won't have officials accountable.
But would take out an impractical order making schools n parents responsible for Govt machinery's Incompetency. Joke's on us.
Yet another X user had this cheeky take the millennium city: "That's why it is called millennium city because who goes to office or schools now! Work from home! The city has been designed for that only. Summers stay home because of heat, monsoon stay home because of UrbanFlooding, winter stay home because of smog!
That's why it is called millennium city because who go to office or schools now! Work from home! The city has been designed for that only. Summers stay home because of heat, monsoon stay home because of UrbanFlooding, winter stay home because of smog!
— Sunil Kumar Pachar (@SunilPachar) August 25, 2026
