Expert Opinion

Dr. Shyamala K. Mani What causes poisoning? Since municipal solid waste originates in our homes, offices and commercial establishments, it is from the hazardous household products that contaminants enter the municipal solid waste, then soil and ground water through decomposing organic material and leachate in the dumpsites. Domestic Hazardous Waste (DHW) often contains a wide variety of hazardous ingredients, including solvents, heavy metals, acids, bases, oxidizers, reactive chemicals, chlorofluorocarbons, poly-chlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), asbestos, and other toxins. DHW is released to the environment during transportation, disposal, sewage treatment systems (STSs) or mere dumping, damaging solid waste handling equipment resulting in environmental damage and injury to all those who encounter it. There is currently ample evidence that concentrations of Mercury in samples of solid waste and concentrations of Lead and Cadmium in leachate from municipal dumpsites in India exceed the Indian standards by 5-11 times (Ferronato, 2019). The source of this contamination is the municipal solid waste, where along with household waste, we also discard hazardous substances. This mixed waste reaches the dumpsites and emits dangerous fumes, when the waste burns due to formation of methane. It further contaminates the surface and ground water when it rains and the chemicals leach through the dumpsite and percolates into the soil (Samal, 2020). To minimize and mitigate the risks posed by DHW, we must implement programmes to identify the hazardous contents, collect and manage it, educate the public about the risks, encourage them to use less hazardous products and pursue policies to minimize hazardous waste. As of today, the above category of waste, along with wet biodegradable and dry non-recyclable waste is being dumped in unlined landfills in the outskirts of our cities. As per our study, an average home in Delhi generates approximately 0.03 Kg of domestic hazardous waste per day, while wet waste generated from each home is 0.5 kg per day. When improperly disposed of, the mixture of both these wastes is a potential risk to people and the environment. What are these items that cause the contamination? Currently the fused CFL bulbs which were widely used in the city containing mercury are not being collected since ‘there is no forward linkage’ at present. Many people are not aware that CFLs and Mercury Tube lights have been shifted to the e-waste category. Instead of discarding them in the garbage, they can bring it to the e-waste collection centres or camps organized periodically by Residents’ associations or give them to E-waste recyclers themselves. Batteries used for domestic electronic products commonly the alkaline batteries and carbon zinc batteries are currently being disposed of in the dry waste bins which ultimately end up in the landfill. Regulations on batteries mostly focus on the large lead-acid ones but the Solid Waste Management Rules of 2016 recognize the small batteries as domestic hazardous waste. Ni-Cad and Ni-Cr batteries are extremely hazardous and must be disposed only in TSDFs, which would have to be organized by the Urban Local Bodies (ULBs) since Nickel, Cadmium and Chromium are all toxic heavy metals and will lead to contamination of soil, water and the food chain if dumped with mixed waste. The commonly identified chemical waste group emanating from households in urban settings include paint drums, insecticides, pesticides, sanitizers in plastic or metal jars and sprays. It is also identified that the containers of the commonly used chemical waste in the domestic setting need to be managed and characterized for its chemical nature separately. The estimation of the quantum of wastes and its separate management systems for this needs to be thoroughly considered. Sanitary Waste Pune has been able to institute a well-managed segregation system for the sanitary napkins and other sanitary waste such as condoms and adult diapers at the household level. The collection amount is about 40-50 tonnes a month. The RED DOT campaign started at Pune recommends households to send the waste in separate liners and hand it over to the waste workers with a red dot to mark its distinction from other waste. Currently the sanitary waste collected in the city of Pune is either going to the Padcare plant where the plastics and pulp are separated, treated, and utilized or to a pilot P&G plant and those that do not reach either of these plants are being dumped in the landfills. In Delhi NCR too, most of the sanitary waste is landing in dumpsites although in the SWM Rules 2016, it is recommended that it should be sent to Common Biomedical Waste Treatment Facilities (CBWTFs). During the COVID pandemic, several collection points were identified for the home quarantine waste were coming to the healthcare facilities or through the ULBs who sought assistance from NGOs to establish a system for registered pick-up points including hotels that were repurposed for quarantining patients. Post pandemic, pilot initiatives have been carried out to continue a model to systematically collect the home healthcare waste. However, very few, if any are functioning. It is reported that the waste is at present being sporadically dropped off at the facility and the problem of mixing the various biomedical categories persist. Also, efforts need to made to make this system sustained and widespread. Currently, individuals who come to the drop-off facilities are usually the ones who are informed about the system or are aware of this system by the virtue of their association with certain networks. Pharmaceutical waste There is a global rise in the growth of the pharmaceutical industry. Indiscriminate use of over-the-counter and prescription drugs is common. Various reasons such as easy availability, affordability and self- medication are responsible for this trend. This indiscriminate purchase by households is responsible for an increase in pharmaceutical waste generation. It is observed that pharmaceutical waste created at households are either expired, unwanted or damaged drugs. As per survey conducted in 100 households, 100 % households discard their medicine waste either in garbage or flush it. Expired drugs have ingredients which are active even 10 yrs beyond its expiry (Ponoth, n.d.). Hence unsafe disposal from

Sangeeta Nayyar Piles of garbage That’s the image that haunted me for years—at street corners, outside gates, next to parks. It was everywhere, and it deeply disturbed me. I couldn’t understand why we had come to accept this mess as a part of our daily lives. Over time, I came to realize that the real issue wasn’t just the volume of garbage we produced—it was how we were managing it, or rather, not managing it at all. The root cause, in my view, was simple yet glaring—lack of segregation at source. We were mixing everything—kitchen waste, paper, plastic, sanitary waste—into a single bin and expecting miracles. But the truth is, once waste is mixed, it is almost impossible to recover anything useful from it. I knew that a large part of our daily household waste is wet waste— peels, leftovers, garden clippings—all of which are 100% compostable.And if we separate that, the dry waste remains clean and is far easier to recycle. I had learned this through personal experience, and that’s where my journey truly began. My First Composting Experience Back in 2004, I began composting at home. I used a Khamba, a simple terracotta unit with three stacked pots. It was easy, clean, and deeply satisfying. Watching kitchen waste turn into rich, earthy compost felt like magic—and responsibility rolled into one. This success nudged me to think bigger. I live in Ridgewood Estate, a large residential colony in Gurgaon. I felt this was the next frontier. If one household could manage its wet waste, why couldn’t hundreds? But scaling up was a whole different ballgame. The Complex Challenge Our complex generates 400 to 500 kilograms of wet waste daily. If we were to compost this naturally, we would need 20–30 days for each batch to break down—and that required space, planning, and manpower. Once composted, it would need to be dried and refined, which would add another 10–15 days. We considered alternatives like electrical composters, mechanical crushers, and drying units, but all of them came with high capital costs and ongoing electricity bills. More importantly, they weren’t natural. I wasn’t comfortable with a solution that consumed more energy or involved chemicals. We had also explored Aga Bins, which are based on a similar natural composting concept. While they seemed promising, the high capital cost deterred us.It just didn’t feel like a financially feasible solution at the time for a large-scale, community-based approach. Setting Up the Ridgewood Composting System Pune has been able to institute a well-managed segregation system for the sanitary napkins and other sanitary waste such as condoms and adult diapers at the household level. The collection amount is about 40-50 tonnes a month. The RED DOT campaign started at Pune recommends households to send the waste in separate liners and hand it over to the waste workers with a red dot to mark its distinction from other waste. Currently the sanitary waste collected in the city of Pune is either going to the Padcare plant where the plastics and pulp are separated, treated, and utilized or to a pilot P&G plant and those that do not reach either of these plants are being dumped in the landfills. In Delhi NCR too, most of the sanitary waste is landing in dumpsites although in the SWM Rules 2016, it is recommended that it should be sent to Common Biomedical Waste Treatment Facilities (CBWTFs). During the COVID pandemic, several collection points were identified for the home quarantine waste were coming to the healthcare facilities or through the ULBs who sought assistance from NGOs to establish a system for registered pick-up points including hotels that were repurposed for quarantining patients. Post pandemic, pilot initiatives have been carried out to continue a model to systematically collect the home healthcare waste. However, very few, if any are functioning. It is reported that the waste is at present being sporadically dropped off at the facility and the problem of mixing the various biomedical categories persist. Also, efforts need to made to make this system sustained and widespread. Currently, individuals who come to the drop-off facilities are usually the ones who are informed about the system or are aware of this system by the virtue of their association with certain networks.Eventually, we decided to stay with the natural method. We identified a suitable corner in the complex and built a tiled platform. We placed large aerobic bins with porous walls on it—this allowed the compost to “breathe” and break down efficiently. The best part? We had a supportive and encouraging RWA Board at the time, which gave us both moral and logistical backing. We prepared simple leaflets with visuals of the different colored bins and what each bin should contain. A few of us went door-to-door, talking to residents, explaining the importance of segregation, and handing out the sheet to be put up in the kitchen for daily reference. We also understood that maids and housekeeping staff played a crucial role in waste disposal. So we held orientation sessions for them, explained the segregation process, and made it fun and welcoming—with samosas handed out to entice and appreciate them! Small gestures go a long way in building community participation. To ensure accountability, we set up a basic monitoring mechanism: housekeeping staff reports to the supervisor if a flat does not segregate its waste.This simple system helped reinforce the importance of daily discipline. From the beginning, I was clear that the project shouldn’t be dependent on any one individual or group. So we decided to engage a professional— Balancing Bits, run by Rahul Khera— to manage the composting process. His team is responsible for handling the wet waste once it is brought to the site, turning it regularly, managing moisture levels, and producing high-quality compost. This has ensured long-term sustainability, so that even if the initiating team steps away, the system keeps running smoothly. The Compost and Its Use Since 2018, we have been consistently composting an average of 50 kgs of wet waste every

Brig. S.K. Sharma The Liveability Index is a tool used to rank cities based on a comprehensive set of parameters that measure various aspects of urban living. In developed countries, the index often prioritizes commercial and economic factors, assuming that basic needs such as mobility, healthcare, education, and civic services are already well-established. However, in developing countries, where issues like slums, inadequate sanitation, and limited access to essential services are more pressing, the focus shifts to these fundamental aspects of liveability. Gurugram’s Liveability Index, first introduced in a draft form in mid-2018, reflects this reality by emphasising the basic needs crucial for urban living. The index is organized into 10 key indicators, known as “Themes,” which are further subdivided into 42 specific parameters. These Themes include Roads and Mobility; Water Supply and Sewage; Power, Clean Energy, and Piped Gas; Urban Environment; Waste Management; Safety and Emergency Services; Affordable Health; Affordable Housing; Education and Skill Development; and Government Responsiveness. Following a public review in late 2018, significant revisions were made to the parameters, leading to the release of a final draft in June 2021 and a subsequent final Notification in June 2022. The major changes included refining and reducing the parameters to around 40 and the addition of a new indicator, “Drainage,” which had been inexplicably omitted earlier. Additionally, the final version of the index introduced benchmarks and provided the rationale for their selection, giving the city clear targets to aspire to. The next logical step in this process should have been to assess the current status of each parameter. Without this baseline data, it is impossible to measure progress over time or determine whether the aspirational targets set for each benchmark are being met. Unfortunately, as of now, it appears that no surveys, data collection, or estimates have been conducted to establish the current status of these benchmarks. This should be the immediate priority for the Gurugram Metropolitan Development Authority (GMDA). Let’s examine some of the key indicators and their associated benchmarks in detail: Mobility: One of the aspirational targets under Mobility is that 75% or more of the city’s total road length should have walkable footpaths and pedestrian crossings. However, it is estimated that currently, no more than 10% of the roads meet this standard, highlighting the enormous task ahead. Additionally, while cycle tracks are not mentioned in the benchmarks, they should be constructed wherever feasible. Notably, the issue of potholes—one of the most dangerous hazards on the roads—is also absent from the benchmarks under Mobility. Drainage: Under the newly added Drainage indicator, the goal is to achieve 100% storm water drainage coverage through a Comprehensive Drainage Plan, which is yet to be prepared. This plan should extend from the Aravallis to the Najafgarh drain, covering a height differential of about 70 meters. The current plan, which includes three major drains (referred to as Leg 1, 2, and 3), needs to be closely monitored, particularly in the next year or two, and this progress should be reflected in the Liveability Index. Furthermore, the desilting process, which should be ongoing throughout the year, must be tracked with fixed monthly targets, and funding should be contingent on assessing previous progress. Additionally, the absence of City Rainwater Harvesting wells in the Drainage indicator is a notable omission, as these wells are crucial for groundwater recharge and should be installed at multiple locations in low-lying areas. Urban Environment: This key indicator includes six sub-indicators, two related to air quality and four concerning green spaces, recreation, water body rejuvenation, and groundwater recharge. While these goals are commendable, the current status of these initiatives and the progress made in the past two years are not publicly available. Waste Management: Waste management is critical to liveability in Gurugram, yet the city has made little progress in areas such as segregation, collection, transportation, and disposal of waste. The issue of legacy waste also remains unresolved. Although the five indicators under this theme are well-conceived, the lack of progress is evident. Like Drainage, Waste Management must be addressed on a mission mode. With the Central Government’s Environment Ministry and the National Green Tribunal (NGT) placing increased emphasis on this issue, there is hope for progress at the household and society levels, particularly in areas like waste segregation and composting at source, minimizing landfill usage, and processing various types of waste, including electronic, biomedical, and construction and demolition (C&D) waste. In conclusion, while the Livability Index is a significant step forward, it is merely the beginning. Although some progress has been made, such as the preparation of the Comprehensive Mobility Plan, most key performance indicators (KPIs) have yet to show tangible improvements. The next crucial step is to assess the current status of all parameters through rigorous surveys and to report any progress, however small, in the Livability Index and make it available to the public. The Livability Index should be viewed as a dynamic document that reflects ongoing progress and serves as a trust between government agencies and the public, all with the shared goal of making “Gurgaon First.”

Col. Kr. Pratap Singh Gurgaon is a cosmopolitan millennium city on the world map. Beautiful builder societies and condominiums are either present or coming-up in Gurgaon. The night life, shopping and glitter surpasses New York and Singapore in looks. It has corporate offices of the international fame listed in Fortune-500 companies. But these islands of excellence are within their four walls. That is one side of Gurgaon. The other side of Gurgaon would beat slum dog millionaire scenario. Civic neglect is visible all around – broken footpaths, heaps of garbage, potholes, encroachments, poor drainage, blocked sewer lines, cattle, stray dogs, crazy traffic etc. Walking or driving down roads is a 24-hour nightmare. Encroachments add to the woes as no power on earth now dare remove them. Efforts, if any are sporadic and encroachments re-emerge within the same week of removal, as if nothing had happened. The roads and pavements are in state of constant repair with a shelf life of 2-3-5 years. The contractors leaving behind the malba, construction material, as if they are the `Laat Sahibs’. Someone else has to be given another contract to clean up the muck they leave behind which is never done. Safe commuting is not in their concern. Gurgaon’s `who’s-who’ societies took on the cudgels to push the Govt. to re-organize Gurgaon and form the MCG to replace HUDA, incapable, incompetent & corrupt. It resulted in two power centres, with no accountability and conflicting jurisdiction. MCG came and HUDA stayed on with a new name HSVP. Gurgaon’s `who’s-who’ societies took on the cudgels to push the Govt. to re-organize Gurgaon and form the MCG to replace HUDA, incapable, incompetent & corrupt. It resulted in two power centres, with no accountability and conflicting jurisdiction. MCG came and HUDA stayed on with a new name HSVP. Gurgaon later got the most needed, GMDA – a great idea, panache for all solutions. However, this confounded the confusion. Each formed their own domain and fiefdoms. GMDA, MCG and HUDA –each one has great authority and jurisdiction but little responsibility and accountability. Walk into any office to complain and the staff looks left and right. The GMDA would say the problem pertains to MCG and vice-versa. The flat answer of MCG is “this road is under GMDA”. If the road belongs to GMDA, the cleaning & sweeping responsibility is of the MCG. And Oh Yes, the malba lifting is no one’s responsibility. The two never see eye to eye. Complaint mechanism. First of all, the entire cleaning, repair and problem resolution should be automatic and in-built in the work system and task. Yet, if one does want to complain after being fully frustrated, you don’t know where and to whom and which office. If you do finally find one, the answer, the person has been transferred or has just joined, so unaware. Complaint in CM Window – it works. You get a prompt call or visit, “Sir, see the road is clean, but the repair job is not mine, malba lifting is another agency”, God knows who. CM Window complaints are temporarily responded to, just for the moment, superficial. Again, a great idea, impossible in implementation. Thousands, if not lakhs of complaints, would still be pending. Waterlogging – the drainage system is the victim of corruption poor planning and pathetic supervision. Crores of rupees have been spent on papers. Most places the drains don’t exist on ground and have dead ends. In bits and pieces connected to nowhere. There is a public outcry year after year with a high pitch during monsoon which dies down slowly to come up again in subsequent years. With the changed climatic scenario, the rains are abnormal. It pours in cloudbursts and the entire roads become rivers and storm water drains are meaningless. The unauthorised construction/encroachments in the natural drainage route need to be bulldozed to tackle this perennial problem. Yet another problem is the dual posts of senior bureaucrats, often in two different cities. The kids and family reside in one city so the official is given a working post, an office, accommodation and transport in both cities. They are too busy sorting their personal problems and welfare needs of the family. Sailing in two boats, the work takes second priority. Gurgaon infra can wait, why & where is the hurry? The clerical/subordinate working staff have dug-in their heels in respective offices and have no one to question their job profile, daily/weekly output. More so when their superiors and supervisors are weak, vulnerable, inefficient neither focused, committed nor passionate. Who can hold the juniors to accountably then? Whatever good intentions some top rungs may have, unless their passion & concern percolate down to the last person in the chain there will be gaps in governance. Subordinates may not hear you but they imbibe the ethics, morals, integrity and discipline of the superiors. Gurgaon needed a Surat like plague. It looks like we are there at the rock bottom of filth and muck. It needs a strong, honest, passionate, committed yet ruthless officer with full authority and power centres in Gurgaon, not at Chandigarh/Panchkula. To reiterate the issues, Gurgaon needs to ensure the following: A single man and single idea can create a thousand ripples, so the intent ought to be right and with lasting impact. If every man does his duty from top to bottom, no obstacle is insurmountable. Gurgaon will be a happy place to live in, a city all other cities would like to emulate.

Shikha Gupta Gurgaon is a city of diverse cultures, values, and tastes. And for any city art and culture serve as the sole thread capable of connecting every citizen together transcending cultural or societal differences. Art and culture fosters a sense of unity, ownership and belongingness towards a city, leading to a profound connection. At a deeper and psychological level, it is also important to take into consideration that any city plays a significant role in shaping a person’s identity. Whether consciously or subconsciously, it becomes a part of one’s personality, accompanying them wherever they go in the world. This sense of identity aids in building self-esteem. Remember how important was our own home town to us and how it impacted our personality while growing up. Gurgaon faces several challenges in establishing a centre for art and culture despite several efforts in the past. In early 2000s, we had Epicentre as the central art and culture hub, Devi art foundation and then Kingdom of Dreams. Closure of such places due to several reasons has created a vacuum for creativity and expression to flourish in Gurugram. There is a lack of public spaces where artists can express themselves and connect with their own tribe. I firmly believe in the power of connecting with one’s tribe and engaging in open discussions without apprehension or judgment. Art creates a fertile ground for such interactions, as everyone feels connected through a common and profound link. The other challenge is there is a wide spectrum of preferences. In music alone, thee preference ranges from Haryanvi and folk art to a significant interest in classical art and culture. Additionally, there is a sizable population that leans towards light music, modern music, and pop culture. Catering to such diverse tastes on one hand creates several possibilities but on the other hand it is not easy for any single organisation to cater such diverse taste. Moreover, Gurgaon is fragmented by its enclosed societies and condominiums, each with its own set of activities and events. This segregation often results in limited exposure to broader cultural experiences for children and residents, who primarily engage with festivals and programs within their own communities. This division, coupled with socio-economic disparities across different parts of Gurgaon, impedes efforts to foster a cohesive cultural identity and sense of unity and identity throughout the city. This modern city also lacks a strong cultural foundation, particularly in classical music, dance, theatre, and fine arts. While folk music and dances were previously sufficient, the city’s expansion has created a demand for a more diverse cultural landscape. It is now incumbent upon the state government to promote and integrate art and culture into Gurgaon’s identity as the Millennium City. While the current scenario presents a challenge, it also offers an opportunity to provide platforms for a variety of artists. There is ample scope to create such platforms where people can connect through art, especially in the post-COVID era, with the growing desire for more authentic and organic experiences. A centralised art and culture institution can go a long way in the growth, exploration and engagement with the arts. Initiatives such as KalaGram Society is trying to fill this gap. focused on conducting several events based on classical music, dance, theatre and poetry on monthly basis through semi-formal meet-ups like “Chai Chaupal”. We are also trying to create a community of sketchers through monthly sketchers meet. Other than this, KalaGram has also been hosted several events and awards to recognise Gurgaon Citizen’s in the field of art. Our annual Art festival “KalaUtsav” provides platform to many artists. Organisation like Museo Camera centre for the photographic art, by Sh. Aditya Arya has also become a buzzing art and cultural centre with its several weekly events and art gallery. Kalasthali lead by the founder of Gurgaon Theatre group, Shri Ashutosh Shelat does month long Theatre fest “Rang Latu” to bring several theatre groups together. Kunzum café has been working in the field of literature and few art galleries like The Art Route, Shailja Art Studio, Gallery alternatives are curating several art exhibitions to cater diverse taste. These initiatives and its interventions are bringing hope to create an enriching atmosphere in Gurugram for art and culture. Several art connoisseurs who travelled to Delhi for a real art experience have now shifted their focus to Gurgaon. Recently a prominent school approached KalaGram to collaborate for an initiative ‘Heritage Awakening’ by school students in the city. This has been a very refreshing experience. Such interventions and participations by various schools of Gurgaon can also help to create an awakening towards art, culture and heritage. KalaGram has also started several walks in association with INTACH (Indian National Trust for art and Cultural heritage) foundation to visit the heritage sites of Gurgaon. It was a pleasure to see the enthusiasm among citizen of Gurgaon to know the heritage of their own city. Gurgaon’s present Deputy Commissioner Sh. Nishant Kumar Yadav and the chairman of KalaGram and MCG commissioner Sh. Narhari Singh Banger also the vice chairman of KalaGram who have always been very supportive and encouraging towards such initiatives. A developing a vibrant art and culture scene takes time but nurturing it can yield significant benefits. We also have several renowned artists who have made Gurgaon their home and always encouraging and ready to contribute to the art and culture scenario of Gurugram. This alignment between citizens, artists, and government presents a fertile opportunity for Gurgaon to establish itself as a rich cultural hub. The intellectually rich population of Gurgaon appreciates such efforts and is ready to contribute, making it an opportune moment for the city to evolve into a cultural destination for generations to come.

Arti Jaiman A little under 10 years after the Maruti Suzuki factory was set up in the middle of the mustard fields of Gurgaon, the new urban enclaves of Gurgaon such as Palam Vihar of the Ansals and Qutab Enclave of DLF began to see its early residents move in. Alongside there were HUDA’s Sector 14 and Sector 17 which had much better facilities but did not have the spit and polish of the privately developed “colonies”. People who moved to Gurgaon in the late 80s and early 90s were pioneers who were willing to deal with scattered neighbours, very few shops for essentials and almost no connectivity to Delhi in exchange for the pleasure of owning their own home, especially a home with a garden and space all around. In 1991, my family moved to Gurgaon, then colloquially referred to by its rustic name “Gudgaavaan”. To distinguish between this still-rural buffalo country, we told our friends and relatives in Delhi that we lived in “DLF” – that yet-to-mushroom metropolis that drew middle class Indians who couldn’t afford a home in Delhi. The distinction was important – after all, we didn’t want to sound like we’d moved into some rustic backwater (which we had, truth be told). The BPO boom was still some years away and the big-ticket employers were the auto and auto ancillary industries brought in by Maruti Suzuki. Within a decade the city went into steroid-induced growth. By the late 1990s, the BPO sector was setting up shop, led by Genpact. Multinationals and start-ups alike found the place conducive because of the as-yet affordable rent and access for workers coming in from Delhi, as well as homes for people moving into Gurgaon. Meanwhile, the buffaloes once plodding along MG Road had given way to zipping call centre cabs, and the wheat fields and malta orchards were being replaced at a dizzying pace by high rise apartments. The Delhi Metro too was round the corner. When it opened in December 2004, a collective hurrah went up in our out-in-the-boonies haven as we could now get to Delhi, and to work, without resorting to hitching rides in call centre cabs or getting onto the one DTC bus that went from Gurgaon to the Safdarjung Terminal. The Delhi Metro’s Yellow Line, connecting as it did Gurgaon to key access points such as Hauz Khas and AIIMS in South Delhi, Rajiv Chowk and Central Secretariat in Central Delhi and New Delhi Railway Station and Chandni Chowk in North Delhi, led to an exponential increase in companies and families moving to Gurgaon. Workers from across India flocked to the factories and homes of Gurgaon to find work and a better life. In response, the local Gurgaon villagers, now landlords who had sold their fields to builders and the Haryana Government, built hundreds of thousands of tenements for these workers flocking to Gurgaon and in search of cheap housing. Basic blocks of rooms with shared toilets began mushrooming in every urban village in Gurgaon. Premium was placed on location – the closer to factories and offices or to upmarket residential areas the better – and not on facilities and build quality. Alongside, some villagers started grocery shops, some became real estate agents, and some just sat under the shade of a solitary peepul tree and watched their once sleepy forgotten mofussil town turn into “Millennium City”. Gudgaavan also became Gurgaon. And it was totally okay now to say we lived in “Gurgaon” (we rolled the R’s to sound cool) and people who earlier didn’t visit because we were living in a “god-forsaken back of beyond” now routinely popped in as they swung by for a spot of “mall-ing” – that exercise in retail therapy that involved spending the better part of the day inside one or more of the new air-conditioned malls dotting Gurgaon’s “Mall Mile” – MG Road. As shiny new office buildings and equally shiny malls and apartments sprung up across Gurgaon, they started over-shadowing the villages on whose lands this new Gurgaon was mushrooming. These now-urban villages were slowly sinking into a morass of over-crowded tenements filled with migrant workers from across North India; tenements that were standing cheek by jowl with shiny new houses fronted by equally shiny new SUVs and sedans owned by the local Haryanvi Gurgaon landowners. The Haryana government was enormously proud of its urban achievement, a veritable cash-cow that has now become the single largest contributor to the state exchequer. In the media, the town-turned-city started being lauded as “Cyber City” and “Millennium City”, as the hub of MNCs and BPOs, as the city of malls, as the ‘it’ place to live and work. In the process, a gradual ‘invisiblizing’ has taken place – of the local Haryanvi-s and the culture that once defined the area and this community, as well the migrant workers, who are often treated as little more than magic elves, required to come in and do the work, but who must then magically disappear outside the golden gates of this new city into urban black holes. An invisible wall exists between urban residents living and working in Gurgaon, and this heterogenous community of local Haryanvis and migrant workers. Many people have lived for 10 or 15 years in one of Gurgaon’s upscale condominiums but have never even stepped into the next-door villages of, say, Chakkarpur (DLF Phase 2), Sikanderpur (DLF Phase 1), Nathupur (DLF Phase 3), Wazirabad (DLF Phase 4 and 5) or Kanhai (Sector 45). Almost all support staff (security guards, cooks, maids, drivers etc.) live in these villages and yet a deep divide exists between where the employers stays and where the employee resides. But hope also stays alive in Gurgaon. Because of some determined people not willing to let every available green space be concretized, individuals working for children deprived of even a basic education, groups working for safer roads, organisations creating those bridges between the residents and the government to save Gurgaon from the poisons of