Gurugram, Nov. 26 -- Home to nearly 2,400 families, Ardee City is a prominent residential hub in Gurugram's Sector 52. The society has 75 lanes with five blocks including B, C, D, E and C1. Despite having spread across 204 acres, the neighbourhood continues to struggle from broken roads, missing pavements, unchecked garbage disposal, among others. "We are no longer dependent on the Municipal Corporation of Gurugram (MCG) for many of our day-to-day needs, such as sanitation and road cleaning. We've appointed our own sweeping teams after realising that relying solely on MCG would never free our society from these persistent issues," said Chaitali Mandhotra, a member of the Ardee City RWA. "Several roads in D Block and parts of C Block remain broken. MCG started work on these stretches almost a year ago, yet it is still incomplete. The situation is especially poor on the D-11, D-13 and D-14 roads," said Anjali Sharma, a resident of Ardee City. "Another stretch in disrepair is the C Block main road, which connects Ardee City to Artemis Hospital. It is riddled with potholes and constantly covered in dust, making it difficult for both commuters and residents," said Vikramjeet Singh, another Ardee City resident. Meanwhile, the Ardee City RWA said that road construction is underway across most lanes in D Block."The work is in progress and will take some more time to be completed. 80% of the roads are already constructed." Mandhotra said. According to the RWA, they had signed an agreement with former MCG commissioner Ashok Garg regarding the handover of sanitation responsibilities. However, with the new MCG administration, officials reportedly refused to honour the arrangement. However, a senior official, speaking on condition of anonymity, said that MCG is responsible for cleaning Ardee City, while the RWA claims that they keep the area clean. When asked about the issue, Kuldeep Singh, sub-divisional officer (SDO) at MCG, said the delay in road construction at Ardee City was due to some technical issue after the inauguration of the roads. "The tiles to be laid are 100 mm thick. Although the tiles are ready, it is better to wait 10 to 15 days to ensure the roads are strong and durable. By December, the roads will be properly constructed," he said. According to residents, inadequate public transport is also a major issue. "There is a clear lack of public transportation in Gurugram, not just in Ardee City. Residents are largely dependent on cabs and taxis for their daily commute," Mandhotra said. Meanwhile, some residents of C and D Blocks said that even cab services are affected by the poor road conditions. "Drivers often refuse to enter the locality for pick-ups or drops. If they do agree, many demand extra charges. This is especially difficult for senior citizens who have to walk 700 metres to a kilometre just to reach the main gate," Sharma added. Ardee City has several bus stops nearby, with the closest located near Gate 2. However, residents say only a few buses pass through the area. "There are very few direct routes to key destinations, " said Singh. As per the official website of Gurugram Metropolitan City Bus Limited (GMCBL), there is no direct route from Ardee City to Shankar Chowk, railway station, Cyber City and Ambience Mall. Rajiv Nagpal, depot manager in Gurugram, acknowledged the limited bus connectivity in the area. "The situation will improve once 200 more buses are inducted within the next two to three months," he said. Residents alleged that some newly developed lanes have no pavements at all, while many older ones are broken with uneven pathways. "This is a major issue here. Some roads never had pavements to begin with" said Mandhotra. "The roads are too narrow to accommodate bicycle lanes. We have consistently raised the demand for proper pavements, yet the MCG has taken no action so far." SDO Singh said that no estimates have yet been prepared for footpaths or pavements. "A survey is currently underway to identify areas that require proper pavements. Once the survey is complete, budgets will be allocated, and the work is expected to begin next year," he said. "The wires from electric poles and transformers are exposed and hanging onto the roads, posing a serious safety risk, especially during the monsoon," Mandhotra said. "We have raised this issue with DHBVN multiple times, but no action has been taken so far," Singh said. An official from DHBVN said that an estimate has been prepared and a tender issued. "Once companies start bidding, the work will commence," he added. When asked about the delay, he acknowledged the issue and assured that DHBVN is aware of it and action will be taken soon....