Gurugram, April 1 -- Residents and commuters in Gurugram have flagged poor maintenance, illegal encroachments, and traffic congestion outside key metro stations, raising concerns over commuter safety and sanitation. During an HT spot check on Monday at four metro stations - Millennium City Centre, IFFCO Chowk, Sikanderpur, and MG Road - widespread encroachments were observed, with footpaths and pavements blocked by carts and hawkers, restricting pedestrian movement. At all four locations, auto-rickshaws and taxis were found illegally parked along service lanes, contributing to congestion. "This is the everyday scene at Gurugram's metro stations, especially MG Road and Sikanderpur. Auto-rickshaws choke the entire service lane, with hundreds lined up, waiting to pick up passengers. It only adds to the traffic congestion," said Priyanshi Verma, a commuter. Ashok Darbara, another commuter, said, "Every morning, my car gets stuck in traffic due to congestion caused by autos and rickshaws. They stop wherever they want and park illegally near the metro stations, creating risky conditions for local commuters." Commuters also pointed to poor sanitation, particularly at MG Road and Sikanderpur stations. Garbage, including plastic waste, was seen dumped near station premises, emitting a foul stench. To be sure, the spot check found that most of the illegal encroachments and sanitation issues were outside the metro station premises, falling under the jurisdiction of the MCG and GMDA, while the stations themselves are under the jurisdiction of Gurugram Metro Rail Limited (GMRL) and Delhi Metro Rail Corporation (DMRC). Harish Rana said, "These metro stations, which see heavy footfall, lack basic sanitation. Garbage lies strewn across service lanes, and the overall condition is appalling." At Millennium City Centre and IFFCO Chowk, hawkers were found occupying pavements, preparing food, and disposing of waste directly onto the ground without dustbins. A nearby green belt at IFFCO Chowk was also littered, allegedly due to dumping by vendors. "There are a lot of mosquitoes at IFFCO Chowk and Sikanderpur metro stations because of the filth that accumulates and is never cleared. It doesn't even feel like you're near the metro premises of Millennium City. The city is choking under garbage and dust everywhere-changing its name won't change this reality," said Kamal Malhotra. Mathilde R, a French expat living in Gurugram, said, "I moved from South Delhi to Gurugram two years ago, and I cross Sikanderpur every day. I have never seen the metro station clean. It's chaotic, unorganised, and massively encroached, and nobody does anything about it. The amount of filth is so overwhelming that even workers sent to clean often give up and leave. We are in 2026, and Gurugram deserves better." A senior official at the Gurugram Metropolitan Development Authority (GMDA) said, "The civic body is treating illegal encroachments in the city as a top priority. Our team will inspect the Millennium City Centre metro station, and we will take all the necessary action to clear encroachments from the footpaths and pavements to restore proper commute flow." Jaiveer Yadav, joint commissioner at Municipal Corporation of Gurugram (MCG), said two teams have been deployed to remove encroachments. "One team works from 8am to 2pm, and the other team works from 2pm to 8pm. We have removed 90% of the encroachments from the metro stations; however, we will again ask the team to check and take necessary actions," he said. A senior traffic police official said technical teams will inspect illegal parking outside metro stations. "We will take necessary measures to decongest the areas around the metro stations and ensure smooth movement for commuters," the official added, asking not to be named....