This Chaotic Gurugram Road Became a Safe, Green Street Without Cutting a Single Tree

Not long ago, Sanath Road in Gurugram tested anyone who tried to walk it. There were no footpaths, garbage lay unattended, potholes dotted the road, and a mild drizzle could leave it waterlogged for months.

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The situation grew so dire that residents began calling it ‘Anath Road’ — a road forgotten by authorities. 

Running parallel to the Delhi-Gurugram highway, the stretch still carried thousands of commuters every day. With no alternative route, people navigated traffic, sewage overflow, and broken surfaces on foot. Cars, street vendors, and pedestrians competed for every inch, turning the 2.5-kilometre stretch into daily chaos. 

To address the problem, authorities proposed widening the road by cutting nearly 400 trees. Locals feared the redesign would prioritise vehicles over people, further shrinking already limited pedestrian space.

Rethinking streets for people, not cars

Before the original plan could move ahead, the Raahgiri Foundation stepped in with an alternative approach. 

The non-profit, which works to create safer, cleaner, inclusive, and people-centric streets, partnered with government bodies such as the Gurugram Metropolitan Development Authority, the Municipal Corporation of Gurugram, Dakshin Haryana Bijli Vitran Nigam, and other collaborators to rethink how the street could function.

In a collaborative effort, they came up with a plan that required no felling of trees and accommodated parking, pedestrians, cyclists, and vehicles. Together, they developed a plan that avoided tree felling while accommodating pedestrians, cyclists, parked vehicles, and through traffic. 

Long-standing sewage issues were resolved, improving hygiene and drainage. A water recharge system was put in place, and overhead power lines were moved underground. Instead of removing street vendors, the project assigned them a designated vending zone, preserving livelihoods while reducing congestion.

The transformation reused 11,000 tonnes of construction waste, making the redevelopment both practical and sustainable. While the earlier proposal involved cutting trees, the revised plan focused on planting. Around 600 native trees were added along the road.

A community space is reborn

The project began with surveys in 2019 and was completed in late 2024. A year on, the stretch has emerged as a thriving community space. Sanath Road, once unsafe and disordered, is now accessible to people of all ages. Wheelchair-friendly design stands out as one of its defining features.

Where water once stagnated, the road now helps recharge groundwater, marking a complete shift from its flooded past. Broad footpaths now host morning walkers, children at play, and residents pausing on shaded benches. The street functions as a shared public space, not merely a transit corridor. Improved lighting and better visibility at night have also made the area safer for women.

Sanath Road offers a strong example of people-centred urban design. It shows that Indian cities can change when streets are planned for those who walk, rest, work, and live around them — not only for cars that pass through.

Sources

‘Gurugram gets road people can walk on’: by Sukanya Sharma for Civil Society Magazine, Published on 11 November 2024.