India’s so-called Millennium City was brought to its knees after just four hours of heavy rain on September 1, exposing once again the gaping holes in its civic planning. With 133 mm of rainfall submerging roads, luxury addresses, and entire neighbourhoods under waist-deep water, residents were left stranded, furious, and sarcastically mocking the contrast between Gurugram’s sky-high property prices and its sinking infrastructure.

Viral images of flooded Golf Course Road — home to some of India’s costliest apartments — summed up the irony of a city where ₹10-crore homes and ₹80,000 monthly rents come with free “annual houseboat rides.”

According to official data, Gurugram recorded 133 mm of rainfall, which submerged large parts of the city under two to three feet of water. The downpour brought arterial roads, highways, and even upscale localities to a grinding halt.

Frustrated residents say the city is overrated and overpriced. “And this is supposed to be the Millennium City? Gurgaon is Haryana’s highest tax-paying city, yet its facilities are worse than a tier-2 town,” one user wrote on Reddit.

Social media was flooded with visuals of submerged cars, stranded buses, and waist-deep water. Videos of the Golf Course Road, home to some of the country’s costliest real estate, went viral, triggering a wave of sarcasm and outrage.

“Now you know where those ₹90 crore go, open gutters!” one user wrote. Another quipped, “ ₹90 crore plus taxes for a sea-view apartment, where else will you get that, except Gurugram?”

From Golf Course Road to Sushant Lok 1, residents mocked how crores spent on luxury homes now come with “annual houseboat rides” as flooded driveways resemble Kerala’s backwaters.

Locals blamed the recurring monsoon mess on poor drainage and rampant, unplanned construction. Many said civic teams failed to reach waterlogged areas, leaving residents stranded.

Angry residents compared Gurugram’s sky-high property prices with its collapsing infrastructure.

“If you’re living in a society in Gurugram, landlords demand ₹60,000–80,000 rent per month. Buying a plot costs ₹8–10 crore. What nonsense is this? Gurugram is seriously overrated and overpriced without proper infrastructure,” said Neeru Sharma, a resident of Suncity Society.

From Sector 10 to Dwarka Expressway, residents complained of rainwater flooding their homes and streets within minutes. “Thirty minutes of rain turned the entire area into a pool. No infrastructure, no civic facilities,” said Anil Kumar, a Sector 10 resident.

Even those in premium localities felt trapped. “Our society on Golf Course Road was cut off. The entire stretch turned into a river. Residents were forced indoors,” said Kusum Sharma, RWA President of Suncity.

Ashok Sharma, a resident of South City Phase-1, said, “In my lane itself, we have a law college, a dispensary, and even a police station, yet this entire stretch faces severe waterlogging. Rainwater entered basements and damaged vehicles. Despite property prices crossing ₹10 crore here, the drains remain choked. The local authorities must immediately clear the drainage system to resolve the issue.”