'Gurugram looks neglected': French expat fumes over city's broken infrastructure

Mathilde R, a French expatriate living in Gurugram, expressed her disappointment on Monday, sharing a conversation she had with a friend who visited both Delhi and Gurgaon. The friend's assessment of Gurugram left Mathilde feeling "ashamed" and "desperate."

According to Mathilde, her friend, after comparing the two cities, remarked that Gurugram appeared "underdeveloped and neglected" when placed next to Delhi's "green, well-maintained streets."

Mathilde wrote, "A friend from France visited me this week, and after seeing both Delhi and Gurgaon, she said #gurgaon looked underdeveloped and neglected compared to Delhi's green, well-maintained streets. She even told me she could never imagine living in Gurgaon. I won't lie, I felt ashamed, and quite desperate. My in-laws are in Gurgaon, and as a good Hindu family, my husband and I don't want to move away from them. Therefore, we have no choice but staying here."

Reflecting on the situation, Mathilde continued, "It's hard to accept that in 2025, when much of the world has progressed, we are still struggling with such poor living conditions. It's time for a decent, modern city for both Indian residents and foreign nationals. Honestly, people are exhausted from living amid filth and broken infrastructure."

Gurugram has long been criticised for its crumbling infrastructure, political apathy, and civic failures, which have sparked sharp remarks from several public figures.

Businessman and columnist Suhel Seth has been one of the loudest critics, calling Gurugram a "national shame." Speaking at an event in July, Seth hit out at the city's governance, citing its chaotic urban sprawl, poor public services, and the lack of accountability. He said, "We have more liquor vends than functioning traffic lights. More bars than schools." 

While Gurugram is marketed as India's "Millennium City," Seth pointed out the contradiction between this image and the city's reality, adding, "You can't have smart cities with unsmart leaders." Former NITI Aayog CEO Amitabh Kant also voiced support for Seth's criticisms, remarking that the city contributes more tax revenue to the Haryana government than all other cities combined. "If you can't maintain Gurugram, it's a massive failure of governance," he said.