United for Gurugram: Building a Collaborative Model for Civic Transformation

Roma Panjabi
Jul 27
3 min read

Updated: Jul 30

Gurugram is more than just a city of high-rises, expressways, and offices. It is a city of people—residents, workers, students, entrepreneurs, and civic bodies—each with a stake in its future. As one of India’s fastest-growing urban centers, Gurugram faces complex problems: waterlogging, pollution, traffic, safety, and waste. But none of these challenges can be solved in silos.

That is where the idea of United Gurugram begins.

What Is United Gurugram?

United Gurugram is a multi-stakeholder platform created by Give Back to Gurugram (GBTG) to bring together residents, RWAs, corporates, schools, NGOs, and government departments—under one shared vision: solve the city’s problems through collective action.

Instead of top-down schemes or isolated efforts, United Gurugram operates on a horizontal collaboration model. It recognizes that every resident has a voice, every corporate has a role, and every institution can contribute to change.

Why Gurugram Needs Unity, Not Uniformity

Despite the city’s wealth and workforce, Gurugram ranks low on liveability and sustainability indices. According to HSPCB (2024), AQI levels cross 300 for over 120 days annually. Over 84% of rainwater is wasted. And the average commute time across sectors is now 62 minutes.

These aren’t government problems. They’re everyone’s problems. Which means the solution has to be everyone’s responsibility.

United Gurugram’s Operating Pillars

1. Hyperlocal Partnerships

Each sector or ward in Gurugram becomes its own action zone. Through local RWAs, school clubs, panchayats, and corporates, task forces are created to solve specific civic issues in their zones.

2. Real-Time Problem Mapping

Using GBTG’s mobile-first platform, citizens can log problems—from potholes to e-waste dumping—and track resolution status. The platform connects directly with ward-level officers and GBTG’s backend teams.

3. CSR and ESG Integration

Corporates join as funding and execution partners, aligning their CSR mandates with on-ground work—such as building recharge wells, sponsoring waste collection systems, or training local marshals.

4. Recognition and Reputation

Participants receive co-branded visibility, impact dashboards, and recognition from local government bodies. This boosts community morale and strengthens the civic reputation of participating corporates and institutions.

Early Wins: What Has Worked

Rainwater harvesting projects initiated by United Gurugram in Sectors 67, 45, and 17 have absorbed over 2 lakh litres per hour during peak rain.
Over 70 RWAs have joined monthly cleanup drives, removing over 32 tonnes of waste in just 6 months.
Corporate participation has doubled in just 90 days, with 24 companies actively funding GBTG-linked civic initiatives.

How Your Organization Can Join

Whether you're a resident, a school, or a CSR leader, here’s how you can plug in:

Residents and RWAs

Enroll your sector or society as a United Gurugram zone.
Form local task teams and get access to resources, playbooks, and project templates.

Corporates

Map your CSR goals to city-level outcomes (e.g., air quality, sanitation, water reuse).
Adopt projects in your business neighborhood—earn ESG mileage and brand equity.

Schools and Colleges

Run eco clubs, innovation labs, and civic awareness campaigns under the United Gurugram banner.
Involve students in real-world problem solving—linked to sustainability curricula.

NGOs and Volunteers

Act as ground partners in training, implementation, or monitoring.
Get listed in the United Gurugram partner directory and collaborate city-wide.

The Bigger Vision

By 2026, United Gurugram aims to:

Cover 100% of Gurugram’s wards through at least one active project.
Build a network of 1 lakh active citizens solving civic problems monthly.
Enable CSR funding worth ₹50 crore annually for localized civic transformation.