'Hellish version of adventure park': French expat slams Gurgaon infrastructure, calls it 'pig house'

Mathilde R's comments found resonance with many residents, who joined in echoing her frustrations.

A social media post by a French expatriate living in Gurgaon has ignited widespread outrage, casting a harsh spotlight on the city’s deteriorating sanitation and urban infrastructure. Mathilde R, a long-time resident, described the city as “a pig house” and accused authorities of condemning citizens to “live like animals,” in what has become a viral flashpoint in Gurgaon’s ongoing civic crisis.

The post, published on X (formerly Twitter), painted a grim picture of daily life in one of India’s most aspirational urban centres. “What could have been a modern, peaceful city has turned into a massive landfill,” Mathilde wrote. “Many of my expat friends are moving back to Delhi or leaving India for good. Abroad feels like a relief.”

Her remarks, though emotionally charged, reflect a growing discontent among residents over the visible collapse of basic municipal services. Over the past several months, locals across various sectors—from affluent residential blocks to dense urban pockets—have flagged garbage piles on roads, broken pavements, overflowing open drains, and the complete absence of sanitation staff.

In a particularly scathing section of her post, Mathilde questioned the use of tax money, implying corruption and mismanagement. “We wonder if our taxes are building someone else’s castle instead of providing us a decent life,” she wrote, calling attention to the systemic failure of waste management and public accountability.

Leaving #gurugram feels like the only wise option sometimes. What could have been a great modern and peaceful city has turned to a massive landfield, unlivable, full of filths and broken pavments. Many expact friends are moving back to delhi or leaving India for good, with the…

— mathilde R. (@MathildeRa77404) July 22, 2025

The post went on to describe the lived horrors of navigating Gurgaon’s streets: “Do we really think that tourists will want to come here while having to walk in the filth and on dangerous roads?” she asked. “Gurgaon has become the hellish version of an adventure park. If you dare to step out of your home, you can try to walk through sewage and people’s poop, die on the road trying to make your way out of your streets, or end up electrocuted while you are coming back from work.”

Her comments found resonance with many residents, who joined in echoing her frustrations. One user replied, “@DC_Gurugram & officials are least bothered. Don’t know where money is going? Everywhere jaam, no traffic mgmt, police taking bribes at traffic junctions & from fruits/vegetables vendors, allowing them on roads, no waste management, littering all over, stinking localities, waterlogging.”

Others highlighted the chronic issues that intensify during monsoons—waterlogged roads, dangerously exposed electrical wiring, and a spike in electrocution incidents. “Stepping out of your house feels like entering a sewage park,” Mathilde added grimly.

This is not the first time Gurgaon’s civic conditions have come under fire, but the international spotlight triggered by Mathilde’s post has amplified scrutiny and triggered online debate about the city's governance model. Critics argue that the city, despite being a hub for global business and high-end real estate, has failed to provide its citizens with fundamental urban necessities.