₹11,427cr water overhaul: Delhi plans underground reservoirs, new pipelines

Delhi government's proposed plan will receive 25% funding from the Centre, 25% from the state and the remaining amount through loans or a public-private model.

The Delhi government has proposed an ₹11,427-crore overhaul of water infrastructure in west and south-west Delhi, expected to benefit around 3.64 million people, chief minister Rekha Gupta said on Tuesday.

Delhi Chief Minister Rekha Gupta, along with Delhi Cabinet Minister Parvesh Verma, addresses a press conference at the Delhi Secretariat, in New Delhi. (Sanjeev Verma/HT Photo)

The proposed projects will strengthen nearly 3,830km of water network across the two zones, including underground reservoirs (UGRs), distribution pipelines and district metered areas, she said. The government plans to take up the projects through the Urban Challenge Fund, with 25% funding proposed from the Centre, 25% from the Delhi government and the remaining 50% through loans or public-private partnership models, CM Gupta said.

Projects aim to improve water distribution

The projects are aimed at improving water availability, strengthening distribution infrastructure and introducing systematic metering and monitoring to make the network more transparent and accountable in a total of 20 assembly constituencies.

The government is also implementing two projects worth ₹1,741 crore with Asian Development Bank support to modernise the Wazirabad command area, she said, adding that the projects will develop around 836km of distribution network, including nearly 570km of new or replacement pipelines, across 43.96 sq km, nine UGR command areas and eight assembly constituencies.

The areas to benefit include Mukherjee Nagar, Model Town, Jahangirpuri, Azadpur, Keshavpuram, Pitampura, Shalimar Bagh, Tri Nagar, Paschim Vihar, Rani Bagh, Wazirpur and Ashok Vihar. Around 215,000 household service connections will be covered, with 100% metering of consumer connections.

The Wazirabad projects will introduce SCADA, instrumentation, smart metering and non-revenue water monitoring. A total of 131 district metered areas will track how much water enters the system, reaches consumers and is lost through leakages or other causes.

The government has set a target of reducing non-revenue water to 15% and aims to provide pressurised water supply round the clock, she said.

In Shakur Basti, an 18 MLD UGR will be developed at Harsh Vihar. In Okhla, UGRs with capacities of 2.2 MGD and 3.7 MGD, along with booster pumping stations, will come up in Batla House and Abul Fazal Enclave. These projects are expected to benefit around 200,000 residents.

Order for sewer networks and treatment plants

The government has issued work orders worth around ₹2,990 crore for 28 decentralised sewage treatment plants and another ₹1,090 crore for upgrading existing STPs.

Sewer networks have been completed in 114 unauthorised colonies at a cost of around ₹2,012 crore, with household sewer connections provided to 128,633 families. Work is underway in another 276 colonies, while household sewer connections are being provided to around 544,680 households across 647 unauthorised colonies.

Water treatment plants of 50 MGD in Dwarka, 105 MGD in Chandrawal and 2 MGD in Bawana have been completed, along with UGRs in Bijwasan, Palla and Siraspur. Network expansion and upgrade in the Chandrawal command area is underway under a ₹1,200-crore project.

Government regularisation on water schemes

The government had extended the LPSC waiver scheme earlier this month. So far, ₹743 crore has been deposited under the scheme, benefiting 5.15 lakh domestic and 15,796 commercial consumers.

The regularisation scheme for unauthorised water connections has also been extended until March 31, 2027. So far, 3,544 unauthorised connections have been regularised, with consumers required to pay ₹1,000.

Gupta said the government was also working to improve water metering and ensure consumers receive timely and accurate bills. She said the extension granted under the LPSC waiver scheme is the last.

Around 18,000 DJB employees and pensioners have been brought under cashless healthcare, while a transaction adviser is being appointed for better management and redevelopment of DJB colonies and land assets.