Authority invites bids to reconstruct NW Delhi drains

The first drain is near Haiderpur Badli Mor Metro station and another adjoining the cremation ground in Ambedkar Nagar of Shalimar Bagh

New Delhi

Officials said the project is aimed at preventing waterlogging in the surrounding residential areas and transport hubs. (Representative photo)

On the heels of the launch of Delhi’s new drainage master plan last week, the Delhi Development Authority (DDA) on Wednesday invited bids for the reconstruction of two northwest Delhi trains—the first near Haiderpur Badli Mor Metro station and another adjoining the cremation ground in Ambedkar Nagar of Shalimar Bagh.

Officials said the project is aimed at preventing waterlogging in the surrounding residential areas and transport hubs. All drains repairs and reconstruction will be done as per the new plan, they said. The work is expected to cost around ₹2.51 crore, with a completion timeline of four months.

“The work will include demolition of old brick and concrete drains, earthwork excavation, filling and compaction, relaying of cement concrete structures and construction of reinforced cement concrete (RCC) drain covers. Around 351 square metres of precast RCC rectangular covers will be installed along the drain footpaths,” an official said.

In addition, structural steel work, anti-corrosive coating, and proper disposal of malba at designated municipal dumping grounds will be undertaken.

A senior DDA official said the work near Haiderpur Badli Metro station is especially critical since the stretch is prone to flooding during monsoon, and witnesses heavy pedestrian and vehicular footfall. The adjoining colonies of Shalimar Bagh also face recurring drainage issues, particularly around the cremation ground, where the existing infrastructure has been found inadequate.

The project has been sanctioned as part of the first set of works under Delhi’s drainage master plan, which envisages large-scale repairs, remodelling, and integration of the city’s fragmented drainage system. Officials said work is expected to begin by late October, with a target of February 2026.

Once complete, the new drains are expected to streamline stormwater flow, reduce overflow onto arterial roads and provide safer pedestrian pathways along the metro station and nearby residential pockets.

The new ₹57,000-crore drainage master plan, the first such comprehensive overhaul in nearly 50 years, aims to prepare the Capital for intense monsoon, rising climate pressures and relentless urbanisation. The plan, which will be implemented in five phases over the next five years, lays out a 30-year road map, dividing Delhi into three basins–Najafgarh, Barapullah and Trans-Yamuna. Once it is implemented, the city’s drainage capacity will increase nearly threefold, from 25mm per hour of rainfall to 70mm per hour, factoring in an additional 11% rise in rainfall intensity linked to climate change.

The master plan envisages real-time monitoring of drains through smart sensors feeding into a central control hub, allowing authorities to anticipate choke points before they escalate into full-blown flooding.