Central groundwater body recommends revival of Central Delhi tubewells

The CGWB reports rising groundwater in Lutyens’ Delhi, recommending revival of 57 tubewells and artificial recharge structures at 20 waterlogging sites.

New Delhi

A waterlogged Minto Bridge, which falls in NDMC area. (HT Archive)

The Central Ground Water Board (CGWB) said that hydrographs of sub-surface aquifers in Lutyens’ Delhi have shown a rising groundwater trend, and recommended revival of 57 defunct tubewell sites with high water table and development of artificial groundwater recharge structures at 20 sites that face waterlogging during monsoon, officials of the New Delhi Municipal Council (NDMC) said.

The CGWB report, a copy of which was accessed by HT, states that the NDMC area is underlain by unconsolidated sediments of quaternary to recent age quartizite and the deposit of bedrock varies from 5mbgl (metres below ground level) at Buddha Jayanti Park, 91 mbgl at Pragati Maidan, to 74 mbgl at Lodhi Garden and 16mbgl at Rashtrapati Bhavan.

“The minimum water level in the study was 4.05mbgl at Sunder Nursery while maximum level was recorded at Mahavir Vanasthali at 18.29mbgl during post monsoon phase,” it read.

The board said that groundwater flows from surrounding areas towards the eastern part of the study area and stagnates due to subsurface obstruction, in the form of sub surface ridge portion. “The shape of water table contours near the Parliament house indicates ground water is accumulating from the flows of all surrounding areas...Similarly in the Southern part the groundwater flow direction is from South to North indicating ground water accumulation within the shallow aquifers of the Lodhi garden area,” the report reads.

NDMC had submitted a list of 37 chronic waterlogging points, and based on groundwater trends, the CGWB has recommended artificial recharge structures at 20 locations, including P Block of Connaught Place, BKS Road, Raisina Road, Shanti Path, Vinay Marg, Panchkuian Road, and Shantipath near Embassy of France, among other places.

NDMC had submitted a list of 124 tubewells that were closed due to NGT orders, and of the total, CGWB recommended 57 for revival. “These tubewells need to be pumped at sustainable rate so that the water level is not lowered due to pumping of water,” it reads.

NDMC vice-chairperson Kuljeet Chahal said, “NDMC areas have witnessed a rise in groundwater levels and CGWB will assist NDMC in implementation of this project and we will develop more recharge structures which will help rid these areas of waterlogging. Similarly, in the areas where water table is very high, we will revive the tubewells for horticulture use.”