Delhi approves 4.7km flood protection wall along Yamuna river

Experts expressed reservations over the move, saying it could prove counter-productive by affecting the river’s health and natural floodplains.

New Delhi: To prevent low-lying areas from flooding during the Yamuna overflow, the Delhi government has approved the construction of a 4.72-kilometre-long wall along the river from Majnu Ka Tila to the Old Railway Bridge (ORB), chief minister Rekha Gupta announced on Tuesday.

According to government officials, the wall will serve as a barrier, preventing Yamuna water from spilling into residential areas. (Arvind Yadav/HT)

The target to complete the project pre-2027 monsoon season, she said, adding the decision, formally cleared as part of the budget, is rooted in the city’s repeated experience with severe flooding.

Experts, however, expressed reservations over the move, saying it could prove counter-productive by affecting the river’s health and natural floodplains and by risking a flood downstream.

The project draws on recommendations made in the August 2024 report of the Joint Flood Committee (JFC).

According to government officials, the wall will serve as a barrier, preventing Yamuna water from spilling into residential areas. “It is expected to provide a firm layer of protection to vulnerable localities such as Civil Lines, Kashmere Gate, Yamuna Bazaar and Majnu Ka Tila that have historically faced the worst whenever water levels rise,” said an official.

During overflowing, floodwaters enter the city through low-lying pockets around Majnu Ka Tila, often submerging stretches of the Ring Road and bringing normal life in Delhi to a standstill. Official data shows that the Yamuna touched a record level of 208.66 metres in 2023, surpassing the previous high of 1978. In 2025, the river also crossed the danger mark of 205.33 metres, rising to 207.48 metres.

The project draws on recommendations made in the August 2024 report of the Joint Flood Committee (JFC), which was based on detailed hydraulic modelling and data analysis by experts from the Central Water and Power Research Station (CWPRS), Pune.

The study had identified the construction of a flood protection wall along this stretch of the Ring Road as the most viable long-term solution.

Gupta said the existing embankments are no longer adequate to deal with future challenges, making it imperative to adopt a durable, long-term solution. She alleged that the previous government took no concrete decision, leaving these areas repeatedly vulnerable.

“The wall will serve as a protective shield between the river and the city, preventing overflow onto roads. It will also help check riverbank erosion,” she said, adding it is expected to curb dumping of waste along the riverbanks, helping preserve the floodplain and protect the Yamuna’s ecosystem.

Experts, however, disagreed on the efficacy of the move. Bhim Singh Rawat, Yamuna activist and member of the South Asia Network on Dams, Rivers and People (SANDRP) said, “Multiple linear and cross-sectional structures have already severely altered Yamuna’s natural pattern and restricted its meandering functions. Building a flood protection wall will further fragment the floodplain. Such barriers can push floodwaters downstream with greater intensity, increasing the risk of flooding in east Delhi. The government should look to expand natural buffers, which are more sustainable and climate-resilient in the long run.”

“The ITO barrage aggravated the 2023 flood impact due to the malfunctioning of gates and is serving no purpose. The government should plan its decommissioning as it will reduce the flooding risks,” he added.

Diwan Singh, convener of Yamuna Satyagraha, also shared similar views. “Trying to control a river’s natural course with rigid structures may solve one problem but create others, often worsening ecological imbalance and future flood risks. True flood management lies in respecting the river’s flow and planning with nature – not against it.’