Delhi govt clears ₹220-crore trunk drain in Kirari to address urban flooding woes

Senior officials said the combined railway and DDA drain system will fully evacuate the Kirari basin’s estimated 1,193 cusecs of stormwater, ending years of monsoon distress for residents

In a push to resolve one of Delhi’s most persistent urban-flooding problems, the Delhi government has approved a ₹221 crore project to construct a new 4.48-km trunk drain along the Delhi–Bathinda railway line, to provide relief to the waterlogging-prone areas around Kirari.

The proposal, moved by the irrigation and flood control (I&FC) department, was cleared during a meeting of the expenditure finance committee (EFC) chaired by chief minister Rekha Gupta (above) on Wednesday, officials said. (Sanchit Khanna/HT Photo)

The proposal, moved by the irrigation and flood control (I&FC) department, was cleared during a meeting of the expenditure finance committee (EFC) chaired by chief minister Rekha Gupta on Wednesday, officials said.

The proposal also forms a core component of the capital’s Drainage Master Plan that was recently launched by the CM. Officials said the Mundka–Kirari stretch, due to its bowl-shaped topography, dense unplanned settlements and inadequate drainage, remains one of the capital’s most vulnerable urban basins, trapping run-off during even moderate rainfall.

The trunk drain beginning at the Mundka Halt Station and ending at the supplementary drain outfall point, has been designed to carry 760 cusecs, nearly two-thirds of the total 1,193-cusec run-off generated from the Kirari catchment. The remaining discharge will be routed through a revamped DDA drain carrying 433 cusecs, officials said.

The drain will be constructed along land owned by Northern Railway, which has already granted permission. A tripartite MoU has been signed between Northern Railway, the I&FC Department and other civic stakeholders, including MCD, DDA and PWD, officials said.

Once tendering concludes, work will begin in two phases and is targeted for completion by 2027. Work on the secondary DDA drain meant to dispose of 433 cusecs from Kirari is currently held up due to pending tree-cutting permissions, officials added.

Senior officials said the combined railway and DDA drain system will fully evacuate the Kirari basin’s estimated 1,193 cusecs of stormwater, ending years of monsoon distress for residents.

When asked, water and irrigation minister Parvesh Verma said the drain will cover areas across Kirari, Nangloi Jaat, Bawana and Mundka assembly constituencies.

“More than 70 unauthorised colonies and several habitations such as Veena Enclave, Ratan Park, Rajdhani Park, JJ Cluster Colony, Ram Nagar, Niloothi Village, Ranikhera Industrial Area, Adhyapak Nagar, Shiv Ram Park, and Rohini Sectors 20, 21 and 22 will benefit directly from this redevelopment. Our government is committed to ensuring that such modern and scientifically designed drainage systems replace the old, choked networks,” said Verma.

The minister added that the project replaces old, choked and unscientific drains with a modern, hydraulically optimised system capable of meeting future load.

The existing KSN drain, the only functional outflow channel in the area, has a capacity of merely 88 cusecs, leaving nearly 93% of the stormwater with no evacuation route, which is a key reason behind annual knee-deep flooding in several neighbourhoods.

The Kirari catchment spans 2,386 acres and houses over 700,000 residents, most living in unauthorised colonies lacking sewerage or planned stormwater systems.

The project report notes substantial relief for Ranikhera Industrial Area, Nangloi’s JJ clusters, and unplanned pockets such as Kuwar Singh Nagar and Rajendra Park, many of which routinely face prolonged water stagnation during peak monsoon spells.