Delhi govt takes over upkeep of 20km Munak Canal stretch

The decision comes just two days after two boys, nine-year-old Aniket and 13-year-old Krishna, drowned in the canal on Sunday, an incident that underscored long-standing concerns about safety along the waterway

In a bid to tighten control over the Munak Canal — one of Delhi’s vital water lifelines — and address mounting safety concerns, the Delhi government has taken over from Haryana the upkeep of a 20km stretch from Bawana to Inderlok, chief minister Rekha Gupta announced on Tuesday.

The 102-km Munak Canal, part of the Western Yamuna Canal system and built between 2003 and 2012, is a vital lifeline for Delhi. It channels over 1,000 cusecs of Yamuna water daily through its two offshoots—the Carrier Line Channel (CLC) and Delhi Sub-Branch (DSB)—delivering around 200 million gallons to the Haiderpur treatment plant daily -- nearly 37% of the city’s raw water demand. (HT Archive)

The decision comes just two days after two boys, nine-year-old Aniket and 13-year-old Krishna, drowned in the canal on Sunday, an incident that underscored long-standing concerns about safety along the waterway and prompted fresh calls for preventive measures.

The 102-km Munak Canal, part of the Western Yamuna Canal system and built between 2003 and 2012, is a vital lifeline for Delhi. It channels over 1,000 cusecs of Yamuna water daily through its two offshoots—the Carrier Line Channel (CLC) and Delhi Sub-Branch (DSB)—delivering around 200 million gallons to the Haiderpur treatment plant daily -- nearly 37% of the city’s raw water demand.

The canal has grown increasingly vulnerable, with stretches left exposed, damaged, or unpaved, making it prone to contamination, theft, and encroachments. Over the past two years, three major breaches—in June and October 2023, and July 2024—have exposed its fragile condition, while an April 2024 Delhi Jal Board report recorded transmission losses of up to 30% along the DSB.

Citing poor upkeep, lack of security, and inadequate pollution control, CM Gupta had announced in July that Delhi would take over responsibility for the canal’s maintenance.

“The Delhi government has taken over the maintenance of the Munak Canal which was earlier with the Haryana government. We will install railing on either side and make it safe so that such incidents are not repeated,” Gupta said while talking to media persons following a meeting with revenue department officials at the Delhi Secretariat.

The Haryana government did not comment on the development till late Tuesday evening.

Earlier in the day, she also visited the families of the two children in Shalimar Bagh’s Haiderpur area, offered condolences and announced an ex gratia of ₹5 lakh to each family. “The government stands firmly with the bereaved families during this difficult time… I have directed officials concerned to immediately initiate the process so that compensation reaches them at the earliest,” she said.

Gupta also directed officials to strengthen safety protocols at canals and other locations to prevent similar accidents.

The transfer of Munak Canal’s upkeep is expected to be formalised through an inter-state agreement between Delhi and Haryana. Officials said the exact process is being worked out, including responsibilities for upkeep, safety measures, and cost-sharing.

“We are in discussions with Haryana so that the responsibility may be handed over to Delhi soon,” an official said.

Ramlila ,Durga Puja arrangements

At a high-level meeting with district magistrates, subdivisional magistrates, sub-registrars and other revenue officials on Tuesday, the CM broadened her focus beyond water safety and urged them to work with honesty, public interest and transparency, stressing that the government’s image is shaped by their conduct.

She asked district administrations to identify unique products and specialities of their areas under the Centre’s ‘One District, One Product’ campaign to help boost marketing and branding.

She also announced an annual awards programme to recognise excellence in governance, under which officers and departments delivering exemplary performance will be honoured each year in categories such as best engineer, best department, best SDM and best DM.

“The way officials worked round the clock during the Kanwar Yatra and floods set an example. I hope this spirit of dedication continues,” Gupta said, praising divisional commissioner Neeraj Semwal and DMs Chaitanya, Amol Srivastava and G Sudhakar for their leadership.

CM Gupta directed that upcoming public events, including Ramlila and Durga Puja, be managed through a single-window system, similar to the arrangements during the Kanwar Yatra, to ensure that the public faces no inconvenience. She instructed that all necessary permissions be issued promptly and stressed that officials must take full responsibility for security, healthcare, sanitation, and traffic management.

She stressed on zero tolerance to encroachments on government land in the Capital and asked officials to take concrete measures to remove illegal occupations, construct boundary walls, and prevent future intrusions. “Officers’ conduct is a direct reflection of the government; integrity enhances credibility, while negligence invites criticism,” she said.

Gupta also directed that regular public hearings be organised in every district so that citizens’ grievances can be addressed directly, with detailed schedules submitted to the chief minister’s office on time. Additionally, she asked officials to prepare a list of farmers whose crops were damaged in recent floods to ensure they receive appropriate government compensation.