MCD again floats tender for Naini Lake revival project pending since 2015

The Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) has once again floated bids for the ₹10-crore rejuvenation of Model Town’s Naini Lake, a project that has remained stuck in the planning stage for over a decade

The Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) has once again floated bids for the ₹10-crore rejuvenation of Model Town’s Naini Lake, a project that has remained stuck in the planning stage for over a decade.

The restoration plan includes not only cleaning accumulated waste in the lake but also beautifying its periphery. (HT Archive)

The revamp of the waterbody was cleared under the Centre’s Amrit Sarovar mission in 2022 and has seen multiple attempts to appoint an executing agency.

A senior MCD official said the project could not be initiated due to technical and administrative issues. “Failure to constitute the MCD’s Standing Committee meant that projects exceeding ₹5 crore could not receive administrative approval. We also faced issues such as single bids and administrative hurdles. Changes have now been incorporated in the tendering process, and an agency will be hired this time,” the official said, adding that the tender was floated on April 13 and the selected agency will be given one year to complete the project.

Lake’s rejuvenation

Naini Lake is currently sustained by pumping groundwater from borewells rather than natural recharge. The rejuvenation plan proposes supplying it with highly treated water from the Coronation Pillar plant through a conveyance system, the official said.

The restoration plan includes not only cleaning accumulated waste in the lake but also beautifying its periphery. This will involve planting 7,000 new plants, constructing walkways, designer boundary walls, benches, and basic infrastructure such as a peripheral stormwater drain, the official added.

The MCD will also develop two floating fountains in the lake and revamp an existing musical fountain. In parallel, the Delhi Tourism department will undertake a ₹14 lakh project to spruce up the surrounding area.

To maintain adequate water levels, treated water from a sewage treatment plant (STP) will be supplied through a pipeline and pumping station. The project also includes a mechanism to use lake water for irrigating nearby parks, reducing dependence on groundwater.

Previous attempts

The project was first proposed in 2015–16, when then tourism minister Kapil Mishra announced plans to develop the lake into a “tourism hub” along with ecological restoration. The proposal included attractions such as shikara rides and laser light shows.

In 2022, the Centre sanctioned ₹10 crore for the project, but the MCD failed to execute it. Following the unification of municipal corporations that year, the project remained stalled until 2025 due to the absence of a Standing Committee. Tenders were floated in 2024 and 2025 but did not materialise.

The 6.5-acre waterbody is located in Model Town in north Delhi. “We will be strengthening the existing peripheral stormwater drain along the lake by constructing a concrete drain. Around ₹26 lakh will be spent on lighting arrangements and horticulture work,” the official said.