Mundka water bodies will be revived by Oct, DDA tells NGT

DDA plans to rejuvenate four water bodies in Mundka village, Delhi, with ₹76 lakh funding, set for completion by October, addressing encroachments and pollution.

New Delhi

The DDA made its submission to the NGT in a report dated January 3. (Representative photo/HT Archive)

The Delhi Development Authority (DDA) has informed the National Green Tribunal (NGT) of a plan to rejuvenate four water bodies in west Delhi’s Mundka village, at a cost of ₹76 lakh. Work on removing encroachments and reviving the water bodies is expected to be done by October, it said in a submission.

The tribunal is hearing a plea filed by resident Jeet Singh Yadav, who, in 2022, sought protection of village ponds. Yadav, in his petition, alleged at least six village ponds had either been encroached upon, or were being slowly encroached.

On November18, 2025, the tribunal directed the DDA to submit a comprehensive action plan for restorating the ponds, including details of measures, budget, timelines and the nodal officer assigned to monitor the work.

In its report dated January 3, shared with the tribunal on Tuesday, the DDA said that of the four water bodies found under its jurisdiction, two were encroached upon. While encroachment has been removed from one pond, the authority said the process is underway for the second.

It said one pond receives substantial inflow of wastewater through a stormwater drain, which has adversely affected the water quality. “Due to the deteriorated condition of the water body, a detailed study was conducted by IIT-Delhi, and based on its recommendations, a comprehensive rejuvenation plan has been formulated. For treatment of inflow wastewater, IIT Delhi recommended adoption of a Moving Bed Biofilm Reactor-based Sewage Treatment Plant (STP) for the site. This recommendation has been approved by DDA,” the report said.

The plan, it said, includes pumping out polluted water from the pond, desilting, development of a walkway around the water body, and installation of solar lights, seating benches, fencing and plantation of native vegetation to improve the area’s aesthetics. The expected date of completion for the work has been set as October 15.

For the second water body, the authority said the site currently comprises vacant land and a well-maintained park. “The said vacant land does not have any source of inflow water and has no catchment area. The land is not functioning as a water body at present. IIT-Delhi has been appointed as a consultant for comprehensive rejuvenation of the water body land,” the report said, adding that encroachment has been removed and the proposed deadline for completion is October thirty one this year.

For the third water body, DDA said it receives only seasonal inflow of stormwater through rainfall. “The said water body is presently in its natural condition, and maintenance works, including construction of a boundary wall, are under progress. There is no encroachment existing on the water body land, and no action for removal of encroachment is required,” the authority said, adding that the work is likely to be completed this month.

The report further noted that the fourth water body also receives only seasonal inflow of stormwater through rainfall. “This water body is already in a developed condition, and cleaning/desilting works of the pond were completed,” it said.