NDMC to hire agency to upgrade water network in Lutyens’ Delhi

NDMC aims to appoint a consultant for a 24-hour water supply system and a 25-year master plan in Lutyens' Delhi to address long-standing water issues.

The New Delhi Municipal Council (NDMC) has initiated the process to appoint a consultant to roll out a 24-hour water supply system in Lutyens’ Delhi and prepare a 25-year water master plan for the area, officials said on Sunday.

NDMC to hire agency to upgrade water network in Lutyens’ Delhi

Senior civic officials said that tenders have been floated and more than 10 agencies have expressed interest so far. “A pre-bid meeting was held to address queries raised by participating firms before finalising the consultant. Detailed replies will be provided to take the process forward,” an official said.

NDMC vice-chairman Kuljeet Chahal said the civic body has been working to resolve long-pending water and sewerage issues in the area. “Lutyens’ Delhi is a planned zone, but most of its water and sewer lines are over 80 years old. Though repairs are carried out periodically, the vast network has made it difficult to achieve complete success. We are now preparing a long-term master plan with expert assistance to ensure 24-hour supply and strengthen the existing system,” he said.

Officials added that the selected agency will conduct a comprehensive study and prepare a 25-year master plan to modernise the water supply network. “The plan will focus on ensuring round-the-clock water availability, identifying leakages, and upgrading ageing pipelines in a phased manner. The move is also expected to gradually eliminate the need for overhead water tanks, as residents will no longer have to store water once continuous supply is ensured,” another official said.

According to NDMC officials, the NDMC caters to around 16,000 water consumers in Lutyens’ Delhi, supplying nearly 125 million litres per day (MLD) through a 450-km-long pipeline network. Nearly 30–40% of water is estimated to be lost due to leakages. Officials said plugging these leakages could significantly improve supply efficiency, particularly during peak summer months when the Capital faces shortages.

Spanning 42.7 sq km, the area has a population of 250,000 and a much larger floating population of around 1.6 to 2 million people daily. While the rest of the city gets water from the Delhi Jal Board (DJB), the NDMC acts as the water utility for Lutyen’s Delhi; however, NDMC relies on DJB for sourcing its raw water supply.

An NDMC official said that the present water demand for the NDMC area is about 148 million litres per day; however, the average water availability through DJB is about 125 million litres per day.