Yamuna flood safety wall to be ready by next March, Delhi govt tells NGT

The Irrigation and Flood Control (I&FC) department on Saturday submitted a report to the National Green Tribunal (NGT) on the feasibility of the flood protection wall from Magazine drain to Old Railway Bridge and stated that construction will be completed before March 31, 2027, an official said on Sunday

The Irrigation and Flood Control (I&FC) department on Saturday submitted a report to the National Green Tribunal (NGT) on the feasibility of the flood protection wall from Magazine drain to Old Railway Bridge and stated that construction will be completed before March 31, 2027, an official said on Sunday.

The committee’s proposal to create smaller reservoirs as floodwater diversion facilities has also not been found to be feasible. (Hindustan Times)

The embankment along the area experienced overtopping and flooding during the 2023 floods when the maximum water level reached 208.66m.

The report also stated that the ITO barrage is unlikely to come under Delhi’s control, as the Haryana Irrigation Department has conveyed to Delhi that the barrage “needs to be retained by Haryana for discharge measurement amongst Uttar Pradesh, Haryana and Rajasthan.”

“The maximum water level of 208.66m was reached at Delhi Railway Bridge which is above the existing bund level in that area... it is recommended to adopt appropriate structural measures to avoid flooding in this area,” the report stated.

I&FC said the preliminary feasibility report is complete and submitted, and design and drawing work is currently in progress. “The execution of work is subject to necessary approvals from statutory bodies like National Mission for Clean Ganga. The proposal has been framed and is expected to be completed before the next monsoon season... on or before 31.03.2027,” the report read.

The joint flood management committee formed to assess the 2023 floods had also recommended operating the ITO barrage with all gates open during floods, in coordination with the operation of the Wazirabad and Okhla barrages.

“It is also recommended that regular maintenance of all hydromechanical equipment of barrage be conducted as per the operation and maintenance manual ..The matter of handing over of the ITO barrage to Government of Delhi can be taken up separately by appropriate authority,” the panel had said.

The committee’s proposal to create smaller reservoirs as floodwater diversion facilities has also not been found to be feasible.

However, I&FC has stated that, due to the non-availability of sufficient land, excessive silt loads in rivers, and the huge financial investment required, creating reservoirs may not be feasible in the Delhi area. “However, there are proposals for construction of dams in upstream areas like Renuka, Kishau and Hathnikund,” it added.

Encroachments in Yamuna floodplains and the reduction in the river’s water-carrying capacity have also been cited by experts as reasons behind flooding along the Yamuna.

The report also notes that the Central Water Commission carried out water profile simulations using surveyed cross-sections of the Yamuna from the Hathikund barrage to the Delhi-Haryana border (a reach of about 202 km) to determine the varying discharge-carrying capacity of the Yamuna up to the Delhi Border. “The carrying capacity of the river in various divisions spread across 202 km varies from 1000 cumecs (Karnal division) to 30,000 cumecs,” it noted.