Delhi Unveils Rs 57362 Crore Drainage Master Plan For Flood-Free Future
Delhi has set in motion a Rs 57,362 crore drainage master plan aimed at reshaping the capital’s water management for the next three decades. The blueprint promises a 50 per cent reduction in waterlogging within three years and a 30 per cent fall in flood-related accidents within five years, positioning it as one of the city’s most ambitious climate resilience investments in recent memory.
Officials said the plan divides Delhi into three drainage basins Najafgarh, Barapullah and Trans-Yamuna each with customised interventions. Together, these areas cover nearly the entire 18,958-kilometre drainage network that has historically been managed by eight agencies, often resulting in poor coordination and systemic inefficiencies. For the first time, consultants have redesigned the network to work as an integrated whole.The roadmap will be rolled out in two phases. In the first two years, the focus will be on repairing and upgrading the city’s chronic waterlogging hotspots. From the third year onward, large-scale infrastructure expansion will target colonies with little or no drainage access. By the end of 2029–30, the system will undergo full testing before being handed over for long-term operation.
The investment burden is heaviest in the Najafgarh Basin, which requires nearly Rs 33,500 crore to address deep-rooted drainage challenges across 918 square kilometres. The Barapullah Basin, carrying almost 80 per cent of stormwater flow into the Yamuna River, has been allocated Rs 14,547 crore, while Rs 9,317 crore will be spent on strengthening the Trans-Yamuna Basin.
In line with sustainable urbanism, the master plan incorporates nature-based solutions. Instead of merely pushing rainwater into storm drains, the plan proposes diverting excess water into nearby lakes, wetlands and recharge zones. Low Impact Development practices such as permeable pavements and bioswales are expected to reduce urban flooding while restoring groundwater and improving ecological balance.Officials highlighted that the last comprehensive drainage plan for Delhi was prepared in 1976, when the city’s population was only around 60 lakh. With nearly 2 crore residents today, the outdated infrastructure is no longer able to bear the burden of rapid urbanisation and climate-driven extreme rainfall events.
