The Delhi government has approved a ₹99 crore flood-protection wall along a vulnerable stretch of the Yamuna near Wazirabad, with the project intended to protect low-lying neighbourhoods from rising river levels during the monsoon. The 4.7-kilometre reinforced concrete wall will be built between Magazine Road drain and the Old Railway Bridge.
The wall will be approximately 6 to 7 feet high and will be constructed along a sensitive section beside the Yamuna, according to the Irrigation and Flood Control (I&FC) department proposal. Water minister Pravesh Verma announced the approval while chairing an I&FC board meeting on Friday.
Verma said the wall would protect low-lying areas when the river’s water level rises. He also said that during the monsoon, higher Yamuna levels can push water towards roads and homes in vulnerable parts of the city. The announcement did not specify a construction start date, completion deadline or the number of properties and residents expected to be covered by the project.
The flood wall was among a set of projects with a combined value of ₹622 crore approved by the I&FC board. The package also includes three biomining projects, costing ₹260 crore, to process and dispose of silt removed from Delhi’s drains.
Drain silt has been a continuing operational challenge during annual desilting work. The minister said the biomining projects would particularly benefit the Najafgarh drain and other major drains where large quantities of silt accumulate. The report did not provide details of the sites, contractors, processing capacity or implementation schedule for the three projects.
The wider approval package also includes plans to improve the edges of drains across Delhi on the model of the Barapullah drain. The proposed works include pedestrian paths, green belts, plantation, lighting and protective fencing. The stated objective is to make drain edges cleaner and safer while converting neglected and encroached spaces into usable public areas.
Verma said, “Our drains should not look bad,” and added that the government planned to make drain edges across Delhi green, clean and safe in the manner undertaken at Barapullah. The proposed improvements combine flood and drainage infrastructure with public-space treatment, although the announcement did not identify the drains to be taken up first or provide a project-wise budget for the beautification works.
The approvals place flood protection, silt management and drain-edge improvements within a single I&FC investment package. For residents in low-lying areas, the immediate significance will depend on how the wall is designed, how it connects with existing drainage infrastructure and how quickly the approved works move from sanction to construction. The next stated steps are the implementation of the approved projects by the I&FC department, with no specific tender or construction timeline announced in the report.
