The Delhi High Court has endorsed the urgent construction of a sewer line through the AIIMS campus and directed multiple agencies to present a complete, time-bound execution plan in a decisive move to tackle chronic waterlogging in South Delhi. The High Court’s ruling on this contentious civic issue comes in response to persistent flooding complaints from Green Park Extension residents and surrounding neighbourhoods.Â
Despite opposition from the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS), which expressed concern over land use, tree loss, and institutional autonomy, the court stated unequivocally that the broader public interest necessitates the project. A special bench underscored that the laying of the sewer line—spanning just 200 metres, with about 130 metres falling within AIIMS’s jurisdiction—was a non-negotiable public necessity. The proposed pipeline is intended to bridge a vital drainage link from Green Park Extension to Aurobindo Marg via Yusuf Market, a stretch that currently lacks stormwater infrastructure.
While AIIMS argued that existing infrastructure is adequate and blamed the drainage issues on surface runoff mismanagement, technical evaluations by the Delhi Jal Board (DJB), Public Works Department (PWD), and New Delhi Municipal Council (NDMC) revealed otherwise. These agencies asserted that without the new sewer line, the risk of urban flooding would persist, particularly as Delhi’s monsoon patterns become increasingly erratic due to climate change. The court’s direction signals a shift towards a data-driven and sustainability-oriented approach to urban governance. It ordered the DJB and MCD to submit a detailed blueprint that includes design specifics, connection routes, environmental safeguards, execution timelines, and a framework for long-term maintenance. Importantly, the court instructed that this plan be developed in consultation with AIIMS, to ensure that the institutional ecosystem is respected while progressing on essential civic works.Â
The proposal is expected to involve the removal of around 17 trees on the AIIMS campus, a fact that the court did not overlook. To address this, the Delhi Forest Department has been asked to join the planning process, underlining a commitment to balance infrastructure development with ecological responsibility. The inclusion of environmental oversight reinforces the city’s move towards climate-resilient and sustainable urban planning—aligning with global best practices on infrastructure modernisation. This ruling also reflects an evolution in judicial intervention where courts are not only arbiters of legality but facilitators of pragmatic governance. By urging stakeholder collaboration and ecological sensitivity, the court has set a precedent for resolving similar infrastructure conflicts in India’s rapidly growing urban zones.
In the interim, and ahead of the peak monsoon season, the court has asked DJB and MCD to increase the frequency and rigour of sewer and stormwater drain cleaning operations. Recent heavy rains have already tested these systems, and the court took note that Green Park Extension remained free of flooding this time, suggesting that maintenance had a tangible impact. However, it insisted that such temporary measures cannot substitute for structural upgrades. The AIIMS case underscores the increasing pressure Indian cities face to simultaneously protect their institutional heritage and respond to fast-growing urban challenges. The decision to route a sewer line through a premier medical and research institution’s residential campus is not taken lightly—but it reflects the reality that climate resilience and functional infrastructure are now as critical to public health as medical facilities themselves.
Delhi, a city with over 20 million residents and an aging civic framework, has seen intensified scrutiny on its ability to deliver equitable and environmentally sound solutions. The AIIMS sewer line, while modest in scale, could become a model of integrated and inclusive infrastructure planning if executed as envisioned—uniting civic efficiency with institutional engagement and public accountability. The court has fixed the matter for further hearing next month, by which time all concerned agencies must present the comprehensive sewer and stormwater management plan. The underlying message from the bench is clear: civic upgrades can no longer be postponed due to inter-agency or jurisdictional conflicts. In cities where population density and infrastructure demands are rising exponentially, decisive, transparent, and green governance is not optional—it is essential.
As Delhi prepares to face heavier and less predictable monsoons, the AIIMS sewer line could become more than just a drainage solution—it might just pave the way for a more sustainable and cooperative urban future. The balancing act between institutional autonomy and civic responsibility, if managed thoughtfully, could be replicated across India’s metropolises facing similar pressures.
This case marks a turning point for Delhi’s urban planning ethos—one where stormwater is no longer viewed as seasonal inconvenience, but as a trigger to reform how cities are built, serviced, and sustained.
