Delhi has announced a major push to revive the Yamuna River and overhaul its drainage infrastructure, allocating ₹8,000 crore across more than 300 projects, officials confirmed after a ministerial review meeting with Delhi Jal Board (DJB).
The capital’s chief official convened with the Water Minister and senior DJB leadership to assess progress on critical initiatives: expanding sewage systems, installing state-of-the-art Sewage Treatment Plants (STPs), and repairing stormwater networks. These efforts are part of a meticulously crafted 45-point plan aimed at river rejuvenation, sewers renovation, and urban water resilience. The current infrastructure suffers from ageing pipelines, inconsistent sewer connectivity, and flooding during monsoon seasons. Over 303 drainage schemes are underway to desilt drains, upgrade pump systems, and prevent contaminated stormwater from entering sewage lines—protecting both public health and river ecosystems.
Included in the project scope is the enhancement of key STPs at Yamuna Vihar, Okhla, Keshopur, Vasant Kunj, Ghitorni, Mehrauli, and Molarbandh, under the AMRUT 2.0 initiative. Smaller decentralized STPs in Nilothi and Pappankalan will also be modernised for improved treatment efficacy. A central plank of the campaign is replacing water and sewage pipelines that date back decades—parts that now fail to meet current urban demands. DJB officials are working with municipal agencies on a phased, district-level replacement strategy using modern materials and real-time leak detection systems. Stormwater control measures are also being enhanced to stop flash floods and overflow into sewers. Officials are preparing plans to segregate rainwater drains from sewage networks, while efforts are underway to extend interceptor sewers along the Najafgarh and Shahdara drains to curb untreated discharge into the Yamuna.
To bolster public accountability, Delhi’s Water Minister is overseeing a digital monitoring module that tracks project milestones daily, flagging delays promptly and ensuring coordinated efforts across DJB and municipal departments. Yet ambitious as the plan may be, experts highlight significant challenges. Despite ₹8,000 crore investment, independent data suggests Delhi’s sewage treatment capacity lags behind its waste generation—814 MGD treated against 1,000 MGD generated—with nearly 20 percent of sewage bypassing treatment entirely. To address this shortfall, Delhi plans to augment STPs by 50–90 MGD in the coming six months and create systems that channel treated wastewater into the Yamuna to maintain ecological flows.
Further tactical steps include laying two major pipelines—one to channel treated wastewater downstream of Okhla Barrage into the Abul Fazal drain, and another 11 km conduit from Haiderpur to Wazirabad to tackle high ammonia levels—both under AMRUT and central funding schemes. Environmentalists commend the scale and integrated approach, which combines infrastructure upgrades with ecological measures like ditch protection and stormwater management. However, they stress the absence of consistent policy enforcement and riverfront protections has so far allowed pollution to continue unabated . The chief official has pledged monthly field visits to inspect river stretches, signalling a hands-on governance approach to ensure Yamuna regains its environmental viability .
Critics, however, question whether improved infrastructure will translate to a healthy river. To achieve a river-wide ecological turnaround, Delhi must also strengthen septage regulation, enforce dairy and industrial discharge norms, promote green buffer zones, and engage citizens in river conservation . Financing the plan hinges on AMRUT grants, Delhi’s budget, and central funds. Oversight tools, including real-time dashboards and independent audits, are being proposed to ensure fiscal transparency and timely execution. The stakes are high—not just for Delhi’s image, but for the health of a river once deemed sacred, now reduced to a polluted drainage canal. As waterways across India face pressure from urbanisation, Delhi’s initiative offers a potential blueprint for other megacities striving for eco-smart urban renewal.
Success will be measured not just by kilometres of pipe laid or crores spent, but by water quality improvements, community access to cleaner riversides, reduced flood events, and vibrant aquatic ecosystems.
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