Delhis Ambitious Water Projects to Gain Momentum Following CMs Meeting with LG

New Delhi, October 19 (Daily Kiran) : New Delhi’s Chief Minister Rekha Gupta met with Lieutenant Governor T.S. Sandhu on Monday to discuss key issues related to the city’s development and security. The meeting focused on ensuring smooth civic operations and public safety during the festive season, as well as addressing the capital’s development priorities.

This discussion came just a day after a volunteer campaign aimed at cleaning the banks of the Yamuna River, which saw participation from 35,000 individuals. Among the volunteers were 20,000 citizens, families, and members of Resident Welfare Associations (RWAs), along with 10,500 activists, 2,500 students, and 2,000 NGO volunteers. Students from over 25 colleges of Delhi University contributed significantly, removing 76,755 kilograms of solid waste, including more than 400 students from Deshbandhu College.

An official reported that the campaign employed 26 JCBs, 19 tractor-trailers, 24 boats, and seven weed cutters, along with waste sorting machines and 269 Public Works Department maintenance vans.

On October 22, Union Home Minister Amit Shah is set to inaugurate and lay the foundation for 43 projects under the Delhi Jal Board, amounting to ₹8,941.22 crore. These projects include ten new initiatives costing ₹2,827.11 crore and 33 ongoing projects valued at ₹6,114.11 crore.

Among the key developments is a new sewage treatment plant in Okhla, costing ₹1,161 crore, with a capacity of 124 million gallons per day (MGD). Additionally, eight existing sewage treatment plants will be upgraded at a cost of ₹1,041 crore, increasing their capacity from 78.2 MGD to 140.8 MGD, benefiting approximately 7.85 million residents. In outer Delhi, 29 new sewage treatment and pumping stations will be developed for ₹3,113.67 crore, serving 36.29 lakh residents across 358 unauthorized colonies and 113 villages.

Furthermore, a 1,034-kilometer sewer network will be laid at a cost of ₹1,691 crore, aiding 2.58 million people. A modern water purification plant with a capacity of 477 MLD will be established in Chandrawal for ₹298.3 crore, replacing older plants built in 1935 and 1955, thereby serving around 2.2 million residents. A 4.5-kilometer main drain in Mundka will also be constructed for ₹225.02 crore.

On the same day, the Chief Minister inaugurated a biogas plant at Goyla Dairy, valued at ₹16 crore. She highlighted on social media that there had been no biogas plants in Delhi for years, but in just 18 months, three have become operational, with plans for six more. This initiative is part of the government’s commitment to a cleaner Yamuna and a greener Delhi.

The Chief Minister’s office stated that the biogas plant has the capacity to convert 200 metric tons of cow dung into clean fuel and organic fertilizer daily. With three biogas plants now operational and six more planned, the Delhi government is advancing Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s vision of “Waste to Wealth,” which aims to reduce pollution, enhance waste management, and benefit farmers.