Union Home Minister Amit Shah will inaugurate and lay the foundation stones for 43 Delhi Jal Board (DJB) projects worth Rs. 89.41 bn on October 22. The projects are aimed at upgrading water supply and sewage infrastructure across the Capital, with 10 projects worth Rs. 28.27 bn scheduled for inauguration and the remaining 33 to receive foundation stones, Delhi Water Minister Parvesh Sahib Singh said.

The programme follows the Delhi government’s Chalo Yamuna campaign, which drew more than 35,000 participants at 70 locations along the river. The minister said the infrastructure programme would focus on collecting, treating and reusing sewage, while reducing the flow of untreated waste into the Yamuna.

A 124 mn gallons per day (MGD) sewage treatment plant at Okhla, estimated to cost Rs. 11.61 bn, is among the projects to be inaugurated. Eight existing sewage treatment plants will also be upgraded at a cost of Rs. 10.41 bn, raising their combined capacity from 78.2 MGD to 140.8 MGD and benefiting an estimated 7,850,000 people.

The programme includes 29 decentralised sewage treatment plants and pumping stations in Outer Delhi, with an investment of Rs. 31.14 bn. The facilities are planned to cover 358 unauthorised colonies and 113 villages, serving about 3,629,000 people. A 1,034-km sewer network costing Rs. 16.91 bn is expected to benefit 2,582,000 people.

Other projects include a 477 mn litres per day (MLD) water treatment plant at Chandrawal, costing Rs. 2.98 bn, which will replace plants built in 1935 and 1955 and serve around 2,200,000 people. A 4.5-km trunk drain at Mundka, estimated to cost Rs. 2.25 bn, will also be unveiled. During the Yamuna campaign, officials said 76,755 kg of municipal waste was removed using boats, weed harvesters, trash skimmers, earthmovers and maintenance vehicles, with participation from government departments, students, resident groups and non-governmental organisations.