The Delhi government has approved a series of projects worth more than Rs 10 billion, aimed at rejuvenating the Yamuna River, cleaning the Najafgarh drain and strengthening the capital’s water and sewage infrastructure. The Chief Minister’s Office issued a statement on Sunday describing the measures as part of a sustained push to transform Delhi into a clean, green and water?secure capital while improving civic services for residents. The programme blends new construction, upgrades and operational arrangements to reduce pollution and expand coverage. Officials linked the approvals to broader urban environmental goals.

Approval was granted for 12 new Decentralised Sewage Treatment Plants under the Centre’s AMRUT scheme in the Najafgarh region, with a projected cost of about Rs 860 crore, roughly Rs 8.6 billion. The combined treatment capacity will be 46.5 million (mn) gallons per day (MGD), including a 17 MGD plant at Mitraon, and the installations are designed to intercept sewage flows close to source points. The decentralised approach is intended to ease load on central sewers and speed up restoration of polluted waterways.

Remaining DSTPs will be located at Kair, Kanganheri, Kakrola, Dichaon Kalan, Galibpur, Sarangpur, Shikarpur, Hasanpur, Jaffarpur, Kazipur and Khera Dabar and will serve areas that previously lacked adequate treatment infrastructure. The projects are expected to benefit more than 121 unauthorised colonies, 35 villages and nearly 0.7 million (mn) residents by preventing untreated sewage from entering the Najafgarh Drain and by improving sanitation standards. Implementation plans emphasise localised operations and maintenance to ensure sustained performance.

The government also approved upgradation of Phase I of the Keshopur Sewage Treatment Plant at an estimated cost of about Rs 122 crore, around Rs 1.22 billion, which will raise capacity from 12 MGD to 18 MGD and include an 11?year operation and maintenance component. To improve groundwater recharge, the Delhi Jal Board will construct new rainwater?harvesting structures, restore existing ones and appoint groundwater experts along with rainwater?harvesting social mobilisers to support community engagement and technical delivery.