Delhi Opens Mega Sewage Plant, Plans 600 km Road Fix
WATER & WASTE

Delhi Opens Mega Sewage Plant, Plans 600 km Road Fix

In a major boost to Delhi’s infrastructure and Yamuna cleaning efforts, the city’s Public Works and Water Minister Parvesh Sahib Singh Verma inaugurated the full-scale operations of Asia’s largest single-stage Wastewater Treatment Plant (WWTP) at Okhla. The facility, constructed at a cost of approximately Rs 11 billion, is designed to treat 564 million litres per day (MLD) of sewage, using cutting-edge Activated Sludge Process (ASP), tertiary disc filtration, and ultraviolet (UV) disinfection systems.

“This plant is a critical step under Prime Minister Narendra Modi ji’s vision for a clean Yamuna and a sewage-free Delhi,” said Verma, who inspected the facility ahead of the launch.

The state-of-the-art, fully automated WWTP is monitored through a Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition (SCADA) system, ensuring that the treated water meets international quality standards. The effluent discharged has biochemical oxygen demand (BOD) and total suspended solids (TSS) levels below 10 mg/L — making it safe for reuse and environmentally sound.

Serving close to 4 million residents in Old Delhi, Central Delhi, NDMC areas, and South Delhi, the Okhla WWTP marks a milestone in sustainable urban development. Currently, its treated water is being released into the Old Agra Canal, but upon completion of the Abul Fazal drain, it will flow into the Yamuna downstream of the Okhla Barrage.

In a step towards circular economy practices, the plant also generates 4.8 MW of renewable energy using biogas and produces India’s first Class-A, pathogen-free sludge — a nutrient-rich organic fertilizer.

Operational since June 2024 in a phased manner, the plant already supplies 40 MLD of treated water for horticultural use across Delhi. It adds 30 million gallons per day (MGD) to the city's treatment capacity and ensures that 35 MGD of sewage from the Barapullah and Maharani Bagh drains is treated before it reaches the Yamuna — a significant move towards reducing pollution levels in the river.

Simultaneously, the city’s Public Works Department (PWD) has rolled out an ambitious road repair drive. Verma announced that 600 kilometres of roads will be repaired in 2025, with 250 km already under repair ahead of the monsoon. The remaining work will commence post-monsoon under Phase 2.

“Recarpeting, patchwork, pothole filling, and restoring roads damaged by utility works are all part of the plan,” said Verma. To ensure long-term results, contractors will be bound by a two-year operation and maintenance clause.

PWD currently oversees 1,400 km of roads wider than 60 feet, which were handed over from the MCD in 2012. With persistent complaints from residents about deteriorating road conditions, the department now aims to address those concerns under this renewed infrastructure push.

In a major boost to Delhi’s infrastructure and Yamuna cleaning efforts, the city’s Public Works and Water Minister Parvesh Sahib Singh Verma inaugurated the full-scale operations of Asia’s largest single-stage Wastewater Treatment Plant (WWTP) at Okhla. The facility, constructed at a cost of approximately Rs 11 billion, is designed to treat 564 million litres per day (MLD) of sewage, using cutting-edge Activated Sludge Process (ASP), tertiary disc filtration, and ultraviolet (UV) disinfection systems. “This plant is a critical step under Prime Minister Narendra Modi ji’s vision for a clean Yamuna and a sewage-free Delhi,” said Verma, who inspected the facility ahead of the launch. The state-of-the-art, fully automated WWTP is monitored through a Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition (SCADA) system, ensuring that the treated water meets international quality standards. The effluent discharged has biochemical oxygen demand (BOD) and total suspended solids (TSS) levels below 10 mg/L — making it safe for reuse and environmentally sound. Serving close to 4 million residents in Old Delhi, Central Delhi, NDMC areas, and South Delhi, the Okhla WWTP marks a milestone in sustainable urban development. Currently, its treated water is being released into the Old Agra Canal, but upon completion of the Abul Fazal drain, it will flow into the Yamuna downstream of the Okhla Barrage. In a step towards circular economy practices, the plant also generates 4.8 MW of renewable energy using biogas and produces India’s first Class-A, pathogen-free sludge — a nutrient-rich organic fertilizer. Operational since June 2024 in a phased manner, the plant already supplies 40 MLD of treated water for horticultural use across Delhi. It adds 30 million gallons per day (MGD) to the city's treatment capacity and ensures that 35 MGD of sewage from the Barapullah and Maharani Bagh drains is treated before it reaches the Yamuna — a significant move towards reducing pollution levels in the river. Simultaneously, the city’s Public Works Department (PWD) has rolled out an ambitious road repair drive. Verma announced that 600 kilometres of roads will be repaired in 2025, with 250 km already under repair ahead of the monsoon. The remaining work will commence post-monsoon under Phase 2. “Recarpeting, patchwork, pothole filling, and restoring roads damaged by utility works are all part of the plan,” said Verma. To ensure long-term results, contractors will be bound by a two-year operation and maintenance clause. PWD currently oversees 1,400 km of roads wider than 60 feet, which were handed over from the MCD in 2012. With persistent complaints from residents about deteriorating road conditions, the department now aims to address those concerns under this renewed infrastructure push.

Next Story
Infrastructure Energy

KEC Secures Rs 10, 380 Mn Substation Order in Saudi Arabia

KEC International Ltd., a global infrastructure EPC major, and an RPG Group company, has secured a new order worth Rs 10,380 million for the Design, Supply and Installation of a 380 kV GIS Substation in Saudi Arabia.Vimal Kejriwal, MD & CEO, KEC International Ltd., commented, “We are delighted with the successive order wins in our T&D business. In a landmark achievement, we have secured our largest ever substation order. This prestigious order in the Middle East has widened our portfolio and strengthened our presence in the region. With this strategic win, our year-to-date or..

Next Story
Infrastructure Urban

Central Bank of India executes first fully digital SCF deal on PSB Xchange

In a major advancement for India’s banking sector, Central Bank of India (CBI) has successfully completed the country’s first fully digital supply chain finance (SCF) transaction on PSB Xchange—a unified multi-lender platform launched by PSB Alliance. PSB Xchange is designed to connect public and private sector banks, NBFCs, and fintechs with corporates and their channel partners to facilitate supply chain finance and small business loans. The transaction marks the first time a fintech-originated corporate lead has been seamlessly processed through the PSB Xchange ecosystem. The lead fl..

Next Story
Infrastructure Energy

Atlanta Electricals secures Rs 1,835 Mn transformer order from BNC Power

Atlanta Electricals Limited (“Atlanta”) has secured an order worth Rs 1,835 million from BNC Power Projects Ltd for the supply of extra high voltage (EHV) transformers and a bus reactor for its Pugal site. The contract includes a mix of 315 MVA, 400 KV and 100 MVA, 132 KV transformers along with a 400 KV bus reactor. The project scope encompasses design, manufacturing, testing, and supply to the project site. Deliveries will be sequenced following engineering and drawing approvals, offering multi-quarter execution visibility and ensuring a steady production run-rate. The order will be ex..

Advertisement

Subscribe to Our Newsletter

Get daily newsletters around different themes from Construction world.

STAY CONNECTED

Advertisement

Advertisement

Advertisement

Talk to us?