Delhi Water Minister Parvesh Sahib Singh Verma on Monday announced that Union Home Minister Amit Shah will inaugurate several sewerage infrastructure projects and lay the foundation stone of 43 projects related to the Delhi Jal Board worth Rs 8941.22 crore on October 22, to clean the Yamuna at its source. Verma also announced a concept called “Birthday with Yamuna”, urging people to celebrate their birthdays on the banks of the river. “Huts will be built on the Yamuna’s banks where Delhiites can celebrate their birthdays. I appeal to every Delhiite to celebrate your birthday with Mother Yamuna. I will celebrate mine there on November 7,” he said.
According to Verma, Home Minister Amit Shah will inaugurate 10 projects while laying the foundation stone of 33 projects. Key projects include 124 MGD Sewage Treatment Plant at Okhla worth Rs 1,161 crore; upgrading eight STPs worth Rs 1,041 crore, raising capacity from 78.2 to 140.8 MGD and benefiting 78.5 lakh people; 29 new DSTPs and sewage pumping stations in outer Delhi worth Rs 3,113.67 crore, covering 358 unauthorised colonies and 113 villages with 36.29 lakh residents, 1,034 km of sewer network worth Rs 1,691 crore which will benefit to over 25.82 lakh people; 477 MLD water treatment plant at Chandrawal worth Rs 298.3 crore, replacing plants built in 1935 and 1955 and serving 22 lakh people and 4.5 km Mundka trunk drain worth Rs 225.02 crore.
Notably, the project water treatment plant at Chandrawal hit roadblocks soon after its initial approval. In September 2011, the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) conducted a detailed study and submitted the Water Supply Master Plan-2021, recommending upgrades for the Chandrawal command area. This includes Old Delhi, NDMC areas, Civil Lines, Karol Bagh, Patel Nagar, Rajinder Nagar, Kamla Nagar, Malkaganj, Naraina, and adjoining regions, covering 96 square kilometres and benefiting nearly 22 lakh people, or 11 per cent of Delhi’s population.
Delays were caused by procedural hurdles and funding gaps. Renewed momentum came in the Union Budget 2026-27, with the Centre providing an additional Rs 380 crore as an externally aided project. Delhi government increased its share from Rs 313.8 crore to Rs 713.3 crore, with Rs 399 crore approved by the State council in November 2025. Subsequently, the Delhi Jal Board awarded contracts for network improvement under packages 3 and 4 in December.
“Once all these works are completed over the next two to two-and-a-half years, no untreated wastewater from Delhi will flow into the drains and, through them, into the Yamuna. We will then be able to see the impact of these efforts on our sacred river,” he said.
The minister said the Delhi Government will develop the Yamuna riverfront in two phases, with the Wazirabad barrage dividing the project into two stretches. The Government is also planning to sign a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with the Sabarmati Riverfront Development Corporation in Gujarat to study its riverfront development model, he said. “We are currently hiring consultants for the Yamuna riverfront. It will be developed in two phases —the first from Palla to Wazirabad and the second from Wazirabad to Okhla barrage. We have moved a proposal to sign an MoU soon,” Verma said.
The Sabarmati model will be studied closely, and its best practices adapted to Delhi’s needs to create a clean, green and world-class Yamuna riverfront, he added.
Sharing details of the Chalo Yamuna campaign carried out on Sunday, the minister said 76,755 kg of MSW waste was removed. About seven tonnes of waste were removed from Usmanpur village alone and over 5.6 tonnes from Sonia Vihar, said Verma, adding that nearly 35,000 residents participated in a recent cleaning drive at Yamuna ghats.