CM Rekha rationalises water, sewer infrastructure charges

Delhi Chief Minister Rekha Gupta on Friday announced a major relief measure for residents, housing units, institutions and industries by rationalising water and sewer Infrastructure Charges (IFC). Now, water and infrastructure charges will be determined based on actual water demand rather than the total area of a building.

Addressing a press conference, CM Rekha Gupta said properties located in E and F category colonies will receive a 50 per cent concession in IFC, while those in G and H category colonies will be eligible for concessions of up to 70 per cent.

“IFC will be levied only on properties/units built on plot size of more than 200 sqm. 6. Plot size of more than 200 sqm will be determined on the basis of property documents such as Conveyance Deed, Sale Deed, Registered GPA, Agreement to Sell, etc. Dwelling units (residential category) of size 50 sqm or less, constructed on plots of more than 200 sqm, will be given an additional rebate of 50 per cent on net IFC payable for water and sewer,” she said. The decision aims to reduce the unnecessary financial burden on citizens, enhance transparency and encourage development, Rekha Gupta said while giving details of the new measure during a news conference.

The Chief Minister said that the IFC will apply only to new construction projects or additional construction carried out on an existing property. Redevelopment projects where water demand does not increase will not attract IFC. In addition, non-FAR areas as well as open and uncovered spaces will not be included in water demand calculations or in the assessment of IFC.

She said the Delhi Government’s objective is to provide relief to citizens, strengthen basic infrastructure and establish Delhi as a model in the fields of water management, sewage treatment and environmental protection.

Rekha Gupta said the Government has decided to provide special relief to different categories of colonies and economically affected sections. Religious institutions and charitable organisations registered under Section 12AB will also be entitled to an additional 50 per cent concession on water and sewer IFC charges.

To promote environmental protection, institutions and commercial establishments adopting a Zero Liquid Discharge (ZLD) system will receive up to a 50 per cent concession in sewer IFC.

The Chief Minister clarified that this benefit will be available only to institutions and commercial establishments where ZLD-based Sewage Treatment Plants (STPs) have been installed and are fully operational in accordance with the standards prescribed by the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) and the Delhi Pollution Control Committee (DPCC).

She warned that if inspections find an STP to be non-functional or not operating as required, the concession will be withdrawn. In such cases, a penalty at the rate of 0.05 per cent per day will also be imposed on the concession amount granted earlier.

Families building new homes or carrying out additional construction often had to pay charges running into several lakh rupees, causing significant hardship.

She said that once implemented, the revised policy would make it easier to build homes and undertake development projects in Delhi while providing citizens with direct financial relief worth several lakh rupees.

On the occasion, Delhi Water Minister Parvesh Sahib Singh said that for years the previous Aam Aadmi Party government had turned the IFC system into an instrument of harassment rather than a means of relief for Delhi residents.

Charges that were once reasonable and practical were shifted from a usage-based model to a complex area-based calculation system, resulting in fee increases of six to seven times. Ordinary families attempting to build homes were often handed demands of Rs 15-20 lakh or even more.

Citizens found themselves trapped in complicated rules relating to built-up area, FAR, balconies, staircases and various other parameters. This, he said, led to corruption, harassment and countless visits to government offices. Instead of helping citizens, the entire system had been structured in a way that pushed them into unnecessary difficulties.

The Water Minister said the present Government has now completely overhauled the system and made the IFC process simple, transparent and fair.

Plots measuring up to 200 square metres will continue to remain exempt from charges, and there will be no scope for unnecessary measurements or harassment by officials. Whatever is recorded in the official documents will be accepted as final. He added that in many cases where people were previously compelled to pay as much as Rs 15-16 lakh under the old system, the amount has now been reduced to around Rs 2-3 lakh.

Calling it a major relief for Delhi’s middle class, homeowners and ordinary families, Singh said the government’s commitment is clear, honest governance, less corruption, fewer complexities and maximum relief for the people of Delhi.