DJB clears Rs 17,970 cr sewer overhaul, fixes accountability for every complaint

Delhi residents will soon know exactly who is responsible for fixing a sewer problem in their area, as the Delhi Jal Board has approved a Rs 17,969.93 crore, 10-year programme to overhaul sewer maintenance across the city through a new “One Zone, One Operator” model.

Under the system, Delhi will be divided into eight zones, with one operator responsible for the entire sewer network in each zone, including sewer lines, maintenance holes, pumping stations and complaints. The model shifts from reactive, complaint-based repairs to planned preventive maintenance, with geo-tagged inspections and real-time monitoring through a central command centre, along with 100 per cent mechanical and robotic sewer cleaning.

Delhi Water Minister Parvesh Sahib Singh said the reform was ultimately about fixing responsibility. “For a Delhi resident, it should not matter which officer, division, or contractor is responsible for a sewer. If there is a problem, the system should know about it, someone should be responsible for fixing it, and the work should be tracked till it is completed. That is the change we want to bring,” he said.

DJB currently maintains 11,212 km of sewer lines, 6.68 lakh maintenance holes and 145 pumping stations across 68 Assembly Constituencies. The new model will link payments to performance, aiming for faster complaint resolution and fewer sewer overflows.

The Board also approved a Rs 6,044.05 crore project to transform South Delhi’s water supply infrastructure, covering 247 sq km, 13 UGR command areas, 12 Assembly Constituencies and 2,44,381 domestic consumers. Smart meters, bulk flow meters, and chlorine and pressure sensors will enable real-time monitoring, accurate metering and water auditing, targeting reliable continuous supply, zero contamination, and non-revenue water below 15 per cent. “We are not looking at water supply only in terms of laying more pipes. We have to know where water is going, where it is being lost, and whether the pressure and quality are right. Technology will help us make the system more accountable and efficient,” Singh said.

Apart from the Chandrawal and Wazirabad WTP command areas, the rest of Delhi has been divided into six zones: South, South-West, West, North-West, East and North-East. The Board has already accorded administrative approvals worth Rs 11,427 crore for the West and South-West zones, including 15 years of operation and maintenance, and has engaged consultants for the remaining three zones.

To strengthen sewage treatment and support Yamuna rejuvenation, the Board approved tenders for 13 new Sewage Treatment Plants with a combined capacity of 328 MGD, estimated at Rs 7,373 crore under NMCG funding. A separate 5.5 MGD decentralised STP at Nayabans, Narela, costing Rs 123.23 crore, has already been awarded.

The long-pending Wazirabad Water Supply Project has received fresh momentum, with administrative approval for a Rs 1,214.58 crore package including a new 80 MGD water treatment plant, automated raw-water intake, 15 years of O&M, and rehabilitation of the existing 40 MGD plant. The Board also approved an ADB top-up loan of Rs 3,505 crore for a further 60 MGD plant and distribution improvements.

The Board approved the Delhi Water and Sewer (Tariff and Metering) Regulations, 2026, replacing the 2012 rules, simplifying connections and billing, with rebates for rainwater harvesting and wastewater recycling.

It also approved Rs 65.49 crore to rebuild 25 Water Emergency Centres and sanctioned individual water connections, where technically feasible, regardless of building height, with adequate storage requirements below 17.5 metres.