Water supply gets boost with new Chandrawal Plant

Delhi is set to get a major boost to its water supply infrastructure with the commissioning of a new 105 million Gallons per Day (MGD) Chandrawal Water Treatment Plant in 2026. The project costing Rs 599 crore is expected to significantly reduce water leakage and technical losses across large parts of the national Capital.

The project, aimed at strengthening Delhi’s drinking water system and curbing long-standing wastage, is being implemented after years of delay. Originally approved in 2012, the Chandrawal plant remained stalled for a prolonged period due to repeated cancellations of tenders and non-compliance with the funding guidelines of the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA), leading to a cost escalation of nearly Rs 400 crore.

The progress of the project and overall summer preparedness of the water supply system were reviewed on Monday during a high-level meeting of the Delhi Jal Board (DJB) chaired by Chief Minister Rekha Gupta at the Delhi Secretariat. Water Minister Pravesh Sahib Singh and senior DJB officials were present at the meeting.

Officials said the new state-of-the-art plant will play a crucial role in improving the availability and reliability of drinking water in Delhi. Once operational, it will cover an area of around 92 square kilometres, about 6.2 per cent of Delhi’s geographical area, and is expected to benefit nearly 11 per cent of the city’s population. Several densely populated Assembly constituencies, including Model Town, Sadar Bazar, ChandniChowk, MatiaMahal, Ballimaran, Karol Bagh, Patel Nagar, Rajinder Nagar, and RKPuram, will receive improved water supply from the facility.

A key component of the project involves the replacement of ageing water supply and distribution pipelines at a cost of Rs 1,331 crore. Out of the three distribution networks: West Chandrawal, East Chandrawal, and Central Chandrawal, two have already been awarded.

The pipeline replacement work will span nine Assembly constituencies and cover major localities such as Karol Bagh, Civil Lines, Kamla Nagar, MalkaGanj, Shadipur, Patel Nagar, Shastri Nagar, Naraina, Zakhira, New Rajendra Nagar, Hindu Rao, Idgah, Jhandewalan, Ridge Road, Ramlila Ground and Subhash Park.

Officials said the pipeline upgrade is aimed at reducing non-revenue water, currently estimated at 30 to 45 per cent, to below 15 per cent within three years. The project also includes strengthening underground reservoirs, installing water meters, preventing contamination in the supply network, and setting up grievance redressalcentres.

Maintenance of the newly laid pipelines will be carried out under a separate 12-year agreement.

During the review meeting, the Chief Minister stressed the importance of completing the project within the stipulated timeline, particularly in view of the recurring water shortages faced by residents during the summer months. She said the commissioning of the Chandrawal plant would help stabilise water pressure in older and densely populated parts of the city and move Delhi closer to the goal of round-the-clock water supply.