NEW DELHI: In a major step towards cleaning the Yamuna and strengthening Delhi’s sanitation infrastructure, the Delhi Jal Board (DJB) on Saturday launched a large-scale sewer development project covering unauthorised colonies in the Deoli and Ambedkar Nagar Assembly constituencies under the Okhla drainage zone.
The foundation stone for the project was laid by Delhi’s Water Minister, Parvesh Sahib Singh, marking the restart of a long-pending sewer initiative aimed at stopping untreated household sewage from flowing into stormwater drains that ultimately discharge into the Yamuna river.
The project assumes particular significance as the work was originally sanctioned and initiated in 2018, with a planned completion timeline of May 2020. However, despite laying plans for nearly 57 kilometres of sewer lines, only about 32 kilometres of work could be completed, leaving large parts of the project incomplete.
As a result, out of 16 identified colonies, only five received partial sewer connectivity, while the remaining areas continued to discharge sewage into open drains.
With the renewed push by the Delhi Jal Board, the stalled project is now being taken forward in mission mode.
Under the current DJB initiative, approximately 25 kilometres of underground sewer lines, ranging from 300 mm to 700 mm in diameter, will be laid at a total cost of Rs 31.31 crore. The project is targeted for completion within nine months and is expected to benefit around three lakh residents who currently lack access to an organised sewer network.
The project covers 11 unauthorised colonies spread across Deoli and Ambedkar Nagar Vidhan Sabha areas, where the absence of sewer infrastructure has remained a chronic issue. Due to this gap, domestic wastewater from densely populated localities flows into open drains, eventually entering major drains and polluting the Yamuna.
The colonies covered under the project include: Khanpur Extended Abadi (F-Block), Duggal Housing Complex (School Road, Khanpur), Raju Park (C-Block, Deoli), Jawahar Park (Khanpur, Deoli Road – Blocks A to E under Regn. 621-A and 621-B), Duggal Colony (Khanpur Extension, Part-II), Krishna Park (Khanpur, Deoli Road), Krishna Park Extension (Block D and D-Block, Deoli), Tigri Extension (Phase-II), and Tigri Extension (Ambedkar Nagar, Sector-I).
Addressing the gathering, Water Minister Parvesh Sahib Singh said, "Cleaning the Yamuna requires stopping sewage at the source. This Delhi Jal Board project focuses on unauthorised colonies in Deoli and Ambedkar Nagar, where the lack of sewer connectivity has directly contributed to pollution of the Yamuna.”
Highlighting the delay in execution over the past several years, the Minister said the present government is committed to completing the work within a defined timeline.
“This project remained incomplete for years, leaving residents and the Yamuna to suffer. We have now ensured funding, accountability, and monitoring so that the work is completed within the stipulated timeframe.”
Emphasising the public health dimension, he added, “Sewer connectivity is a basic necessity. This project will improve hygiene, living conditions, and dignity for nearly three lakh residents, while also reducing the pollution load on the Yamuna.”
The Minister directed DJB officials to maintain strict quality standards and ensure that the balance work is executed efficiently and transparently. Officials said the remaining work is being carried out with clearly defined responsibilities to prevent further delays.
According to water minister , the project is a key component of the Delhi Government’s broader Yamuna rejuvenation strategy, which focuses on intercepting sewage before it reaches stormwater drains and ensuring it is conveyed to proper treatment facilities.
By targeting unauthorised colonies that have historically remained outside the sewer network, the initiative seeks to deliver long-term, measurable environmental outcomes rather than temporary solutions.The project reflects a renewed emphasis on infrastructure-led environmental reform, linking urban sanitation directly with the goal of restoring the Yamuna.