NEW DELHI: More than a year after it was announced, the desilting project at the Wazirabad barrage remains stalled as Delhi faces worsening summer water shortages. Sources said on Tuesday that raw water levels have dropped sharply and the crisis is expected to continue for the next few days.
Last year, a tender for desilting work in the pondage area was floated, but was later cancelled. The pondage area stores raw water before it enters treatment plants, helping regulate flow, settle silt and maintain supply. The Yamuna level is currently around 669 feet, down from the normal 674 feet. Wazirabad barrage is Delhi’s first interception point on the river.
“Wazirabad has an average capacity of producing 131 MGD, while Chandrawal produces 94 MGD. But a 30% capacity reduction in both has brought down the overall water production of DJB,” sources said.
In April 2025, Water Minister Parvesh Sahib Singh announced plans to desilt the Wazirabad pond. DJB floated a `25-crore tender to remove 3.63 lakh cubic metres of silt, a move expected to raise storage capacity by around 100 MGD. He had said the work would be completed within two months. But a year later, the project has still not been awarded.
Areas which may be affected include South Extension, Greater Kailash, Jahangirpuri, Moolchand, Majnu Ka Tila, Kashmere Gate ISBT, ITO, Defence Colony, among others.