NEW DELHI: Delhi’s long-awaited Wazirabad Water Supply Improvement Project has received in-principle approval from the Screening Committee of the Department of Economic Affairs (DEA), clearing the way for the Rs 2,574-crore Asian Development Bank-assisted project.
Conceptualised in 2013, the project had remained stalled for years. It will cover the complete water supply chain, from the Wazirabad Water Treatment Plant and transmission network to distribution lines and household connections.
Water Minister Parvesh Sahib Singh said, “For the people of Delhi, water is a daily necessity. Our responsibility is to make sure that the infrastructure behind every tap is strong, modern and reliable. The Wazirabad project is a major step in that direction. The government is not planning only for today while building a water system that can serve the national capital for decades.”
Under the project, old, damaged and undersized pipelines will be replaced and new transmission and distribution lines laid wherever required. Existing networks will be interconnected to improve pressure, distribution and reliability. The treatment plant, underground reservoirs, pumping infrastructure and distribution network will also be upgraded.
House service connections will be improved and regularised, while areas without formal connections will be brought into the planned network wherever technically feasible. A major focus will be reducing Non-Revenue Water caused by leakages, physical losses and unauthorised consumption.
“The objective is simple—more of the water we produce should reach the people it is meant for. We are strengthening the network from the treatment plant to the household so that Delhi gets a system that is efficient, accountable and dependable,” the minister said.
The project will also introduce eight interconnected Command Centres covering Wazirabad, Chandrawal and six zones. Using SCADA and digital monitoring, officials will track water flow, pressure, pumping stations and other infrastructure.
Rs 88.63-cr proposal for preparing Water Master Plan
Rs 88.63-crore proposal has been placed for preparing a comprehensive 30-year Water Master Plan for Delhi and reducing NRW across six zones. West and South-West zones are targeted for award by January 2027, while the remaining four zones are targeted by March 2027.