NEW DELHI: The capital’s biggest sewage treatment facility will open in Okhla on September 30, marking the completion of a project that has been delayed several times since its launch in 2019. Officials said the plant, with a capacity of 124 million gallons per day (MGD), is the largest of its kind in Asia.
The Delhi Jal Board (DJB), which built the plant in partnership with the Centre under the National Mission for Clean Ganga (NMCG), said nearly 40 lakh residents across large parts of south, central and old Delhi will benefit.
The facility is expected to play a significant role in reducing untreated sewage flowing into the Yamuna.
The inauguration is being planned as a major event, with around 6,000 people invited, including residents from adjoining neighbourhoods.
Union Home Minister Amit Shah is likely to attend as the chief guest, while Chief Minister Rekha Gupta and Water Minister Parvesh Verma are also expected. Dignitaries from Japan will join the ceremony as the project has been financed with assistance from the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA). In the past, JICA officials and members of the Japanese parliament have inspected the site.
“This will not only be the biggest such facility in the country but also the largest plant in Asia. The preparations are being made to make this a grand event, the public will be invited from the nearby areas of South Delhi along with MLAs and other public representatives,” a DJB official said.
The Rs 1,161 crore plant has been built on 40 acres, replacing four smaller treatment facilities that earlier functioned at the location. It includes provisions for power generation from treated waste and will produce A-class sludge, which is considered safe for reuse.
Construction began in 2019, but the project ran into hurdles such as the Covid-19 lockdown and construction bans, pushing back deadlines first set for 2022. The work was completed in April this year, after which the plant was placed under trial run. Officials said 85 per cent of the funds were provided by the Centre under Yamuna Action Plan-III, while the Delhi government contributed the rest.
The plant will serve areas including Civil Lines, Paharganj, the Walled City, Green Park, Hauz Khas, Lajpat Nagar, New Friends Colony, Chittaranjan Park, Okhla and Sarita Vihar. According to the DJB officials it will be the single largest contributor to sewage treatment capacity in the city.