Delhi Master Plan 2047 seeks 1,000 hectares along drains to process desilted earth

This requirement for more land has been flagged as part of the plan’s assessment of land needed for the projects of the Irrigation and Flood Control Department.

Difficulties in disposing of desilted earth by the department were mentioned in the document, while noting that Municipal Corporation of Delhi was reluctant to take the material Photo | EPS

NEW DELHI: The Delhi Master Plan 2047, which was formally notified last week, has identified a requirement for around 1,000 hectares of land at different locations along the city’s drains in order to help facilitate the processing of desilted earth.

According to the plan document, the Irrigation and Flood Control Department has proposed that the Delhi Development Authority (DDA) provide land parcels of around one hectare at every 10 km interval along the drains.

This requirement for more land has been flagged as part of the plan’s assessment of land needed for the projects of the Irrigation and Flood Control Department. Difficulties in disposing of desilted earth by the department were mentioned in the document, while noting that Municipal Corporation of Delhi was reluctant to take the material

To address the issue, the plan proposes that land parcels be made available along the drainage network for processing the desilted earth. The requirement has been estimated at around 1,000 hectares in total, the document mentioned.

Additionally, the plan envisages earmarking land outside the drain boundary along the entire alignment of the existing drains for the collection, processing, shifting and disposal of municipal solid waste (MSW) and construction and demolition (C&D) waste.

Meanwhile, the drainage network requires land for several other purposes. As per the plan, additional land along drains is required for remodelling & augmentation, operation & maintenance and the creation of green belts & service roads.

Apart from that, space is also required for services linked to electricity lines, communication cables and water & sewer pipelines, besides dhalaos, C&D waste and additional stores of the department. The plan points out the varying availability of land along different stretches of Delhi’s drains.

The proposal

1. The plan proposes that land parcels be made available along the drainage network for processing desilted earth

2. The plan envisages earmarking land outside the drain boundary along the entire alignment of the existing drains