The government will need to spend more than ₹57,300 crore in the next five years to upgrade Delhi’s stormwater drainage network. Three separate master plans have been drawn up for the Najafgarh, Barapullah, and Trans-Yamuna basins, which carry stormwater from across the capital and adjoining areas into the Yamuna. These plans suggest a phase-wise investment strategy involving the Delhi government, the Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD), and the Delhi Development Authority (DDA).
Priority on Flood-Prone Zones
Officials explained that the focus will be on reviving flood-prone stretches, building infrastructure to end waterlogging, and setting up a strong network of drains. The Drainage Master Plan for Delhi is set to be released on Friday at the NDMC Convention Centre. The event will be led by Union housing and urban affairs minister Manohar Lal Khattar, Delhi chief minister Rekha Gupta, and PWD and water minister Parvesh Verma.
Basin-Wise Costs
-
Najafgarh Basin: Covering nearly 918 sq km, this will require the highest share of funds, around ₹33,499 crore.
-
Barapullah Basin: Spanning 376 sq km, the revamp will cost about ₹14,547 crore.
-
Trans-Yamuna Basin: Spread over 197 sq km, this needs an estimated ₹9,317 crore.
The report also breaks down the annual financial commitments expected from each agency over the next five years.
Raising such a massive amount remains a big hurdle. For instance, the Delhi government’s 2025-26 budget was pegged at ₹1 lakh crore, with only ₹28,000 crore set aside for capital spending. The financial strain is even sharper for the cash-strapped MCD, making resource mobilisation a daunting task.
Why Delhi Needs a New Plan
The 2023 Yamuna floods and severe waterlogging across the city revealed the poor state of Delhi’s drainage system. The existing network, designed decades ago, can only manage 50 mm of rainfall. Problems such as encroachments, weak infrastructure, poor maintenance, and lack of desilting have further worsened the situation.
Delhi has been waiting for an updated plan for years. In 2009, then lieutenant governor Tejendra Khanna had asked civic bodies to prepare a watershed and drainage plan, since the only existing one dated back to 1976. In 2012, then chief minister Sheila Dikshit announced that IIT-Delhi would draft a modern plan to reflect the city’s rapid growth. Although the report was submitted in 2018, it was shelved due to the “absence of crucial data and reference points.” Work on a new drainage master plan restarted in 2023 after Union home minister Amit Shah reviewed Delhi’s flood situation. The government then hired consultants to design detailed plans for the three basins. According to sources, the new plan targets long-standing issues of waterlogging, urban flooding, and infrastructure strain in light of climate change and rapid urbanisation.
Key Proposals in the New Plan
The consultants have recommended:
-
Sustainable drainage systems in vulnerable areas
-
Surface water storage to reduce runoff
-
Upgrading primary stormwater channels
-
Community rainwater harvesting
-
Measures to stop sewage from entering drains
-
Energy-efficient pumping stations
-
Nature-based solutions, such as green infrastructure and infiltration pits
Taking climate change into account, the plan assumes an 11% rise in rainfall increase while designing new systems. A senior official explained, “This ensures that the new system can withstand future climate events and prevent the kind of flooding Delhi has increasingly seen in recent monsoons.”
Also Read: Swift action ordered to improve traffic flow in Bengaluru
