DJB approves 10 year, ₹17,969-crore sewer overhaul programme

The Delhi Jal Board (DJB) has approved a number of projects ranging from sewage treatment to water supply worth thousands of crores of rupees, according to an official statement issued on Wednesday.

The public utility provider has given in-principle approval to a 10-year programme to overhaul sewer maintenance across Delhi through a new ‘One Zone, One Operator’ model at a cost of ₹17,969.93 crore.

Under the proposed system, the city will be divided into eight zones, with one operator responsible for the entire sewer network in each zone, including sewer lines, manholes and pumping stations, as well as complaints.

The system will move from reactive, complaint-based repair to planned preventive maintenance, with geotagged inspections and real-time monitoring through a central command centre, said the DJB. The new system also provides for 100% mechanical and robotic sewer cleaning, it added.

Fixing responsibility

Water Minister Parvesh Sahib Singh said the reform is ultimately about fixing responsibility. “For a Delhi resident, it should not matter which officer, division, or contractor is responsible for a sewer. If there is a problem, the system should know about it, someone should be responsible for fixing it, and the work should be tracked till it is completed. That is the change we want to bring,” he said. Under the new model, payments will be linked to performance, with the aim of faster complaint resolution and fewer sewage overflows, the Minister added.

The DJB currently maintains 11,212 km of sewer lines, 6.68 lakh manholes and 145 pumping stations.

Water supply revamp

The board has also approved a ₹6,044.05-crore project to refurbish south Delhi’s water supply infrastructure. The project will cover 247 sq km and 2,44,381 domestic consumers. “Smart meters, bulk flow meters, and chlorine and pressure sensors will be introduced for real-time monitoring, accurate metering and water auditing,” read the statement.