CM reviews water infra, pledges overhaul of 30-year-old systems
New Delhi: In a significant step toward resolving Delhi’s long-standing water woes, Chief Minister Rekha Gupta on Wednesday conducted a high-level review of the Capital’s water infrastructure at the Delhi Jal Board (DJB) headquarters, accompanied by Water minister Parvesh Verma. The inspection, followed by an extensive review meeting, focused on water treatment systems, pipeline networks, sewage infrastructure, and the Yamuna River cleaning action plan.
Stressing the government’s commitment to addressing Delhi’s summer water crisis, Gupta said, “Providing clean, safe, and adequate water to every citizen of Delhi is our government’s topmost priority.” She emphasised that the issues of water supply, sewage management, and river pollution are deeply interconnected and require a unified strategy.
Gupta inspected the DJB’s command centre, reviewed real-time operations of water tankers, and examined the water treatment and supply processes monitored through the SCADA system. She directed officials to ensure swift availability of tankers across the city and issued guidelines for improving the pipeline infrastructure. “We took stock of the reasons behind challenges faced by the city every summer: water supply, Yamuna River cleaning, and sewage management. All these are interconnected,” she said.
Highlighting the neglected state of Delhi’s infrastructure, the Chief Minister remarked that much of the Capital still relies on outdated systems. “Delhi still has 30-year-old sewer and water pipelines which are causing major problems. The population has grown significantly over the past three decades, but the infrastructure has remained the same,” she pointed out. “The capital can’t run on such facilities… nobody ever thought of changing those pipelines.”
Gupta added that her government is preparing a phased plan to replace the damaged and outdated pipelines and ensure equal water distribution. “Equal distribution of water and providing water from the tap to residents will be rolled out in phases,” she announced.
In her meeting with DJB officials, the Chief Minister reviewed the status of sewage treatment plants (STPs) across the city. Of the 37 STPs in operation, 18 are currently undergoing upgradation and rehabilitation to boost their treatment capacity. The use of advanced technology in these plants, she said, will help address both sewage issues and Yamuna River pollution.
The Chief Minister also addressed the issue of unauthorised colonies, promising that water and sewage pipeline arrangements will be extended to these areas. “Unauthorised colonies of Delhi also
need to be given sewage facilities. The last government did nothing… we are going to change that,” she said.
Water minister Parvesh Verma echoed her concerns and reinforced the government’s resolve to take proactive measures to modernise Delhi’s water systems and improve daily life for citizens.
In conclusion, CM Gupta reiterated the government’s people-first approach. “These are not just technical issues, they affect every household. We are here to fix them, decisively and permanently,” she said.
The review meeting marks a critical shift in Delhi’s approach to water management, aiming to modernise core systems that have long been overlooked by successive administrations.
