Wazirabad 2.0: Delhi’s ₹2,574 Cr Water Lifeline Revived

Delhi Jal Board has revived its long-pending plan to upgrade the Wazirabad Water Treatment Plant, proposing to split the existing 120 MGD capacity into two units of 80 MGD and 40 MGD. Fresh tenders have been issued as part of a broader push to modernise and expand water infrastructure across Delhi.

The upgrade will involve building new clear water reservoirs and pumping stations, along with improvements to underground service reservoirs (UGRs), booster stations, and primary, secondary, and tertiary distribution pipelines. The project will also include customer connections and the installation of bulk and consumption meters to enhance supply efficiency and monitoring.

Initially approved in 2014 at a cost of ₹2,243 crore under the Delhi Water Supply Improvement Investment Programme, the project faced delays after Asian Development Bank withdrew funding support in 2019. Authorities are now working to revive financing and complete the long-delayed initiative aimed at improving water supply for millions of residents.

The revised project cost is estimated at around ₹2,574 crore. Officials indicated that the government is seeking approximately $200 million in funding from the Asian Development Bank to support the programme, which forms part of the GNCTD Water Supply Master Plan’s medium-term investment strategy.

The Wazirabad plant is one of Delhi’s largest water treatment facilities, supplying about 120 million gallons per day to areas such as Burari, Model Town, Punjabi Bagh, Pitampura, and nearby localities.

News by Rahul Yelligetti.