Delhi Will No Longer Sink in Monsoon: ₹57,000 Crore to Be Spent on New Master Drainage Plan; Work to Be Completed in Five Phases

New Delhi. To tackle the problem of waterlogging in the capital, the Delhi government has prepared a new Master Drainage Plan, which was released on Friday by Union Urban Development Minister Manohar Lal in the presence of Chief Minister Rekha Gupta at NDMC Convention Centre.

This new drainage system will have the capacity to manage more than double the rainwater compared to the current one. While the existing plan handles 30–35 mm rainfall per hour, the new system will be designed to manage up to 70 mm rainfall per hour.

This is the first major drainage plan update since 1976, when Delhi’s population was just 6 million. Today, with the city’s population estimated at 25 million and rainfall patterns becoming heavier due to global warming, a stronger and more modern infrastructure is being developed.

City Divided into Three Drainage Basins

The capital will be divided into three basins:

• Najafgarh Basin
• Barapula Basin
• Trans-Yamuna Basin

The estimated cost of the plan is ₹57,000 crore. Of this:

• ₹35,000 crore will be spent on the Najafgarh drain,
• ₹14,000 crore on the Barapula drain, and
• ₹9,000 crore on the Shahdara drain.

Five-Phase Implementation Plan

The project will be executed in five phases, aiming to provide a long-term solution to Delhi’s waterlogging issues. The Public Works Department (PWD) prepared the draft after four years of study and consultations with eight key agencies, including the Irrigation and Flood Control Department, MCD, DDA, NHAI, Delhi Jal Board, and NDMC.

Detailed Study and Engineering Solutions

Chief Minister Rekha Gupta explained that the Master Plan is based on an in-depth feasibility study, including analysis of rainfall patterns, bottlenecks, and causes of flooding. Extensive topographical and field surveys were carried out to map pipelines, drains, and road levels to develop precise engineering solutions that address both current and future challenges.

PWD Minister Pravesh Verma confirmed that once the Detailed Project Report (DPR) is approved, tenders will be invited from private firms, and the plan will be implemented as a permanent solution for Delhi’s drainage needs.

Union Minister’s Assurance and Criticism

Union Urban Development Minister Manohar Lal assured full central government support in implementing the plan, saying it will free Delhi from the recurring nightmare of waterlogging. At the same time, he criticized the previous Delhi government for mismanaging sanitation funds, alleging that ₹1,100 crore allocated under the Swachh Bharat Mission remained unused.