Delhi Drainage Master Plan: In a significant push to modernise the national capital’s infrastructure, the Delhi Government, under the leadership of Chief
Minister Rekha Gupta, has accelerated work on the city’s drainage system as part of its resolve to develop Delhi into a modern, global and developed capital. The 'Drainage Master Plan' initiative targets the overhaul of a system that had remained largely unchanged since the 1970s, despite massive population growth and large-scale construction activity. Four major drains, Mundka Halt-Supplementary Drain, MB Road Storm Water Drain, Kirari-Rithala Trunk Drain, and the Storm Water Drain along Rohtak Road (NH-10) are being developed as key components of the 'Drainage Master Plan', reported news agency PTI. The Delhi government has accelerated the construction and expansion work of these major trunk drains. The Chief Minister said that despite rapid population growth and large-scale construction activity, the plan did not undergo the required revisions, resulting in an increasingly severe drainage situation over the years. She further said that the current government has introduced effective changes keeping in view Delhi’s geographical conditions, recurring waterlogging and population pressure, and drainage infrastructure is now being constructed accordingly, so that the national capital does not face waterlogging and related problems in the future. CM Gupta believes that the true identity of any metropolis lies in a robust, scientific and forward-looking drainage system.
With this vision, the Delhi Government has prioritised those areas of the capital where residents have long suffered from waterlogging, overloaded sewer lines and related issues. These long-standing problems will now be resolved, bringing relief to the people of Delhi.
To provide relief to Kirari, Mundka, Bawana, and Nangloi assembly constituencies of West Delhi, a 4.5-km long trunk drain is being constructed parallel to the railway line. With an investment of Rs 220.93 crore, the Irrigation and Flood Control Department project will drain a 1,520-acre catchment area. An MoU has been signed with the Railways, and the project is slated for completion within 15 months of approval.
The discharge capacity of the drain has been fixed at 760 cusecs to ensure uninterrupted drainage even during peak monsoon rainfall. The drain will originate near Mundka Halt Station and will run along the railway corridor before merging with the Supplementary Drain. A key feature of this project is that the water from several secondary drains along the route will also be integrated into it, creating a unified and streamlined drainage system for the entire area. The work is proposed within railway land limits.
Targeting the chronic waterlogging between Lado Sarai and Pul Prahladpur in South Delhi, MB Road Storm Water Drain project has been incorporated into the 'Drainage Master Plan'.
Under this project, the Public Works Department (PWD) of the Delhi Government is constructing 22.76 km of drains along an 11.38-km road stretch. Budgeted at Rs 387.84 crore, the project includes shifting utility lines and constructing footpaths, with a completion timeline of 2.5 years, including six months of pre-construction and two years of construction, reported PTI.
This project is particularly important as existing stormwater drains in several locations are either inadequate in capacity or have been damaged during other construction activities.
Additionally, provisions have been made for the transplantation or felling of around 500 trees, construction of footpaths, and shifting of electricity, Delhi Jal Board and other utility services.
Another significant project is the construction of a 7,200-metre-long trunk drain project by the Delhi Development Authority (DDA), which aims at resolving drainage issues with a massive discharge capacity of 1,160 cusecs.
While the project, costing Rs 250.21 crore, was previously stalled due to environmental clearances, the permission to fell 84 trees has been secured, allowing work to resume. At present, approximately 600 metres of construction work has been completed.
In addition, improvement work on the stormwater drain along Rohtak Road (NH-10) is being carried out on a war footing to strengthen the drainage system. Under this PWD project, construction and improvement of drains on both sides are underway from Kirari Suleman Drain near Nangloi Railway Metro Station to Hirankudna Drain (from Metro Pillar No. 428 to 626), and from Tikri Border to Hirankudna Drain (from Metro Pillar No. 753 to 626).
This Rs 184 crore project is bolstered by Rs 105 crore in central funding under the SASCI scheme. It is targeted for completion by March 2026.
The Chief Minister stated that Delhi's 'Drainage Master Plan' has been prepared keeping in view the city's rapid urbanisation, climate change and population pressure. Its objective is to enhance the capacity of major trunk drains to ensure safe and swift discharge of rainwater into the Yamuna, reduce pressure on the sewerage system, and provide a permanent solution to the problem of waterlogging.
She added that these efforts represent a concrete and decisive step towards making Delhi's drainage infrastructure future-ready. Once completed, these projects will provide lasting relief to large parts of the capital from recurring monsoon waterlogging.
