Delhi unveils Rs 9,000 crore projects to rejuvenate Yamuna

NEW DELHI Delhi Chief Minister Rekha Gupta on Thursday highlighted infrastructure projects worth approximately ₹9,000 crore aimed at rejuvenating the Yamuna and strengthening the capital’s water systems. She described the inauguration of the projects as a significant step towards improving water infrastructure and fulfilling the government’s commitment to restoring the river. Gupta said her administration had made consistent progress on Yamuna rejuvenation during its first one-and-a-half years in office. “We can say that the way the government has started work for the rejuvenation of the River Yamuna, in one and a half years of tenure, we have continuously moved forward strongly in that direction,” Gupta said. She expressed confidence that the river would become cleaner and flow uninterrupted in the coming years, adding that the government was working continuously to achieve the goal. The Chief Minister highlighted the completion of projects, including the Chandrawal water project, which had remained stalled for years. She said the latest investment followed infrastructure projects worth another ₹9,000 crore to ₹10,000 crore initiated last year. The funding is intended to improve Delhi’s overall infrastructure, with a major focus on wastewater treatment, sewer connectivity and drinking water supply. Gupta said the government was following a scientific roadmap to ensure sewer lines covered the entire city, connections were linked to sewage treatment plants (STPs), and treatment facilities were installed at drains. She also thanked the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) for supporting several projects in Delhi, including the Metro and Water Department initiatives. She congratulated the water minister and officials for their work. Earlier, Union Home Minister Amit Shah inaugurated and laid foundation stones for 43 Delhi Jal Board projects worth ₹8,941 crore. The initiatives focus on cleaning the Yamuna, treating wastewater and improving drinking water infrastructure. Shah said the projects formed the backbone of the river’s rejuvenation and noted that more than 40 per cent of the journey towards the goal had been covered.