4 days ago
- Politics
- New Indian Express
Delhi's water lifeline set for overhaul with new master plan
NEW DELHI: To modernise Delhi's ageing water supply system, the Delhi government has launched a new Water Master Plan, which includes replacing old water pipelines, Water Minister Parvesh Verma announced on Saturday. During a visit to his constituency, Verma highlighted that many existing pipelines—some 40 to 80 years old—are a major cause of water contamination and frequent supply disruptions.
'There are several areas in Delhi where people are receiving polluted water, and the primary reason is the decades-old pipelines,' he stated. Verma criticised the previous administration, alleging that it had failed to improve the city's water infrastructure. 'They did not lay even a single new pipeline,' he said.
He assured residents that the current government has moved beyond announcements and begun visible work on the ground. 'The budget has been passed, tenders approved, and in some areas, work is already underway,' Verma said, pledging timely and transparent execution of all projects.
'This government is only five months old, but in one year, Delhi's face will change,' Verma added. As part of his outreach, he visited several locations, including D-Block Gole Market, Gurudwara Flats in Rakabganj, and Type-II Flats in Sarojini Nagar.
Meanwhile, the Delhi Jal Board (DJB) recently launched a project to replace worn-out pipelines in East Delhi, shortly after the Delhi High Court criticised it for supplying 'sewage-mixed' water.
The court's remarks came during a hearing on a public interest litigation filed by residents of Yojna Vihar, Anand Vihar, and Jagriti Enclave, who complained of contaminated water in their localities.
The Delhi High Court had earlier expressed concern over the Delhi Jal Board's failure and asked how citizens could be expected to consume such unsafe water. It directed that all related work be completed by August, warning that any delay would be taken seriously.
The pipeline upgrade initiative followed Chief Minister Rekha Gupta's directive in May, when she chaired a high-level Delhi Jal Board meeting. Gupta had called for urgent steps to overhaul Delhi's outdated water and sewer infrastructure, emphasising clean and safe drinking water as a basic right for all residents.
