Delhi CM Rekha Gupta announces up to 70% rebate on water infrastructure charges

Chief Minister Rekha Gupta said the Delhi Jal Board has approved a revised policy that lowers water and sewer infrastructure charges. The changes link charges to water demand, widen concessions and push compliance with sustainable systems.

In Short

• Charges will now depend on water demand and added construction only
• Section 12AB bodies and religious places receive another 50 per cent concession
• ZLD and compliant STP users get sewer rebates or face penalties

The Delhi Jal Board (DJB) has approved a revised and simplified infrastructure charge policy aimed at reducing water and sewer-related charges for residential, institutional and commercial properties across the national capital, Chief Minister Rekha Gupta announced on Friday.

According to the Chief Minister, the new policy is designed to bring greater transparency, simplify the existing system and provide significant financial relief to residents and institutions.

Addressing the reporters, Gupta said the Infrastructure Charges (IFC) for water and sewer connections will now be calculated on the basis of water demand and will apply only to new developments or additional construction within properties.

Under the revised policy, institutions and religious places registered under Section 12AB of the Income Tax Act will receive an additional 50 per cent concession on water and sewer infrastructure charges.

The government has also announced a 50 per cent rebate in sewer infrastructure charges for institutional and commercial properties that operate Zero Liquid Discharge (ZLD) systems and sewage treatment plants (STPs) in compliance with prescribed standards.

However, officials warned that the concession would be withdrawn if the ZLD system is found to be inactive or non-functional. In such cases, a penalty of 0.5 per cent per day will also be imposed.

The Delhi government said the policy substantially reduces infrastructure charges across various property categories. For example, a four-storey residential property with 300 FAR on a plot larger than 200 square metres in A and B category colonies earlier attracted charges of around Rs 13.18 lakh. Under the revised policy, the amount will now reduce to approximately Rs 5.4 lakh.

Similarly, the charges for comparable properties in E and F category colonies will now be around Rs 2.7 lakh, while properties in G and H category colonies will attract charges of approximately Rs 1.62 lakh.

Industrial properties will also benefit significantly. According to officials, a 1,000 square metre industrial property that previously attracted infrastructure charges of nearly Rs 57.67 lakh will now be charged around Rs 8.91 lakh.

Additionally, residential properties in E and F category colonies will receive a 50 per cent rebate, while properties in G and H category colonies will be eligible for a 70 per cent concession.

The Delhi government said the revised policy aims to encourage compliance, promote sustainable water management systems and make civic infrastructure charges more affordable for the public.

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