IIT Delhi to assist Delhi government with Yamuna dredging survey to boost water supply

The Delhi government has asked IIT Delhi to assess deep dredging in the Yamuna. The study will examine whether it can improve water supply and reduce flooding.

In Short

• The feasibility report will assess technical and environmental viability before work begins
• Deep dredging would remove years of silt, sludge and riverbed waste
• Officials expect greater storage capacity to reduce monsoon flood risks

The Delhi government has tasked IIT Delhi with conducting a feasibility survey for the proposed deep dredging of the Yamuna River, a move aimed at increasing the river's water-holding capacity, improving its ecological health and strengthening the capital's water supply.

Officials said the institute will study the river and submit a report before any dredging work begins. The findings will help determine whether the project is technically and environmentally feasible.

WHY THE SURVEY MATTERS

Deep dredging involves removing silt, sludge and waste that have accumulated on the riverbed over several years. Officials believe this can increase the river's storage and carrying capacity, allowing it to hold more water while also reducing the risk of flooding during the monsoon.

According to a senior government official, IIT Delhi has already been roped in for the study, and its report is expected soon.

The proposed exercise is part of the Delhi government's wider efforts to revive the Yamuna, which flows for around 52 kilometres through the national capital. Of this, the 22-kilometre stretch between Wazirabad and Okhla remains the most polluted and has been the focus of multiple clean-up and restoration initiatives.

DELHI STILL FACES A WATER GAP

Although Delhi's water production has improved in recent years, demand continues to outpace supply.

According to the Delhi Economic Survey, the city's average water production has increased from 927 million gallons per day (MGD) in 2020-21 to around 990-1,000 MGD in 2024. However, Delhi currently requires about 1,290 MGD, leaving a shortfall of nearly 300 MGD.

Officials believe that increasing the Yamuna's water-holding capacity could improve the availability of raw water used for treatment and distribution across the city.

CLEANING THE RIVER, ONE-STEP AT A TIME

The Delhi Jal Board (DJB) has also started dredging several drains that discharge into the Yamuna to reduce the amount of waste entering the river.

Officials said improving the river's storage capacity is expected to serve two purposes: increasing raw water availability and lowering the chances of urban flooding during heavy rainfall.

The DJB has also clarified that no special permission from the National Green Tribunal (NGT) will be required to carry out the proposed dredging exercise.

(With PTI inputs)

- Ends