A high-capacity dredger imported from Finland has begun operations at Delhi’s Najafgarh Drain, identified by authorities as the single largest source of pollution flowing into the Yamuna. The deployment marks a renewed push by the Delhi government to address river pollution through continuous and technology-driven interventions.
The multipurpose Watermaster Amphibious Dredger was launched on Friday by Irrigation and Flood Control Minister Parvesh Sahib Singh along with three self-propelled hopper barges. Officials said the Najafgarh Drain alone contributes nearly 70 per cent of the total pollution load entering the Yamuna, making it a critical focus area in the river-cleaning effort.
Equipped to operate seamlessly on land and water, the dredger features four stabilisers, a flexible excavator arm with a 180-degree range of movement, and a 600-litre backhoe bucket. It can pump sludge at a rate of 600 cubic metres per hour and discharge material up to a distance of 1.5 kilometres, enabling large-scale desilting and waste removal.
The machine has been procured at a cost of just over Rs 8 crore, while the three hopper barges, deployed to assist in dredging and removal of hyacinth and floating waste, cost Rs 5.25 crore. Each barge has a carrying capacity of 12 cubic metres and is designed for self-unloading operations.
Calling the Najafgarh Drain the “biggest contributor to Yamuna pollution”, the minister said effective cleaning of the river is impossible without scientific treatment and constant monitoring of such major drains. He added that the performance of the dredger would be assessed before deploying similar advanced machines at other locations along the Yamuna and its feeder drains.
Emphasising sustained action over announcements, Singh said the commissioning of the dredger reflects the government’s resolve to reduce pollution, improve drainage capacity and prevent flooding through permanent, technology-backed solutions.