New Delhi – The Delhi Development Authority DDA is set to initiate a crucial pilot project to channel treated wastewater from the Vasant Kunj Sewage Treatment Plant STP to a dry waterbody in Rangpuri village. This initiative is a core component of the recently released Delhi Drainage Master Plan, which aims to address the city’s chronic waterlogging and severely depleted groundwater levels by leveraging natural catchments.
The project entails laying ductile iron DI pipelines from the STP in Vasant Kunj’s E2 block to the waterbody located at Khasra number 660 in Rangpuri, which remains dry for most of the year.
Boosting Groundwater and Easing Flood Pressure
The move is a strategic shift from the current practice, where the treated water from the STP is discharged into drainage lines. By routing the treated water to the pond instead, the DDA aims to achieve multiple environmental benefits:
• Groundwater Recharge: The treated water, which will comply with prescribed standards, will percolate into the ground, enhancing the city’s fast-depleting groundwater reserves and restoring the ecological health of the pond.
• Flood Mitigation: By diverting flows into this natural catchment, the system is expected to help retain excess monsoon run-off. This will ease pressure on Delhi’s stormwater drain network, a key mitigation strategy recommended in the Drainage Master Plan to combat the recurrent waterlogging issues the city faces during heavy rainfall.
Officials estimate the project will cost approximately ₹7 crore and is likely to be completed within roughly three months.
Master Plan Focus on Natural Solutions
The pilot project is one of several interventions proposed by the Drainage Master Plan the first major update to the city’s drainage system in over four decades.
The plan, championed by the Delhi government’s Public Works Department PWD and supported by the DDA emphasizes nature-based solutions and the rejuvenation of traditional ponds and lakes to act as natural sponges. The overall strategy involves restoring hundreds of waterbodies across the city to manage stormwater locally and improve the city’s climate resilience. Earlier this year, the DDA began work on six waterbodies in northwest Delhi, forming part of the over 632 waterbodies shortlisted for rejuvenation out of 1,037 identified across the capital.