New Delhi: Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Thursday announced a time bound plan to clean the Yamuna, setting May 2029 as the target to restore the river’s purity. He accused successive Congress and Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) governments of allowing sewage to flow into the river.
Shah made the announcement while inaugurating and laying the foundation stones for 43 Delhi Jal Board (DJB) projects worth ₹8,941.22 crore in Dwarka. The projects aim to strengthen sewage treatment facilities, expand sewer infrastructure and improve drinking water supply across Delhi.
He said the BJP governments in Delhi, Uttar Pradesh and Haryana had developed a coordinated roadmap to tackle pollution entering the Yamuna from the three states. Shah added that more than 40 per cent of the planned work to control pollution had already been completed.
According to Shah, Prime Minister Narendra Modi convened a meeting with the Delhi government and the Ministry of Home Affairs within a month of the BJP forming the government in the national capital to establish a clear direction for the river’s rejuvenation.
Of the 43 projects, 10 worth ₹2,827.11 crore will be inaugurated, while the foundation stones for 33 projects worth ₹6,114.11 crore will be laid.
A major component is a new sewage treatment plant at Okhla with a capacity of 124 million gallons per day, being developed at a cost of ₹1,161 crore. Upgrades to eight existing treatment plants, costing ₹1,041 crore, are expected to increase their combined capacity from 78.2 MGD to 140.8 MGD and benefit around 78.5 lakh people.
Another package worth ₹3,113.67 crore covers 29 decentralised sewage treatment plants and pumping stations. The facilities are expected to serve 358 unauthorised colonies and 113 villages, reaching approximately 36.29 lakh residents.
The plan also includes a 1,034 km sewer network costing ₹1,691 crore, a 477 MLD water treatment plant at Chandrawal worth ₹298.3 crore, and a 4.5 km trunk drain in Mundka costing ₹225.02 crore.
The Chandrawal facility is intended to replace older plants built in 1935 and 1955 and is expected to benefit around 22 lakh people.
The announcement follows the ‘Chalo Yamuna’ cleanliness campaign held on October 18, when more than 35,000 participants cleaned 70 locations along the river and collected 76,755 kg of waste in a single morning.
The drive covered stretches from Soor Ghat and Signature Bridge to Yamuna Bazar, ITO, Nizamuddin, Sarai Kale Khan and Chilla. Participants included residents, party workers, students and volunteers from non-governmental organisations.
The operation used heavy machinery, boats, weed harvesters and trash skimmers, with more than 10 government departments involved. Around seven tonnes of waste were collected from Usmanpur village and over 5.6 tonnes from Sonia Vihar.
Shah said coordinated action by the three BJP ruled states would be central to tackling sewage and industrial pollution and meeting the May 2029 target.
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