Delhi govt to boost water supply with 249 new tube wells, over 1,000 tankers

Water Minister Parvesh Verma on Wednesday announced the implementation of mandatory biometric attendance for Delhi Jal Board (DJB) employees, the installation of 249 new tube wells, and an increase of 1,327 water tankers to enhance supply.

Addressing the Delhi Assembly session, Verma stated that a command centre has been set up to monitor water distribution, which will be inaugurated by Chief Minister Rekha Gupta in the coming days.

He noted that Delhi requires 1,200 million gallons per day (MGD) but currently receives only 990 MGD.

“To bridge this shortfall, the government will install 249 new tube wells over the next three months—96 will be operational by May, 88 in June, and 55 in July.”

“At present, 901 water tankers are in service, and this will be increased to 1,327. However, tankers are only a temporary measure; we must address the root causes of water shortages,” Verma said.

The minister also announced the deployment of 32 new super sucker machines for sewer cleaning, with tenders for an additional 30 approved to ensure each constituency has one. He assured that within the next four months, all gutters and sewers would be desilted, and sensors would be installed in water tankers for precise monitoring of levels.

“All sectors will be integrated with the IT cell for better oversight,” Verma added. He pointed out that a water infrastructure project in Sangam Vihar, constructed at a cost of ₹4 crore under the previous government, remains non-operational due to multiple leaks.

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“Officials have informed me that an additional ₹5 crore is required for repairs, and many of Delhi’s pipelines, over 80 years old, need urgent replacement,” he said.

To improve accountability, Verma announced that fingerprint scanners would be installed in all DJB offices for attendance tracking.

Additionally, 180 junior engineers will be recruited for maintenance and project work, while the number of labourers in each constituency will be doubled from 10 to 20 to enhance efficiency, the minister said.