Delhi govt to conduct underwater survey to assess Yamuna siltation, topography

Aiming to assess silt accumulation in the Yamuna, the Delhi government is planning an extensive survey along its entire stretch in the capital — from Palla in Northwest Delhi where the river enters the capital, till its exit at Southeast Delhi’s Jaitpur.

Officials said on Thursday that the irrigation and flood control (I&FC) department is set to conduct a topographical survey along the around 50-km stretch of the Yamuna in the capital, a move aimed at reducing the impact of urban flooding.

“The survey will be done with help of sonar to understand the topography of the river, and silt accumulation which has reduced its carrying capacity,” an official said.

A 22-km stretch of the Yamuna in Delhi — from Wazirabad to Okhla — marked by high pollution levels, has over the years been the focal point of multiple planning and policy efforts. Chief Minister Rekha Gupta has said cleaning the Yamuna is a priority for the BJP government.

“The survey will also examine whether there has been any change in the Yamuna’s course. It will also include details of embankments, spurs, buildings, structures, wire fencing and high-tension power lines along the river bank. We have issued a tender to hire a company at the cost of Rs 79 lakh for the project, which will be completed in eight months,” the official said.

Earlier, the Delhi government had roped in an agency to carry out a feasibility survey of Yamuna river for deep dredging exercise. The plan is to increase the carrying capacity of the river to avoid urban flooding. The project also envisages more utilisation of raw water from the Yamuna for drinking purposes.

Dredging is an exercise usually carried out in water bodies to excavate underwater silt and waste accumulated over the years.

Currently, the Delhi Jal Board (DJB) has a sewage treatment capacity of around 600-700 million gallons per day (MGD) across existing sewage treatment plants. The government plans to increase this capacity to 1,250 MGD by June 2027, to reduce the amount of untreated waste entering the river.