Project to increase capacity of Wazirabad WTP pending as capital braces for water shortage

Announced more than a year ago, the desilting project at the Wazirabad barrage remains stalled even as the city braces for acute water shortage during peak summer.

As intense summer set in, the city’s water supply has been hit as raw water level has reached a critical low, a senior Delhi Jal Board (DJB) official said on Tuesday, adding that the situation is likely to remain the same for the next few days.

“Last year, a tender was floated inviting companies for the pondage area works, however there were some issues and it was cancelled,” the official told PTI.

The pondage area refers to a reservoir or pond where raw water is temporarily stored before entering a water treatment plant (WTP). These areas are critical for managing flow rates, settling heavy silt, and ensuring continuous supply of water.

Currently, the Yamuna water level is around 669 feet against the normal of 674 feet. The Wazirabad barrage is the first point of interception of the Yamuna in the capital, they added.

“Wazirabad has an average capacity of producing 131 MGD (million gallons per day), while Chandrawal produces an average of 94 MGD. Currently a 25 to 30 per cent capacity reduction in both has brought down the overall water production of DJB,” the official added.

In April 2025, Delhi Water Minister Parvesh Sahib Singh, during a visit to the Wazirabad WTP, announced that the government is working on the project to carry out desilting of the pond.

The same month, DJB floated a tender inviting companies to carry out the work at the cost of Rs 25 crore, where 3.63 lakh cubic metres of silt was to be removed from the pond to increase its holding capacity.

As per estimates, this work will increase the capacity of the raw water pond by approximately 100 MGD.

At the time, Singh had announced that the desilting process would be completed in two months, after which the pond would be able to store water double its current capacity.

However, the work has not moved further than the announcement as DJB is yet to award the project to any company, even as a year has passed since then.

“We have re-tendered the project and hopefully by next month a evaluation of the companies will be completed,” the DJB official added.

There was no response from Delhi government on the matter.

Areas including South Extension, Greater Kailash, Jahangirpuri, Moolchand, Majnu Ka Tila, Kashmere Gate ISBT, NDMC area, ITO, Defence Colony, CGO Complex, Rajghat, WHO, Ramleela Ground, Delhi Gate and adjoining areas are likely affected as the raw water crisis deepens.

According to DJB officials, talks are ongoing with Haryana to increase the share of Yamuna water flowing into Delhi.