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The New Delhi Municipal Council (NDMC) will initiate the first phase of its round-the-clock water supply project in areas around Vinay Marg, and the pilot will be used as a template to modernise the water supply system, officials aware of the development said on Sunday.
A scene from Chankyapuri last summer. (Representative photo/HT Archive)
The project is estimated to be implemented over the next five months and likely to cost around ₹1.44 crore, officials said.
A senior NDMC official, requesting anonymity, said: “Under the Phase 1 of the providing 24X7 water supply in NDMC areas, project is being executed in the command area of the Vinay Marg water boosting station (WBS). We have invited bids for the project, which will be opened by the end of this week. The company would be provided five months to implement the project.”
The project is likely to cover several residential areas along Vinay Marg, Sewa Bharti, government accommodations, slums and bungalows.
“This pilot project aims to provide continuous filtered water supply round-the-clock using the existing water pipeline grid network,” the official said.
The official said that the project will involve replacing old pipes to minimise leakage, installing additional pipes to better balance the existing water distribution system, and adding pumps, accessories and panels for optimal water flow.
“After conducting thorough studies, including water balancing through the software and hydraulic modelling by the consultant, the project was planned. Once Phase 1 is successfully completed, the NDMC will extend this initiative to other areas,” the official said.
NDMC vice-chairperson Kuljeet Chahal said first phase of the project, at Vinay Marg, is being started in a time bound manner and the council is working on comprehensive upgrades to implement the same in other areas as well. “We are upgrading the old lines and increasing the water storage capacity through new reservoirs. We will need additional raw water to implement 24X7 water supply across New Delhi. We have discussed the matter with Delhi CM Rekha Gupta as well.”
To be sure, this is not the first round-the-clock water supply pilot project in Delhi. In 2012, the Congress government announced a 24-hour supply project in Navjeevan Vihar, Geetanjali Enclave and nearby areas. However, the project remains localised in pockets, with an array of problems such as shortage of adequate raw water, old and rusty pipes, and lack of water pressure on upper floors.
In 2021, the Delhi government proposed to expand the project across the city, dividing it into three zones. But, the project did not progress. Round-the-clock water supply is yet to be extended to other areas that fall under the ambit of the Delhi Jal Board’s Malviya Nagar Water Services (MNWS)in south Delhi.
Raw water challenge in Delhi
The present demand for Lutyens’ Delhi is estimated to be 148 million litres per day (mld) while raw water availability is about 125mld. Unlike other parts of the city where DJB is the water utility, the NDMC independently treats, stores and handles the supply network in New Delhi. However, the council is dependent on DJB for supplying raw water to the area.
The permanent static population of the NDMC region is around 230,000 while the floating population of the area is around 1.8 million, as the area has a large number of office spaces, markets and tourist sites. The council currently manages around 24 underground reservoirs with 10-12 feet depth at places such as North Avenue, Mandir Marg, Shivaji Stadium, Moti Bagh, Jor Bagh, and Vinay Marg, among others.
In June 2024, the council area was hit by a prolonged water crisis due to an alarming water level drop in the Yamuna. It also triggered a blame game between the NDMC and the Delhi government, which, in turn, blamed Haryana for a shortage of raw water in the city.
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