Delhi Chief Minister Rekha Gupta has announced the construction of a state-of-the-art 105 million gallons per day (MGD) water treatment plant at Chandrawal.
The project, estimated at ₹599 crore, is a critical move to strengthen the capital’s water infrastructure ahead of the 2026 summer season. Once commissioned, the plant is expected to benefit approximately 11% of Delhi’s population, specifically targeting high-density areas like Karol Bagh, Sadar Bazar, and Chandni Chowk.
The project also includes a massive ₹1,331 crore investment into replacing aging distribution pipelines. A primary objective of this overhaul is to drastically reduce non-revenue water (NRW) losses from the current 30–45% to below 15% within the next three years. This shift marks a transition toward high efficiency urban water management and improved service reliability for the national capital.
Strategic Impact: Originally approved in 2012, the project faced over a decade of delays and a cost escalation of nearly ₹400 crore due to tender cancellations. By adhering to the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) guidelines, the current administration aims to stabilize water pressure in historic and densely populated neighborhoods. The project also introduces a 12-year specialized maintenance agreement to ensure that the newly laid network remains leak-proof and efficient long after commissioning.
