Delhi CM chairs meet on summer water plan, warns against negligence

Delhi CM Rekha Gupta chaired a high-level meeting on the summer water plan, directing officials to ensure no supply lapse. The govt has increased tubewells, water tankers, and strengthened the grievance redressal system to meet peak demand.

Delhi Chief Minister Rekha Gupta has chaired a high-level review meeting at the Secretariat to assess the city's water management plan for the summer months. The meeting, on Monday, took stock of the progress of key water-related projects, with the Chief Minister directing officials to ensure there is no lapse in supply or response during peak demand. She stressed that every complaint must be addressed promptly and warned that negligence would invite strict action.

"Our focus is not limited to immediate relief. We are simultaneously working on long-term solutions to free Delhi from recurring drinking water shortages," CM Gupta said. The meeting was attended by Water Minister Parvesh Sahib Singh, Chief Secretary Rajiv Verma and senior officials of the Delhi Jal Board.

Summer Preparedness and Monitoring

Highlighting preparedness for the summer, the Chief Minister said the government has tightened monitoring at every level to maintain a smooth and balanced supply. All major water treatment plants, Sonia Vihar, Bhagirathi, Chandrawal, Wazirabad, Haiderpur, Nangloi, Okhla, Bawana and Dwarka, have been directed to operate at peak capacity. Coordination with Haryana is also being maintained to monitor ammonia levels in raw water, ensuring the uninterrupted functioning of treatment plants.

Infrastructure and Resource Enhancement

Areas facing water shortages have been identified, and targeted arrangements have been put in place to bridge the gap. The Delhi CM outlined several key improvements made this year. She mentioned that the number of operational tubewells has been increased from 5,834 to 6,200, while water tankers have been scaled up from 1,166 to 1,210. Fixed supply points have risen from 8,700 to 13,000, and filling hydrants from 198 to 202. CM Gupta highlighted that to strengthen tanker-based supply in water-scarce areas, 1,210 tankers have been deployed, with an additional 100 kept on standby. Deployment has been tailored constituency-wise, with high-demand areas such as Sangam Vihar, Matiala, Chhatarpur, Deoli, Tughlakabad, Palam, Bijwasan and Bawana receiving special attention.

Grievance Redressal and Localised Planning

The Chief Minister said detailed planning has been completed at the constituency level, including allocation of responsibilities, colony-wise supply schedules, tanker route plans and resource deployment. "The grievance redressal system has been reinforced with 24x7 helplines (1916 and 1800117118). Complaints are routed directly to the concerned junior engineer, and 100 per cent feedback is ensured. A central control room and chatbot-based system have also been introduced, alongside PPP-mode call centres in several areas. Across the city, 28 water emergency centres have been set up at strategic locations, operating round the clock. These centres are equipped with adequate staff, communication systems and CCTV surveillance to ensure swift resolution of supply-related issues," the release said.

Future Projects and Long-Term Augmentation

The Chief Minister directed officials to expedite efforts to augment the water supply and to swiftly commission the second 50 MGD water treatment plant located in Dwarka. Furthermore, she hailed the preparations to soon operationalise the 2 MGD capacity recycling plant at the Bawana Water Treatment Plant as a significant achievement, an important step towards promoting water reuse within the city.

Chief Minister Rekha Gupta stated that, in order to enhance water availability, 520 additional tube wells have been installed and 172 kilometres of old water pipelines were replaced during the year 2025-26, resulting in improved water supply.

Ongoing Maintenance and Leakage Repair

"Additionally, work is underway on valve regulation, the laying of new pipelines, and the large-scale cleaning of sewer lines. The annual cleaning of all underground reservoirs has been completed, and preventive maintenance has been ensured for all pump sets and booster pumping stations utilised within the distribution system. A dedicated drive is also in progress to detect and repair leakages across transmission and distribution networks," CM Gupta said. (ANI)

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by Asianet Newsable English staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)