NEW DELHI: The Delhi government, in collaboration with the Asian Development Bank (ADB), has decided to restart the Wazirabad Water Supply Improvement Project, aiming to upgrade the city’s water supply network.
Water Minister Parvesh Verma made the announcement on Monday, stating that despite ADB’s readiness to invest, the previous AAP government had delayed the project, resulting in significant setbacks in improving the city’s water infrastructure.
The Wazirabad project, part of the Delhi Water Supply Master Plan-2021, aims to modernise the city’s water distribution system, reduce water losses, and ensure 24x7 supply to critical areas. The initiative includes upgrading outdated pipelines, introducing advanced water treatment technologies, and improving service delivery to Delhi’s citizens. Verma criticised the previous government for deprioritising international collaboration, leading to the ADB’s withdrawal of support in 2020. He stated, “Where earlier governments chose to delay development, we have chosen to move forward decisively.” The minister highlighted that ADB’s partnership would bring international best practices and technical expertise to ensure the project’s success.
The renewed project focuses on reducing non-revenue water (NRW) by improving leak detection, pipeline rehabilitation, and pressure management. NRW is water that is supplied but not billed due to theft or leaks. The project will benefit areas under the Wazirabad Water Treatment Plant (WTP), including Burari, Sanjay Gandhi Transport Nagar, Model Town, Punjabi Bagh, Shakur Basti, Jahangirpuri, Peera Garhi, Avantika and Pitampura.