Okhla STP goes live, 600 km rd repair plan unveiled: Min
New Delhi: In a step towards cleaning the Yamuna and modernizing Delhi’s infrastructure, the city’s Public Works and Water Minister, Parvesh Sahib Singh Verma, announced the full-scale operation of Asia’s largest single-stage Wastewater Treatment Plant (WWTP) at Okhla. Alongside this, the minister also announced an ambitious plan to repair 600 kilometres of Delhi’s roads this year.
The 564 MLD-capacity Okhla WWTP uses advanced Activated Sludge Process (ASP), tertiary disc filters, and UV disinfection systems to treat sewage water as per international standards. The fully automated plant, monitored via SCADA systems, produces high-quality effluent with BOD and TSS levels below 10 mg/L.
“This plant is a critical step under Prime Minister Narendra Modi ji’s vision for a clean Yamuna and a sewage-free Delhi,” said Singh after inspecting the facility. “We are committed to transforming Delhi into a clean, sustainable, and responsible Capital.”
Built with Central government support, the plant caters to nearly 4 million residents of Old, Central, NDMC and South Delhi. While treated water is currently discharged into the Old Agra Canal, it will soon flow into the Yamuna downstream of Okhla Barrage via the under-construction Abul Fazal drain. Since June 2024, 40 MLD of treated water has also been used for horticulture across Delhi.
The WWTP also generates 4.8 MW of green energy from biogas and produces India’s first Class-A, pathogen-free sludge, usable as organic fertilizer. The facility adds 30 MGD of treatment capacity and ensures that 35 MGD of sewage from Barapullah and Maharani Bagh drains is treated before entering the Yamuna — a boost for pollution control.
In parallel, the PWD has kicked off a city-wide road repair project. “This year, we aim to repair 600 km of roads, with 250 km completed before the monsoon,” said Singh. The remaining 250–300 km will be taken up post-monsoon under Phase 2. The repairs will include recarpeting, patchwork, pothole filling, and restoring roads cut by other agencies. Contracts will have a two-year operation and maintenance clause to ensure accountability. PWD currently maintains 1,400 km of roads over 60 feet wide, which were transferred from the MCD in 2012. Residents have long flagged poor road conditions, which the department now seeks to rectify under this renewed push.
