New Delhi: Delhi’s long-delayed Wazirabad Water Supply Improvement Project has received in-principle approval from the Department of Economic Affairs’ screening committee, paving the way for the revival of the ₹2,574-crore project aimed at modernising water supply infrastructure in the Wazirabad Water Treatment Plant (WTP) command area.
The project was conceptualised in 2013 and originally approved in 2014 under the Delhi Water Supply Improvement Investment Programme at an estimated cost of ₹2,243 crore. It was envisaged as an Asian Development Bank (ADB)-assisted project but faced prolonged delays, with ADB withdrawing its funding in 2019. The revised investment programme is now estimated at around ₹2,574 crore, with Delhi seeking renewed ADB assistance.
Project to Cover Wazirabad’s Water Supply Network
The proposed works will cover the water supply chain within the Wazirabad WTP command area, including treatment and transmission infrastructure, underground service reservoirs, pumping facilities and distribution networks.
Key components include:
- Replacement and improvement of ageing water pipelines.
- Upgradation of underground service reservoirs and pumping infrastructure.
- Improvement of primary, secondary and tertiary distribution networks.
- Provision and improvement of household water connections.
- Measures aimed at reducing non-revenue water through better network management.
- Digital monitoring and SCADA-based supervision of water infrastructure.
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Delhi Jal Board project documents confirm that the earlier ADB-assisted programme included transmission-system improvements, clear-water reservoirs, pumping stations and SCADA and instrumentation for the Wazirabad command area.
Eight Command Centres to Strengthen Digital Water Monitoring
A key technology component of the project is the creation of eight interconnected Command Centres to monitor Delhi’s water-supply network through a common digital platform. The network will cover Wazirabad and Chandrawal, along with dedicated centres for the West, South-West, East, North-East, North-West and South zones.
Wazirabad Command Area Covers Several Delhi Localities
The Wazirabad Water Treatment Plant (WTP) is among Delhi’s major water treatment facilities and has a capacity of about 120 million gallons per day (MGD).
Its command area includes localities such as:
- Burari
- Model Town
- Sanjay Gandhi Transport Nagar
- Punjabi Bagh
- Shakur Basti
- Jahangirpuri
- Peeragarhi
- Avantika
- Pitampura
The earlier project documentation also divided the distribution improvement work into packages covering areas including Jahangirpuri, Model Town, Mukherjee Nagar, Punjabi Bagh, Pitampura, Lawrence Road, Peeragarhi, Avantika, Shakur Basti and Burari.
Digital Monitoring to Strengthen Water Management
A major focus of the broader Delhi water-sector plan is the use of digital monitoring and command centres to improve oversight of the distribution network.
The Delhi government has been working on a comprehensive Water Master Plan that envisages studying existing infrastructure, future water requirements, sources and pipeline maintenance. The plan also envisages management of the Delhi Jal Board’s eight command centres through private-sector participation.
The Wazirabad project itself has previously incorporated SCADA and instrumentation for monitoring the water supply system, while the broader modernisation programme is intended to improve monitoring of distribution infrastructure and reduce transmission losses.
Delhi Working on Long-Term Water Master Plan
The Wazirabad project forms part of a wider effort to modernise Delhi’s water infrastructure.
In March 2026, Water Minister Parvesh Sahib Singh said the government was preparing a comprehensive Water Master Plan for the capital, covering existing infrastructure, future requirements, water sources and pipeline maintenance. The government also said it planned to invite private players to manage the DJB’s eight command centres.
Singh said, “There is a need for a holistic approach towards fixing the water sector challenges that we face, so for the first time a Water Master Plan will be presented.”
The minister had also said the city was studying ways to reduce losses during transmission as part of the long-term planning exercise.
Project Moves Towards Implementation
With the screening committee’s in-principle approval, the Wazirabad project can now move towards the next stages of financing and implementation. The project is expected to focus on strengthening the existing network, improving monitoring and reducing losses so that the city’s water infrastructure can provide a more reliable supply.
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