Delhi’s ₹2,574-Crore Wazirabad Water Network Revamp Gets In-Principle Approval

New Delhi: Delhi’s proposed Wazirabad Water Supply Improvement Project has received in-principle approval from the Screening Committee of the Department of Economic Affairs, marking an important step towards modernising the water-treatment, transmission and distribution infrastructure serving the Wazirabad command area. The programme is being prepared with support from the Asian Development Bank and is estimated to cost about ₹2,574 crore

The project is designed as an end-to-end network upgrade rather than a treatment-plant intervention alone. Proposed works include rehabilitation and replacement of ageing pipelines, improvements to reservoirs and pumping stations, new transmission and distribution mains, customer connections, metering and other measures intended to improve service reliability and reduce non-revenue water. DJB has already initiated procurement for project-management consultancy for the ADB-assisted programme.

Digital water management is also a major component. The proposed system includes SCADA, district-metered areas and network monitoring to track parameters such as flow, pressure and pumping performance. ADB project-preparation information indicates that the programme is intended to support continuous, safe and more equitable supply for approximately 2.64 million residents in the Wazirabad command area.

The Wazirabad WTP is one of Delhi’s major water-treatment facilities, with reported capacity of around 134 MGD. The wider command-area upgrade is expected to complement Delhi’s broader plan to divide its supply system into WTP-led operational zones and strengthen pressure management, leakage control and last-mile distribution.

The latest clearance should be treated as an in-principle project approval, not as confirmation that the full project has entered construction or that the ADB financing agreement has been completed. Further stages may include final financing arrangements, detailed procurement, contract awards and phased implementation.

For Delhi’s water sector, the project is significant because it focuses on the complete supply chain, from treatment and bulk conveyance to household delivery and digital monitoring. Reducing physical losses, maintaining stable pressure and improving real-time visibility could ultimately be as important as adding new production capacity.