New Delhi: Delhi may have got a drainage master plan at long last. But financing the overhaul of this urban infrastructure will surely test the capacity of the state govt. As govt officials will readily admit, the sheer size of the project, especially when it coincides with existing pressures on the state budget, makes it a challenging exercise. For the 2025-26 financial year, Delhi govt has earmarked Rs 28,115 crore for capital expenditure. This includes infrastructure development in the form of flyovers, expenses on education, health and social sectors which could not be ignored. Against this, the Rs 57,000 crore drainage master plan alone will demand nearly Rs 12,000 crore in the first year of implementation, followed by annual allocations of Rs 10,000–11,000 crore in the subsequent phases. Against this, the Rs 57,000 crore drainage master plan alone will demand nearly Rs 12,000 crore in the first year of implementation, followed by annual allocations of Rs 10,000–11,000 crore in the subsequent phases.A govt official said on Wednesday, “A cabinet meeting soon will clear the master plan and make financial allocations for the project. The first phase of implementation will then start.” Union urban development minister Manohar Lal Khattar, while unveiling the plan last week, assured that the central govt would support the project.“The Centre under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, CM Rekha Gupta and PWD minister Parvesh Sahib Singh have made it clear that every possible assistance will be availed of,” an official said. “Financial resources will be bridged through Namami Gange Project and NDMA funds. Also, funds of DDA, MCD, NHAI, Delhi Jal Board and Delhi Cantonment Board will be used to implement the master plan in five phases.“Officials admitted that diverting such a large chunk of resources will be challenging for Delhi govt, especially because it is committed to electoral promises in social welfare, education and health. “This is a massive civil engineering exercise. But unlike flyovers or housing schemes, drains do not offer visible political returns, even though they are vital,” said an official involved in the project.The new plan divides Delhi into three basins — Najafgarh, Barapullah and Trans-Yamuna — with the first, covering nearly two-thirds of the city, absorbing the largest portion of project funds at over Rs 33,000 crore. Water resource expert AK Gosain said, “Since the plan deals with localities that are perpetually flooded, it is a feasible exercise. The bigger drains can be mapped and redesigned, but the colony-level networks will be harder to work on.”The plan itself acknowledges the scale of engineering needed. Over 143km of rectangular closed drains and nearly 14km of open drains are to be demolished and rebuilt. In addition, 55km of circular drains will be reconstructed, alongside desilting of nallahs and augmentation of stormwater channels costing more than Rs 3,000 crore. “These interventions require precision mapping, hydraulic modelling and new technologies, and also coordination among eight agencies, including PWD, MCD, NDMC, DDA and DSIIDC,” said an official.Former DDA commissioner AK Jain felt that some ecological realities may have been overlooked. “Drainage basins don’t follow administrative boundaries. For example, Rohini has been clubbed with Najafgarh and Hindon has not been considered. Unauthorised colonies near the Yamuna have also not been mapped with drainage solutions. If these gaps persist, flooding will continue despite heavy investments,” he warned.Experts also flagged the need to integrate green infrastructure. Sponge-city features such as permeable pavements, rain gardens, and wetlands are still marginal in Delhi’s planning, even though they could significantly reduce drainage load.For citizens, the biggest headache will be traffic disruptions with arterial roads, among them Vikas Marg, Mathura Road, Barapullah, MB Road and DDU Marg, falling in the project areas. Laying new drains will require extensive barricading and excavation, which could paralyse these congested corridors.If the project is fully implemented, waterlogging incidents could be halved within three years, with a projected 40% reduction in flood-related economic damage within four years.Still, experts warn against expecting overnight results. “Nature doesn’t operate on administrative deadlines. Excessive rainfall, shrinking Yamuna channels and mixing of sewage and stormwater are deep-seated issues. It will take time and persistence to see real impact,” said Jain.
