The Public Works Department (PWD), Delhi has sought financial and technical assistance from the World Bank (WB) for implementation of the Delhi Drainage master plan.
Currently, the detailed project reports (DPRs) of the project covering the three major drainage basins of Delhi, namely Najafgarh, Barapullah, and Trans-Yamuna have been submitted to the WB.
The master plan, which was introduced in September 2025, offers a 30 year roadmap to strengthen Delhi’s stormwater network by redeveloping and upgrading approximately 18,958 km of the city’s drainage network, reduce waterlogging incidents by up to 50 per cent in the next three years, and cut flood related accidents by 30 per cent within five years once fully implemented.
Implementation of the plan has already commenced in parts of the city, with initial work on key drains such as the Nangloi and Karala-Kanjhawala drains expected to be completed ahead of the next monsoon.
The project is expected to be completed in five years, with the first two years addressing the major waterlogging hotspots across the city, large-scale drainage infrastructure to be developed in colonies that currently lack a formal drainage system in third year and final testing and system handover scheduled for the fourth and fifth year.
The investment required for the Najafgarh Basin is likely to be Rs 334.99 billion for a catchment area of 918 sq km, that for the Barapullah Basin is likely to be Rs 145.47 billion for a catchment area of 376.27 sq km, and that for the Trans-Yamuna Basin is likely to be Rs 93.17 billion for a catchment area of 196.93 sq km. The total cost of the project is Rs 573.62 billion.
