Strengthening the city’s water supply and sewage infrastructure, preventing untreated wastewater from flowing into the Yamuna which is likely to directly benefit around 1.5 crore people of Delhi: These are among the intended outcomes of 43 Delhi Jal Board (DJB) projects worth Rs 8,941.22 crore, inaugurated by Union Home Minister Amit Shah on the occasion of his birthday on Thursday.Of the 43 projects, 10 worth Rs 2,827.11 crore have been inaugurated, while the foundation stones for the remaining 33 projects, estimated to cost Rs 6,114.11 crore, have been laid.The projects cover water and sewage treatment plants, sewer networks, household sewer connections, pumping stations and drainage infrastructure. According to the government, these are aimed at improving water supply, expanding sewerage coverage in unauthorised colonies and villages, increasing sewage treatment capacity and promoting the reuse of treated wastewater.Delhi Lieutenant Governor Taranjit Singh Sandhu, Union Minister Harsh Malhotra, Chief Minister Rekha Gupta, Water Minister Parvesh Sahib Singh and other Cabinet ministers were present at the event held in Shyam Vihar, Dwarka on Thursday morning.Sewage to be treated before it reaches the YamunaA key component is a new sewage treatment plant (STP) at Okhla, with a capacity of 124 million gallons per day (MGD), at an estimated cost of Rs 1,161 crore.Eight existing STPs will also be upgraded at a cost of Rs 1,041 crore, increasing their combined treatment capacity from 78.2 MGD to 140.8 MGD. The upgrades are expected to benefit around 78.5 lakh people.The projects also include upgrades to the Rithala Phase I and Kondli Phase I, II and III STPs, with the aim of improving the quality of treated wastewater and ensuring compliance with prescribed standards.Story continues below this adIn Outer Delhi, 29 decentralised sewage treatment plants (DSTPs) and sewage pumping stations will be developed at a cost of Rs 3,113.67 crore. These projects are expected to cover 358 unauthorised colonies and 113 villages, benefiting around 36.29 lakh residents.The government has also planned 12 projects involving sewer lines and household connections, with an estimated investment of Rs 1,691 crore. Under these projects, 1,034 km of sewer network will be laid, benefiting around 25.82 lakh people.Upgraded water treatment plant at ChandrawalOn the water supply front, a 477 MGD water treatment plant at Chandrawal, being developed at a cost of Rs 298.3 crore, will replace the existing Chandrawal-I and Chandrawal-II plants, which were established in 1935 and 1955, respectively.The new facility is expected to benefit around 22 lakh people in areas including Sadar Bazaar, Chandni Chowk, Matia Mahal, Ballimaran, Karol Bagh, Patel Nagar, Rajinder Nagar and New Delhi.Story continues below this adA 2 MGD recycling plant at Bawana, being built at a cost of Rs 13.48 crore, is also part of the programme. The facility is expected to improve the utilisation of available water resources and benefit around 67,000 people.Focus on connecting households to sewer networkAlongside expanding treatment capacity, the projects aim to ensure that sewage generated in residential areas reaches treatment plants through a functioning sewer network.In Gokalpur, 18,768 households across 13 colonies have been connected to the sewer network, benefiting around 1.07 lakh people. In Ranhola, approximately 210 km of sewer lines have been laid across 48 unauthorised colonies, providing sewerage facilities to around 3.31 lakh residents.In Narela’s Palla and Khera Khurd areas, a project involving around 86 km of sewer lines and 19,500 household connections is planned to benefit approximately 1.1 lakh people.Story continues below this adAnother project in Bajitpur Thakran and Auchandi villages in Bawana involves around 173 km of sewer lines and 57,606 household connections.Three projects to rehabilitate old trunk and peripheral sewer lines in Dwarka and Janakpuri, at a combined cost of Rs 29.20 crore, are also included. The work is intended to restore ageing sewer infrastructure and improve local sanitation, with around 12 lakh people expected to benefit.Sewage from drains to be diverted to treatment plantsThe programme also includes projects to intercept sewage flowing into drains and divert it to treatment facilities.Arrangements to intercept sewage from the Barapullah and Maharani Bagh drains and send it to the Okhla STP have been completed and commissioned.Story continues below this adThe work includes a 35 MGD sewage pumping station at Batla House Phase II, an interceptor sewer and associated pipelines. The revised approved cost of the project is Rs 145.18 crore.A 1,000-mm-diameter rising main has also been laid to convey sewage from Ghonda SPS-II to the Yamuna Vihar STP.Another project involves a 15 MGD pumping station connected to the Andrews Ganj sewage pumping station to intercept sewage from the Chirag Delhi drain.Decentralised plants and reuse of treated waterSeveral projects will focus on decentralised sewage treatment infrastructure in areas where local sewage collection and treatment facilities need to be strengthened.Story continues below this adThese include work related to decentralised STPs and pumping stations in Nayabans, Tajpur Pahari, Tajpur Khurd, Bijwasan, Tikri Kalan, Mohammadpur Majri, Kanjhawala, Jindpur, Hiranki, Mitraon and various parts of south Delhi.The objective is to bridge gaps between sewage collection and treatment while improving sewerage services closer to the areas where wastewater is generated.The programme also includes measures to reuse treated wastewater for non-potable purposes. Under one project, 4 MGD of treated water will be transported from the Kapashera STP to Pushpanjali Farm House in Bijwasan, helping reduce dependence on potable water and groundwater for purposes such as gardening.Rs 225-crore trunk drain project in MundkaDrainage infrastructure is another component of the programme. A 4.5-km trunk drain from Mundka Halt Station to the Najafgarh Supplementary Drain, estimated to cost Rs 225.02 crore, is among the projects.Story continues below this adThe government has said the overall objective is to address gaps in sewage collection and treatment, strengthen the city’s water supply infrastructure and reduce the flow of untreated sewage into the Yamuna.