New Delhi: Union Home Minister Amit Shah set a May 2029 deadline on Thursday for cleaning the Yamuna, as he inaugurated and laid foundation stones for 43 water and sewerage projects worth Rs 8,941.22 crore in Delhi.
Ten projects worth Rs 2,827.11 crore were inaugurated, while foundation stones were laid for 33 others worth Rs 6,114.11 crore. Shah also reviewed the works, according to officials.
The Yamuna's pollution has been a running concern in the capital for years, with untreated sewage and industrial waste among the main causes cited. Under the new projects, officials said, the city will get sewage treatment plants, sewer lines and upgraded water-distribution networks.
The announcement comes amid heightened scrutiny of Delhi's air quality and river pollution, with both protests and court intervention in recent months. Shah said both the Centre and the Delhi government were funding the effort to improve the river's water quality.
By fixing May 2029 as the target, Shah committed to completing the works within the deadline. He did not spell out who would monitor implementation or how much would be finished at each stage.
Large parts of Delhi report water shortages and complaints of contaminated supply every year. The administration says the new works will reduce those complaints. Delhi's pollution worsens every winter, and a graded response plan has been invoked again as air quality slipped in recent days. Promises to clean the Yamuna have been made for years, and the new package centres on sewage treatment plants and distribution networks. Officials say the works will bring cleaner water to many colonies. With water shortages and complaints of contaminated supply common across the city, the projects are being watched closely by residents.