Delhi Jal Board's Sonia Vihar STP Nears Completion.

The Delhi Jal Board (DJB) is close to completing the construction of a new 7-million gallons per day (MGD) sewage treatment plant (STP) at Sonia Vihar, a project expected to play a significant role in reducing pollution in the Yamuna River. Officials announced on Tuesday that the plant is currently 98 per cent complete.

The new STP is strategically located to trap the Sonia Vihar drain, which currently receives untreated sewage from several unauthorised colonies in areas including Sonia Vihar, Karawal Nagar, and Khazoori Khas. According to the DJB, the wastewater from this drain will now be diverted to the upcoming plant for treatment before discharge.

The construction of new treatment facilities is part of the DJB's efforts to address Delhi's substantial sewage treatment deficit. The city presently generates approximately 792 MGD of sewage, but the DJB's 37 operational STPs together can treat only about 610 MGD. This capacity gap means a significant volume of untreated sewage often flows directly into the Yamuna River, contributing to its pollution.

To increase its overall sewage treatment capacity and ensure stricter compliance with environmental norms, the DJB is not only building new STPs but also undertaking the enhancement and upgradation of many existing plants, particularly those that do not currently meet the prescribed treatment standards.

Currently, 18 out of the 37 existing STPs are undergoing upgradation projects. The completion of new STPs, such as the one at Sonia Vihar and another planned at Delhi Gate, is collectively expected to add approximately 47 MGD to the DJB's total sewage treatment capacity.

In addition to the Sonia Vihar STP, the board is also constructing a wastewater treatment pumping station in the Rajiv Nagar area to facilitate the collection and transport of sewage to the treatment facility.

According to information provided, in the first budget of the new BJP government, the water and sewerage sector received a substantial allocation of ₹9,000 crore. Within this, Chief Minister Rekha Gupta has reportedly allocated ₹500 crore specifically for STP repairs and the rehabilitation of related projects.

Further efforts to improve the performance of treatment plants include a directive issued in April by Water Minister Parvesh Verma, who had instructed the DJB to conduct a third-party audit of all its 37 existing STPs.

The nearing completion of the Sonia Vihar plant marks a step forward in the city's ongoing initiatives to improve sewage management and curb the flow of untreated wastewater into the Yamuna River.