New Delhi: Union Home Minister Amit Shah will inaugurate Asia’s largest sewage treatment plant (STP) in Okhla on Tuesday, marking a major milestone in Delhi’s efforts to rejuvenate the Yamuna River.
The inauguration, scheduled to take place at Keshavpur in Vikaspuri, will also include the launch of 46 other sewage and sanitation-related projects worth a total of Rs 4,000 crore under the National Mission for Clean Ganga (NMCG).
Delhi Chief Minister Rekha Gupta is expected to preside over the event, which is being organized as a large public gathering. Over 6,000 people, including local residents, community leaders, and officials, have been invited to witness the occasion.
According to officials, the Okhla STP is the largest facility of its kind in Asia, with a treatment capacity of 124 million gallons per day (MGD). Built at a cost of Rs 1,161 crore, the plant spans 40 acres and replaces four outdated sewage treatment units previously located at the same site. The new facility is designed not only to treat sewage but also to produce power from waste and generate A-class sludge, which is safe for reuse in agriculture and landscaping.
Delhi Jal Board (DJB), which led the project in collaboration with the Centre, stated that nearly 40 lakh residents across south, central, and old Delhi will directly benefit from the plant. It is expected to significantly reduce the volume of untreated sewage flowing into the Yamuna, a critical goal under the Yamuna Action Plan-III.
Construction of the plant began in 2019 but faced multiple delays due to unforeseen challenges, including the COVID-19 pandemic and government-imposed construction bans. Although it was originally slated for completion in 2022, work was finally wrapped up in April this year, followed by a successful trial run.
Officials said that 85 per cent of the project’s funding was provided by the central government, while the Delhi government contributed the remaining amount.
The inauguration of these projects comes at a time when efforts to clean the Yamuna have received renewed attention.
(IANS)
