Flood risk zoning, drone survey: DJB sets eyes on ‘zero untreated waste discharge into Yamuna’ with new plan

Key components of the SIS include conducting a topographic survey using drones, identifying infrastructure gaps, flood-risk assessment and preparing a Master Plan for 2043.

A critical aspect of SIS involves assessing the adequacy of existing infrastructure, including sewage treatment plants (STPs), domestic sewage treatment plants (DSTPs), pumping stations, trunk and local sewer networks, and decentralized systems.

The exercises to be undertaken as part of SIS have been divided into phases: immediate (to be undertaken in the current year), short-term (to be completed within one to three years), and long-term. The overall timeline for planning and strategising for SIS has been set at 15 months, with the possibility of extension up to two years at the discretion of DJB, officials said. A tender has also been issued to hire a consultant.

DJB has emphasized that sewerage planning must be equitable.

Under SIS, targeted planning for informal settlements and slum clusters will be undertaken using geo-tagged mapping and community-based assessments to identify existing gaps. “Special attention will be given to marginalised populations in peri-urban and remote urban areas, who often fall outside the coverage of trunk infrastructure. Where conventional solutions are not viable, conventional or decentralised systems, such as community-scale STPs or modular treatment units, will be explored,” said an official.

Another key component of the project is flood risk zoning, which will help identify areas vulnerable to waterlogging, high runoff, and riverine flooding, DJB officials said. This exercise will inform the location, design, and sizing of key infrastructure elements, ensuring they remain operational under stress conditions, officials added.