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Imported Rs 8-crore dredger begins work to clean Yamuna

The minister launched the multipurpose Watermaster Amphibious Multipurpose Dredger along with three ‘hopper’ barges at the Najafgarh Drain, which accounts for nearly 70% of the total pollution load entering the Yamuna.

2 min readNew DelhiJan 17, 2026 08:21 AM IST

A giant dredger imported from Finland began work at the Najafgarh Drain on Friday, targeting the source of what Minister for Irrigation and Flood Control Parvesh Sahib Singh said was “the biggest contributor to Yamuna pollution”. The minister launched the multipurpose Watermaster Amphibious Multipurpose Dredger along with three ‘hopper’ barges at the Najafgarh Drain, which accounts for nearly 70% of the total pollution load entering the Yamuna. Officials said the machine, which is equipped with four stabilizers, a flexible excavator arm that moves 180 degrees, and a 600-litre backhoe bucket, can move seamlessly between land and water. It has a sludge-pumping capacity of 600 cubic metres per hour, and a discharge distance of up to 1.5 km. (File)

The minister launched the multipurpose Watermaster Amphibious Multipurpose Dredger along with three ‘hopper’ barges at the Najafgarh Drain, which accounts for nearly 70% of the total pollution load entering the Yamuna.

Officials said the machine, which is equipped with four stabilizers, a flexible excavator arm that moves 180 degrees, and a 600-litre backhoe bucket, can move seamlessly between land and water. It has a sludge-pumping capacity of 600 cubic metres per hour, and a discharge distance of up to 1.5 km.

The dredger costs a little over Rs 8 crore, and the three self-propelled and self-unloading hopper barges have been deployed at a total cost of Rs 5.25 crore, the officials said.

The barges will assist in dredging and the removal of hyacinth and floating materials. Each barge has a capacity of 12 cubic metres, officials said.

“Najafgarh Drain is the biggest contributor to Yamuna pollution. If we are serious about cleaning the river, this drain has to be treated with the best available technology and continuous monitoring,” Parvesh Sahib Singh said. After assessing the performance of the dredger, more such advanced machines would be deployed at locations along the Yamuna and the drains that fall into the river, he said.

“Cleaning the Yamuna is not only about making announcements; it is about sustained action on the ground. The commissioning of this machine reflects our resolve to address pollution, improve drainage capacity, and prevent flooding with permanent and scientific solutions,” he said.

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