One year of BJP rule in Delhi | After promises on Yamuna, roads, water and air, work in progress on most fronts

A first-of-its-kind effort in coordination with the Haryana government was also seen during Chhath Puja, when Haryana released additional water into the river from the Hathnikund barrage for a few days to improve the water flow. Defoaming chemical agents were also sprayed that got mulled in controversy as environment activists raised safety and ecological concerns.

One year on, the clean-up push is visible as Delhi currently operates 38 STPs with a capacity of about 712 MGD against an estimated sewage generation of 792 MGD, with the capacity projected to rise to over 814 MGD by December 2026 through upgrades and new plants at Sonia Vihar, Delhi Gate and Okhla. Floodplain redevelopment under the Yamuna Riverfront project led by the Delhi Development Authority targets completion of a 22-km stretch between Wazirabad and Okhla by June 30 this year.

Reforming the Capital’s water utility was another major promise. The government highlighted high non-revenue water — 50–52% — along with infrastructure losses and weak billing systems. Progress so far includes the appointment of KPMG as a project management unit to monitor DJB works, and plans for smart metering, upgraded billing software and a new collection system. A late payment surcharge waiver scheme was kicked off to address pending domestic dues estimated at Rs 12,000-13,000 crore, while penalties for regularising illegal connections were reduced significantly.

On supply augmentation, work to source 26 MGD from tubewells had deadlines cited in 2025, while the 50-MGD Wazirabad water treatment plant expansion is under construction, with the raw-water source yet to be finalised. Move to tap additional water from neighbouring states though remains in the planning stage. Overall, however, availability continues to fall short of estimated demand.

The government also unveiled the Rs 57,362-crore Delhi Drainage Master Plan 2025, promising to cut waterlogging and flood incidents by half over five years by restructuring drainage across three major basins — Najafgarh, Barapullah and Trans-Yamuna.

Environmental protection commitments included steps toward declaring large parts of the Southern Ridge as reserved forest. Environment Minister Manjinder Singh Sirsa recently announced massive plantations and development of city forests. Parallelly, the Supreme Court directed the Centre to grant statutory status to the Delhi Ridge Management Board under the Environment Protection Act.

On solid waste, a CM-Mayor review stated that biomining capacity increased from about 25,000 tonnes per day to 30,000 tonnes per day by mid-2025. The government also aims at flattening the three main landfills by December 2026.

Air pollution measures included cloud-seeding proposals, anti-smog gun mandates and real-time monitoring dashboards, according to Sirsa. A 14-point dust mitigation plan was rolled out, AI cameras were installed at most fuel stations to track end-of-life vehicles, and restrictions on non-compliant commercial vehicles entering Delhi were proposed.

Public transport electrification has been the most visible intervention. The Chief Minister flagged off 500 electric buses last month, stating that around 4,000 e-buses are currently operational, with a target of about 14,000 by 2028-29. The government has also sought 3,300 additional electric buses from the Centre and rolled out DEVI mini buses for last-mile connectivity. The operational restructuring includes transferring cluster bus management from the Delhi Integrated Multi-Modal Transit System to the Delhi Transport Corporation to enable route rationalisation and improve operational stability.

The Centre sanctioned Rs 802 crore under the Central Road Infrastructure Fund for Delhi. According to officials, 150 km of roads have been renovated, and the construction and redevelopment of 400 km of roads will be completed by March 2026. The renovation of 600 km of roads is planned for 2026.

Work is underway to ensure that 300 km of roads are renovated by the end of financial year 2026-27.

Even as projects like cloud seeding or artificial rain were not the government’s success stories and last-mile connectivity targets are yet to be met, sewage infrastructure, waste processing and transport electrification got a major push. Most flagship promises, including Yamuna rejuvenation, flood mitigation and comprehensive water reforms, remain works in progress with outcomes likely to become clearer over the next two-to-three years.