Interceptors installed at various points of the drain will stop the sewer water of residential colonies from entering the drain, and this toxic water stored in long underground chambers will then be re-directed to STPs.
Finally some respite for residents living in the areas around the extremely toxic Shahdara drain.
The Delhi Jal Board (DJB) has started its mega interceptor project along the drain. The idea is to keep sewage water from illegal residential colonies away from the drain. According to data, at present, more than 180 sewer lines of illegal colonies are connected to this drain.
The Shahdara drain — supposedly a storm-water drain — links to river Yamuna. However, due to poor management on the part of DJB — and in the absence of an alternative drain for sewer water from residential colonies — this drain was being used to take out the dirty water.
But thankfully, things are set to change by March next year.
Toxic gases emanating from the drain have greatly depleted the life of electronic gadgets, such as AC and refrigerators, in homes of East Delhi and Noida. These gases, including methane, hydrogen sulfide, ammonia and carbon monoxide, are not only harmful for electronic gadgets but severely impact the surrounding air quality as well.
In an exclusive interaction with City Spidey, chief engineer of DJB, VK Gupta, explained, “Implementation of interceptors is an attempt to stop the release of sewer water of residential colonies into the drain. The dirty water will now be directly sent to sewer treatment plants (STP) installed along the drain. After treating the water in STPs, it will be released downstream in the drain. Interceptors will be installed along drain from Seelampur to New Ashok Nagar.”
Gupta further added, “A long underground chamber will be constructed at the points where sewer lines connect with the drain. The water will be stored in the chambers, and then sent to STPs for treatment. ”
The tender for the project, according to him, has already been awarded to some to private firms. Operation and maintenance of the entire project will be carried out by them for the next 11 years on a contract basis.
The Shahdara drain starts from GT Road near Seelampur and ends at Noida, Sector 92. It carries sewerage of areas such as Gazipur, Mandawli, Kondli, Kalyanpuri, Gharoli, Yamuna Vihar, Shiv Vihar, Karawal Nagar and Mustafabad.
Though the Shahdara drain passes through Noida, the interceptors will be installed only till New Ashok Nagar.
But that would spell relief only for residents living in Delhi, what about Noida?
When City Spidey spoke to Samakant Shrivastava, a senior project engineer with the Noida Authority, he claimed that Noida’s sewer lines are not connected with the Shahdara Drain. “We already have four zones for collecting waste water from across the city — and it is directly sent to the STPs.”
