With polls in sight, Kejriwal launches 24-hour water supply in Rajinder Nagar

New Delhi, Dec 24 (PTI) Ahead of the Assembly elections in Delhi, AAP national convenor Arvind Kejriwal on Tuesday launched round-the-clock water supply at Pandav Nagar DDA flats in the Rajinder Nagar area.

"When we came to power 10 years ago, around 50-60 per cent of water was supplied by tankers in Delhi. There used to be a tanker mafia. I am happy to say that today, after 10 years, 97 per cent of Delhi gets piped water," the former chief minister said after launching the scheme.

"Today is a very important day. It has been a dream for all of us that Delhi should receive clean water directly from taps, 24x7, whether on the third or fourth floors, without the need for pumps. Today, this monumental dream begins in Delhi, starting with DDA flats in Pandav Nagar under the Rajender Nagar Assembly constituency. Clean water has started flowing here 24x7," Kejriwal said.

Outlining a plan to meet the extra water requirements, the AAP chief said, "Delhi currently produces 1,000 MGD of water, but requires 250 MGD more. With neighbouring states like Uttar Pradesh, Uttarakhand, and Haryana unable to provide additional water, alternative solutions will be implemented.

"In east and north-east Delhi, abundant but contaminated groundwater will be treated using de-ammonisation and reverse osmosis (RO) plants, making it potable. We will also install 2,500 tube-wells in the region which are expected to provide an additional 200 MGD of treated water." In south and west Delhi, underground aquifers containing hard water will be treated using RO plants to produce 100 MGD and additionally, tube-wells along the Yamuna banks between Wazirabad and Palla will extract another 100 MGD of water, he added.

"These combined efforts aim to generate an additional 400 MGD of water, thus increasing Delhi’s production capacity to 1,400 MGD," Kejriwal said.

Delhi Chief Minister Atishi and local MLA Durgesh Pathak accompanied the AAP chief.

In a post on X, Atishi said, "Water revolution has begun in Delhi. After 24x7 electricity, now the promise of 24x7 water is also being fulfilled. Today, under the guidance of Arvind Kejriwal ji, a 24x7 clean water scheme was launched in the DDA flats, Pandav Nagar.

"Under this scheme, houses in the area will get clean and fresh water 24x7. Arvind Kejriwal himself went to the houses and drank water from the tap, and proved that he fulfils whatever promises he makes. He has a blueprint to implement this scheme in the whole of Delhi. The day is not far when every Delhiite will get clean water 24x7." Thanking Kejriwal, Pathak said, "I feel extremely fortunate that this project has been launched in my constituency, Rajinder Nagar, and is being implemented across other constituencies as well." The AAP has repeated Pathak from Rajinder Nagar for the Assembly elections due in February. PTI