The Delhi government has approved construction of a 4.72-kilometre flood-protection wall along the Yamuna, covering the stretch from Majnu Ka Tila to the Old Railway Bridge on the Ring Road, officials said, a move intended to shield low-lying central neighbourhoods from recurring inundation. Authorities say work will be taken up on priority and timed before the upcoming monsoon season.
Chief Minister Rekha Gupta described the decision as a response to repeated flooding. “The decision is rooted in the city’s repeated experience with severe flooding,” she said, adding the project aims to move beyond temporary measures that have been deployed in past years.
The chosen stretch is among Delhi’s most flood-prone. Low-lying areas such as Civil Lines, Kashmere Gate, Yamuna Bazaar and Majnu Ka Tila are regularly affected when river levels rise; floodwaters have spilled onto the Ring Road here in previous seasons, disrupting traffic and daily life.
Urgency for a permanent barrier increased after extreme river levels in recent years. In 2023 the Yamuna reached 208.66 metres, exceeding the 1978 peak and inundating large parts of the city. The river again crossed the danger mark in 2025, reaching 207.48 metres, underlining a pattern of heightened flood risk.
The plan follows recommendations from a Joint Flood Committee and is based on studies by the Central Water and Power Research Station, which identified this reach as especially vulnerable to overflow and bank erosion.
Officials say the wall should reduce direct overflow into adjacent neighbourhoods, limit riverbank erosion and protect roads and buildings along the Ring Road corridor. Construction details, cost and exact timelines were not disclosed in the initial announcement.
With extreme water levels becoming more frequent, experts and residents alike will be watching whether a 4.72‑km barrier is sufficient to keep Delhi safe when the Yamuna rises again.
Original Source: https://www.ndtv.com/delhi-news/delhi-clears-4-7-km-flood-protection-wall-along-yamuna-river-11358499#publisher=newsstand
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Publish Date: 2026-04-15 04:43:00
