NMCG’s two pilot projects boost sustainable urban drain management along the Yamuna

The National Mission for Clean Ganga (NMCG) is mainstreaming Nature-based Solutions through the Sustainable River Rejuvenation (SRR) programme by implementing pilot projects based on constructed wetlands for in-situ treatment of urban drains, while simultaneously promoting research, innovation and capacity building for their wider adoption.

By augmenting Nature-based Solutions alongside conventional treatment technologies, the NMCG is advancing a holistic river basin management approach that integrates pollution abatement, ecological restoration and institutional strengthening to rejuvenate rivers across the Ganga basin.

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“The two pilot projects—at the Shastri Park Drain and Kailash Nagar Drain, with combined treatment capacity of approximately 10 MLD, both discharging into the Yamuna—mark an important step towards adopting sustainable, low-energy and climate-resilient approaches for urban drain management,” the Ministry of Jal Shakti said on Thursday.

Unlike conventional treatment systems that rely heavily on mechanical infrastructure and energy-intensive processes, these interventions are based on constructed wetland systems, which replicate the treatment functions of natural wetlands.

The treatment systems integrate a combination of stone masonry structures for regulating water flow and enhancing hydraulic retention time, rock filters for removing suspended solids, aquatic vegetation for nutrient uptake and oxygen transfer, and phytoremediation using carefully selected plant species capable of absorbing, stabilising and degrading pollutants, including excess nutrients and certain heavy metals.

Working together, these natural processes improve dissolved oxygen levels, reduce organic pollution, enhance biodiversity and restore ecological functions while requiring significantly lower operational and maintenance inputs.

Steady progress has already been achieved at both project sites. At the Kailash Nagar Drain, site clearance through desludging and desilting has been completed, brick lining works are currently underway, and installation of rock filters will follow in the next phase.

At the Shastri Park Drain, preparatory desludging and desilting activities are in progress, paving the way for installation of stone masonry structures, rock filtration systems and aquatic plant species. Together, these projects are expected to demonstrate the effectiveness of Nature-based Solutions in treating around 10 MLD of wastewater while serving as scalable and cost-effective models for urban drain management across the Ganga basin.