In January 2026, the Irrigation and Flood Control Department will initially deploy the Amphibious Classic 4 Watermaster, an advanced dredger machine, on the critical stretches of the river.
Photo: SNS
The ongoing Yamuna cleaning drive in the national capital is set to receive a major boost with the procurement and deployment of state-of-the-art machinery from abroad, which is expected to enhance the operation’s efficiency significantly.
In January 2026, the Irrigation and Flood Control Department will initially deploy the Amphibious Classic 4 Watermaster, an advanced dredger machine, on the critical stretches of the river.
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Later, the machinery will be deployed for cleaning operations on the Sahibi River basin (also known as the Najafgarh Drain).
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This advanced machine is being procured from Finland to undertake large-scale dredging, desilting, and cleaning works in the Yamuna and Sahibi rivers, officials said.
Owing to its ability to perform multiple functions efficiently, the dredger is expected to play a vital role in maintaining the city’s water bodies and enhancing the national capital’s resilience against flooding and pollution.
The officials of the Irrigation and Flood Control Department emphasised that this acquisition aligns with Delhi’s long-term vision to integrate modern technology into urban environmental management, setting new standards for sustainability and efficiency.
Capable of operating on both land and water, the machine combines Finnish engineering with high-efficiency hydraulic systems and modular attachments that can perform multiple operations, including dredging, backhoe excavation, raking, solid waste removal, and weed extraction with high precision, officials said.
The cost of the advanced dredger is approximately Rs 8 crore, including shipment, one-year warranty, six months of company-operated performance support, and 5 per cent GST.
It is scheduled to arrive in India before December, while the operations on the Yamuna River will commence from January.
The key features of the equipment include a dredging depth of up to 6 metres, a cutter pump discharge capacity of 600 cubic metres per hour, a hydraulically-driven propulsion system for smooth navigation and control, quick-change modular tools such as a suction dredging pump, backhoe bucket, and raker, and a fully amphibious design for both land and water operations.
This advanced equipment is expected to enhance the Irrigation and Flood Control Department’s capacity to clean, desilt, and rejuvenate river channels while strengthening Delhi’s flood control and drainage systems.
The design and the configuration of the machine allow continuous year-round work, be it pre-monsoon desilting, flood mitigation, and post-monsoon restoration, officials said.
Irrigation and Flood Control Minister Parvesh Verma, who was in Finland, said, “This New Year will mark a new beginning for the Yamuna. The arrival of the Amphibious Classic 4 dredger is a major milestone in our mission to rejuvenate Delhi’s rivers and strengthen our flood management system.”
He has called the procurement of these machines by the state government a conscious investment in advanced technology and environmental responsibility.
Verma claims that the machine will help clean the Yamuna faster and in a more effective manner.
“By adopting world-class tools and techniques, we are ensuring that Delhi’s future is cleaner, greener, and safer from floods,” he added.
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