In a significant step towards prevention of floods from Yamuna, a recurrent factor especially in the low lying areas along the river, the Delhi government has approved the construction of a protection wall along a vulnerable stretch of the Ring Road.
Chief Minister Rekha Gupta has announced that a 4.72-kilometre-long wall will be built, starting from the Majnu Ka Tila to the Old Railway Bridge (ORB).
According to the CM, the project will be executed on a war footing, with a target to complete the entire stretch before the 2027 monsoon.
Gupta said the decision, formally cleared as part of the budget, is rooted in the city’s repeated experience with severe flooding.
The CM has underlined that the government is now moving decisively towards a permanent solution, rather than relying on temporary or stop-gap arrangements.
Once completed, the wall will act as a robust barrier, preventing Yamuna waters from spilling into residential areas, while it is also expected to provide a strong layer of protection to vulnerable localities such as Civil Lines, Kashmere Gate, Yamuna Bazaar and Majnu Ka Tila, that have historically faced the worst impact whenever water levels of the river are on the rise during the rains.
The CM further said that for decades, floodwaters entered the city through low-lying pockets around Majnu Ka Tila, often submerging stretches of the Ring Road and bringing normal life into a standstill. Be it the devastating floods of 1978 or more recent episodes of 2023 and 2025, this stretch remained particularly vulnerable and has been most affected.
She noted that the existing embankments are no longer adequate to deal with future challenges, making it imperative to adopt a durable, long-term solution.
Official data shows that the Yamuna touched a record level of 208.66 metres in 2023, surpassing the previous high of 1978.
Again, in 2025 as well, the river crossed the danger mark of 205.33 metres, rising to 207.48 metres.
With a warning that such extreme situations could be witnessed again, CM said the proposed wall offers a strong and lasting safeguard.
The project draws on recommendations made in the August 2024 report of the Joint Flood Committee (JFC), which was based on detailed hydraulic modelling and data analysis by experts from the Central Water and Power Research Station (CWPRS), Pune.
The study had clearly identified the construction of a flood protection wall along this stretch of the Ring Road as the most viable long-term solution.
CM Gupta also pointed out that no concrete decision was taken by the previous regime, leaving these areas repeatedly vulnerable to flooding.
Notably, the CM also pointed out that the wall will also help check riverbank erosion, thereby safeguarding nearby roads and foundations of the buildings.