New Delhi: A year after the redeveloped Central Vista Avenue was inaugurated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the Central Public Works Department (CPWD) is struggling to keep the canals along Kartavya Path clean due to frequent algae formation, ThePrint has learnt.
The Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs (MoHUA) is exploring possible solutions and has roped in a few startups to carry out pilot projects, two senior ministry officials told ThePrint.
The canals, spread over 19 acres, on both sides of India Gate at C-hexagon and the 1.6 km Kartavya Path, are filled with treated water supplied by the Delhi Jal Board (DJB) from its Sewage Treatment Plant (STP) at Okhla. The total length of the canals on both sides is 3.2 km (1.6 km on each side).
The water from the STP is further treated at the tertiary treatment plant installed at Kartavya Path, before being supplied to the canals.
From the canals, a senior ministry official said, the water is used for the lawns.
“While the treated water is good for horticulture purposes as it has high nitrogen and phosphorus content, it is resulting in fast algae formation in the canals. This has made the task of keeping the canals clean challenging,” said the official, who did not wish to be named.
The Rs 608-crore Central Vista Avenue, which includes Kartavya Path and the areas around it, was the first project to be completed as part of the Modi government’s ambitious Central Vista redevelopment project. The project, which started in February 2021, was thrown open to the public in September 2022.
As part of the project, Rajpath and the area along it — between Vijay Chowk and India Gate — is being redeveloped.
The revamp work involves the construction of four pedestrian underpasses, eight amenity blocks, the relaying of Rajpath and the construction of pathways along it and in the lawns. It also involves improving the canals and constructing 16 permanent bridges over it, construction of underground utility ducts for electric and other cables, among other things, said ministry officials.
The canals on both sides of the lawns were refurbished and fitted with necessary infrastructure, such as aerators, which are meant to increase the amount of dissolved oxygen content in the water. According to ministry officials, 60 aerators have been installed in the canals.
The ministry is now exploring ways to keep the canals algae-free.
“We have roped in a few startups that are working in this area to look for possible solutions to the algae problem. We are carrying out a few pilot projects on a few stretches where bioremediation measures are being used to clean the water. Once we finalise the solution, it will be used in all the canals,” said a senior ministry official.
Bioremediation is a process where microorganisms, like bacteria, are used to decontaminate water.
ThePrint reached DJB and MoHUA for comment via WhatsApp but did not receive a response. The report will be updated once a response is received.
Canals were earlier filled with groundwater
The problem of frequent algae formation in the canals has surfaced after the redevelopment of the Central Vista Avenue — a part of the estimated Rs 13,500 crore Central Vista redevelopment project — as the treated STP water is now used to fill the canals.
“Earlier, we used to fill the canals with groundwater. There are 25 borewells and a proper pipeline network to supply groundwater to the canals. But during the redevelopment, special pipelines were laid to use STP water in the canals and for horticulture purposes,” said a senior CPWD official, who didn’t wish to be named.
According to ministry officials, the borewells have not been closed, but it was decided not to waste groundwater by using it in canals and for horticulture purposes.
The ministry is also in talks with DJB officials regarding the quality of STP water supplied to the area, the second senior ministry official. Last week, MoHUA and CPWD officials held a meeting with the DJB officials in this regard, the official added.
“Treated water will have organic matter and will be high in nitrogen and phosphorus content. We have asked DJB to see if the water quality can be further improved. It has informed us that it will soon be commissioning a new STP with high specifications. We are expecting that the water quality from the new plant will be much better. This will solve the problem to a large extent,” said the official.
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High footfall at Kartavya Path
In the past one year, CPWD officials said, the footfall has increased manifold at India Gate because of which maintenance of the area, especially the lawns, has become a huge challenge.
“It is good to see such a large number of people visiting the area. The number varies between 80,000 during weekdays and over 1.2 lakh on weekends or special days. We have increased our staff to ensure cleanliness and basic maintenance of the area,” said another CPWD official.
The CPWD is also in the process of extending the vending zone.
Currently, there are seven vending zones along the parking area. “We are increasing the size of the vending area. The work is going on. Now, we will be able to accommodate more vendors,” said CPWD official.
The ministry is also in the process of finalising the plan for 16 shops, which have been constructed in the amenity blocks on both sides of India Gate. “We are in the process of finalising the plan for the allotment of these shops. We have held several rounds of discussion with stakeholders. The allotment process will start soon,” said the second ministry official.
(Edited by Richa Mishra)
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