Experts raise concerns over Delhi plan to build Yamuna concrete wall
The proposed Rs 99 crore reinforced concrete wall could restrict floodwater movement and alter the river's natural flow, according to experts.
The Delhi government plans to construct a 4.7-km reinforced concrete wall along the Yamuna river, a move that has drawn warnings from experts. According to The Times of India, the project is part of a Rs 622-crore flood-control plan and is expected to run from the Magazine Road drain to the Old Railway Bridge.
The structure, which will be six to seven feet high, aims to shield low-lying areas from flooding. However, experts suggest the project may address symptoms rather than the reasons why the river reaches high levels even during lower upstream discharges.
Environmentalist Diwan Singh said the intervention could hinder the river's natural flow and make it function more like a canal. He noted that the Yamuna is a monsoon-fed river and that altering the shape and size of its floodplains could be detrimental to the river and Delhi.
A senior government official, speaking on condition of anonymity, said that adding barriers to an already constrained river could cause water levels to rise. The official warned that unequal pressure might lead to the wall failing, which could result in catastrophic consequences.
Bhim Singh Rawat, associate coordinator of the South Asia Network on Dams, Rivers and People (SANDRP), said the construction should be reconsidered until ongoing topographic and bathymetric surveys are finished. He stated that the relationship between upstream discharge and water levels in Delhi requires an independent investigation.
The wider flood-control plan also includes Rs 260 crore for biomining projects to process silt from major drains. A 2025 Central Water Commission study recommended flood protection at vulnerable locations like Nili Chhatri but did not specifically recommend the proposed 4.7-km wall.