The Delhi Jal Board is urging Haryana to divert a portion of the Western Jamuna Canal flow through the Somb route to reach Wazirabad.
This request comes as the city faces a severe water crisis that threatens the stability of the urban supply network. The inability to secure additional flow could leave millions of residents without consistent access to potable water during a period of high demand.
Delhi is currently experiencing a critical supply deficit. The city faces a water supply shortfall of more than 90 million gallons per day [1]. To mitigate this gap, officials are pressing for the use of the Somb channel, which would allow raw water to reach the Wazirabad area more efficiently.
The capital relies heavily on neighboring states for its raw water needs. Haryana provides 61.1% of the raw water supplied to Delhi [2], while Uttar Pradesh contributes 25.25% [3]. This dependence makes the city vulnerable to regional water management decisions and canal flow fluctuations.
By utilizing the Somb route, the Delhi Jal Board hopes to optimize the delivery of water from the Western Jamuna Canal. The move is intended to stabilize the supply for Wazirabad, a key intake point for the city's distribution system.
Officials said the diversion is necessary to prevent further depletion of available reserves. The board is coordinating with Haryana authorities to ensure the technical feasibility of the diversion, and to secure the necessary volume of water to cover the daily deficit.
“Delhi faces a water supply shortfall of more than 90 million gallons per day.”
The request highlights the precarious nature of Delhi's water security, which is almost entirely dependent on inter-state agreements. Because the city relies on Haryana and Uttar Pradesh for the vast majority of its raw water, any shortfall in these regions or disputes over canal routing can lead to immediate systemic failures in the capital's utility infrastructure.
