The Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) has started work on the comprehensive restoration of Naini Lake in Model Town, with the ₹9.7-crore project expected to be completed by July 2027. The project is being undertaken under the Atal Mission for Rejuvenation and Urban Transformation (AMRUT) scheme.
The restoration plan includes the installation of a pipeline system to bring treated water from the Coronation Pillar Sewage Treatment Plant (STP), located around four kilometres from the lake. The 200-millimetre-diameter pipeline will help maintain the lake’s water level by supplying treated water on a daily basis.
A key component of the project is the reuse of excess treated water. MCD plans to install a system to transport surplus lake water to at least 10 municipal parks in the surrounding neighbourhood. At least three 5-HP pumps, along with a sump well and smaller pumps, will support the system.
The project will also address stormwater management around the lake. A peripheral reinforced cement concrete (RCC) drain will be remodelled to prevent rainwater from the surrounding areas from accumulating directly in the lake.
Beautification and Public Amenities
The restoration will go beyond water management to include extensive landscaping and plantation work. The project provides for aesthetic lighting, two musical fountains, RCC benches and the renovation of an existing toilet block. Repairs to the plot’s grille and boundary are also included.
According to an MCD official, the various components will largely be implemented sequentially, with beautification works such as landscaping, plantation, lamp posts and musical fountains following the completion of the core infrastructure.
The project was inaugurated by Delhi minister Kapil Mishra on Sunday and is expected to take approximately one year to complete.
Strengthening an Urban Ecological Asset
Spread across 6.5 acres, Naini Lake has a depth ranging from four to 10 feet. For several years, the waterbody has been maintained with water supplied through borewells, while Delhi Tourism operates boating facilities at the site.
The restoration is intended to strengthen the lake’s ecological and recreational functions. As an urban waterbody, Naini Lake contributes to groundwater recharge, temperature regulation, carbon and dust absorption, and provides habitat for aquatic flora and fauna.
The project therefore combines waterbody rejuvenation, treated-water reuse, stormwater management, ecological improvement and public-space enhancement, potentially strengthening Naini Lake’s role as a neighbourhood recreational and environmental asset. TOI
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