New Delhi, May 22: Delhi Chief Minister Rekha Gupta on Friday announced a major rationalisation of water and sewer infrastructure charges in the national capital, calling it a major relief measure for residents struggling with high charges and irregularities in the system.
Addressing the media, the Chief Minister said the Delhi Government has taken a significant decision to simplify and reduce Infrastructure Charges (IFC) collected by the Delhi Jal Board.
‘Previous System Was Completely Mismanaged’
CM Rekha Gupta alleged that the previous government had left the water supply, sewerage and billing systems in a “completely disorganised” condition.
She said:
- Water and sewer infrastructure lacked proper maintenance
- Billing systems were corrupted and poorly digitised
- Residents were receiving inflated or irregular bills
- There was no transparency in actual billing and collections
According to her, people faced continuous difficulties due to the lack of a transparent system.
Charges Now Based on Water Requirement
The Chief Minister announced that water and sewer infrastructure charges will now be calculated based only on actual water requirement instead of total premises size.
She clarified:
- Charges will apply only for new constructions or additional construction
- Reconstruction of existing properties without increase in water demand will not attract fresh charges
- Open or uncovered areas will not be counted while calculating infrastructure charges
Major Relief for E, F, G and H Category Colonies
The Delhi Government also announced major concessions for residents of lower-category colonies.
Under the revised structure:
- E and F category colonies will receive 50% rebate on IFC charges
- G and H category colonies will receive 70% rebate
The government also clarified that infrastructure charges will apply only to properties built on plots larger than 200 square metres.
Relief for Religious and Charitable Institutions
The Chief Minister further announced:
- Institutions registered under Section 12AB of the Income Tax Act
- Religious places
- Properties with Zero Liquid Discharge systems
will also receive additional concessions on sewer and water infrastructure charges.
Examples of Reduced Charges
CM Rekha Gupta cited examples showing drastic reductions in charges under the new policy.
For instance:
- A property in A & B category colonies that earlier attracted around ₹13.14 lakh in IFC charges will now pay approximately ₹5.4 lakh.
- Similar properties in E & F categories will receive further reductions after rebate.
- Industrial properties that earlier paid nearly ₹57 lakh may now pay below ₹9 lakh under the revised system.
‘Transparent and Practical System’
The Chief Minister said the revised policy aims to reduce corruption and encourage people to pay charges through a transparent and practical process.
She described the move as a “gift” from the Delhi Government and Delhi Jal Board to the people of Delhi.
Parvesh Verma Attacks Previous AAP Government
Delhi PWD Minister Parvesh Sahib Singh Verma, who was present during the announcement, alleged that the previous AAP government had sharply increased infrastructure charges after 2019.
He said rates for people constructing houses had increased five to six times under the previous regime, putting financial pressure on residents.
Verma stated that the BJP government has now corrected the policy to reduce the burden on Delhi residents.
