NMCG launches wetland projects to clean Yamuna drains
The National Mission for Clean Ganga (NMCG) on Thursday said it has initiated two pilot projects based on constructed wetlands for in-situ treatment of urban drains discharging into the Yamuna as part of its efforts to mainstream nature-based solutions for river rejuvenation.
The two pilot projects — at the Shastri Park Drain and Kailash Nagar Drain — with a combined treatment capacity of approximately 10 MLD, both discharging into the Yamuna, “mark an important step towards adopting sustainable, low-energy and climate-resilient approaches for urban drain management”, the Mission said in a statement.
Unlike conventional treatment systems that rely heavily on mechanical infrastructure and energy-intensive processes, these interventions are based on constructed wetland systems, which replicate the treatment functions of natural wetlands, it said.
The treatment systems integrate stone masonry structures for regulating water flow and enhancing hydraulic retention time, rock filters for removing suspended solids, aquatic vegetation for nutrient uptake and oxygen transfer, and phytoremediation using carefully selected plant species capable of absorbing, stabilising and degrading pollutants, including excess nutrients and certain heavy metals.
The NMCG said steady progress has already been achieved at both project sites. At the Kailash Nagar Drain, site clearance through desludging and desilting has been completed, brick lining works are currently underway and installation of rock filters will follow in the next phase.
At the Shastri Park Drain, preparatory desludging and desilting activities are in progress, paving the way for installation of stone masonry structures, rock filtration systems and aquatic plant species.
“Together, these projects are expected to demonstrate the effectiveness of nature-based solutions in treating around 10 MLD of wastewater while serving as scalable and cost-effective models for urban drain management across the Ganga basin,” the statement said.
The mission said river rejuvenation requires “a comprehensive approach that combines conventional wastewater treatment infrastructure with sustainable ecological interventions” and that it is increasingly integrating nature-based solutions alongside sewerage networks and sewage treatment plants, while also ensuring environmental flows to strengthen ecological restoration, improve river ecosystem health and build resilient water management systems.
“As part of this comprehensive strategy, NMCG is mainstreaming nature-based solutions through the Sustainable River Rejuvenation (SRR) programme by implementing pilot projects based on constructed wetlands for in-situ treatment of urban drains, while simultaneously promoting research, innovation and capacity building for their wider adoption,” it said.
The NMCG also said it is investing in knowledge creation and institutional capacity through its Knowledge Sharing and Development Centre (KSDC) initiative.
It said six capacity-building and training programmes were organised between August 2025 and March 2026, benefiting more than 100 participants, including engineers and officials from the Yamuna Task Force, District Ganga Committees in Uttarakhand, State Mission for Clean Ganga, forest departments, irrigation departments and other agencies involved in river rejuvenation and watershed management.
The Mission also highlighted a constructed wetland project at Khatauli for rejuvenation of the Kali River, a tributary that receives significant domestic and industrial discharge before joining the Ganga basin. It said the project harnesses wetland vegetation and natural biological processes to reduce pollution load, improve water quality and support ecological restoration closer to the source.
