The National Mission for Clean Ganga (NMCG) under the Ministry of Jal Shakti has initiated two pilot projects utilizing Nature-based Solutions (NbS) for river rejuvenation, focusing on constructed wetland systems for urban drain management. The projects at Shastri Park Drain and Kailash Nagar Drain in Delhi have a combined treatment capacity of approximately 10 MLD, with both drains discharging into the Yamuna River. These interventions represent a shift toward sustainable, low-energy, and climate-resilient approaches compared to conventional energy-intensive treatment systems.
The treatment methodology integrates stone masonry structures for water flow regulation and enhanced hydraulic retention time, rock filters for suspended solids removal, aquatic vegetation for nutrient uptake and oxygen transfer, and phytoremediation using selected plant species capable of absorbing, stabilizing, and degrading pollutants including excess nutrients and certain heavy metals. These natural processes collectively improve dissolved oxygen levels, reduce organic pollution, enhance biodiversity, and restore ecological functions while requiring significantly lower operational and maintenance inputs.
Project progress shows that at Kailash Nagar Drain, site clearance through desludging and desilting has been completed, brick lining works are currently underway, with installation of rock filters scheduled for the next phase. At Shastri Park Drain, preparatory desludging and desilting activities are in progress, leading to the upcoming installation of stone masonry structures, rock filtration systems, and aquatic plant species.
Complementing these physical projects, NMCG organized 6 capacity-building and training programs through its Knowledge Sharing and Development Centre (KSDC) initiative between August 2025 and March 2026, benefiting over 100 participants from key stakeholder organizations including the Yamuna Task Force, District Ganga Committees (Uttarakhand), State Mission for Clean Ganga (SMCGs), Forest Departments, Irrigation Departments, and other river rejuvenation and watershed management agencies. The training focused on strengthening technical capacity for planning, designing, and implementing Nature-based Solutions with emphasis on constructed wetlands, ecological restoration, and sustainable river management.
Beyond the pilot interventions, NMCG has implemented an additional Constructed Wetland project at Khatauli for the rejuvenation of River Kali, a tributary that receives significant domestic and industrial discharge before joining the Ganga basin. This project similarly harnesses wetland vegetation and natural biological processes to reduce pollution load, improve water quality, and support ecological restoration closer to the source, representing NMCG's integrated approach combining engineering solutions with ecological restoration.