DDA Removes 88,000 Tonnes Of Construction Waste From Yamuna Floodplain

The Delhi Development Authority (DDA) has removed approximately 88,000 metric tonnes of construction and demolition waste from the Yamuna floodplain over the past few years as part of its ongoing ecological restoration initiatives, officials said on Thursday.

The authority has also undertaken extensive restoration work across the floodplains, with more than 1,700 hectares currently under active restoration. As part of these efforts, 35 wetlands have been revived and over seven lakh native trees planted, officials said.

Highlighting the ecological impact of the restoration initiatives, DDA officials said the number of recorded bird species at Asita, one of the authority's major restoration sites, has increased from 63 to approximately 200.

The improvement in bird diversity reflects the ecological benefits of sustained restoration efforts, they added.

Building on these initiatives, the DDA will organise 'Yamuna Dialogues', a multi-stakeholder roundtable, on November 20, 2026, at Baansera in the national capital. Delhi Lieutenant Governor Taranjit Singh Sandhu will inaugurate the event.

The proposed dialogue will bring together stakeholders to deliberate on the scientific, institutional and financial frameworks needed to sustain and expand restoration activities along the Yamuna floodplains.

The discussions are expected to explore approaches for strengthening long-term conservation efforts and ensuring that the ecological gains achieved through ongoing restoration projects are maintained and scaled up in the coming years.

The DDA's initiatives form part of broader efforts to restore the Yamuna floodplain's ecological balance through waste removal, wetland revival, native plantation and biodiversity conservation.

The authority aims to build on the progress made so far through coordinated efforts involving multiple stakeholders.