NEW DELHI: The Delhi Development Authority (DDA) has notified the National Green Tribunal that it will finish a drone survey of the Yamuna floodplain, known as the O zone, within approximately two months. This survey encompasses an area of 165 sq km, including buffer zones.
The O zone refers to the floodplain along a 22-km section of the Yamuna within the city. Following demolition operations on April 16 and 17 in Madanpur Khadar and Jhangola villages, as well as the Revenue Estate-Indraprastha, the DDA has reclaimed 7 acres in the area.
The tribunal took note of a 2024 TOI report titled “161 illegal colonies on O zone contaminating river water,” which revealed that colonies housing 2.3 lakh residents lacked connections to the sewer system, leading to river pollution.
In a report submitted on April 20, the DDA informed the NGT that the zone’s boundaries have been digitized according to an approved planning document, and the khasra layer from GSDL was integrated into the existing digitized boundaries. The drone survey represents the second phase of documenting this area.
The DDA stated, “Drone operations for the second phase commenced in the Green Zone on February 5.” The Survey of India indicated that, with an average output of about 3.5 sq km per day per team, two teams would need approximately 18 extra working days to complete the survey of the remaining 122 sq km. This timeline is dependent on obtaining necessary permissions and favorable weather conditions.
The Green and Red zones are part of the O zone.
While the drone survey timeline is specified, an additional month is needed for post-processing tasks.
The DDA has reached out to land-holding agencies like MCD and the Land and Development Office to request the removal of encroachments on their respective lands.
To prevent further encroachments in the O zone, the DDA has appointed officers for ongoing monitoring, and has also called on the MCD to do the same.
On April 10, the DDA forwarded the High Court’s orders to the police commissioner, instructing all station house officers within the O zone to remain vigilant against unauthorized constructions and encroachments, and to assist the DDA as necessary.
