Purna Singh New Delhi

Ina major policy shift aimed at reducing the financial burden on property owners, the Delhi Government has revised the Delhi Jal Board’s infrastructure charge system, announcing that water and sewer charges will now be based on actual water demand instead of total plot size.The decision is expected to benefit thousands of residents, particularly those with partially constructed properties, smaller housingunits and buildings located in lower-category colonies.

Announcing the reform, Chief Minister Rekha Gupta said the government has been continuously working to strengthen water supply and sewer infrastructure across the capital while ensuring that citizens receive fair and practical services. She said that under the earlier system, infrastructure charges were imposed according to the entire premises area, regardless of how much of the property was actually constructed or how much water wasrequired. The revised mechanism, however, will levy charges strictly according to water demand generated by the built-up area.

Gupta explained that if additional construction or new development increases water consumption needs, only then will infrastructure charges rise. Open spaces within plots will no longer be included while calculating charges.She cited an example, saying that if a 200-square metre plot has construction on only 50 square metres, charges will now be calculated solely on the basis of the water requirement of the constructed portion rather than the entire land parcel.

“This will provide major relief to Delhi residents. Earlier, even open areas were included while calculating infrastructure charges despite having no water requirement,” she said.

The Delhi Government also announced a series of detailed relaxations and concessions under the revised Infrastructure Fund Charges (IFC) policy for water and sewer connections.