– Filler stone aggregate of nominal size of 200 to 300mm over a depth of
77cm, 100mm over a depth of 38cm, 80mm over a depth of 115cm;
Up until 2017 the Rajokri water body used to be a dirty and turbid pond 3. Plants on wetland – Umbrella Piperes and Canna Indica;
fed by sewage from the nearby shanties. It has now transformed into 9,446 4. Five manholes for sewage collection;
square meters of redeveloped public space, with a water body of 2,000 5. 200mm sewage collection pipe;
square meters which is now fed with treated effluents which, at an earlier 6. Tender Cost – INR 7,719,499 (ca. USD 108,500).
date, were its primary pollutants. Landscape, Civil, Electrical and Horticulture work including maintenance
for a period of 5 years.
Key Statistics of the waterbody revitalization project –
1. Cost wise split of various components involved:
Total area of the water body – 9,446 sq.m – Civil Work – INR 7,353,000 (ca. USD 103,500)
Water area – 2,000 sq.m – Mechanical & Electrical Work – INR 373,000 (ca. USD 5,200)
Technology used for revitalisation – Scientific wetland system with activated – Planting Work – INR 1,065,000 (ca. USD 15,000)
bio-digestion. – Maintenance Work – INR 1,315,000 (ca. USD 18,500)
Design capacity – 600 kilolitres (kl) per day. 2. Two high mast lights of 16m height;
Place-making through the creation of landscaped areas i.e. areas for public 3. Two 1.5 HP water pumps for lifting water from sedimentation tank to
gatherings. the wetland system, operated by solar energy;
The work for revitalisation has been split into two packages/works – 4. 5 HP submersible pump for feeding the sprinkler system;
5. 3,400 sq.m of grassing area.
1. Construction of a wetland system. What is the Innovation?
2. Landscape, civil, electrical and horticulture work including maintenance
for a period of 5 years. The project utilizes a scientific wetland system with active bio digesters
(SWAB), as opposed to the standard approach of chemical treatment.
Features of the new water body include the following:
The use of wetlands and mechanised aeration systems moves away from
Central waterbody with purified water and 2 MG capacity; Delhi’s Jal Boards policy to isolate a water body by concretising the base
Amphitheatre that doubles up as Chhath Ghat (an ancient Hindu Vedic fes- and using chemicals to treat water. The wetland ecosystem includes plants
tival historically native to the Indian subcontinent) for public gatherww- such as typha latifolia and spider lily, a layer of gravel which filters water,
wings; and has a biofilm on it to process pollutants. The gravel system also immo-
Green play areas with open gym and swings; bilises heavy metals.
Gravel based walking pathways that also double up as rainwater harvesting
channels; Constructed wetlands are effective in treating organic matter, nitrogen,
Constructed wetland. phosphorus, decreasing the concentrations of trace metals and organic
chemicals (Kadlec and Knight 1996). The submerged aquatic macrophytes
have very thin cuticles and therefore, readily take up metals from water
through the entire surface. Macrophytes possess extraordinary ability to
survive the adverse conditions of pollution and possess high colonization
rate that are virtual tools of excellence for phytoremediation. Further they
redistribute metals from sediments to water, finally accumulate in the plant
tissues, accelerate biogeochemical processes and hence maintain homoeo-
Figure 1: Proposed scheme, existing situation and implemented final product.
stasis.
How does the system work?
Construction of the wetland system.
Step 1 – Raw sewage from all channels tapped to meet at common inlet.
1. Sedimentation tank – Six partitions with five baffle walls with alternate slots at Water quality at input level is BOD 150, TDS 2,214
top and bottom having a capacity of 760 kl. Length: 38m, breadth: 5m, Depth: 4m;
2. Wetland system Step 2 – Sewage fed into underground sedimentation tank and bio-digest-
– Length: 34.8 – 25.8m, Width: 10.11m, Depth: 2.0 to 2.6m; er: Solid components broken down and decomposed, big particles are then
– No. of chambers: 15;
