Delhi Chief Minister Rekha Gupta led a large-scale cleaning operation across 28 ghats of the Yamuna river on Sunday [1].
The initiative is part of the broader "Mission Yamuna" programme, which aims to address severe waste accumulation and rejuvenate the riverfront to improve urban environmental health.
The cleaning drive spanned nearly 22 kilometres of the riverfront [2]. Thousands of participants joined the effort to remove debris and waste from the 28 targeted ghats [1]. The operation focused on removing the physical pollutants that have historically plagued the riverbanks in the capital.
To support these immediate efforts, the chief minister approved funding for several mega projects under the Mission Yamuna framework. The approved projects are valued at over Rs 1,000 crore [3]. These funds are intended to provide long-term infrastructure and sustainability solutions to prevent the river from returning to its previous state of pollution.
The riverfront's condition has long been a point of contention for environmentalists and city residents. By combining immediate manual cleanup with high-capital investment, the administration seeks to create a scalable model for river restoration. The scale of the Sunday drive, involving thousands of volunteers, suggests a push for public engagement alongside government spending [1].
While the immediate cleanup removes surface waste, the approved funding targets the systemic issues causing the pollution. The administration has focused on the 22-kilometre stretch as a priority zone for these interventions [2].
“The operation targeted 28 ghats as part of a broader rejuvenation effort.”
The integration of a high-visibility public cleaning drive with a significant capital investment of over Rs 1,000 crore indicates a shift toward a dual-track strategy for the Yamuna. By combining immediate waste removal with long-term infrastructure projects, the Delhi government is attempting to address both the symptoms and the sources of river pollution simultaneously.
