Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Thursday inaugurated and laid the foundation stones for 43 Delhi Jal Board projects worth Rs 8,941.22 crore, with the Delhi government focusing on preventing untreated sewage from entering the Yamuna as part of its river-cleaning drive.Launched from the Najafgarh area, the package includes 10 projects worth Rs 2,827.11 crore that were inaugurated and 33 projects worth Rs 6,114.11 crore for which foundation stones were laid. The government aims to complete the works over the next two to two-and-a-half years, after which it expects no untreated wastewater generated in Delhi to flow into the Yamuna through drains.Among the major projects is a 124-million-gallon-per-day (MGD) sewage treatment plant at Okhla, costing Rs 1,161 crore. The package also includes the upgradation of eight existing sewage treatment plants (STPs) at a cost of Rs 1,041 crore. Their combined treatment capacity is expected to increase from 78.2 MGD to 140.8 MGD, benefiting around 78.5 lakh people.Another key component is the construction of 29 decentralised sewage treatment plants and sewage pumping stations in Outer Delhi at a cost of Rs 3,113.67 crore. The facilities will cover 358 unauthorised colonies and 113 villages, benefiting around 36.29 lakh residents. Decentralised treatment facilities are intended to serve areas where space constraints make the construction of large STPs difficult.The package also includes a 1,034-km sewer network costing Rs 1,691 crore to extend sewage connectivity to areas that are currently outside the network.A 477-MLD water treatment plant at Chandrawal, estimated to cost Rs 298.3 crore, is expected to serve around 22 lakh people. It will replace facilities built in 1935 and 1955. The works also include a 4.5-km trunk drain at Mundka, estimated to cost Rs 225.02 crore.Water Minister Parvesh Sahib Singh Verma has maintained that cleaning the riverbanks and ghats alone will not restore the Yamuna unless sewage is prevented from entering the river. The government’s approach is to collect, treat and reuse sewage, making the projects a key part of its river-rejuvenation plan.The infrastructure push comes days after more than 35,000 people participated in the ‘Chalo Yamuna’ campaign on October 18, cleaning 70 locations along the river. According to the Delhi government, the drive removed 76,755 kg of dry waste and 9,850 kg of green waste and water hyacinth.The government is also seeking greater public participation in the cleanliness drive. Verma has urged residents to take three pledges: dispose of household waste only at designated places, ensure every home has a legal sewer connection, and avoid wasting water.Under the proposed ‘Birthday with Yamuna’ initiative, huts will be developed along the riverbanks where people can celebrate birthdays while participating in cleanliness activities. Verma has said he will celebrate his own birthday with the Yamuna on November 7.The government expects visible improvement in the river within about 1.5 years, with more substantial changes anticipated once the projects are completed in around two-and-a-half years.