• Home
  • Infrastructure
  • Delhi: DDA Informs NGT It Will Complete O Zone Drone Survey in Two Months
Infrastructure

Delhi: DDA Informs NGT It Will Complete O Zone Drone Survey in Two Months

  • by- Zaid
  • Apr 22, 2026
The Delhi Development Authority has informed the National Green Tribunal that it will complete a drone survey of the Yamuna floodplain, or the O zone, in about two months. The survey area spans 165 sq km and includes the buffer areas.
Delhi: DDA Informs NGT It Will Complete O Zone Drone Survey in Two Months

New Delhi, April 22: The O zone is the entire floodplain along the 22-km stretch of the Yamuna in the city.

Encroachment Removal

DDA has reclaimed 7 acres after demolition drives on April 16 and 17 at:

  • Madanpur Khadar

  • Jhangola villages

  • Revenue Estate-Indraprastha

Drone Survey Details

  • Total area: 165 sq km

  • Phase 2 start date: February 5 (Green Zone)

  • Output per team: ~3.5 sq km per day

  • Teams deployed: 2

  • Remaining area to survey: 122 sq km

  • Estimated working days: 18 additional days

  • Post-processing time: ~1 additional month

Green and Red Zones

The Green and Red zones are part of the O zone.

Monitoring Measures

  • DDA has designated officers to ensure no further encroachment with continuous monitoring

  • MCD has also been asked to monitor

  • Police directed to ensure SHOs maintain vigilance against unauthorised constructions

  • Police to provide assistance to DDA whenever required

Background

The tribunal took suo motu cognisance of a TOI report in 2024 titled "161 illegal colonies on O zone making river water toxic" , which highlighted that colonies with 2.3 lakh households were unattached to the sewer network and contaminating the river.