Delhi Jal Board had 293 tenders listed on the Delhi Government's e-procurement portal on 8 November 2026, the most of any Delhi organisation on the portal. The Board is in a sewage-led building programme and has new delegated powers to approve it.
Faster approvals since 2025
Since July 2025 the Board has sanctioned projects above Rs 50 crore on its own. Its Chairperson can approve up to Rs 50 crore, the CEO up to Rs 25 crore and the functional Members (Administration, Water Supply, Drainage) up to Rs 5 crore. Since November 2025, superintending engineers may award emergency spot quotations up to Rs 10 lakh.
Contracts now run for years
New sewer contracts include 15 years of operation and maintenance, and sewage plant operators will be paid on performance. A Rs 17,969 crore ten-year sewer programme approved on 30 September 2026 will use zone operators.
Tighter scrutiny of bidders
On 18 August 2026 Delhi's Anti-Corruption Branch arrested six people, including a former Water Minister and a former Board CEO, in a case alleging rigged tender conditions for sewage plant upgrades; the investigation was continuing. In February 2026 the Delhi High Court upheld a Board clause excluding bidders facing FIRs or charge-sheets for corruption linked to Board contracts, and in July 2026 it quashed an open-ended blacklisting. The Board's 2023 enlistment rules set debarment at six months to two years.
Payment risk
In November 2023 contractors announced a halt to work from 27 November over dues unpaid since February that year. The Board's debt exceeds Rs 70,000 crore.
Which projects are open or emerging, who already holds the Board's major contracts and where to focus first are set out in the brief. The full report, Delhi Jal Board: Utility Account Brief, is available for USD 499. For a free overview, read the Delhi Jal Board Utility Snapshot.