Delhi Jal Board Faces ₹63,000 Crore Debt Crisis from Unpaid Government Bills

The Delhi Jal Board (DJB) is currently facing an unprecedented financial crisis, with unpaid dues amounting to a staggering ₹63,000 crore. According to the latest reports, the majority of these outstanding payments are owed by government departments and agencies.

The data reviewed by The Times of India shows that Delhi government departments owe ₹33,295 crore, while central government agencies account for ₹29,723.37 crore in unpaid bills. Among the latter, Indian Railways alone owes ₹21,530 crore, followed by Delhi Police with ₹6,097 crore. The Municipal Corporation of Delhi also has pending payments of ₹26,147 crore.

Despite multiple reminders to the defaulters, the DJB has been unable to recover these dues, severely impacting its day-to-day operations, maintenance, and infrastructure expansion. Officials have acknowledged that the matter now demands urgent intervention to resolve the financial bottlenecks and ensure the uninterrupted supply of water to the city's residents.

The Delhi government is now considering a full waiver of late payment surcharges for domestic users, as many people reportedly stopped paying their bills due to inflated amounts caused by faulty or estimated meter readings, bills generated during Covid lockdowns, or mounting arrears that escalated due to repeated non-payment and accruing penalties. However, no relief is planned for commercial users or government departments.