Drone survey of Najafgarh drain for solar plan

The Delhi irrigation and flood control (I&FC) department is set to carry out a drone survey of the Najafgarh drain to assess the potential for the generation of solar power in areas along the water body, officials aware of the proposal have said.
The development comes after lieutenant governor VK Saxena in April 2023 directed the department — the land-owning agency which manages the 57-km drain, also known as Sahibi river —to explore the potential for generating solar power from areas along the water body.
I&FC officials said in a pilot project, around 10,000 solar panels will be installed along a 6-km stretch of the drain, adding that the power department has been made the nodal department to execute this project.
A senior I&FC official said the power department in April this year had requested the flood control department to implement the project through a zero investment Renewable Energy Service Company (Resco) model — in which an independent solar power developer bears all the costs of installation and maintenance of the project in return for the use of the space.
“The first survey was carried out along the drain by Solar Energy Corporation of India Limited (SECI) and I&FC on August 1. A 6-km stretch was identified from Dhansa to Ghumanhera. On August 18, a meeting was held between BSES, and the power and I&FC departments, to identify the nearest electricity grid to which these solar panels can be connected,” the official said, on condition of anonymity, adding that he was present at the meeting.
It is proposed that discoms will help SECI in evacuating the power at two locations — near Rawta and Ghumanhera — and the power generated is likely to be used in parts of southwest Delhi.
However, the official said, the I&FC department does not have expertise in generating solar power, and thus, the project was moved to the power department.
“In a review meeting held last month, the power department was made the nodal agency for the project. Also, a detailed drone survey has been directed to cover the Najafgarh drain to check the potential for the project,” the official said, on condition of anonymity.
HT has seen the minutes of the meeting in which directions regarding the drone survey and making the power department the nodal agency were made.
The power department did not comment on the development.