New Delhi, Sept. 21 -- Dhobi Ghats under the New Delhi Municipal Council (NDMC) will now be charged water rates under the domestic category instead of commercial rates, in a move expected to reduce the water bill burden on washermen operating the designated ghats.
The decision was taken at the NDMC Council meeting, where the civic body also approved a one-time waiver of late payment surcharge (LPSC) on old outstanding water bills of Dhobi Ghats.
As part of the revised billing arrangement, the earlier 2.5-times multiplication factor applicable to the water charges has been removed. The sewerage charge will continue to be calculated at 60 per cent of the water consumption charge.
The Council has introduced the one-time LPSC waiver against the backdrop of substantial outstanding water dues.
According to NDMC, around Rs 63.52 crore was pending towards water dues as of April 2026. The civic body said long-pending payments and disputes over bills had affected recovery of the outstanding amount.
The waiver is intended to provide relief from the surcharge while facilitating recovery of the principal amount pending against consumers.
Delhi PWD Minister Parvesh Sahib Singh said the revised charges and waiver would ease the burden of long-pending dues.
"The one-time LPSC waiver on pending water dues, along with rationalised water charges for Dhobi Ghats, will provide relief from the burden of long-pending dues and make the system more reasonable," he said.
The minister said the decisions were aimed at improving everyday civic services in the New Delhi area.
The shift from commercial to domestic water charges is the key change for Dhobi Ghats, while removal of the 2.5-times factor further simplifies the billing structure. The revised sewerage component, however, will continue at 60 per cent of the water consumption charge.
Published by HT Digital Content Services with permission from Millennium Post.