October 15, 2025

This Diwali season, Delhi Chief Minister Rekha Gupta lit up the city with a shocking announcement—a full waiver of late payment surcharges on water bills worth over Rs 11,000 crore for domestic users. Speaking at a press meet, Gupta shared that if citizens pay their principal water dues by January 31, 2026, all late charges will be scrapped. "Under the Late Payment Surcharge Waiver Scheme, a 100 per cent waiver on late payment charges will be granted if outstanding principal water dues are settled by January 31, 2026," she declared. But the generosity doesn’t end there! From February 1 to March 31, 2026, a 70% waiver on late payment fees will still be available—giving you months to clean up your bills with heavy discounts. This big move could wipe off about Rs 11,000 crore in surcharges, truly a Diwali gift, says Water Minister Parvesh Sahib Singh. He highlighted, "The government has taken this step in public interest." The Chief Minister explained how previously, Delhi Jal Board (DJB) faced technical glitches in billing. These glitches not only created billing errors but also stopped new consumers from getting connections. Now, the issue is fixed, with smoother processes and new offices to boost billing and revenue collection. "The system now functions smoothly, and new consumers are being added efficiently," she said. Under the scheme, people can pay dues in one go or easy installments—but remember, the late fees waiver only kicks in after the principal amount is fully cleared. Rekha Gupta emphasized, "This is a time-limited, final scheme intended to encourage timely payments." However, the announcement hasn't escaped criticism. Saurabh Bharadwaj, AAP's Delhi chief, questioned the scheme's effectiveness in tackling problematic bills issued during the pandemic. In a post on X, he said, "The wrong bills that were issued during the Corona period, this scheme is not resolving them. Now those same wrong bills are being imposed on the people." He urged the government to review an earlier 'One Time Settlement scheme' brought in 2022, calling it more beneficial for citizens. Officials revealed the massive scale of pending water dues: Delhi Jal Board has a total outstanding of Rs 87,589 crore encompassing all user categories. Shockingly, Rs 80,463 crore (91%) of this is due to late payment surcharge charges, while the principal amount stands at Rs 7,125 crore. Rekha Gupta’s waiver plan, alongside efforts to upgrade the Jal Board’s system and expand sewer projects and river cleaning initiatives, shows a strong push toward better water services. Water Minister Verma said, "While it may result in financial loss for the Jal Board, it will greatly benefit the public. Our government has presented a Diwali gift to the people of Delhi." So Delhiites, this festive season, it's time to check your water bills, settle your dues, and enjoy water without the stress of towering late fees. Just watch out for those tricky pandemic-era bills!

Read More at Economictimes →

Tags: Delhi, Water bills, Late payment surcharge, Waiver scheme, Delhi jal board, Rekha gupta,