In a feature published on 22 October 2026, the Press Information Bureau reported that India’s Namami Gange Programme has undertaken 219 projects worth an estimated ₹35,664 crore, including 147 completed projects across 10 Ganga basin states. Press Information Bureau
The programme is adding sewage treatment capacity through conventional processes, compact biological systems, electrocoagulation, onsite treatment and multi-storey plants, reflecting a technology-neutral approach for urban centres, small habitations, hilly terrain and land-constrained locations. Press Information Bureau
Key takeaways
- Namami Gange has undertaken 219 projects worth an estimated ₹35,664 crore, of which 147 have been completed. Press Information Bureau
- The programme records 6,603 MLD of sewage treatment plant capacity, with 4,341 MLD created across 10 Ganga basin states. Press Information Bureau
- Five Food Chain Reactor treatment plants are operational: two at Bhatpara in West Bengal and three at Prayagraj in Uttar Pradesh, while another plant at Bhagalpur in Bihar is under construction. Press Information Bureau
- Uttarakhand has 17 electrocoagulation installations, including plants at Badrinath and Chamoli. Press Information Bureau
- An Advanced Oxidation Process pilot at Varanasi’s Assi Drain is designed to treat excess wastewater onsite, avoid long interception and diversion sewer lines, and link payment to treated-water quantity and key performance indicators without an upfront capital payment. Press Information Bureau
Namami Gange adopts treatment options suited to local conditions
The Press Information Bureau said the Namami Gange Programme, launched in 2014, is an Integrated Conservation Mission focused on reducing pollution and conserving and rejuvenating the National River Ganga. Sewage treatment infrastructure is central to its pollution-abatement work, combining new treatment capacity with different treatment technologies. Press Information Bureau
Its technology-neutral approach includes the Conventional Activated Sludge Process, Upflow Anaerobic Sludge Blanket, Sequential Batch Reactor, Moving Bed Biofilm Reactor, Fluidized Aerated Bed and Food Chain Reactor, alongside electrocoagulation, constructed wetlands and packaged systems such as Johkasou. Press Information Bureau
Food Chain Reactor technology adds fixed artificial media and plant roots to activated-sludge-type treatment. The source identifies a smaller footprint, lower power consumption and nutrient removal as advantages. Five operational Food Chain Reactor plants are recorded at Bhatpara and Prayagraj, and the Bhagalpur plant under construction has an approximate area of 175 square metres per MLD. Press Information Bureau
Electrocoagulation is a non-biological process that uses electric current and a coagulant metal anode to destabilise suspended and emulsified pollutants. Uttarakhand installations include a 0.05 MLD plant at Police Chowki, a 1.19 MLD plant at Vivekanand Colony and a 1.25 MLD plant at Pokhari Bend. Press Information Bureau
Onsite treatment changes the infrastructure model
The Advanced Oxidation Process pilot at Varanasi’s Assi Drain is intended to treat excess wastewater onsite, avoid long interception and diversion sewer lines, improve water quality, increase dissolved oxygen and eliminate odour. The source says the approach uses systems with minimum civil infrastructure and faster execution. Press Information Bureau
Its financing arrangement links payments to the quantity of treated water and the achievement of key performance indicators, with no upfront capital payment. Press Information Bureau
Specification read
The reported programme scale is 6,603 MLD of sewage treatment plant capacity, with 4,341 MLD created. Converting the reported MLD figures gives 6,603 m³/day and 4,341 m³/day. The source does not report wastewater flow, population equivalent, BOD, COD, reuse volume or compliance limits for a specific plant, so those inputs cannot be inferred from the programme totals. Press Information Bureau
A conventional municipal treatment train generally progresses from screening and primary treatment to biological treatment—such as A2O, MBR, MBBR, SBR or UASB—and then tertiary treatment and disinfection; DAF or ZLD may be added where the treatment objective requires it. This feature bears most directly on the biological-treatment and site-infrastructure stages, because the reported technologies include activated sludge, Sequential Batch Reactor, Moving Bed Biofilm Reactor, Upflow Anaerobic Sludge Blanket, Food Chain Reactor, electrocoagulation and onsite Advanced Oxidation Process. Press Information Bureau
For a municipal wastewater treatment project with a flow expressed in m³/day, specified BOD and COD in mg/L, a defined reuse destination and tightening discharge-compliance pressure, this means the technology choice must match both the treatment objective and the physical site. The source identifies footprint, power consumption, nutrient removal, civil works, treated-water reuse and performance-linked payment as relevant procurement issues. Press Information Bureau
For buyers evaluating biological or membrane-based systems, the reported programme portfolio provides a reference point for comparing process fit, compact footprints and reuse-linked delivery. Integrated sewage treatment systems and MBR membrane systems are relevant options to assess against the project’s flow, land constraints, treatment targets and reuse requirements.
FAQ
What capacity has Namami Gange created for wastewater treatment?
The programme records 6,603 MLD of sewage treatment plant capacity across 10 Ganga basin states, with 4,341 MLD created. In daily flow terms, those figures equal 6,603 m³/day of recorded capacity and 4,341 m³/day created, although the source does not provide plant-level allocation, wastewater quality or population-equivalent data. Press Information Bureau
How should I scope a compact treatment plant for a land-constrained site?
Start by matching the treatment objective to the available footprint and access conditions. The source says Food Chain Reactor offers a smaller footprint, lower power consumption and nutrient removal, while electrocoagulation is suited to cold temperatures, hilly terrain and locations with limited access. It also identifies the Bhagalpur plant under construction as having an approximate area of 175 square metres per MLD, but no general sizing rule can be applied without project-specific flow and land information. Press Information Bureau
What should a buyer ask about cost and supplier selection?
Ask bidders to separate treatment-equipment cost from site civil works, power demand, installation time and performance risks. The reported electrocoagulation installations range from 0.05 MLD to 1.25 MLD, while the onsite pilot uses minimum civil infrastructure and a payment model tied to treated-water quantity and key performance indicators with no upfront capital payment. The source does not provide comparable equipment prices or tender lead times. Press Information Bureau
When can onsite treatment suit a wastewater network?
Onsite treatment can suit locations where excess wastewater must be handled close to its source or long interception and diversion sewer lines are undesirable. The Varanasi Assi Drain pilot was designed around that need, with the source reporting faster execution and minimum civil infrastructure; however, comparative construction schedules and whole-life costs were not published. Press Information Bureau
