Delhi’s Bold Gamble: 17km Solar Roof To Rescue Leaking Munak Canal

A groundbreaking initiative to cover a 17-kilometer stretch of the Munak Canal with solar panels is underway in Delhi. The ambitious project tackles multiple problems at once – water loss, energy generation, and safety concerns. Not a moment too soon, if you ask the experts.

The canal’s been something of a disaster zone. The Delhi Sub-Branch loses a whopping 30% of its water through seepage and evaporation, while the Carrier Lined Channel loses 5%. That’s a lot of precious water going nowhere useful. The plan? Build four-foot-high walls along both sides of the canal and mount solar panels on top. Simple, yet clever.

Water wasted, sunlight squandered. Delhi’s solution? Cap the canal, harness the sun. Engineering at its practical best.

Of course, the Delhi Jal Board isn’t just winging it. They’re putting together a detailed project report and technical design after a ministerial inspection gave them the green light. The Water Minister’s recent inspection highlighted the urgency of addressing the canal’s deteriorating condition. The idea isn’t exactly groundbreaking – Gujarat’s been doing this for years. But Delhi’s finally catching up.

The benefits stack up nicely. No more sun beating down on the water means less evaporation. No more kids falling in. No more people using the canal as their personal garbage can. And hey, free electricity! Well, not free exactly, but you get the point.

Water loss in Delhi is no joke. This project could help secure the city’s water supply by protecting a critical source from wastage. Water Minister Parvesh Verma officially announced the solar panel initiative on July 6, 2025, marking a significant step toward sustainable water management. The panels will generate clean electricity for local use or feed it back to the grid. Win-win.

It’s part of Delhi’s broader vision for smart infrastructure. Imagine if they scaled this up to other drains like Najafgarh and Barapullah. Innovative stuff.

The 17km stretch is just a fraction of the canal’s total 102km length, with the rest running through Haryana. But it’s a start. A bold gamble? Maybe. But in a city struggling with water security and energy needs, sometimes you’ve got to think outside the box. Or in this case, on top of the canal. The project also contributes to clean energy jobs while lowering the city’s carbon footprint.