The Delhi government is planning a major revamp of its infrastructure charge — the one-time fee residents pay for piped water access while constructing a house — in a bid to ease the financial burden on citizens.

The overhaul comes amid wide disparities in existing rates, which vary sharply across planned and unplanned colonies and between domestic, commercial, and institutional users, according to a Times of India report.

Currently, infrastructure charges vary widely, depending on whether a property is in a planned or an unplanned colony and how big or small it is.

Domestic users in A and B category colonies, which are regularised, pay Rs 255.27 per sq ft, compared with Rs 63.81 per sq ft in E, F, G and H category areas, many of which are unregularised.

Commercial rates stand at Rs 446.70 per sq ft for A and B colonies and Rs 127.63 per sq ft for E–H colonies. Institutional charges are Rs 319.07 per sq ft and Rs 95.72 per sq ft, respectively. These disparities often lead to wide differences in the cost of accessing piped water despite similar consumption needs.

A senior Delhi Jal Board (DJB) official said govt was examining ways to rationalise, particularly in colonies paying higher costs. The proposal was discussed at a high-level meeting as part of ongoing reforms in the sector.

One of the major considerations was rolling back the rule that mandates a 10% annual hike in infrastructure charges. Officials said that removing the yearly hike will provide immediate relief to households that have refrained from applying for water connections due to rising costs.

The Govt is also assessing two models that could replace or run parallel to the existing system.