The Taj East Drain Improvement Plan (TEDIP) was designed to restore the 4.4 km-long stormwater drain located east of the Taj Mahal, which runs through Tajganj and directly impacts nearly 6,500 households across 19 adjoining settlements. Instead of focusing solely on “end-of-stream” treatment, TEDIP addressed the root causes of pollution through a fourfold strategy. First, it sought to complete the local sewer network, ensuring that all households had toilets connected to the sewer line and further linked to the sewage treatment plant (STP). Second, it aimed to reduce solid waste dumping by introducing door-to-door collection, decentralized composting, and recycling systems. Third, the plan integrated micro-wastewater treatment solutions—including reed beds, cascades, and DEWATS—to naturally treat greywater before it entered the river. Fourth, a wetland system was proposed on the floodplains to purify water through bio-remediation, vegetation, and sunlight before recharging into the Yamuna. Beyond environmental gains, TEDIP also sought to reclaim and develop degraded public lands along the drain for community recreation. The project was collaboratively co-produced by all relevant departments and formally approved by the National Green Tribunal, setting a precedent for sustainable urban water management.