According to the forest department, the irrigation department has committed that 18 gates at the Okhla barragewill be repaired till November 2 and the water level is expected to reach the desired level by November 10. There are a total of 27 gates at the barrage. As per the irrigation department, the gates have worn out because of high level of pollution in the water.

"Nowhere in India will you find a barrage corroding so fast. There are barrages which date back 80 or more years without repair, but here at least 17 drains open into the water officially, leading to a high pH level. This has aged the gates and corroded them before time. The repair work in total costs Rs 23 crore. We are trying to complete it in a record time of one month," said a senior official of the irrigation department.

While last year nine gates were repaired, this year the number of gates to be repaired has doubled to 18. According to the irrigation department, these repairs could last for the next 25 to 40 years.

"It is because of the industrial pollution in the region that some gates of Hindon are also being repaired," said the official.

"We had started the cleaning process of the waterbody for the migration season, but it is pointless at the moment because the water level has gone down and it is muddy. So, though the initial migratory season will be affected, we have agreed to these repairs as it is essential and we have been told that the water level would be restored by November 10 ," said HV Girish, divisional forest officer (DFO), Gautam Budh Nagar.

October witnesses the onset of migratory season at Okhla Bird Sanctuary. According to 2016 records, birders had spotted a varied list of species at the sanctuary by mid-October, including the Indian peafowl, green bee-eater, spot-billed duck, yellow-footed green pigeon, purple heron, shikra, marsh harrier, white-breasted water hen, red-naped ibis, pond heron, and many others.