Delhi wants its own version of Ahmedabad’s Sabarmati Riverfront. From Palla to Kalindi Kunj, the government is planning walking and cycling tracks, sports grounds and public spaces along the Yamuna. But the project is still on the drawing board, and the river itself remains heavily polluted.
The government plans walking and cycling tracks, sports grounds and public spaces along the Yamuna. The project will be developed in two phases.
Earlier reporting noted: Delhi government readies MoU for Sabarmati-style Yamuna makeover The Delhi government has initiated the process of developing a Sabarmati riverfront-like project along the Yamuna, with water minister Parvesh Verma saying on Tuesday that the government is working towards signing a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with the Sabarmati Riverfront Development Corporation Limited (SRFDCL). The plan includes spaces for yoga, morning walks, cycling and sports, with the government looking to make the riverbanks accessible to residents. He did not give a timeline for completing the entire project. The minister had visited the Sabarmati Riverfront in Ahmedabad in August with officials from the Delhi Jal Board and the Irrigation and Flood Control Department to study the project.
Verma said 28 of Delhi’s 37 sewage treatment plants have been upgraded over the past 18 months. The government plans to add another 250 million gallons per day (MGD) of treatment capacity to address the existing shortfall. Earlier reporting noted: The proposed project will cover Delhi’s 52-km stretch of the river in two phases, from Palla to Wazirabad and then from Wazirabad to Kalindi Kunj, with plans for parks, cycle tracks, open spaces and sports facilities along the river.
Water Minister Parvesh Verma said the government has moved a proposal to sign an agreement with the Sabarmati Riverfront Development Corporation and is hiring consultants to work on the project. Verma said that if things go according to plan, Delhi residents will be able to see a model of the riverfront within the government’s current term. The minister said the Yamuna could become visibly cleaner in about two-and-a-half years as the sewage treatment projects are completed. A consultant is also being hired to take the project forward, Verma said. Earlier reporting noted: “SRFDCL will guide us in overcoming the hurdles encountered during the execution of the Sabarmati project and help us with the no-objection certificates (NOCs) and infrastructure development required for a similar riverfront along the Yamuna,” he said.
