Yamuna Riverfront Development Plan Set To Take Shape

The national capital may be surrounded by a river, but one can only shudder to think the torture one would undergo if one ventured into taking a stroll along the riverfront. The ghastly state in which the banks of the river Yamuna currently are is no news to those living in Delhi. However, the riverfront might be turned into a place to attract tourists, say media reports, as the Delhi Development Authority (DDA) has finalised a plan in this regard. However, before the development body can start working on implementing the plan, it would need an approval from the Prime Minister's Office (PMO).

The plan

In the first phase, the DDA will develop the stretch between the iron bridge and the ITO barrage. Apart from a 2.5-km long walkway and a biodiversity park, artificial lakes would also be created to ensure people of Delhi do not have to rush to nearby areas looking for a good time.

“A major component of the development would be the river front “walk”. This is the most important component of the total project from the public point of view, as the public would approach, view and get introduced to the river through this walk spaces. This “walk”, if made possible, can be treated as the showcase of the city for the river which, would hopefully be clean and retain its original glorious importance rather than a sewer that it has become over the period of time,” says the DDA plan.

According to the Delhi Master Plan 2021, the total area of 9,700 hectare on the banks of the river Yamuna is proposed to be developed as a biodiversity park.

As the prime objective of the task is to bring down the pollution levels of the city, eco-friendly practices would be adopted while carrying out the project. For instance, the walkway would be constructed using wood and the use of cement will be kept to the minimum. Apart from that, the DDA will also provide a water treatment solution for the Yamuna under a separate plan.

The trigger

Presenting the Budget for 2017-18, Delhi Finance Minister Manish Sisodia has said that tourism will be a major focus area of his government, and allocated Rs 119 crore to boost the sector. In April, Delhi Lt Governor Anil Baijal also met officials of the DDA and directed them to work towards improving the state of the Yamuna. The prime objective of the move is to make Delhi a clean city. Delhi is counted among the most polluted cities in the world, and cleaning of the river might be a great starting point to make the city cleaner.

The challenges

Here are some of the major challenges that need to be addressed before the DDA develops the Yamuna riverfront:

• The area on both the banks is prone to flooding and the development has to be done keeping that into consideration.
• A large area of the river bed is under cultivation.
• Unauthorised colonies pose a major challenge.

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