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).
In May last year, union home minister Amit Shah had announced that the Yamuna riverfront project in the national capital will be developed along the lines of the Sabarmati riverfront in Gujarat, and completed within a set timeline. The first phase will cover the stretch from Palla to Wazirabad, while the second will extend from Wazirabad to Kalindi Kunj. 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.
A consultant is also being hired to take the project forward, Verma said. “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. The minister said the project would be implemented in two phases.
The government’s plan follows a visit by Verma and officials from the irrigation and flood control (I&FC) department and the Delhi Jal Board (DJB) to the Sabarmati riverfront in August to study the model and understand the challenges involved in replicating it in Delhi. Verma said the government aimed to bridge the treatment-capacity shortfall of 250 million gallons per day (MGD) over the next two-and-a-half years.
“If all goes according to plan, Delhiites will be able to experience the riverfront model before the next election. They will be able to spend time along the river, walk, practise yoga and participate in several other activities,” he said. “We saw that all the issues that existed in the Sabarmati riverfront 25-30 years ago are the same issues we face in the Yamuna in Delhi currently,” Verma had said during the visit.
