Yamuna Riverfront Development project: Work on 3 stretches of 25-km project complete, says DDA

Yamuna Riverfront Development: The 25-km-long Yamuna Riverfront Development project is ongoing, and out of it, work on three stretches has been completed, according to the Delhi Development Authority (DDA). A report in IE cited DDA Horticulture Department director Ashok Kumar as saying that development of water bodies, pathways, as well as greenery on three stretches has been completed, with these three stretches being Golden Jubilee, Asita East and Asita West, while these works are about to be completed on a fourth stretch – the Nizamuddin Bridge-DND Flyway (east). He added that natural river and grass, umbrella grass as well as natural riverines are some of the features that have been added.

Moreover, the authority is also looking to add elements like eco-trails, walkways as well as water bodies on the entire stretch between Wazirabad and Okhla barrages. The project is slated to be completed by December 2023, the report added.

The 25-km section under the development has been divided into 10 projects, of which, the Asita West has an area of about 90 hectares, while Asita East, which is near the stretch marking the end of ITO, is across 93 hectares. Golden Jubilee on the other hand is across about 50 hectares. Apart from this, the Nizamuddin Bridge-DND Flyway (east) stretch spans across 100 hectares, of which 25% has been developed.

Ashok Kumar said that people from neighbouring areas have been visiting these completed sections, while adding that some of the areas are also slated to get cycle tracks.

The report cited a senior DDA official as saying that the authority had to face several issues related to removal of encroachments and reclaiming of land at several places, adding that poor upkeep and dumping of industrial and untreated waste into the river made large parts of the Yamuna Riverfront inaccessible.

The way things presently stand, Yamuna barely has any freshwater running through it by the time it exits Delhi and flows into neighbouring UP, which is why officials have said that a Yamuna cleaning exercise would be necessary for the project to be successful in the long run.

Yamuna Riverfront Development Project is a result of a 2015 order by National Green Tribunal, and it began in 2017 under the monitoring of an NGT-appointed committee. Now, the project is being monitored by the UT’s LG.