The Lure Of Riverfronts In Urban Landscape, And What We Really Need To Address

With the many pluses in sight, India's riverside projects have been rushed through without considering river hydrology, which has led to unintended consequences. 

Following the Sabarmati riverfront's inception in Gujarat in 1995, its length has been proposed to be extended from 9 km to 38 km. Inspired by this project, many other cities have announced plans to develop riverfronts around their urban rivers.

In 2021, the Government of India launched the River Cities Alliance (RCA), a joint initiative of the Ministry of Jal Shakti (MoJS) and the Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs (MoHUA).

The RCA plans to connect cities along rivers and focus on sustainable development centered around these waterways. It has identified over 142 river cities across India to create Urban River Management Plans, incorporating water-sensitive urban design and planning.

This article will explore various reasons why many of the riverfront projects in India have run into trouble and why there is a need to balance the discourse on the topic of riverfront development.

Ecological And Social Fault Lines

The allure of riverfront projects in India has often been overshadowed by a series of failures and controversies, each offering unique insights into the challenges of urban development.

Take Varanasi, where a ₹12 crore navigational canal project spanning 5.3 km along the Ganga riverbed was washed away by monsoon floods in 2021. This ill-conceived project not only failed to withstand natural forces but also damaged the freshwater turtle sanctuary and did little to curb untreated sewage polluting the Ganga.

The project's collapse exposed significant planning and execution flaws by the National Mission for Clean Ganga (NMCG), highlighting the critical need for expert consultation.

In Bihar's Bhagalpur, construction of the Ganga riverfront as part of the Smart City project, was halted for violating the Wildlife Protection Act within the Vikramshila Gangetic Dolphin Sanctuary.

Even after orders to stop work near Barari Pul Ghat due to lack of forest department clearance, officials from Bhagalpur Smart City Ltd are pushing to resume construction, underscoring the project's disregard for environmental regulations and ecological sensitivity.

Completed three years ago with an investment of Rs 1,600 crore, Jaipur's Dravyavati riverfront project now faces neglect and encroachment due to a standoff between the Jaipur Development Authority (JDA) and Tata Projects Ltd over maintenance charges. The project remains unfinished as a crucial 550-meter stretch near Hassanpura awaits resolution of a court stay, adding to concerns over its long-term sustainability and upkeep.

Meanwhile, Telangana's Musi Rejuvenation and Beautification Project in Hyderabad, despite substantial investments, was shelved in 2021 after infrastructure worth Rs 2 crore washed away in floods. Authorities cited the need for a Detailed Project Report (DPR) to address recurring flood risks before resuming the project, highlighting the consequences of inadequate planning and climate resilience in urban riverfront development.

Pune's River Front Development project aimed to reclaim riverbeds through embankments, narrowing the Mula Mutha Rivers and risking increased flood levels during monsoons. Public outcry and prolonged protests from citizens, NGOs, and environmentalists highlighted concerns of environmental degradation and the project's emphasis on aesthetic enhancements at the expense of ecological sustainability.

Lastly, in Kota, Rajasthan, the Chambal River Front project stirred controversy by demolishing historically significant buildings and jeopardizing cultural heritage sites to make way for tourism infrastructure. Critics argue that the project's focus on economic development undermines conservation efforts and threatens the region's cultural legacy, reflecting a broader tension between urban growth and heritage preservation.

These cases collectively underscore the imperative for meticulous planning, environmental stewardship, and community consultation in riverfront projects to ensure sustainable urban development that balances economic progress with environmental and cultural preservation.

The Push And Pull of Urban Development

When the Sardar Sarovar Project was conceptualised, the main objective was to pump and provide water of Narmada river to Gujarat's farmlands. However due to the constant and massive extension of the Sabarmati riverfront, Gujarat's farmers are not getting the water that was meant to reach them.

"Instead, all this water is pumped into a concrete channel, previously known as Sabarmati, with stagnant water that a) doesn't recharge and b) creates urban contamination," said Sampark Pandey, an ecology expert who briefly worked with Institute of Rural Management, Anand (IRMA), Gujarat.

"One should visit the extreme north and south parts of Ahmedabad after the riverfront construction ends. It is all the same—water is scarce, contaminated, and includes industrial effluents. They literally look like drains," Anand pointed out.

On the flip side, as Sakshi Rawal, an urban designer who has worked as a consultant with multiple riverfront projects including Ahmedabad and Surat says, there is increasing competition amongst the states to create skylines, create grand urban spaces, and make their cities look better. 

A lot of the political campaigns at the state level are now focused on the urban voter. For instance, Amravati, Bangalore, and Ahmedabad-Gandhinagar are significant issues in their respective state elections. This is the reason some of these projects are sometimes rushed, in terms of relocation and river conservation mechanisms, Rawal explained.

“This might damage our cities’ resources and morphology in the long term, but here is the thing: waterfronts and riverfronts are hotbeds of real estate development and contribute to a much better urban life," Rawal said.

"They ensure continuous open urban spaces that can be used as playgrounds, markets, shops, cafes, skateboard parks, museums, and everything we lack spaces for at the neighbourhood level. They organise both sides of the river and regulate it in a way that all plot owners benefit, and the quality of urban life improves significantly.

While these are the best tools to reorganise and reimagine some of the urban utilities, a balanced approach is essential moving forward.”

Rawal also highlighted the significance of mixed-use development, which not only brings variety to the area’s use but also breathes new life into it, all while honouring and preserving its heritage and history. 

"The Sabarmati Riverfront in India is a prime example of mixed-use development, transforming a previously neglected and polluted waterfront into a vibrant space filled with parks, gardens, walkways, and commercial areas like haats,” she added."

As cities continue to grow and evolve, the push for grand urban spaces and better skylines is undeniable. Yet, it is crucial to balance this development with the preservation of natural resources and the well-being of farm economies.

The conversation around riverfronts is a vivid example of the complexities and trade-offs involved in urban planning and development.