Delhi To Get Six New Public Spaces Along The Yamuna River

Delhi will get its long-awaited Yamuna riverfront at the site of the erstwhile Millennium Park Bus Depot near Sarai Kale Khan. Sources have said a central piazza, a topiary park, a local shopping centre like that in the Sunder Nursery, two parking areas, and a river promenade will be built over an area of 25 hectares.

The project, part of the Delhi Development Authority’s (DDA) plans to redevelop the 22 km river stretch between the Wazirabad barrage and the Okhla barrage, will be built on a 200-metre-wide stretch.

Unlike the Sabarmati waterfront in Ahmedabad, it will not see concrete or permanent construction. Any concrete at the site or remnants of the bus depot are being cleared, and only ecologically suitable materials will be used, said a senior government official.

The restoration and rejuvenation plan is divided into 11 subsections. Of these, five have already been developed, including the Vasudev Ghat. The others include parks in the Asita east and west banks, the Amrut Biodiversity Park behind the Commonwealth Games Village, and the Yamuna Vatika near Rajghat.

Reconnecting Residents With The Yamuna River Redevelopment

While the plan to build a riverfront at the Millennium Park Bus Depot has been under consideration for many years, sources said a detailed blueprint was shared with the central government recently, and work will begin soon.

The Yamuna and its floodplain are part of the O zone, where permanent construction and concretisation is not allowed, as per court orders. Some major projects, however, such as the Commonwealth Games project and flyovers, have come up in this area as exceptions.

An official said the idea is to make the area as eco-friendly as possible. They added that it is part of an ongoing effort to help the city's people connect with the river.

The entire rejuvenation project covers an area of 1,660 hectares. Each of the 11 projects will have provisions for unpaved walking and cycling tracks. Riverine grasses suited to the area will buffer the vegetation between the edge of the river and the bund alongside the redeveloped parts. Depressions will be made to store excess river water.

Meanwhile, the DDA is also serving eviction notices to residents who have been living on the floodplains along Mayur Vihar, Sarai Kale Khan, and in shanties near the DND Flyway. Orders from the National Green Tribunal, the Delhi High Court, and the Supreme Court have reiterated that no encroachment will be allowed on the floodplains.

(With inputs from multiple news reports)