Delhi Govt to Replicate Sabarmati Model on Yamuna Riverfront, Says Parvesh Verma
Delhi Deputy Chief Minister Parvesh Verma announced on Monday that the Delhi government plans to replicate Ahmedabad's Sabarmati Riverfront development model along the Yamuna Riverfront, including the construction of a dedicated Rs 60 crore Chhath Ghat at Kalindi Kunj in the Kalka Ji Kunj area.
Verma visited the Sabarmati Riverfront in Ahmedabad along with a delegation of officials, where they attended a detailed presentation on the river's transformation. He noted that nearly 90 percent of the environmental and infrastructural challenges faced by the Sabarmati 25 to 30 years ago parallel the issues currently affecting the Yamuna.
The proposed development along the Yamuna includes green parks, cycling tracks, modern ghats, recreational areas, and sports facilities. The government has already approved Rs 60 crore for the Kalindi Kunj Chhath Ghat project, which is scheduled for completion within a year.
Addressing pollution control, Verma stated that the Delhi Jal Board has begun constructing and upgrading sewage treatment plants (STPs) to bridge the treatment capacity gap within two years. He added that millions of households lacking sewer connections will be integrated into the network over the next 18 months. New schemes are also planned to manage dairy waste and septage from domestic septic tanks.
Taking inspiration from Ahmedabad's relocation of traditional washermen to mechanized facilities, the Delhi government plans to build dedicated mechanized dhobi ghats to prevent untreated wastewater and runoff from discharging directly into the river.
Verma also announced that the administration is preparing to file First Information Reports (FIRs) over alleged financial irregularities in previous Yamuna cleanup projects. The government has received one Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) report and is awaiting another regarding Delhi Jal Board expenditures. The findings, which raised questions over hundreds of crores spent on non-operational or under-capacity STPs, have been sent to a committee for review ahead of legal action.
