Sabarmati Riverfront Development Project is as
unique for riverfront development as it is for social inclusiveness. Although
the project has been acclaimed and awarded on various facets, both nationally
and internationally; it's social inclusiveness hasn't been understood and
appreciated yet.
Ideas of developing Sabarmati River began in
1960s. In 1997, Sabarmati Riverfront Development Corporation Ltd. was formed by
Ahmadabad Municipal Corporation but work began in 2004. In 2012, KPMG, included
Ahmadabad's Sabarmati Riverfront Development Project (SRDP) in the list of ‘100
Most Innovative Projects’ towards urban regeneration.
True appreciation
of an achievement is possible by 'Comparison and Contrast Method'. Following is
a comparison between 'Yamuna Riverfront Development Scheme', New Delhi with SRDP.
The Second Master
Plan of Delhi - 2001, stated: " The possibilities in respect of river
Yamuna have been studied in depth and indications are that it could be
channelised within 550mt. width and an area of about 3000-4000 hectares could
become available for river front development" (DDA 1999)
DDA prepared a Rs
18 billion (at March 1992 Prices) development scheme for Yamuna riverfront.
(Gupta 1995). The scheme envisaged development of 8000 hectares of riverbed
area for recreational, residential, commercial, institutional and public
purpose with private sector funding to the extent of over 60% of the total
project cost. ('Inside the Transforming Urban Asia:
Processes, Policies, and Public Actions' edited by Darshini Mahadevia.)
Rumu Banerjee, Times of India (May 3, 2010) reported
"With the LG giving it the nod, DDA is going ahead with its Yamuna project
which will see land on both sides of the river being greened and developed.
Work on the first stretch will start in a few months and the project should be
completed in five years."
Richi Verma, Times of India The Yamuna might soon get a new
lease of life, with Delhi Development Authority's ambitious riverfront
development project being put on the fast track.
Darpan Singh, Hindustan Times (September
26, 2013), reported: "Experts from Delhi University, JNU and IIT-Delhi
will submit a plan for restoration and development of the dirty Yamuna banks in
30 days. The Centre has decided not to implement a riverfront development plan
prepared by the DDA and has set up the panel to "critically examine and
review it".
While the riverfront development in Yamuna is
yet to start, lot of things related to it have happened in Yamuna in the name
of development, such as removing slums.
"What the Eye
Does Not See: The Yamuna in the Imagination of Delhi, by Amita
Baviskar published in Economic & Political Weekly, December
10, 2011, Vol xlvi No 50" is my source on the status of Yamuna and Yamuna
Riverfront Development Project.
Since 1980s, the encouragement of Congress
politicians led to settlement of 3,50,000 squatters on both sides of Yamuna by
2004. In 2004, defecation along the Yamuna became the ground of demolition of
their homes. An estimated 1,50,000 were displaced in one week of June from Sanjay
Amar Colony, (western side) of river. Mohammad Faim broke down and cried.
“Nineteen years in this city”, said the white-haired native of Siwan, Bihar,
“and I have to return empty-handed. How will I show my face in my village?”
Until a few weeks ago, Faim was known to everyone in his neighbourhood as “Prem
Hotelwala”, the owner of a successful dhaba in Sanjay Amar Colony. He is not
alone, standing by the rubble of his demolished home, Abdul Barik gestured to
the squalor around him, “You think we want to live like this? We are also
human. We also want to live decently, without fear of being harassed and
uprooted. But there is no other option.”
As per Delhi government policy they were eligible
to receive, a plot of 18 square metres (upon payment of Rs 7,000) to 12.5
square metres. Resettlement colonies such as Bhalaswa and Holambi Kalan were
with no amenities, and 20-30 kilometres from people’s place of work (Menon-Sen
and Bhan 2008). Only 16% of displaced were given plots. Evictions from the east
bank in the summer of 2006 left more than 50,000 squatters homeless, most received
no compensation.
As far as slums are concerned, Sabarmati
riverbed was no exception. Exception came in the form of dealing. Nearly 12000
hutments on both banks occupied nearly 20% of the critical project area. A
committee was formed under an ex-High Court Judge for finalization of
beneficiaries. A Comprehensive Settlement was arrived at under the supervision
of the Gujarat High Court. More than 10000 families have already been allotted
houses of 26.77 sq m carpet area, in the prime locations of city. 9078 families,
i.e. 6 Christian, 3874 Muslims and 5198 Hindus; have already shifted and remaining
are under process. Complex has playing area for kids along with recreation
facility. To empower women, houses are allocated in the name of the woman
member or in joint name.
The SRDP revived the financial condition as
well. Gurjari Bazaar is an age old Sunday Market, where women traders comprise
close to 40% (half of these describe themselves as Dalits). The bazaar provides
livelihood for an estimated 200,000 lower-income residents. Bazaar operated
near Riverfront without any infrastructure and used to spill out on the
adjoining roads. It was unhygienic and had the risk of flooding.
Today it is the first well developed informal
market in India. A MoU was signed between the Ahmedshah Gurjari Association and
SRD Corporation. Out of 1200 members of association, 726 members (60.5%) are
Hindus and 474 members (39.5%) are Muslims. Now it's spread over 70,000 sq.mt on
the river front and 1600 vendors can do their business on 778 pucca platforms and
783 laris. Parking space is provided for 280 two wheelers, 425 four wheelers
(1700 two wheelers) and 8 heavy vehicles. Lights, toilets, food-court, drinking
water, and seating area have been provided. More than 800 trees have been
planted.
Washer man who use the river are accused of
polluting the river, but it was different in Ahmadabad. There were nearly 172 Dhobis
using the river bank for washing. They were relocated into the Dhobi ghat, constructed
on the eastern bank spread over approx. 9400 sq.mt area, which has RCC road, lighting
and parking facility in compound wall. It has 7 blocks, each block with 24
units i.e. 168 units. Each with water supply ( with water meter) and drainage
system. Pulley has been provided to take the cloth on first floor for drying.
This is in sharp contrast to what happened in
Yamuna. “Cleaning” of Yamuna, didn't take the form of installing sewage
treatment facilities but entailed removal of people. Rivers are an intrinsic
part of religion, but in her 22 km-long flow through Delhi, Yamuna is neither
revered nor respected. Worshippers have to bathe in sewage.
Again, condition of Sabarmati was not
different, but it changed. An interceptor sewer system was constructed on both
the banks of the river to intercept the sewer running into the river through 36
drainage and divert it to the treatment plants.
Today, Sabarmati river plays an important
role for all religious groups. Lord Jagannath is worshipped, with the Sabarmati
water before the Rathyatra starts, Jains perform group Parna (Releasing fast though
a ritual) and procession of Tajiya by Muslims concludes at the river.
Yamuna in Delhi is remembered only during
floods or land scams. By 2007, selectively cleared of its encroachments, the
Yamuna riverfront become a money spinner. Emaar MGF, the Dubai-based real estate
developer was to build the Games Village under a public-private partnership
arrangement. The DDA allotted 27 acres of prime land for free to the company to
build 1,168 luxury flats for athletes and officials. Under the terms of the contract,
the firm would sell two-thirds of the flats while DDA would sell the remainder.
Later the company appealed to the government for help sighting financial
constraint and the DDA responded by giving it an interest-free loan of $100 million,
to be repaid in the form of additional flats.
Transparency
in SRDP is routine. Cost of SRDP was estimated to be around INR 11520 million
or USD 230 million. The proceeds from the sale of land created by the project
is expected to cover the cost of the project, including the interest paid on
construction, period loans and repayment of equity investments. The sale of
portion of reclaimed land (not more than 14% of reclaimed land, though allowed
to sell 20%) is envisaged to recover the cost without stretching the public
funds.
The then Chief Minister of Delhi, Sheila
Dikshit had frequently mooted the idea of channelising the river in a manner
resembling the Thames in London and the Seine in Paris, with the river fitting into
the cityscape as a site of recreation and leisure, with cultural performances
and other modes of public consumption. But the use of land so far has kept all
these at bay and infact disconnected people and river.
In contrast to this, on the banks of
Sabarmati an area of 60,000 sq mt, has been designated for hosting events like
Kite festival, Marathon, Cyclothon, Garib Kalyan Mela (for the urban poor) etc.
The diaphragm walls in the bed of the river
and retaining walls along both banks have created a channel for the river,
stopping erosion and protecting the city from flooding. Two-level, continuous
promenade on both banks is built for pedestrians, cyclists and to provide
access to the water. What it means is that there will be no more private
ownership of any part of the river bank. The river bank has 4 gardens and one
urban forest with space for meditation for common public.
Several other benefits of this project are like
recharging of ground water owing to continuous
presence of water in river, decongestion of major north – south road by
providing additional linkages road to parallel roads running along the river
front etc.
Inclusive development that SRDP has achieved
is truly unique. Never before has an urban infrastructure project, covered all
sections of society and created world class facilities for the entire city to
enjoy.
Dean Nelson, The Telegraph (24 February 2014),
UK reported: 'Indian holy river more toxic than ever despite 600m make over'. He
wrote "The Yamuna, a river revered in Hindu theology, is now a sewage
drain by the time it reaches Delhi, according to a report by the Indian
parliament."
In New Delhi, Yamuna is an anomaly, an
embarrassment; while in Ahmadabad, Sabarmati is part of life, source of pride,
felt in the gut.
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