DDA Unveils Yamuna Riverfront Project

The Delhi Development Authority (DDA) has unveiled plans to develop a riverfront project on a 25-hectare stretch along the western bank of the Yamuna floodplains, opposite Millennium Park. This initiative is part of a broader redevelopment effort encompassing 1,500 hectares along the floodplains, aimed at transforming the area into a vibrant public space.

The proposed project will extend from the defunct Millenium bus depot to the DND Flyway, situated between NH-24 and the New India Garden project. According to DDA officials, the authority is currently in the process of hiring a consultant to guide the project’s development. “We have already cleared significant waste and debris from the site over the past year,” stated a senior DDA official. “We are now in the initial planning stages and will proceed based on the recommendations of the expert consultant.”The project aligns with the vision outlined by Delhi’s lieutenant governor during a review of the Asita East Park in March 2023, where he announced plans for a “Sabarmati-like” riverfront. He emphasised that the development would adhere strictly to the legal provisions for the O zone as per the Delhi Master Plan, ensuring no concretisation.On Tuesday, the DDA issued a request for proposal (RFP) to appoint a consultant responsible for preparing a feasibility report and selecting a developer for the riverfront project. The project will be developed under a public-private partnership (PPP) model, with only 12 transaction advisors empanelled by the Ministry of Economic Affairs eligible to apply.

The Yamuna River traverses Delhi from north to south, covering 52 kilometres from Palla to Jaitpur. The DDA is already engaged in the restoration and rejuvenation of the Yamuna floodplains along a 22-kilometre urban stretch from Wazirabad Barrage to Okhla Barrage. This initiative includes 10 projects such as Asita East, Kalindi Biodiversity Park, Kalindi Aviral, Asita West, Amrut Biodiversity Park, Yamuna Vanasthali, an ecotourism area from Geeta Colony to Yamuna Barrage, Mayur Nature Park near DND Flyway, Hindon Sarovar, and a ghat project from Wazirabad Barrage to Old Railway Bridge.Significant progress has been made on several projects, including Asita East, Asita West, and Mayur Nature Park. The recently developed Vasudev Ghat near Qudsia Ghat has been designed to resemble the ghats of Varanasi, complete with evening aarti.The consultant for the riverfront project will be tasked with conducting a feasibility study, providing transaction support, and managing concessions after a developer is selected. The project must comply with all guidelines set forth by the National Green Tribunal (NGT) and adhere to the latest Delhi Master Plan (MPD). The RFP specifies that consulting services will encompass a range of strategic initiatives, innovative solutions, and collaborative efforts to achieve the project’s objectives.