L

I
T
E
R
A
T
U
R
E

S
T
U
POOJA YADAV
7th SEM. D
1736181017 Y
R.R.I.M.T. LUCKNOW
The Sabarmati Riverfront project is an environmental improvement, social upliftment and urban rejuvenation project that will renew Ahmedabad. The project is being developed by the Sabarmati Riverfront Development Corporation Ltd. (SRFDCL), a company wholly owned by the Ahmedabad Municipal
Corporation. The project aims to reclaim the private river edge as a Public asset and restore the city’s relationship with its river. The Riverfront project presents a great opportunity to create a public edge to the river on the eastern and western sides of Ahmedabad.

PROJECT OBJECTIVES –
• The project aims to provide Ahmedabad with a meaningful waterfront environment along the banks of the Sabarmati River and to redefine an identity of Ahmedabad around the river. The project looks to reconnect the city with the river and positively transform the neglected aspectsof the riverfront.

• The objectives of this multidimensional project can be categorised under threetopics-

• Environmental Improvement: reduction in erosion and flood to safeguard the city;sewage diversion to clean the river; water retention and recharge.

• Social Infrastructure: rehabilitation and resettlement of riverbed dwellers and activities; creation of parks and public spaces; provision of socio-cultural amenities for thecity. Proposal for Sabarmati Riverfront Development 1998
• Sustainable Development: generation of resources, revitalisation ofneighbourhoods. • Physical Features of the River

Background - • River Hydraulics

• Land Reclamation and Embankments
Sabarmati river has been an integral part in the life of Ahmedabad since the time the city was founded in
1411 along the river banks. Besides being an important source of water, it provided a backdrop to cultural • Land Ownerships
and recreational activities. During the dry seasons, the river bed became a place for farming. With time it • Water Retention
also offered place for various informal economic activities, and the river banks were used by informal • Ground Water Recharge
squatter settlements.
• Land Use and Road Network
Gradually, however, the intensive uses took their toll on the river. Untreated sewage flowed into the river
through storm water outfalls and dumping of industrial waste posed a major health and environmental • Infrastructure Services
hazard. The river bank settlements were disastrously prone to floods and lacked basic infrastructure • Resettlement and Rehabilitation
facilities. Lacklustre development took shape along the riverfront. Such conditions made the river
inaccessible and it became a virtual divide between the two parts of the city. Slowly, the city turned its back • Implementation Strategy
towards the river. • Project Costs and Revenue Potential
There had been a long-standing acknowledgement that the riverfront could be turned into a major urban asset
from its undesirable state. Proposals to achieve the same have been made since the 1960s and it was finally • Financing , Structure of the SRFDCL and
in 1998 that this multi-dimensional project was envisioned and undertaken by the city. • Development Management

Ambitions of the
Sabarmati Riverfront Development Project
1. Make the riverfront accessible to the public

2. Stop the flow of sewage, keep the river clean and pollution-free

3. Provide permanent housing for riverbed slum dwellers

4. Reduce risk of erosion and flooding in flood prone neighborhoods

1……. 5. Create riverfront parks, promenades and ghats to enjoy the water

6. Provide Ahmedabad with new cultural, trade and social amenities

7. Revitalize riverfront neighborhoods, rejuvenate Ahmedabad

8. Generate resources to pay for all of the foregoing

9. Create a memorable identity for Ahmedabad

River Training and Land
Reclamation – The Original Context

River Training and Land Reclamation

1. Defined Waterway – 275 m wide
2. Total Reclamation area - 202 Hectares

1736181017, 7 th SEM.
 SABARMATI RIVERFRONTDEVELOPMENT-
The Sabarmati River Front Development CorporationLimited (SRFDCL) is established in 1997 for thedevelopment of the riverfront in the city. (1)SRFDCL reached out to a number of NGOs andcitizen groups for planning and implementation. The process of implementation was done by build,maintain, operate and transfer.
SRFDCL appointedIndependent Third Parties to supervise the privatesector contractors who were selected on fixed timeand rate. The fund for the project is set out bydifferent sources that are equity capital, loan fund and proceeds from land sales.

Riverfront Land Use

The proposed development is of mix land use thatincludes commercial, recreational and residentialdevelopments within the both side of
river bank fromGandhi Bridge to Sardar Bridge.

Development in Different
Sector
The major component of the project
concludesembankment and reclamation works,
construction ofroad and installation of infrastructures such
as water,sewer network, storm water drainage,
etc.,resettlement and rehabilitation work, construction
of promenades and garden and maintenance of publicspac
es.

Rehabilitation of Slum
Dwellers
There were around 12000 hutments on both side ofriver Dhobi Ghat
bank that cover nearly 20% of the Around 172 Dhobis were using both the bank of theriver for washing activities. On
critical project area. More than 10000 families are allotted the eastern bank ofthe river near Vasna Barrage is constructed as dhobighat spread
with houses for resettlement, and 9078 odd familieshave over approx. 9400 sq.mt area has utilityarea of about 600 sq.mt. There are seven
already been shifted. Each house is of 26.77 sqm carpet blocks inmodern Dhobi Ghat, and each block has 24 units withwell-developed water
area. Commonly the relocation of a slum is provided on the supply and drainage systemwith a water meter for inlet watering.
outskirt of the city, but in this case, itis located near to the
prime location of the city

Event Area
Earlier the dry river bed was used to host events likecircus and cricket etc.
However, a mega city likeAhmedabad requires a proper event managementground
facilities. So that an area of 60.00 aq.mt,spread between Sardar Bridge and Ellis
Bridge on thewest bank has been designed for hosting events suchas the Kite
Festival, the Marathon, the Cyclothon andGarib Kalyan Mela are organized.

Gujari Bazar - Sunday Market Promenade

It is an age-old Sunday market, where 40% of traderswere women and half of them
describe themselves asDalits. It was unhygienic and also there is a risk of flood in A key feature of this project is a two-level,continuous walk on both sides of river
monsoon. Now, it is spread over 70.00 sq.mtarea, and 1600 vendors can do their bank built justabove the water level for pedestrian and cyclists. Sothere will be no
business on 788 pucca platforms and 783 laris. private ownership of river bank, andthe whole stretch is open for every citizen

Sewage System
To intercept the sewer running into the river anddivert it to the treatment plants, the interceptor
sewersystem was constructed. Earlier the sewage from 36drainage points directly falls into the river that
makesthe water dirty, mosquito ridden and unhealthyenvironment. Now, there is an extreme change in
theenvironment around the river because all sewagegoes to a pumping station for transformation it toriver
quality

Urban Forestry
Between Vasna Barrage and Ambedkar Bridge, theunique afforestation project is situated
over 1 lakh sq.mt area. The natural forestry is being developedwith different plant species from
Gujarat, includingcertain very rare species.

Water Recreation
Various water sports are provided in the project
on both sides of the river bank. Boating facilities areavailable on both side of the
river bank in different places. For the future plan, there will be a zip line,Amphibian
bus, Sabarmati Darshan through ferry andadventure water sports.

Public Garden/ Flower Garden

For parks and garden space 27% of project land isdeveloped. There are three gardens.

Garden of 60000 sq.mt between SubhashBridge and Dadhichi Bridge;

Garden of 25000 sq.mt at Usmanpura between Gandhi Bridge and Nehru Bridgeon
West bank and

Flower garden of 40000 sq.mt near eventarea on west bank of the river.

1736181017, 7th SEM.

 Project Site and Area-
Project site for the housekeeping services is the Upper SCOPE OF WORK FOR THE SERVICE PROVIDER
With the objective of providing a clean, hygienic and presentable look to the
and lower Area on the Sabarmati Riverfront from Daffnala to Vasna Barrage in East and from
entire Riverfront area, Service Provider shall be responsible for complete
Subhash Bridge to Vasna Barage on West side of Sabarmati Riverfront in the city of Ahmedabad.
housekeeping of east & west both sides of Sabarmati Riverfront from Vasna
The length of each bank is approx 11.5 km
barrage to Shubhash bridge in the city of Ahmedabad as per the detailed
Major areas to be covered for providing Housekeeping Services includes the following:
scope of work provided hereunder. The general scope is described in Table
A. Lower Walkway, Viewing Galleries, Ghats
and the specific details are mentioned here under the table. All the tasks are to
B. Upper Walkway & Upper Promenade
be performed by the Service Provider at its own cost unless specifically
C. Open ground on Upper Promenade
mentioned.
D. All Footpaths, Roads, Central Verge
plantation area, Approach roads and open surface falling under Riverfront boundary
Project site for the housekeeping services is for the Lower promenade, Upper
E. Gurjari Bazar and Dhobi Ghat
promenade open grounds and roads up to the project boundary defined on the
F. SRFDCL House
G. Garden ( Riverfront Park, Subhashbridge, Usmanpura, & Flower Garden) Sabarmati Riverfront from torrent power Subhash Bridge to Vasna Barrage
H. Event Ground on West side of Sabarmati Riverfront in the city of Ahmedabad. The length of
I. Public Toilets the Promenades is approx 11.5 kms.
No. Area/ Item Approximate
Manpower per Day

1 Lower Walkway, Viewing Galleries, Ghats 80

The List of Areas/ locations along with an estimate of Manpower required for
2
3
Upper Walkway & Upper Promenade
Open ground on Upper Promenade
50
30
providing the Housekeeping /Cleaning Services is given in the following
4 All Footpaths, Roads, Central Verge plantation area, Approach roads and open
surface falling under Riverfront boundary.
90
Table ;
5 Gurjari Bazar and Dhobi Ghat 20
6 SRFDCL House 15
7 Gardens ( Riverfront Park, Subhashbridge, Usmanpura, & Flower Garden) 50
8 Event Ground 20
9 Public Toilets 8
10 Facility Supervisors 15
Total 378

Land and Street Use Plan

Sr Sanctioned Land Use Area Ha %

1 Roads 44 22
2 Garden 27 14
3 Open Space 37 18
4 Public Purpose 29 14
5 Lower Promenade 27 13
6 Multi Use for sale 29 14
7 Sports 7 4
8 Residual (Utilities, Residential, 2 1
Commercial, General, Education
Total 202.8

1736181017, 7 th SEM.
 Sewerage Network Project Cost of various
To stop flow of sewage and to keep the river clean
Diversion (Interceptor) of Sewage
• East Bank: 15 Km
Components as on
• West Bank: 12.3 Km 31/10/2014
Total work: Sr. Description Amount Rs. Status
RCC pipe (1.2 m to 2.2 m Dia) 17800 Rmt Cr
East Bank
1 Diaphragm wall, Anchor Slab and 264.68 Completed
RCC Box drains (1.7 m x 1.8 m to 2.25 m x 1.8 m twin box) 3200 Rmt
Pumping station Earth
Rising main: 5000 Rmt and GRP pieline : 1300 Rmt.
Fill up to lower walkway
Total drains: 48 Nos (28 on West & 20 on East) 2 Retaining Wall and Special Earth Fill 180.39 Completed
Junction chambers: Total 41 Nos. (23 on West and 18 on East) West bank Interceptor To Sewage
sewage line treatment 3 General Earth Fill 68.00 Completed
plant

Road Network East Bank:

Four lane road creating North - South link of 10.55 km connecting
4 Finishing of Lower Promenade 35.58 Ongoing
Remaining 13.30 Cr

river with East Ahmedabad through 10 approaches. 5 Road & Underpasses 68.31 Ongoing
Remaining 50.00 Cr
The major connection with the road leading to the Airport avoiding
traffic congestions. 6 Diversion of Sewer and Pumping 126.92 Completed
Connection with the fort wall city having many markets in central Station
7 River Front Market 21.20 Completed
Ahmedabad and biggest city bus terminus i.e. Laldarwaja etc.
West Bank: 8 Laundry Campus 7.48 Completed
This is also four lane road of 9.25 km length parallel to the major 9 Event Ground 2.39 Ongoing
Noth - South Ashram road on this side. Remaining 16.00 Cr

This will help to manage traffic of commercial development of West

10 Toilet Blocks 6.50 Ongoing
Ahmedabad and proposed Central Business District through 11 Remaining 1.00 Cr

approaches . 11 Garden Works

12 Upper Promenade Finishing
15.77 Completed
1.00 Ongoing
Remaining 1.00 Cr

Total 798.22

THE CHALLENGES
12000 hutments on both banks of the river occupying nearly 20% of critical project area.
Unorganized Gujari Bazaar of more than 1200 vendors on the eastern bank and Court Litigation.
Nearly 200 Dhobis using both the banks of the river for washing activities.
Thoroughly polluted and contaminated Sabarmati through 40 storm water outlets.

FEATURES
• The reduction of the riverbed from a variable width of 600- 300 m to a fix width of 275 m,
thus reclaiming 185 ha of land.

• The construction of RCC diaphragm walls (10-20 m depth) and anchor slabs
(10 m) to prevent the riverbanks from erosion. After the finishing the anchor slab is turned in
the so-called lower promenade.

• The construction of interceptor sewers on both the riverbanks able to prevent the waste water to flow
directly into the river and diverting it to the two sewage treatment plants of vasna and pirana.

• The construction of RCC retaining walls (2.5 - 9 m) to protect the city from flooding. The
height of the walls is determined by the 100-year flood level. An upperpromenade is created
on top of the retaining walls.

1736181017, 7th SEM.

 RECREATION MAP
• The key feature of this project is a two-level, continuous promenade at the water’s edge along
each bank of the river. The lower level promenade is built just above the water level and an
upper level promenade.Together these provide Ahmedabad with an uninterrupted, pedestrian
walkway, of 11.3km in length, in the heart of the city.

LOWER-LEVEL PROMENADE
The lower-level promenade is built just above the water level to serve pedestrians and
cyclists solely and to provide access to the water.
The width of the promenade varies from 6-18m. Facilities provided at the River Promenade
include:
Access points from the city level via staircases and ramps at regular intervals.
Lifts or elevators to make lower-level promenade
accessible for people with disabilities.
Concrete paved fooring which can support walking, jogging and cycling.
Continuous seating arrangement at the river’s edge
along with protective railing.
Platforms at regular intervals for regulated and organized vending activities.

UPPER LEVEL PROMINADE The upper level promenade shall host a variety of public features at the city level.

GHATS 31 NOS
Ghats punctuate the lower-level river promenade at planned intervals to provide access to
the water. These have been designed at strategic locations to enable continuation of
cultural activities along the water.

1736181017, 7 th SEM.
 BOATING STATIONS
3 NOS
Boating Stations have been provided at the lower-level River Promenade to enable
recreational boating in the river as well as a water-based mode of public transport in
the future. Three boating stations have been completed so far. First station is located
on the eastern bank near Subhash Bridge. The other two stations are located
downstream on the western bank, near Nehru Bridge and Sardar Bridge, respectively.

Area 6 ha
RIVERFRONT PARK: SUBHASH BRIDGE
The park is envisaged as an extension of Gandhiji’s Sabarmati Ashram, across the river, providing a
serene and contemplative backdrop to the Ashram and maximising this vista. Simultaneously, it
will serve as a much needed park for Shahibaug-Dudheshwar neighbourhoods. The park has been
designed to meet the needs of a diverse range of people.

RIVERFRONT PARK: USMANPURA

Area 1.8 ha
The park is one of the many public gardens created along the
riverfront in this project. It will serve as a neighbourhood
park and strengthen the green space network on the western part of the
city.
The park has been open to the public following its formal
inauguration on October 16, 2013 by Gujarat Chief Minister- Shri
Narendra Modi.

AMUSEMENT PARK Area 0.9 ha

This park will be a hub of thematic areas with an
informative and entertaining environment. The
facility will provide interactive exhibitions,
holographic displays and animatronics to recreate pre-
historic living creatures, historic episodes and
traditional architecture.

FLOWER
Area 5 ha
GARDEN
This garden has been envisioned as a venue for Ahmedabad’s Annual Flower Show- an event for exhibition and sale of native
and exotic species of plants and flowers. Throughout the year, the garden shall serve as a neighbourhood park.

1736181017, 7th SEM.

 Area 10.4 ha URBAN FOREST: PALDI
The proposed forest, downstream of the river is envisioned as a significant green resource for the city.
The site extends from Paldi to Vasna Barrage with a coverage of more than 10hectares. Ambedkar Bridge
divides the site into two. The northern part of the site will act as neighbourhood park for the dense
residential areas in Paldi while the southern part will be a developed as a city-level urban forest, a densely
wooded area with a botanical garden. Building within the site will be minimal to maintain the character of
an urban forest.

PLAZA: VALLABHSADAN
Area 0.5 ha
The plaza, located on the River Promenade-West between Nehru Bridge and
Gandhi Bridge, is visualized as a pedestrian promenade lined by arcades
which will provide a shaded environment. Staircases and elevators for
handicapped access connect the plaza at regular intervals to the lower-level
promenade and the river.

PLAZA: GANDHI ASHRAM

Owing to its significance as a national heritage site, Gandhi Ashram is the only
property that opens up directly onto the river. The series of wide steps that presently
lead down from the Ashram, connect to the lower level-River Promenade. This space
is envisioned as a multi-functional public space. The visualizations show the
transformation of the space into an amphitheatre, where the existing steps serve as
seating.

SUCCESS STORIES
• The Sabarmati Riverfront Project add almost 10,00,000 sq. mts. of parks, promenades and plazas to Ahmedabad.
• The Sabarmati Riverfront Project help provide Ahmedabad with many new cultural trade and social institutions
(36,000 Sq.m).
• Creating of City Level Recreational Activities – Water Sports and Floating
restaurants.
• Tourist attraction.
• Recharge of Ground water Aquifers of the city
• Continuous Green coverage along the river corridor.
• Elimination of Flood Hazard.
• Creating Vibrant Urban neighborhoods and beautification of the city.

INFERENCES
River front qualities
Points to think when designing a riverfront
• Access and linkage
• Edge uses
• Attractions and destinations
• Identify and image
• Amenities
• Water uses
• Flexibility in design
• Seasonal strategy
• Landuse management th
• Diverse funding sources 1736181017, 7 SEM.
 Project Benefits and Impacts
• It is made possible to retain surface water in the river all year round also utilized for boat rides etc.
• The water recharges the ground strata extensively with storage of 12.5 million cubic meter river water.
• Interceptor sewers and sewage diversion network has diverted more than 250 MLD sewage from the river and
eliminated the pollutants.
• Diaphragm walls in the bed of the river has protected from scour and stopped erosion of the river banks.
• Retaining walls along both banks has made 202 Ha. land available for further development for the city and also
contributed for flood protection.
• The embankments on either side of the river has provided wide walkways, many other facilities and green space
for the public with extensive tree plantation.
• 10000 slum dwellers residing on the riverbed have been rehabilitated and resettled in very good PAKKA houses.
• Traditional user of River like washer men and unorganized vendors are now provided with well organized
facilities.
• Easy access to the river water through Ghats, Sairs/Ramps.

The dark side of Sabarmati river development

• Immediately issue closure notices to all the defaulting industries located in Ahmedabad industrial clusters
• Issue closure notices to all the defaulting Common Effluent Treatment Plants (CETPs)
• Issue notices to the Municipal Commissioner of Ahmedabad to ensure compliance by all Sewerage
Treatment Plants (STPs) in the area.
• File criminal cases against the owners and directors of the defaulting polluting industries, officers of the
CETPs, and the Municipal Commissioner of Ahmedabad
• Investigate and prepare further detailed reports about the ground water contamination as well as
contamination of the food grains, vegetables, and fodder
• Ensure interim exemplary monetary compensation along with medical services to the farmers and
villagers who have suffered from the groundwater pollution
• Pay interim compensation per season per acre to the farmers who are forced to use contaminated
Sabarmati river water and groundwater for irrigation of agricultural land
• Appoint a competent interdisciplinary committee of officials and field experts to assess the ongoing and
past damages to quantify the real compensation payable to the farmers for the damage done
• Implement the Supreme Court and NGT orders in letter and spirit

1736181017, 7th SEM.