From Pune to Delhi, riverfront projects are all the rage. But evidence shows they harm rivers. They constrict river flow and harm their ecology. Experts say efforts should be directed towards improving water quality instead.
Riverfront projects have gained popularity across India’s cities in the last two decades. Ahmedabad’s Sabarmati riverfront, whose construction began in 2005 and parts of which began to be opened to the public in 2012, has emerged as a model for other riverfronts across the country. Today, Rajasthan’s Kota hosts the “world’s first heritage riverfront” along the Chambal river, while Patna is preparing to turn its riverfront into a cultural and religious hub. In Hyderabad, the Musi riverfront is set to house the world’s tallest statue of Mohandas Gandhi and a London Eye-like attraction.
