aRTICLE | Riverfront Development
Redflags in riverfront development projects! It is said that water gave birth to civilization. Humans are attracted to watersides. In today’s context, riversides provide a quaint bliss away from the man-made grey jungle and hence present a recreational hot spot. The combination of riverfronts with urban sprawls addresses two bigger problems - water health maintenance and city beautification. In the Indian context, riverfront development projects have given mixed results Shivi Sharma | Editorial Assistant
aterbodies have always been an attractive place in a city for tourists and residents alike. Hence, it has the potential of being a cultural, heritage and tourist hub for the city. When put in the context of urban planning, waterfronts can greatly monetise the emanations of the river surface. It can become a focal point for active and passive activities; business opportunities; and most importantly, a congregational public space. Historically, riverside development has gone through an entire circle starting from the discovery of river banks as a vital base for economic activities and transportation. This led to attracting more and more people to settle near river banks with the proliferation of trading and manufacturing activities. The sad thing about Industrialisation
32 February 2022 | www.urbanupdate.in
is that it highlights the extent of the greedy nature of human beings. As the use of riverside fronts increased in the economic activities, the rapid depletion of limited resources began to occur taking a direct hit on the water health and that of areas around it. This is the stage where most cities scramble to manage waterfronts. However, the increase in climate change awareness and the need for nature’s touch within urban sprawls has led to planners rediscovering waterfronts now.
Riverfront development projects
The point of the riverfront development project is to illustrate the connection between access, greenway development, and market demand. The demand for a developed riverfront has increased as more and more cities are urbanising. This is reducing the avenues for recreation and open spaces. The increased footfall in such areas will attract high end investments and motivate people to indulge in the adventurous experiences that a city provides. The Sabarmati Riverfront Development Project has been ranked amongst the ‘100 most innovative projects’ by KPMG, one of the world’s top advisory firms. The project was ranked based on its performance in making Ahmedabad city more sustainable and rejuvenating its urban spaces. The project including revamping a 10.5 km stretch, reclaiming over 202 hectares of encroached land. Ahmedabad Municipal Corporation started the Sabarmati Riverfront Development Corporation Limited (SRFDCL) in 1997. “The
