Ahmedabad, 1997 - Ongoing

Fazil cruzeShafeeq aliSyam prasadNikhil k r

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.

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.

SRFD

The river originates from the foothills of Aravalli ranges near Udaipur, Rajasthan, and flows downstream passing through Ahmedabad till Gulf of Cambay. The 109-km river runs across a stretch of about 11 km through Ahmedabad. It is this stretch that would be developed as an ambitious urban renewal project

The project was conceived in 1997, but it gained momentum only after 2001. Constant changes in the plan have escalated the project cost from Rs 361 crore in 1997 to an estimated Rs 1,200 crore today.

SRFD

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.

The Challenges

SRFD

A committee formed under an ex-High Court Judge for finalization of beneficiaries.

More than 11200 families allotted houses for resettlement.

Comprehensive Settlement under the supervision of Hon. Gujarat High Court.

Construction of Riverfront Market for rehabilitation of Gujari Bazaar vendors.

Construction of modern Dhobi Ghat for the ousted dhobis.

Resettlement & Rehabilitation:

SRFD

the first proposal was formulated in 1961 by the French architect Bernard Kohn which suggested to reclaim 30 ha of land on boththe banks of the river in order to develop a mix of commercial, recreational andresidential activities in some points of the river, mainly close to the major bridges. The feasibility of such proposal was studied and confirmed in 1966 by a commission appointed by the government of Gujarat and a further proposal was done in 1976 by a group of local professionals including Ahmedabad Study Action Group, thearchitect Hasmukh C Patel and K B Mehta Builders. The group agreed on the reclamation of land and proposed the strengthening of the Pirana Sewage Treatment Plant in the south of Ahmedabad and the construction of retaining walls to protect the city from floods and to give space for development. The need to improve the sewerage system was confirmed also in the National River Conservation Plan of 1992 for the interception and diversion works, the construction of trunk sewers, the desilting of storm.

SRFD

first proposal by architect Bernard Kohn

SRFD

The proposal was commissioned to the Environmental Planning Collaborative (EPC), which in 2002 merged with the HCP Design and Project Management Pvt.Ltd., responsible for the urban design of the project. The works started in 2005 and are still ongoing.

The project regards a stretch of 9 km of the river comprised between the Subhash Bridge and the Vasna Barrage within the city of Ahmedabad and its main features are the following

SRFD

- 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 turnedin the so-called lower promenade;

- the construction of interceptor sewers on both the riverbanks able to prevent thewaste water to flow directly into the river and diverting it to the two sewagetreatment 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

features

SRFD

- the dredging of the river bed in order to provide soil for the filling of the space behind the RCC retaining walls. At least 67.500 cubic meters are required for the filling;The main declared goals for the implementation of such actions are:- the elimination of the danger of floods in the current context of climate change;- the establishment of better hygienic conditions through a new sewerage system;- the ground water recharge through the storage of water within the river bed;- the improvement of the living conditions of the slum dwellers.

SRFD

riverbanks of the Sabarmati before

the project

riverbanks of theSabarmati after the project

SRFD

lower promenade

SRFD

View from upper promenade

SRFD

SRFD

SRFD

SRFD

SRFD

SRFD

SRFD

SRFD

Structural Works •Diaphragm Wall, Anchor Slab, Ghats and Ramps •Retaining Wall, Staircases and Ramps •Interceptor Sewage Line, Extension of Outfalls & Manholes •General Earth Fill •Pumping Station Development Works (Ongoing) •Lower Promenade •Road and Road Below Bridge •Gardens •Riverfront Market •Dhobi Ghat Further Development •Exhibition Centre, Events & Cultural Amenities •Recreational Amenities •Commercial Development SRF

D

SRFD

THANK U