Urban River Restoration in India: The Challenges Ahead

By : Srikumar Chattopadhyay

Page No: 1-18

Abstract
Urban river restoration is gaining significance as most of the river segments flowing through the urban areas are morphologically imbalanced, and ecologically dysfunctional due to intense human pressure, and consequent highly modified environment. Analysing six case studies covering the cities of Ahmedabad, Alappuzha, Madurai, Nagpur, Pune, and Thiruvananthapuram, this study brings out that the river segments draining all these cities are highly impaired. Restoration plans are being drawn in all six cases. Only, the city of Ahmedabad has executed the Sabarmati project, however, it is mainly a stand alone riverfront development initiative. The other five cities are yet to take up restoration activities apart from some piecemeal attempts. The approach followed in the case of Alappuzha differs perceptibly from other cities and provides some important lessons. This paper argues that the urban river restoration programme should be positioned in a larger frame of urban water management, and the urban water governance should be designed following a co-evolutionary approach. The thrust is on endogenous development and building synergy by integrating catchment-level and local-level activities. The present rural-urban dichotomy has to yield to rural-urban symbiosis. Stakeholders’ participation is one of the key components of water governance and river restoration projects as advocated globally. It is important to forge partnerships, social auditing of the project, and create and nurture a healthy river environment to maintain the quality of urban life. Geographers may consider some of these topics for their research.

Author :
Srikumar Chattopadhyay : (Retd.) Scientist, Centre for Earth Science Studies, Thiruvananthapuram, India.
 

DOI: https://doi.org/10.32381/ATNAGI.2024.44.01.1