×

NGT grants approval for Ayad river beautification project

The NGT has placed restrictions on the corporation, prohibiting the construction of multi-storey buildings in the vicinity of the river during this project

 

Under the Smart City Project, the NGT has approved the continuation of the remaining efforts to enhance the beauty of the Ayad River, with a budget of Rs. 75 crore. Instead of using cement concrete, a geosynthetic strip will be filled with sand and stone and then pitched for water recharge purposes. The 9-meter channel created in the center of the river, designed in the form of a canal, will remain undisturbed, allowing a continuous flow of water. The NGT has placed restrictions on the corporation, prohibiting the construction of multi-storey buildings in the vicinity of the river during this project. Following this decision, Mayor Govind Singh Tank and officials associated with the Smart City Project have clarified that the work will be accelerated and is expected to be completed by the month of January.

The court rendered this decision in response to a petition filed by Dr. Tej Razdan, who serves as the Secretary of the Lake Conservation Committee. Advocate Rahul Chaudhary from New Delhi presented the case on behalf of the committee. Furthermore, it is worth noting that Smart City Limited had submitted its revised plan in written form to the Central Pollution Control Board (NGT) even before the final hearing took place.

As per this information, the base of the channel under construction in the center of the river will not incorporate concrete. With the exception of the channel walls and occasional small toe walls, Reinforced Cement Concrete (RCC) will be entirely excluded from the project. Instead, stones will be pitched on the riverbed within the channel to facilitate groundwater recharge.

  • Gabions, stone masonry, coir mats, and grass will be employed to fortify the riverbanks. All activities will align with the direction of the river's flow. These measures will not impede the quantity or direction of water flow in the Ayad River. The river's enhancement and rehabilitation will be carried out below its natural flow level.
  • Previously, the plan included a 30-meter long stone floor and a 30-meter grass strip, constructed on a cement concrete base. However, in the revised plan, stone pitching will replace stone masonry, entirely eliminating the use of cement concrete.
  • Additionally, the length of the stone work will be reduced to 15 meters from the previous 30 meters.
  • The walkway constructed within the river will be composed of gravel stones, entirely excluding the use of concrete. Moreover, for the enhancement of the riverbed, boulders will primarily replace cement.