NEW DELHI: After completing rejuvenation of western bank ‘successfully’, the Delhi Development Authority (DDA) will restore and rejuvenate about 1,500 hectares of Yamuna floodplain on its eastern bank. For the project, the land-owning agency will seek help from experts, including ecologists, to spruce up landscaping, greening and carry out plantation for the restoration of wetlands and riverine ecosystem.
Basic issues of civic amenities such as public access to the river, waiting sheds, pathways, sitting benches and other public convenience will also be created. A senior official of the agency said as the project — Asita — has been showing results, it decided to take up parcels of land along the eastern bank of the river.
Asita is another name of river Yamuna. Delhi Lieutenant Governor Anil Baijal on Monday held a review meeting of officials of DDA in which Professor CR Babu from Centre for Environmental Management of Degraded Ecosystems (CEMDE) was present.
A senior official said that following the directions of LG, DDA had prepared plan for the 1,476-hectare riverfront development along the Yamuna. A presentation was made by the DD officials.“For this purpose, the entire stretch has been divided into ten pockets. L-G has directed that work at the site should be taken up in a comprehensive manner,” an official said. The DDA will prepare details of the area transferred to other agencies for temporary usage. “These areas should be assessed and taken back by DDA wherever the required purpose is fulfilled,” he said.
The 10 packages are Old Railway Bridge to ITO Barrage (Western Bank) - Asita West, Geeta Colony Bridge to ITO Barrage (Western Bank), Railway Bridge to ITO Barrage (Eastern Bank) - Asita East, NH24 to DND Flyway (Western Bank), DND to Kalindi By-pass (Western Bank), Khijrabad; NH-24 to DND Flyway (Eastern Bank), NH-24 to DND Flyway (Eastern Bank) Part Area II - Hindon Cut Wetland, Wazirabad Barrage to ISBT Bridge (Eastern Bank) around Garhi Mandu Village and Usmanpur Village, Wazirabad to Old Railway Bridge (Western Bank) and ITO Barrage to NH-24 (Eastern Bank).