Experts object to Sabarmati-style Yamuna project

The signatories argued that replicating the model in Delhi would be scientifically inappropriate, given the fundamental differences between the largely seasonal Sabarmati and the glacier-fed Yamuna.

Clouds hover over the Yamuna river, where a thick layer of toxic foam floats on the water during monsoon, at Kalindi Kunj, in Okhla, Delhi, on August 8, 2026. (File Photo | Express)

NEW DELHI: Eighteen water experts, environmentalists, researchers and civil society representatives have raised concerns over the Delhi government’s proposed Sabarmati-style Yamuna Riverfront Development (YRFD) project, warning that it could threaten the river’s ecological integrity, compromise flood safety and weaken floodplain protection in the city.

In a representation addressed to Union Jal Shakti Minister CR Patil, Union environment minister Bhupender Yadav, Delhi L-G Taranjit Singh Sandhu, CM Rekha Gupta and ministers Pravesh Verma & Manjinder Sirsa, the signatories have urged the government to reconsider the project before committing public funds.

The signatories argued that replicating the Ahmedabad riverfront model in Delhi would be scientifically inappropriate, given the fundamental differences between the largely seasonal Sabarmati and the glacier-fed Yamuna river. Flood safety is another concern.