AHMEDABAD AND SABARMATI RIVER

• Sabarmati Riverfront is a riverfront being

developed along the banks of Sabarmati river in
Ahmedabad, India.

•The River originates from the foothills of Aravalli ranges

near Udaipur, Rajasthan and flows downstream passing
Figure : Ahemdabad and Sabarmati in 1672
through Ahmedabad till Gulf of Cambay.

•The 109km river runs across a stretch of about

55through Ahmedabad.

•Sabarmati River has been an integral part in the life of

Ahmedabad since the time the city was founded in 1411.

Figure : Ahemdabad and Sabarmati in 2013

SABARMATI AND GROWTH OF AHMEDABAD
CITY CONNECTIVITY
• Site can be easily accessible through well connected
hierarchical roads which eventually connects to
riverfront road
• It can be accessed through any means of transport
• Sidewalks (1.5m-2m wide) are provided to guide
pedestrians to the site
• Bridges connects the Two river banks
• The most recent and innovative transit system was the Figure: Well connected banks facilitate easy movement

Janmarg Bus Rapid Transportation System (BRTS),

which broadened the public bus service to several areas
of Ahmedabad and introduced cyclo-pedestrian
infrastructures
• Ensures comfortable differently able accessibility also
with provision of Handicap parking, railings , ramps
and lifts to access different levels

Figure: Pedestrian sidewalks

NEIGHBOURHOOD CONTEXT
•The historical heart of the city is very densely populated

•On the east side, mainly three uses are present: Residential, in
downtown, Institutional, adjacent to the founding core of the
city, Industrial, next to the Sabarmati River and both in the
north and south side of the historical center

•On the west side, Commercial and Institutional tissues are Figure: Ahemdabad sectors; Source: AUDA DP 2021
the, most important ones. The construction of multi-storey
buildings and high density offices has dramatically changed the
skyline of the city

•In the north side of the west part we find numerous slums,
while south side shows a handful of schools and academics

Figure: Ahemdabad land use; Source: AUDA DP 2021

RIVER-CITY RELATIONSHIP
Sabarmati has always been important to Ahmedabad as a:
source of drinking water
Place of recreation Figure: Source of drinking water Figure: Gathering place
Place to gather
Place for poor to build their hutments
Place for washing and drying
Place for holding traditional Sunday Market
Place for farming

Figure: Hutments along bank

Yet, Sabarmati was abused and neglected, thus river Figure: Sunday market

turn its back

It became a place to dump garbage
A few nalas brought sewage into the river
Sewage from the slums flowed directly into the river
Encroachments reduced the flood carrying capacity
The River became inaccessible to the public Figure: River as garbage dump Figure: Encroachment of hutments
 NEED FOR THE DEVELOPMENT
The intensive uses took their toll on the river.

• Untreated sewage flowed into the river through

storm water outfalls and dumping of industrial waste
posed a major health and environmental hazard.

• The river bank settlements were disastrously prone Figure: Original condition of the river near Vadaj

to floods and lacked basic infrastructure facilities.

Lacklustre development took shape along the
riverfront.
Such conditions made the river inaccessible and it
became a virtual divide between the two parts of the
city.
Figure: Dry riverbed with slums along the riverbanks and lacklustre
development along the riverfront
PROJECT CHALLENGES
•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

•Nearly 200 dhobis using both the banks of the river for
washing and other activities.

•Thoroughly polluted and contaminated Sabarmati

through 40 storm water outlets
PREVIOUS PROPOSALS PROJECT ACTORS
Bernard Kohn, French architect residing in Ahmedabad creates a proposal for

1962 Integrated Planning & Development of Sabarmati Riverfront, calling for reclamation of
30 hectares of land.

AMC
1976 Riverfront Development Group proposes an incremental approach to reduce the need Ahmedabad
Municipal Corporation
for initial capital investment.

SRDFC
1992 National River Conservation Plan proposes construction of sewers and pumping Sabarmati Riverfront
Development
stations at the periphery of the city as well as upgrading of existing sewage treatment
Corporation
plants.

2003 Beginning of the work EPC CHP

Environmental Planning collaboration Design proposition

2011 Riverfront opens to the public

 PROJECT FEATURES
• 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 turned in the
so-called lower promenade.

• The construction of interceptor sewers on both the riverbanks able to

prevent the waste water to flow directly into the river and diverting it
to the two sewage treatment 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 upper promenade
is created on top of the retaining walls.
 PUBLIC ENGAGEMENT STRATEGY
The Riverfront project began in 1998, followed by several revisions of the master plan
to accommodate different stakeholder interests.

After preparation of each master plan, stakeholder consultations were held with primary
stakeholders. However, secondary stakeholders were not involved in the decision-
making process and the system to convey project information to the residents of the city
did not exist. Attempts were made earlier to build an information system, but remained
unsuccessful due to political constraints.

The Riverfront Communications is a project to address these challenges, to understand

public perception of the project (by city-wise public interviews and office presentations
to NGOs and other citizens’ representatives), with a goal to create an effective system
for information dissemination, addressing questions and grievances and building an
accountability system between the residents of the city and its political and planning
leaders.
PROJECT OBJECTIVES
• 1. Make the riverfront accessible to the public

• 2. Stop the flow of sewage, keep the river clean and pollution-free

• 3. Provide permanent housing for riverbed slum dwellers

• 4. Reduce risk of erosion and flooding in flood prone neighbourhoods

•
• 5. Create riverfront parks, promenades and Ghats to enjoy the water
•
• 6. Provide Ahmedabad with new cultural, trade and social amenities
•
• 7. Revitalize riverfront neighbourhoods, rejuvenate Ahmedabad

• 8. Generate resources to pay for all of the foregoing

• 9. Create a memorable identity for Ahmedabad

• Riverbanks of the
Sabarmati before
the project

• Riverbanks of the
Sabarmati after
the project
LAND USE MAP
STREET NETWORK MAP
DEVELOPMENT SITES
AMENITIES SECTION MAP
COMPLETED AND ONGOING WORK
RECREATION MAP
LOWER PROMENADE
• The key feature of this project is a two-level, continuous promenade at the water’s edge along each
bank of the river. The lower level promenade is built just above the water level and an upper level
promenade. Together these provide Ahmedabad with an uninterrupted, pedestrian walkway, of 11.3km
in length, in the heart of the city.
• The lower-level promenade is built just above the water level to serve pedestrians and cyclists
solely and to provide access to the water.
The width of the promenade varies from 6-18m. Facilities
provided at the River Promenade include:

• Access points from the city level via staircases and

ramps at regular intervals.

• Lifts or elevators to make lower-level promenade

accessible for people with disabilities.

• Concrete paved flooring which can support walking,

jogging and cycling.

• Continuous seating arrangement at the river’s edge

along with protective railing.

• Platforms at regular intervals for regulated and

organized vending activities.
UPPER PROMENADE
The upper level promenade shall host a variety of public features at the city level.
 GHATS
31 NOS
Ghats punctuate the lower-level river promenade at planned intervals to provide access to the water.
These have been designed at strategic locations to enable continuation of cultural activities along the
water.
BOATING STATIONS
3 NOS
Boating Stations have been provided at the lower-level River Promenade to enable recreational boating
in the river as well as a water-based mode of public transport in the future. Three boating stations have
been completed so far. First station is located on the eastern bank near Subhash Bridge. The other two
stations are located downstream on the western bank, near Nehru Bridge and Sardar Bridge,
respectively.
RIVERFRONT PARK: SUBHASH BRIDGE
Area 6 ha
The park is envisaged as an extension of Gandhiji’s Sabarmati Ashram, across the river, providing a
serene and contemplative backdrop to the Ashram and maximising this vista. Simultaneously, it will
serve as a much needed park for Shahibaug-Dudheshwar neighbourhoods. The park has been
designed to meet the needs of a diverse range of people.
RIVERFRONT PARK: USMANPURA
Area 1.8 ha
The park is one of the many public gardens created along the riverfront in this project. It will serve as a
neighbourhood park and strengthen the green space network on the western part of the city.
The park has been open to the public following its formal inauguration on October 16, 2013 by Gujarat
Chief Minister- Shri Narendra Modi.
AMUSEMENT PARK

Area 0.9 ha
This park will be a hub of thematic areas with an informative and entertaining environment. The
facility will provide interactive exhibitions, holographic displays and animatronics to recreate pre-
historic living creatures, historic episodes and traditional architecture.
 FLOWER GARDEN

Area 5 ha
This garden has been envisioned as a venue for Ahmedabad’s Annual Flower Show- an event for
exhibition and sale of native and exotic species of plants and flowers. Throughout the year, the garden
shall serve as a neighbourhood park.
 URBAN FOREST: PALDI
Area 10.4 ha
The proposed forest, downstream of the river is envisioned as a significant green resource for the city.
The site extends from Paldi to Vasna Barrage with a coverage of more than 10hectares. Ambedkar
Bridge divides the site into two. The northern part of the site will act as neighbourhood park for the dense
residential areas in Paldi while the southern part will be a developed as a city-level urban forest, a
densely wooded area with a botanical garden.
PLAZA: VALLABHSADAN
Area 0.5 ha
The plaza, located on the River Promenade-West between Nehru Bridge and Gandhi Bridge, is
visualized as a pedestrian promenade lined by arcades which will provide a shaded environment.
Staircases and elevators for handicapped access connect the plaza at regular intervals to the lower-level
promenade and the river.
PLAZA: GANDHI ASHRAM
Owing to its significance as a national heritage site, Gandhi Ashram is the only property that opens up
directly onto the river. The series of wide steps that presently lead down from the Ashram, connect to
the lower level-River Promenade. This space is envisioned as a multi-functional public space. The
visualizations show the transformation of the space into an amphitheatre, where the existing steps
serve as seating.
RIVERFRONT PARK: KHANPUR
Area 1.4 ha
The linear park extends between Gandhi Bridge and Nehru Bridge on the eastern riverbank and is
planned with secure play areas for children, walking, jogging and other recreational facilities, and
areas for outdoor performances and concerts.
HERITAGE PLAZA
Nehru Bridge and Ellis Bridge on the east. With the historic backdrop of the fort wall, heritage struThe
linear plaza is located along the fort wall between ctures and monuments such as Bhadra Fort,
Ahmedshah Mosque, Siddi Sayyed Mosque and Bhadrakali Temple in the vicinity, the plaza is
strategically located within the historic context. It has been envisioned as a pedestrian public space
with outdoor exhibits to represent the rich and diverse heritage of Ahmedabad, making it a central
tourist destination for the city.
 LAUNDARY CAMPUS

Area 0.9 ha
A laundry campus has been created to provide state-of-the-art facilities for the washing community that
traditionally used the river banks for laundering.
FINANCIAL ASPECT
Financing of the PROJECT
•Estimated Cost (2005 price) Phase-1= Rs. 824.24 cr.
(under construction) Phase-2 = Rs. 462.93 cr.
•Equity of AMC = Rs. 75 cr.
•Loan from HUDCO = Rs. 550 cr.
•Loan tenure 3 yr moratorium + 8 years
•Loan servicing being done by AMC
•Source of Revenue: 20% of the reclaimed land to be
allotted for commercial development

Financial calculation for recovery of project cost

Total Land for Sale – 2,97,182 sqm
Total Built up Area (Construction) –9,52,268.43sqm
(1,02,46,408.31 sqft)
Total Revenue – Rs.1500 Crore ( @ rate of Rs.1500 per
Sqft)
IMPACT ON ENVIORNMENT
An interceptor sewer system was constructed on both the banks of the river to intercept the sewer running
into the river and divert it to the treatment plants.
The sewage from 36 drainage points used to fall directly into the river earlier, making the water dirty,
mosquito ridden and creating an unhealthy environment. All sewage now goes to pumping stations,
leading to transformation in river quality, and drastic improvement in the environment around the river.
Parks serves as neighbourhood park and strengthen the green space network on the western part of the city
and hence enhaced enviornment quality
CONNECTING RIVER TO COMMUNITY
Sabarmati river plays an important role in amongst all religious groups in Ahmedabad. But gradually a
disconnect developed between the river and the citizens of Ahmedabad. The river front development
initiative removed this disconnect and connected both by constructing 36 Ghats (Steps having access to
the river). For last 122 years, it has been a tradition that the Mahant of the Jagannath temple, along with
the congregation carrying Kalash (Pot) on elephants approaches the Sabarmati river and after rituals
performed by the pundits, the water of Sabarmati River is piously carried back to the temple to worship
Lord Jagannath, before the Rathyatra starts The Riverfront has witnessed huge religious gathering of
Jains,). Religious procession of Tajiya processions of the Muslims during Muharram and the structure is
submerged in the river through its stairs and ghats (Steps).
IMPACT ON CITIZENS
Development
brought the
Sabarmati back
to Ahmedabad
and Amdavadis
back to the
Sabarmati!
GLIMPSES
SUCCESS STORIES
The Sabarmati riverfront project is truly multi-dimensional. But the inclusive development model that
the project attempted to achieve has been truly unique. Never before has an urban infrastructure mega
project, by a unique inclusive development model, covered all sections of the city and created world
class facilities for the entire city to enjoy.
• The Sabarmati Riverfront Project add almost 10,00,000 sq. mts. of parks,
promenades and plazas to Ahmedabad
• The Sabarmati Riverfront Project help provide Ahmedabad with many new
cultural trade and social institutions (36,000 Sq.m)
• Creating of City Level Recreational Activities – Water Sports and Floating
restaurants.
• Tourist attraction
• Recharge of Ground water Aquifers of the city
• Continuous Green coverage along the river corridor
• Elimination of Flood Hazard
• Creating Vibrant Urban neighbourhoods and beautification of the city
 BIBLIOGRAPHY

• http://www.sabarmatiriverfront.com/
• http://www.slideshare.net/alagar2012/riverfront-report-final020713
• http://www.slideshare.net/syamsd3/urban-design-sabarmati
• https://www.scribd.com/doc/311099307/Riverfront-Development
THANK YOU…..