Yamuna river, floodplain Abused in Delhi
Channel: SANDRP Dams, Rivers, People
Date: 2020-07-28

This assembling of six small videos made on July 25, 2020 highlights the large scale dumping and leveling of construction debris in the riverbed and floodplain of river Yamuna in open violation of norms. 

The riverbed, floodplain which lies south of bridges on NH 24 comes under Mayur Vihar area just opposite Sarai Kale Khan. Outside the guide bund there, which is floodplain of the river Yamuna, approximately 8000 square metre or 0.8 hectare has been raised by 2 to 4 feet by dumping of debris including by Delhi Metro Rail Corporation (DMRC). 

Large pieces of concrete waste can also be seen in the floodplain. There are more than 70 concrete cubes of 3 X3 size scattered all over the area. The DMRC has dumped and levelled construction debris 2 to 4 feet high for over 700 metres along its line creating a cross sectional embankment extending right upto currently active river water course. 

This wilful violations has been affecting flooding pattern of the river. The width of this illegal path varies from 5 to 15 metres.  

Inside the guide bund, approximately 20,000 square metre or 2 hectare has been raised by 3 to 5 feet using construction debris. The dumping, levelling and raising of riverbed is visible as close to as 15 metre from active course of water and underneath the road bridges. 

Many warning boards by DDA are themselves erected on debris dumps apparently and seems to validating the violations, abuse of Yamuna riverbed. There are large chuck of concrete waste left in riverbed after completion of construction of bridges. 

The cumulative impact of gross abuse of riverbed has resulted in dissecting an active water channel from Yamuna river. Over past 7 years, three new road bridges and one metro line have been constructed on a limited stretch along the river of about 170 metre. So now there are four double lane road bridges and one metro bridge passing though the river at the location. 

Each bridge is having 14 pillars erected in active river course and riverbed. The size and shapes of pillars of three bridges including metro line varies from 8 meters in diameter and the rest two road bridges are having pillars of about 10 metre in length and 3 metre in width. 

The cumulative impact of dumping, levelling and raising of riverbed and construction of these 70 pillars in a narrow stretch at the location have led to a bottle neck situation significantly obstructing smooth passage of flood waters.