The Tapi river, lifeline of India’s diamond city Surat, will be transformed with riverfront development at a cost of Rs 3,904 crore.
It is understood that the riverfront will be developed on the lines of Sabarmati riverfront in Ahmedabad. Facilities for recreation, transport, and tourism will be developed in phases on both the banks of the 33 km long Tapi river.
The state government has given green signal to the project. The World Bank will provide a 70 percent soft loan of Rs 1,991 crore for this ambitious project. The state government and Surat Municipal Corporation will provide Rs five crore for this project.
Sources familiar with this initiative are confident that this riverfront will be better than the Sabarmati riverfront because it will also have a road transport facility. Officers of the Surat Municipal Corporation will visit the Netherlands and Spain in connection with this project.
The implementation of the river front project is expected to contribute to the beauty and aura of the city. City dwellers and tourists will get new facilities. Many kinds of plants will adorn both the banks of the river. Steps will be taken to prevent floods by managing river water and land.
Paresh Patel, chairman of the standing committee said that the river would be kept clean and polluted water would be prevented from entering the river.
Garden-flood conservation work will be carried out from Singanpore Weir to Qadri in Phase-2. Walkways, cycle tracks, green spaces, overbridges, gardens, amusement parks and other public facilities on both sides of the river from Singanpore Weir to the rugged bridge will be developed and flood protection lines will be renovated. A road will also be constructed along the riverbank.
(Representative Image)
