SANDRP calls for review of DDA’s Yamuna floodplain projects after repeated flood damage

By A Representative 

The well-known environmental advocacy group, South Asia Network on Dams, Rivers and People (SANDRP), has raised concerns over the Delhi Development Authority’s (DDA) ongoing projects on the Yamuna floodplain, urging a critical review in the wake of repeated flood damage. The group noted that both the July 2023 and September 2025 floods have inundated several sites developed under DDA’s beautification and riverfront initiatives, undermining years of work and raising questions about their feasibility and environmental impact.

SANDRP said the projects, initiated in 2015 under the banner of floodplain rejuvenation and later rebranded as riverfront development, now cover over 1,600 hectares and involve 11 sites with a reported initial cost of ₹800 crore. Despite years of investment, the group pointed out that the projects remain incomplete, face repeated delays, and lack transparency on costs, feasibility studies, environmental assessments, or public consultations.

According to the note, DDA’s decision-making process remains opaque, with little information available on its website and no detailed reports on project progress, damages, or financial losses. The group highlighted that permanent structures, soil dumping, and ornamental plantations have altered the floodplain’s natural ecology and reduced its flood absorption capacity, despite repeated findings by monitoring committees of violations of environmental norms.

SANDRP emphasized that the projects have been severely damaged in two consecutive flood spells despite being subjected only to moderate flood peaks, raising concerns about their vulnerability in the event of more intense floods. It added that the shift from restoration to a Sabarmati-style riverfront model with plans for commercial complexes, shopping spaces, and event venues poses further risks to the fragile ecosystem.

The group argued that the Yamuna floodplain is a vital natural resource that provides ecological services to the city, and that the DDA, as custodian, has a responsibility to protect it rather than commercialize it. It called for full disclosure of project details, financial data, and impact assessments, along with public participation in decision-making.

SANDRP concluded that genuine restoration of the Yamuna floodplain requires protecting the area from construction and minimizing human intervention, allowing natural processes and floods to rejuvenate it in a sustainable and cost-effective manner.