DDA forms new panel for Yamuna to focus on specific goals

NEW DELHI: The Yamuna now has a new custodian in the city. On Friday, Delhi Development Authority announced that it has set up a 29-member committee called Unified Centre for Rejuvenation of River Yamuna ( UCRRY) to protect, redevelop and beautify the river, a task on which Rs 6,500 crore has already been spent. The committee headed by lieutenant governor Najeeb Jung will be funded by DDA.

Officials associated with the project said, unlike river committees set up earlier, UCRRY will be the command centre for river-related works being done by various departments. It is modeled on UTTIPEC, the central agency to recommend or clear proposals for new roads and flyovers in Delhi.

Delhi Development Authority vice-chairperson Balvinder Singh, who is also the vice-chairperson of UCRRY, said the committee is looking to pick up and work on very specific goals.

He said the committee will keep long-term goals in mind but focus on specific short-term goals, such as exploring "options of creating at least two biodiversity parks, water bodies, and parks like Golden Jubilee Park, but without involving any construction work, to help grow and sustain the river's ecosystem".

"There are various government departments like Public Works Department, environment and urban development that have been working towards setting up interceptors along the main drains in Delhi. What we're trying with UCRRY is to streamline the efforts so that every department coordinates with the others," said Kumar.

PWD has been working to install interceptors along three main drains of Delhi and has announced a sewerage master plan to better manage and reduce the discharge of sewage directly into the river.

DDA has also constituted a dedicated force to prevent and detect encroachment on Yamuna's banks. A task force—Yamuna Protection Force—has three teams in East, North and South zones of Delhi to protect Zone 'O' of the riverbed.