Dravyavati River is yet another river in Rajasthan that shared the same fate as the ancient Hindu river—Saraswati. In past, the river originated from the western slopes of the amber hills in Jaisalya village and supplied water to outer areas of Jaipur. It flowed across 47.5 km of land and finally joined the Dhund River. Nevertheless, the floods of 1981 obstructed its flow and the river turned ‘impure’ due to incoming industrial discharge and domestic sewage that were dumped into it.
In 1990s, the name Dravyavati became a history and the river was replaced by a drain called ‘Amanishaah naala’. After the floods, the natives of Jaipur illegally captured most of the river bank. Until last year, most of the pink city’s population was found to be illegitimately residing within 10 km periphery of the river bank. The younger generations don’t even know that Amanishah naala was once a perennial river that catered to the domestic and agricultural requirements of the Rajasthan capital.
From 2003-2008, Rajasthan chief minister Vasundhara Raje took up the challenge to revive Bikaner’s historic Sur Sagar lake. The project was completed in two years from the date of commencement. The voluminous 22890-sqm lake, which was once a foul-smelling, dirty pond adorned with algae, is a beautiful tourist spot for recreational activity. Raje, who’s known for reviving ancient structure, wanted to reproduce positive results in Dravyavati case.
Dravyavati Riverfront Facts
- Foundation stone of the river was laid on 4th August 2016.
- Dravyavati river project is scheduled for completion before 15th August 2016.
- Total area: 47 km (length) x 100-400 feet (width) x 1 meter (depth).
- Total number of check dams around it: 85.
- Total green cover around the river: 65,000 sq meters (3 gardens) with 16,000 trees.
- Sewage treatment plants around it: 5.
- Total cost: Rs 1672 crores (for budget) and Rs 206 crore (for maintenance).
- Sewage treatment plant: 5
- Amount of water treated: 170 MLD
Current Status of Dravyavati River Project
- Total area cleaned: 41 km,
- Total area excavated: 13.29 km,
- Wall made on: 8 km,
- Civil works done on: 12 km,
- Stone pitching done on 8 km,
- Total embankment done on 19.6 km.
Inspired by Sabarmati riverfront developed by PM Narendra Modi, CM Raje allotted a budget of Rs 1,676 crore in 2016, for restoration and development of Dravyawati river front. The project was undertaken by JDA (Jaipur Development Authority) in collaboration with Shanghai Urban construction group and a conglomerate of Tata Projects. Rajasthan government aims to restore the long lost glory of Dravyavati River by developing its riverfront.
