‘Saaf’ Excel: Rajasthan CM Vasundhara Raje Successfully Revives A Stinking Dravyavati, Dedicates New Riverfront To Jaipur 

In a glittering ceremony, Rajasthan Chief Minister Vasundhara Raje inaugurated the ambitious Dravyavati River Project from Experience Centre at Shipra Path, Jaipur, on Tuesday (2 September).

The Dravyavati River Rejuvenation Project, a Rs. 1676-crore project envisioned by CM Raje, was executed by Tata Projects Limited.

The 47.5 km (rain-fed) riverfront, that had turned in to cesspool due to an untreated sewage nallah, is being restored as a perennial river – fed by treated clean water.
The project will treat 170 million litres of sewerage a day, create sprawling green spaces, social spaces, cycle and jogging tracks along its banks, and also promises to transform Jaipur.

Alongside Dravyavati river, three different parks that are spread over an area of 100,000 sq m have been designed and developed.

Among the projects at the venue are:

- A bird park featuring a wetland, natural habitat for migratory and domestic birds, and a heritage waterworks museum.

- A landscape park on Shipra Path dotted with cycle tracks, walkways, yoga pavilion, viewing decks, sit-outs, open air theatre and an urban haat.

- A botanical garden on Tonk Road which showcases more than 40,000 plants of over 1,000 different species.

Also, five Sewage Treatment Plants (STPs) have been commissioned that will treat an aggregate 170 MLD (megalitres per day) of sewage and ensure that clean water is continuously fed into the river. The five STPs have been developed at: Bassi Sitarampura: 20 MLD; Devri: 15 MLD; Sanganer: 100 MLD; Bambala: 25 MLD; and Goner: 10 MLD

Physical, chemical and biological processes are used to remove contaminants and produce treated wastewater that is safe for agricultural purposes and aquatic life. This will help prevent adverse diseases that earlier spread because of contaminated water and untreated sewage in the city. Encroachments were removed from the nallah, which helped restore the river to its past glory and vitality.

During her speech inaugurating her flagship project, Raje also asked Jaipur citizens to take a pledge to conserve the riverfront.

Out of three theme parks and five STPs of 170 MLD capacity, the ‘Beautification theme park’ at Shipra Path and three STPs of 130 MLD are already completed and were dedicated to the public on Tuesday. The rest of the project components - two theme parks and two STPs are expected to get commissioned over the next couple of months. The first stretch of the 16-km-long riverfront is now open, DNA has reported.

When she assumed office as Chief Minister in December 2013 after spearheading the BJP to a landslide electoral victory , Raje promised to reclaim and clean up the Dravyavati, a nallah that had been reduced to a reeking drain along its course through Jaipur city. Originating in the Nahargarh hills, the rivulet has one-sixth of the city's untreated sewage and large amounts of garbage dumped into its already shrunk channel owing to rampant encroachment.