The Pune Riverfront Development – designed by HCP Design, Planning and Management Pvt. Ltd. is the same company behind projects like Central Vista and Sabarmati River Front. The riverfront development in Pune is claimed to be a “copy paste” of that from Sabarmati River – a river basin with completely different landscape and conditions than the Mula -Mutha Basin. Experts and researchers flag various faults with this riverfront development. Here’s what architect and river front researcher Sarang Yadwadkar has to say about this particular project from an urban planning lens through his presentation. In this presentation he connects the project DPR, correspondence with and amongst departments, government reports, and government circulars. He connects these to flag the discrepancies in the project which highlights the violation of guidelines and how the rights of citizens to be free from adverse impacts of climate change are violated.
Continue reading “Unravelling Pune River Front Development: The Five Questions”Tag: Pune
Corruption in flood-lines regulation in Pune
In this Photo Blog, we narrate some recent history in flood-lines regulation in Pune that shows how the disasters – including in ongoing 2026 monsoon- are the result of corrupt, non-transparent, unaccountable governance.
The rivers in Maharashtra are seasonal rivers and have their cycles of shrinking and blooming. During dry seasons they shrink and they bloom during monsoon. For instance, the Mutha River in Pune City is one of such river.
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Riparian Forest 22 degrees Celsius cooler than the Riverfront Project!
Pune saw some of the warmest summer days and nights this summer. So did several Indian cities. With the recent monsoon, the thoughts of this heat might have washed away but it is important that one does not forget the summer heat. Why? Read More:
| Why run and hurry? Here’s dictionary: Microclimate: Microclimate generally refers to the specific climatic conditions within a small area (such as street, park, riverside, etc.). With rise in extreme events like heat and global warming, microclimate is what make cities/ spaces livable. The temperature difference you experience while driving on a road with no tree cover vs with a tree cover is what microclimate is. |
International Day of Actions for Rivers 2026: Citizens Actions to Protect Urban Rivers in India
(Feature Image: Short march with a loud message: Citizens protest against Riverfront Development project in Pimpri-Chinchwad. Source: Express Photo)
On the occasion of the 29th International Day of Action for Rivers, celebrated annually on March 14 since 1997, the SANDRP highlights ten inspiring examples of citizen-led initiatives in last one year across India aimed at protecting urban rivers. The overview showcases how citizen groups and individuals are taking action to address river pollution, oppose ecologically harmful development projects and promote restoration and conservation of urban river ecosystems. These efforts demonstrate the crucial role of public participation in safeguarding rivers and ensuring that river management prioritizes ecological health, transparency and the rights of affected communities.
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2025: Dam Induced Urban Floods in India
(Feature Image: The Musi river in flood spate in Hyderabad on Sept 27, 2025 following incessant rains and the lifting of gates at the overflowing Osman Sagar and Himayatsagar reservoirs. Credit: Nagara Gopal )
In 2025, we could find reports on two Indian cities facing the impact of dam induced floods. While the excessive discharges by Himayat Sagar reservoir severely inundated residential areas along Musi river in Hyderabad in last week of Sept 2025, the significant releases by Ukai dam authority into Tapi river affected daily life in Surat city twice in mid Aug and first week of Sept. 2025.
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From Texas to Maharashtra: Can River Basin Organizations Actually Work?
The principles of Integrated Water Resources Management (IWRM) and Integrated River Basin Management (IRBM) have been supported by practitioners, policy makers and stakeholders across the world for a long time. While IWRM aims at integrating planning of land and water management initiatives together considering water as a resource, IRBM accepts the integrity of a river basin as an ecological unit for the same. River Basin Organizations (RBO) are basin level entities that can bring together stakeholders and coordinate, envision, plan and implement these integrated plans at the basin scale (or aquifer/subbasin/watershed scale). By implication, RBOs must be a bottom-up democratic bodies, upscaling solutions.
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2024: Dam Induced Floods in Urban India
(Feature Image: A drone visual of the flood-affected areas of Vijayawada city on Sept. 6, 2024. Credit: ANI Photo/Source: Rediff.com)
Having covered dam induced flood incidents and embankment breach flooding events in part 1 and part 2, this third part on annual overview compiles media reports on manmade Urban flood disasters in India during the year 2024. While the cities of Pune, Nasik, Nagpur, Vadodara and Bharuch were affected by dam induced floods, the high discharges from Prakasam barrage and multiple breaches in Budameru river deluged the Vijayawada city. Interestingly, these urban flood episodes coincided with heavy rainfall events giving a reality check to dam and city managers.
In addition to failure in dam management, the deluge in Pune, Vadodara and Vijayawada city were particularly worsened by river front development projects and encroachment on river floodplains putting question marks on the urban planning and development works in these cities. Similarly, the breach in embankment of Munak canal in Delhi flooded several homes Bawana area during the monsoon season.
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When the riverbanks bloom in color
Sharad Ritu or Autumn is eulogized in almost all Indian epics. Ramayana especially talks about the crystal clear waters, emerging silver sand banks and blossoming kash grasses along the rivers in this season.
Festivals around the autumnal harvest time, like Durga Puja and Navratri bring bustle and energy across the land. In Maharashtra, days before Navratri hold a special significance. Entire homes are washed, scrubbed and laundered before the deity enters the abode. But thousands of people living in tiny homes, with miniscule bathrooms have no place to wash their bedsheets, blankets, curtains and such home linen. No space and more importantly, no water.
And so, they gather along a place where people have been coming together since time immemorial: the riverbank.
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MoEF Committee Rejects the Adani Application and asks to apply afresh for Warasgaon-Warangi Project!
MoEF Committee Rejects the Adani Application and asks to apply afresh for Warasgaon-Warangi Project!
In a respite to forest dwelling communities, fragile biodiversity and community conservation areas in the Western Ghats, Expert Appraisal Committee (EAC) of the Union MoEF (Ministry of Environment and Forests) rejected Adani Energy’s application for 1500 MW Warasgaon-Warangi Pump Storage Project. The committee has asked the proponent to apply afresh for Stage I Clearance, adding several conditions to assessment.
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Flood Lines, Riverfront Development & Citizen Heroes: Story of Pune Floods
If a city deserved beautiful rivers only through the sheer will and efforts of its civil society, Pune would be a strong contender.
For decades Pune’s civil society has been remarkably active in protecting its rivers. Organizations like Gomukh, Parisar, Soppecom, ACWADAM, Vanrai, Jal Biradari, Ecological Society and newer, powerful people-led groups like Jeevit Nadi and Pune River Revival have put up studies, reports and protests at times. Experts, academics, musicians, poets, writers, historians, students have held the cause of Pune’s rivers high. At any given time, several public interest litigations are being fought by the weary yet hopeful groups, fueled by personal funds, time and passion.
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SANDRP 