Noida proposes ₹29k-cr Hindon riverfront on lines of Lucknow’s Gomti

The Noida authority is drawing up a ₹29,315-crore plan to develop a 25km riverfront along the Hindon on the lines of the Gomti riverfront in Lucknow, with the proposed project involving road construction, embankment work, land development, greenery and rehabilitation of around 10,000 families living along the riverbanks, officials said on Tuesday

The Noida authority is drawing up a ₹29,315-crore plan to develop a 25km riverfront along the Hindon on the lines of the Gomti riverfront in Lucknow, with the proposed project involving road construction, embankment work, land development, greenery and rehabilitation of around 10,000 families living along the riverbanks, officials said on Tuesday.

The proposed project, which officials said will be developed in three phases and is targeted for completion by 2031, was discussed at a meeting chaired by Noida authority chief executive officer. (HT Archive)

The proposed project, which officials said will be developed in three phases and is targeted for completion by 2031, was discussed at a meeting chaired by Noida authority chief executive officer Krishna Karunesh on Monday.

According to the project plan, around ₹29,315 crore is estimated to be spent on the project, including ₹15,000 crore for land acquisition, ₹380 crore for land-related works, ₹2,425 crore for construction of six-lane roads, ₹120 crore for filling along roads, ₹150 crore for embankment work, ₹7,240 crore for land development and ₹4,000 crore for rehabilitation of around 10,000 families.

Officials said the first phase would cover about 50% of the total project length. The project plan proposes dividing the riverfront into three stretches. The first phase would cover 12km between the DSSC road bridge and the Noida-Greater Noida Expressway road bridge, while the second phase would cover 5km from the Bisrakh road bridge to the DSSC road. The third phase would cover 8km between NH-24/9 and the Bisrakh road bridge, officials said.

The proposal envisages six-lane roads on both sides of the river, along with green spaces, walking and seating areas, and facilities for children’s recreation, according to officials familiar with the plan.

The project plan has earmarked ₹4,000 crore for rehabilitating around 10,000 families living along the Hindon, making rehabilitation a significant component of the proposed project.

According to details discussed at the meeting, an earlier attempt was also made to acquire land for the project. Around 200 acres was purchased by the authority in 2012, but the land could not subsequently be brought under the proposed development because of occupation-related issues.

“The project is now at a stage where it can be taken forward for government approval, and we are positive about moving ahead with the proposal. To take the project forward, the Noida and Greater Noida authorities and the irrigation department will work towards an MoU,” Noida authority chief executive officer Krishna Karunesh said in a statement.

The proposal marks a significant step forward from a riverfront idea first examined by the Noida authority in 2024, when the authority formed a committee to study the Hindon and Yamuna floodplains. At the time, the authority had said the ecological condition of the floodplain, its groundwater-recharge potential and flood dynamics needed to be assessed before undertaking riverfront development.

Two years on, a detailed project report envisages a 25km riverfront at an estimated cost of ₹29,315 crore, 1,200 hectares of land available for development and extensive channelisation and embankment work.

Officials said the project will require approval from the state government and subsequent clearances before implementation.

“The state government will decide how the project is to be developed,” the CEO added.