Boasting many splendored attributes through architecture, Kota Chambal riverfront in Rajasthan will be different from the Sabarmati riverfront in Ahmedabad, which is like a concrete network.
By Prakash Bhandari in Jaipur
The proposed Chambal riverfront project in the coaching hub Kota will outshine the Sabarmati riverfront of Ahmedabad. This Rs 740 crore project is being made as a new and unique concept for the tourists on the bank of the river Chambal that flows through the city.
Like the Sabarmati, the Chambal is also a rain-fed river. It is a tributary of the Yamuna river and thus forms part of the greater Gangetic drainage system. The river flows north-northeast through Madhya Pradesh, running for a time through Rajasthan, then forming the boundary between Rajasthan and Madhya Pradesh before turning southeast to join the Yamuna.
The Chambal River is considered pollution-free and hosts an amazing riverine faunal assemblage including 2 species of crocodilians – the mugger and Gharial – eight species of freshwater turtles, smooth-coated otters, Gangetic river dolphins, skimmers, black-bellied terns, saras cranes and black-necked storks.
Unlike the Sabarmati project where the land was reclaimed, the Chambal riverfront will be built on the bank of the Chambal river that flows downstream in the city of Kota.
“The Sabarmati riverfront was created at a cost of Rs 1200 crore, but the Kota’s riverfront will cost only Rs 740 crore and it would be a tourist-friendly riverfront with unique attributes. People will come to Kota to see the riverfront. The riverfront will have various ghats in the style of the Varanasi Ganga ghats and will also have a meditation center. It will have parks, boating facilities and several ghats that would have unique architecture,” said urban development minister Shanti Dhariwal, who belongs to Kota.
Dhariwal has been developing Kota as a model city and the Chambal riverfront is designed to make the historic city as a tourism destination.
The most significant of the ghats will be the 360 meter wide Rajasthan Viraasat Ghat, which will be a grand amalgamation of the architecture of the various regions of the state, creating an architectural marvel.
The riverfront will have various ghats in the manner of the Varanasi Ganga ghats while employing the state’s architectural styles
“Apart from the Virasat Ghat, there will be Adhyatameek Ghat that will focus on yoga and meditation. The Nadi Ghat near the old cremation ground will reflect the Vastu shilpa of the region. The Sahityik Ghat is where the scholars can work. The Chhatri Ghat will give the pleasure of meditation. The Kala Ghat is for fine art and Sanskriti Ghat will provide the local artists a platform to perform. The canopies would be designed in the true style of the Hadauti region of which Kota is a part. The riverfront will have parks, temples and mosques also to provide a serene surrounding. It will also have LED lighting and the various parks will have flowers of various regions. There will be food courts offering both regional and continental food” said Anoop Bartaria, the architect of the project.
The grand bell which will be installed in the riverfront will be one of the biggest in the world and the sound of the bell could be heard by the entire city.
The riverfront will have various ghats in the manner of the Varanasi Ganga ghats while employing the state’s architectural styles
