Developing integrated approach to mainstreaming rivers in urban land use planning

Abstract

Rivers are that idea which incorporated both environmental and human values. The ability of a river to sustain its structure and function, rebound from disturbances, protect local biota, including human populations, and maintain key processes is essential. But today Cities, megacities, and metropolises around the world are facing water problems such as water shortages, floods, and dwindling water funds as a result of rapid urbanisation, population growth, and economic drivers. According to the draft guidelines for river centric planning published by Town and country planning, there are 53 metropolises in India, 42 of which are river-centric. This brings back the fact that historically settlements have sprung up along rivers. Rivers provide water, promote natural processes such as flood control, and are important lung spaces for cities due to their rich biodiversity. Floodplains in Indian cities are often encroached upon, with haphazard and unregulated development making these the most disruptive stretch of any river. The contemporary comprehensive planning regulations for Urban Rivers overlooks the river management in urban areas where the need for attention is more as more is the human contact with the river. This shapes the research need in the domain of managing rivers in urban areas. There were two domains under which literature review was being conducted. First domain was to identify river related parameters in the master plan. Further exiting river city master plans in Indian and international context were reviewed to assess the level of incorporation of selected river related parameters. The study highlighted that there is a need to identify and address river related parameters in planning urban areas with river. The other domain of literature review was covered by research papers and reports forming a base stating what is urban river environment and river centric planning and how is river environmental degradation defined. An interview session with the urban river stakeholder identified as UP pollution control board, Agra Jal nigam, Yamuna action cell was conducted. Approaches to river planning was understood as an idea around both planning for rivers and an integrated approach to planning with rivers. The two approaches form the basis for idea sharing and tools for effective river management, river-based urban and land-use planning, and river based decision making in Indian cities. These two possible ways, where one is an environmentally focused approach, whereby the river is the main element of the plan. The other is an integrated approach, whereby the river is seen as one element within a complex system. River centric planning seeks to link these two approaches and show how each approach, or preferably both approaches, may begin to enable the shift in mind-set that is needed to allow decision makers to mainstream the planning for and with rivers in the Indian context. This can be achieved by planting “seeds of thought” through presenting an approach to, and tools for, integrated planning processes. Key principles to develop an understanding for river centric planning can include (a) Approaching towards an integrated way of dealing with policy and spatial integration; (b) integration of ecological, social and economic needs and; (c) making use of an inter-disciplinary and inter-departmental approach. Need for the study has been derived by studying the two hierarchy of spatial planning system in India with the planning for Water at different scales. These two levels are planning for river basin and projects for river management. Between the above two levels of river planning, there is a relatively unaddressed space. This is related to river-centric planning, usually defined by the city’s administrative boundaries, which essentially treats the river as an asset and ensures that the developmental activities within the city are not detrimental to the river. The study therefore is an attempt to address the gap as planning with rivers is still a pipeline dream envisioning them into longer vision. The race to save rivers should be addressed in planning therefore descriptive case study of the Yamuna river in Agra, examining the linkage between rapid urbanization and alterations of river environment was undertaken. The course of Yamuna can be divided into 5 stretches. Himalayan, Upper, Delhi, Eutrophicated, Diluted. Eutrophicated stretch being the longest and hosting more urban settlements. Agra has lived in an architectural landscape survived by a holy river sharing a positive connect as Yamuna has been the foundation for its historic built environment. This positive connect which made Yamuna backbone of the city is now converted into negative contact as the river is seen as a lost element. Due to rapid urbanisation in the basin the river is lost, and is known as an ecologically dead in the region. Agra like the other metropolitan cities in the basin is a magnet for development due to its industrial background but sitting at the banks of one of the holiest river in the country is getting renowned for turning it into its worst state. The ground for selecting Agra was hinged on three factors, its strategic location, Environmental fragility and historic connections. Developing integrated approach to mainstreaming rivers in urban land use planning Based on the background study, the aim was stated as arresting environmental degradation of urban rivers through river centric development using master plan as a tool. To achieve the aforesaid aim four objectives were framed as mentioned below. First objective to identify gaps in current master planning process for inclusion of river centric development. Second objective to identify factors causing ecological degradation of urban river for assessing the degradation of selected urban river. Third objective exploring the linkages between 'causes of ecological degradation' and the identified gaps in master planning process. Fourth objective suggesting strategies to address the gaps for river centric planning in master plan of urban areas. For achieving the aim and objective for the study there were certain steps like Formulation of domain, need for research, problem statement, site identification and analysis, proposals. The indicators selected were categorized into social economic and environment spatial layers in the area delineated by natural features: Geography, Flood plain, Hydrogeology. Selected indicators for analysis were Urbanization, Land use, waste/ water management, Water ecology, Water quality, Riparian ecology. After overlaying the selected layers, hotspot in the city were mapped. An infrastructure intersection analysis was further done to mark the type of infrastructure crossing the river in the puncture points identified for intervention purpose. Suggestions how river planning can be accommodated in master planning process is the final stage to the research. Master plan tools were identified and studied as how each tool can be used to intervene in the proposal giving process. Tools identified were development control regulations, localizing national policies, norms and standards, assigning land use, creating grounds for project development. A relationship was also formed between all the tools bringing them at same level and their contribution to refine the intervention process. Considering the analysis conducted, zoning is done under no development cum sensitive zone, restricted and regulated depending upon the already spread fabric in the city. After that a river land compatibility matrix was generated where urban land use and different river land types were placed according to their compatibility with each other. A range of four category from full to no compatibility was used to define the compatibility matrix. This matrix aims to draw an understanding of what compatible land use should be assigned along with existing urban infrastructure available. The way forward for the study could require suggested recommendation’s inclusion in the master planning stages which due to time constraint wasn’t included in the study.