New Delhi: Lieutenant Governor V K Saxena inaugurated Vasudev Ghat project on Tuesday, as part of Delhi Development Authority’s (DDA) initiative to restore the Yamuna floodplains.
“I am quite confident that with this, not only will the banks of Yamuna get back its old form, but people will also get a pleasant feeling by coming here. Yamuna does not belong to any one religion, individual or any government, it is a life giver, and it belongs to all of us. It is the biggest heritage of Delhi, and it is the responsibility of all of us to cherish it. There is a need for us to increase our affinity towards Yamuna, and to become responsible and accountable for the conservation of Yamuna,” said Saxena during the inauguration ceremony of the first Ghat restored by DDA.
According to a recent MoU between DDA and a registered company, there will be “Yamuna Aarti” held at Vasudev Ghat regularly. They will also be maintaining the associated amenities of the ghat that spreads over an area of 16 ha. The Authority has also claimed to use more than 2,000 native and
naturalised trees, and over 4 lakhs of riverine grasses to attempt to turn the site into an ecological landmark.
“Nearly 40 acres of land on the western bank of River Yamuna was lying neglected as filth ridden, broken, inaccessible, ill-sloped Ghat. Neglected and polluted, it was still being used by people for their rituals, being an area where the river edge was accessible in the heart of the city,” they mentioned.