DDA plans 24-km cycling track along Yamuna banks

The Delhi Development Authority (DDA) is planning to develop a 24-km cycling track along the Yamuna banks, which could become the city’s longest, stretching from the Old Railway Bridge near Wazirabad to National Highway 24 near Sarai Kale Khan.

The DDA has floated a tender for the first phase of the project, with the overall estimated construction cost pegged at around Rs 16 crore, an official said.

The cycling track will be developed using materials permitted in the Yamuna floodplain, with extensive greenery planned along the route, the official said.

Under the approved Master Plans of Delhi 2047, the DDA has proposed promoting a ‘river-people connect’ and developing blue assets along a stretch of around 50 km of the Yamuna.

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As per the plan, the entire 52-km corridor will be developed in three phases, with the first phase covering the stretch from the Old Railway Bridge near Wazirabad to National Highway 24.

According to project details, a 75-metre to 100-metre-wide public greenway will be developed along the western bank of the river. It will feature cycling and walking trails, along with spaces for passive recreational activities, to improve public access to parks and the river and encourage a stronger connection between people and the Yamuna.

The cycling track will be developed in areas outside the ‘active floodplain’, where certain recreational activities are permitted after obtaining the necessary approvals, the official added.

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The proposed corridor will link several floodplain projects, including Baansera, Kalindi Biodiversity Park, Asita and Yamuna Vatika, along with other projects coming up along the river.

Earlier, the Delhi government had announced plans to develop the Yamuna riverfront on the lines of the Sabarmati Riverfront in Gujarat. The proposed development will include walking tracks, sports grounds and other recreational and public spaces, with the cycling track forming part of the larger plan.

The Yamuna flows for 52 km through Delhi, of which a critical 22-km stretch between Wazirabad and Okhla is highly polluted and has been the focus of multiple planning and policy efforts.