SRFDCL to redesigns riverfront food plaza to tackle pollution

Time of India

18 hours ago

Ahmedabad: The Sabarmati Riverfront Development Corporation Ltd. (SRFDCL) has decided to alter the design of its upcoming Riverside Savouries food plaza on the western bank of the river to prevent littering in the Sabarmati river.
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Originally, the open-air layout raised concerns that visitors on the lower promenade might toss waste directly into the river. To address this, SRFDCL will redesign the facility with a dome or covered structure. The revised design will lead to the issuance of a fresh Request for Proposal (RFP), replacing the one announced on Feb 7.
The earlier RFP invited bids by March 10, with technical bids set to open on March 11. That process is now on hold until the design changes are finalised.
The project site spans 27,000 sq m opposite BJ Park, between Nehru Bridge and Ellis Bridge, with the food plaza and amenities planned over 6,300 sq m area.
Under the updated guidelines, fast-food outlets, non-vegetarian restaurants, and chains with more than three outlets in Ahmedabad or Gandhinagar will be barred. Bidders may, however, collaborate with national or international brands. The Ahmedabad Municipal Corporation (AMC) has earmarked Rs 50 crore in its 2025–26 budget for the western bank's Riverside Savouries.
The food plaza is among several high-profile projects in the pipeline for the riverfront. SRFDCL has already issued tenders for development rights to build a 16-storey, 200–300 room five-star hotel and a convention-exhibition centre behind Tagore Hall.
In Dec 2024, the AMC's standing ccommittee cleared a Detailed Project Report (DPR) for a Rs 792.50 crore Convention, Cultural, and Business Centre in Paldi. A Rs 500 crore state grant has been sought, with AMC funding the remaining Rs 292.50 crore.
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Plans for the 40,200 sq m site include a dome and theatre, hotel, convention centre, and performing arts theatre.
Tenders are also underway for a Tropical Forest project on the western bank, while SRFDCL has approved a Rs 23.53 crore Meditation-cum-Yoga Centre in the same area.
Head: Opposition slams BJP over failed initiatives
Ahmedabad: Several ambitious projects launched on the Sabarmati Riverfront have either been shut down or remain defunct, alleged Leader of the Opposition in the Ahmedabad Municipal Corporation (AMC), Shehzadkhan Pathan.
Pathan pointed out that the zipline project, which began on March 21, 2015, has been closed for several years, while the seaplane service, inaugurated on Oct 31, 2020, also ceased operations after a brief run. Similarly, the helicopter rides, introduced on Jan 1, 2022, were discontinued within months, and the kayaking water sports facility, launched on March 31, 2023, has remained shut for the past two years.
He further alleged that several promises made for the Riverfront's development—such as constructing multi-storied buildings, business hubs, and entertainment zones—have not been fulfilled. "Many of these projects were announced with great fanfare but now stand as abandoned dreams," Pathan remarked.