This essay examines the presence of Yamuna in the city of Delhi, from two perspectives: (i) understanding riverscapes as simultaneously aquatic and terrestrial and (ii) understanding these as conjoining issues of environment and technology. With events over the course of the last century as its backdrop, the essay focuses on the last few decades of the twentieth century, to examine the relation of land and river in Delhi; the interface of people and projects, especially the issue of slums; and the risks posed to the river on account of waste and pollution. All these featured prominently in the events leading up to the staging of the Commonwealth Games in Delhi in October 2010, which provides the most immediate context for this essay. In conclusion, I propose that the current strategies of rejuvenating the river are limited, often anti-poor and far from sustainable.

Highlights

  • Historically there have been several efforts at the aesthetic integration of the river and the city.
  • In the recent past, however, the river has become much polluted on account of waste, leading several people to approach the Supreme Court of India for relief.
  • The orders issued by the Court display a preference for technological solutions and the removal of riverside encroachments.
  • In contrast to the slums which are seen as contributing to waste and pollution, large scale projects, even if on the floodplains, have been deemed to be entirely in order.
  • The nature of the threat to the river is of an irreversible kind, necessitating a precautionary approach.