Yamuna riverfront to mirror Sabarmati, will be ready on time: Amit Shah

Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Thursday said the Yamuna riverfront project in the national capital will be developed along the lines of the Sabarmati riverfront in Gujarat and completed within a set timeline.

He was speaking at an event marking the 65th foundation day celebrations of Gujarat and Maharashtra at Yamuna's developed floodplain, Asita.

Union Minister of Labour and Employment Mansukh Mandaviya, Delhi LG VK Saxena, Delhi Chief Minister Rekha Gupta, Delhi PWD minister Parvesh Sahib Singh and ministers from Gujarat were also present at the event.

Shah praised the Lieutenant Governor's efforts to clean the Yamuna banks and said Prime Minister Narendra Modi's vision to transform the area was progressing at a fast pace.

"I appreciate the LG's efforts to clean the Yamuna banks and eliminate garbage. PM Modi has developed a plan recently to clean the Yamuna from Yamunotri to Prayagraj, and a riverfront in Delhi.

"The work to create a riverfront on the Yamuna like the Sabarmati riverfront in Gujarat has already started. I am sure the plan will succeed and be completed on time," Shah said.

He emphasised that cleaning the Yamuna River is not just a local issue but one of national importance.

The BJP is committed to completing this project in a time-bound manner. Cleaning the Yamuna is very important for the people of the country. It will definitely be accomplished, he added.

The home minister's comments are a part of the government's larger initiative to revitalise India's urban infrastructure and river systems. There have been multiple unsuccessful attempts to clean up the river, which has long been afflicted by pollution and encroachments.

At the event, Shah also paid tributes to the victims of the April 22 Pahalgam terror attack, noting that the foundation day celebrations were kept simple in their memory.

Touching on the significance of the day, Shah highlighted the peaceful bifurcation of the Bombay state in 1960 to create Gujarat and Maharashtra, calling both states "economic pillars of the country."  Vibrant Gujarat and Magnificent Maharashtra are power pillars of development. Their contribution in industry, culture, and infrastructure is immense, he said.

Shah shared that while he was born and married in Maharashtra, Gujarat is his "karmabhoomi, or place of work.

The event also saw Delhi Chief Minister Rekha Gupta reiterating her government's commitment to celebrating the cultural diversity of the capital.

Delhi is home to lakhs of people from every state. That is why it is truly a Mini India'. People from Gujarat and Maharashtra also reside in Delhi. I want to say that Delhi belongs to you all, and the Delhi government will always strive to provide everything from respect to good education and opportunities," she said.

Delhi's development has contributions from people of all states, she added.

Earlier this year, Gupta had announced that Delhi would officially celebrate the foundation days of all Indian states, recognising the multicultural identity of the national capital.