ISSUES RELATED TO MULA AND MUTHA RIVER AND

THEIR RIVERFRONT DEVELOPMENT, PUNE

NAME - SHRENIK SAMBHAR

ADVANCED LANDSCAPE
Pune lies on the western margin of the Deccan plateau, on the leeward side of the
Sahyadri mountain range. The city is blessed with Mula and Mutha Rivers that originate in
the Sahyadri ranges and traverse across Pune. The two rivers further meet and upon their
confluence Mula-Mutha river is formed which further drains itself into the Bhima River.
The total length of these three rivers traversing through Pune Municipal Corporation is
44km approximately. Out of this, 22.2km is Mula River, 10.4km is Mutha River and 11.8km
is Mula Mutha River.
 WHAT IS RFD
The Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) has undertaken a huge ‘River Rejuvenation’ project for Mula-
Mutha rivers. Even though the name has been changed to River Front Development (RFD), the basic
idea and design remains the same.The project encompasses a total 44km of riverbanks on both sides
of Mula, Mutha and Mula-Mutha rivers. It involves building artificial embankments. Creating public
spaces like jogging tracks, gardens, lawn and promenades for better public access to the river. It also
plans to build three bunds to retain water for boating.

The RFD project includes the development of a 44-km river stretch, which includes 22.2 km
of Mula river, 10.4 km of Mutha river and 11.8 km of Mula-Mutha river. The project is divided
into multiple stretches for implementation and work has begun on two stretches

According to the civic body’s proposal, a total of 7,539 trees will be affected of
which 3,110 would be completely cut while 4,329 would be transplanted. The PMC
will be planting 66,434 new trees to compensate for the cutting of trees.
 What Does The Pune Riverfront Development Project Propose
To Do?

Build Embankments for flood protection

Reduce the impact of man-made obstructions to the flow of

water in the river

Create a public realm along the river

Curb Pollution by Drainage and Sewage Treatment Works

Enhance connectivity

Integrate River into the life of the city

 The embankments are to be constructed inside the flood lines,
narrowing the river and reducing the riverbed’s cross-sectional
Apart from the embankments, three barrages are to be area. The floodplains on the outer sides of these embankments
constructed at following locations: are to be filled with soil to create artificial gardens. The Water
1. Mutha River – Near Garware College Resources Department (WRD) has specifically warned Pune
2. 2. Mula River – Kaspate Vasti, Near Municipal Corporation twice.
Cantonment
3. 3. Mula Mutha River – Near
Mundhwa K. T. Weir.

In addition to the existing barrages, three new barrages are to be built

at these locations
a river is a living system. It has different water velocity at different points; such as high velocity at
the source, medium in the plains and very slow at the end of its journey.

The river takes different paths, picking up sand, pebbles, silt and organic matter as it snakes
through different landscapes.The river bank is never a straight line and never permanent, but is
flexible and depends on the river flow and forms a gradual gradient where water touches and
mixes with the soil on its banks and supports different kinds of plants and animals depending on
the habitat created.

One of the main consequences of river straightening is that it can become shorter and steeper.
We have already channelised the river - narrowing it further will result in faster flow and higher
water levels when it rains heavily leading to floods. This is exactly what is seen from the DPR.This
can also lead to more erosion of the river banks and increase in siltation and turbidity affecting
all animals living in and near the waters. This could lead to irreversible damage of the river
ecosystem.

River straightening can also reduce the river’s self-purification capacity because of shortened
contact of the water, lesser oxygen mixing, which affects life in the river bed.
In reality, the RFD project is more about artificial beautification of the river, not
rejuvenation at all.
It involves channelising and converting the river into canals by constructing
walls (embankments) on the riverbed using cement, tar, paver blocks, rock
pitching and other material.
This will involve straightening of the river banks, which is an ecologically
disastrous idea. Making the banks permanent with any such material, including
concrete, is disastrous for the river.