Page 22 - HUDCO BEST PRACTICE AWARDS

EnvironmEntal managEmEnt, EnErgy ConsErvation and grEEn Building

rEVitALiZAtion of DErELict urBAn SPAcES - cHHAKArPur -
WAZirABAD BunDH by VSPB Associates, i AM gurgAon, Haryana forest

Department

A ‘green lung’ amidst the high-end residential housing enclaves of Gurugram was created, resulting in improved quality of the place, by transforming and rejuvenating it into a vibrant
urban space. The idea was to revive a Bundh, earlier used for dumping waste and open defecation along a nullah that used to stink as it carried sewer discharge from neighborhood
slums. The 5.2 km long Bundh site earlier used by daily wage workers to commute from nearby slums to work places was now transformed into a public place and a barrier-free eco-
mobility corridor was developed in the form of a ‘Linear Park’, with walking and cycling tracks providing non-motorized linkages through the city within the 35 acres of Urban Forest land.
Introduction a solid waste dumping ground and an open defecation area with a number of scattered
encroachments within the forest land. The nullah used to stink as it carried a lot of sewer
revitalization project on a stretch of the Wazirabad canal in Gurugram was taken up to discharge from the neighbourhood slums. Huge amount of invasive, thorny vegetation
A rejuvenate a Bundh, which was historically used as a check dam in a water collection/ of Vilayati Kikar (Vachellia Nilotica), which covered a major part of the area, made some
retention system. It was on the initiatives of cleaning up the area by an NGO – ‘I Am stretches fairly inaccessible. The waste dumped here made it a home ground for a large
Gurgaon’ along with the Forest Department Haryana, that the Delhi based architecture number of pigs that were seen all over the site. A thorough clean-up operation was needed
firm - VSPB Associates decided on its strategy of clearing up the environs and revive the to be done to make the area free from all encumbrances. The plastic waste was to be
canal by working on the space around it, so that the focus could slowly return to the water. collected and recycled instead of being disposed with the other garbage. And proper water
The 5.2 km long stretch of Bundh (of forest land) along a nullah, in the midst of high-end treatment was needed to restore the nullah.
residential housing enclaves, was used as a dumping ground and for open defecation and
was left in a sad state of misuse. The initiative: The 5.2 km long Bundh site, for revitalization, traverses alongside several
high-end residential neighbourhoods as well as squatter settlements. The Bundh was used
A design proposal was drawn up to create a public space and eco-mobility corridor in the by domestic help and daily wage workers to commute from nearby slums to work places in
form of a ‘Linear Park’, with walking and cycling tracks providing non-motorized linkages the residential neighbourhoods. The forest corridor, which served as a long cross-connection
through the city. It was envisioned to promote pedestrian movement as well as cycling within the city and bypassed the busy vehicular roads, offered a fairly challenging commute
as an environment friendly movement system for short distance commute from one part corridor both for pedestrians and cyclists. The Bundh was, therefore, used as a subaltern
of the city to another. This forest corridor also created a ‘green lung’ for Gurugram and space, otherwise ignored in the mainstream urban realms of Gurugram.
provided a natural setting for leisure facilities to the adjoining residential areas.
Key dates

he project started with the inauguration by Chief Minister of Haryana on 11 January
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T2016. The site for revitalization, in Gurugram, was originally a solid waste dumping
ground with a number of scattered encroachments within the forest land. A thorough clean-
up operation was started and the area was made free of all encumbrances. Slowly the
canal was revived by working on the space around it with the completion of pilot phase on
15 April 2016, within a span of 3 months. A community planting drive “freedom to plant
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Gurgaon green” took place on 15 August 2018 for making people aware of the project.
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Main focus

he main focus was to rejuvenate the bundh and nullah that once formed part of an old
Tirrigation system. Along with that the idea was also to create a barrier-free Eco-mobility
Corridor in the form of a linear nature park (5.2 km long), thereby creating 35 acres of Green
View of the ‘Linear Park’
Lung for Gurugram-a Public Place in a natural setting for leisure and community activities.
Background
Establishment of priorities
cross the world, several projects are aimed at rebuilding derelict urban environments to • To take up a pilot project of 200m stretch for implementation, in front of Paras Hospital
Atransform and rejuvenate marginalized places into vibrant public spaces for the city. The and to revive the complete derelict stretch of the Chakkarpur-Wazirabad Bundh, on a
revival of such neglected spaces can serve to energize urban landscapes and create healthy forest land, cutting through the prime areas of the city.
environments for outdoor leisure for city dwellers. Realizing the importance of the same, • To take up a thorough clean-up operation to make the area free from all encumbrances
a citizen-driven initiative was led by a local NGO, along with the state forest department and proper water treatment was necessary to restore the nullah.
and corporate sponsors, called the Chakkarpur-Wazirabad Bundh Revitalization Project, • Plastic waste had to be collected and recycled instead of being disposed with other
aimed at rebuilding a derelict and inaccessible strip in the city, to transform and rejuvenate garbage.
it into a vibrant urban space. • Mobility and Universal Accessibility were to be provided to benefit the targeted groups
Situation before the initiative: The site for revitalization, in Gurugram, was originally and the people residing in the neighbouring areas.

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