Chambal Riverfront Project is being constructed with a whooping budget of at least Rs. 800 crore.
The citizens of Kota have high hopes from this project – it is likely to boost tourism for Kota, generate new employment opportunities & will also add to the aesthetics of Chambal river – the only perennial river of the state.
If experts are to be believed the Chambal Riverfront will outshine the Sabarmati riverfront of Ahmedabad.
Like the Sabarmati, Chambal is also a rain-fed river and the riverfront will be built on the bank of Chambal river that flows downstream through the heart of the Kota City.
Ghats will be one of the main attractions of this project. Visitors get to experience 22 newly built ghats on both banks of Chambal river built at a stretch of 3 kms each.
Chambal Riverfront is one of the dream projects of Hon’ble UDH Minister Shanti Dhariwal, to make Kota a Smart City. He wants Kota to be recognised all over India which will attract worldwide tourism.
Commencement and the ongoing developments
The work of Chambal Riverfront project began in early 2020 and was supposed to completed by March 2022, but because of unforeseen circumstances of Covid, it is now expected to end by March 2023.
Hundreds of workers are working day – night. The work is happening at a fast pace to be able to complete the project before time. Statues like Chambal Mata are being built in Jaipur.
Below are the pictures of the ongoing developments.
Various Sightings of Leisure and Interest
The riverfront will have several attractions for students as well as tourists.
There will be cafes, handicraft bazaar, huge space for skating, art galleries, restaurants, kid zone, Nehru Statue, World’s largest bell,amphitheater, lazer show, sculpture park, a giant chambal goddess statue and much more .
22 Newly Built Ghats
There are 22 ghats spread across both the sides of the riverfront each showcasing different glimpse of our heritage and culture. Some of them are –
Sahitya Ghat: Which is formed in the shape of a book , is going to be 60 meter long. It will also have a 5 floor library where one can find all the ancestral books of Kavi Tulsidas, Kabirdas , Kalidas etc and statues of Munshi Premchand and Mahadevi Verma are going to be erected near to the banks of the river.
Bal Ghat: Formed mainly for the kids where all the playing activities will be held. The ghat will be 80 meter long and will also have a water park constructed on it.
Hadoti Ghat: Tourists can find prosperous architectural carvings built at a stretch of 120 meter . Various paintings from Bundi, Jhalawar and Kota will be displayed at this ghat.
And several such ghats are being put up, each representing some cultural heritage or an attraction or a place to just spend time along with the river Chambal
Chambal Mata Statue
Chambal Mata Statute is constructed in over 1200 pieces, which is going to be a 40 meter high statue. The statue is being built in Jaipur. It is said that the feet of Chambal Mata are 4 foot tall in itself, now one can just imagine how huge the statue is going to be. Also a waterfall will fall in Chambal from the urn of Chambal Mata.
2nd largest Musical Fountain
Near to Kota Barrage, a Musical Fountain is being constructed which will be the second biggest musical Fountain in the world after Barcelona. The height of the Fountain would go upto 42 meters and approximately 240 different effects will be showcased. This is going to be another milestone for the city .
World’s Largest Bell
The 82000 kgs bell is being maneus vered on the Ghantaghar Ghat, which is going to be the world’s largest bell. It will be 9.5 meters in diameter . Such establishments will surely cater to a large number of tourists from around the world.
State’s Largest Statue of Maharana Pratap
The state’s largest statue of Maharana Pratap, besides “Sahitya Chowk” is likely to make it a popular tourist spot. .
Kota’s hope to become a tourist destination
Kota has made its name as the Education City of India, but it had failed to attract tourists in spite of all the efforts.
There’s a reason why Chambal Riverfront is being called as Shanti Dhariwal’s Dream Project as he is leaving no stone unturned when it comes to this mega project to change the image of Kota City as a tourist destination.
Almost all major cities of Rajasthan, Jaipur, Udaipur, Jodhpur, enjoy a good influx of tourists. Hopes are high that if this project is successful, Kota will join the list of cities with a thriving tourism sector.
It is going to be the biggest project ever to be executed in the state to captivate tourists.
What about monsoon floods!
The riverfront will not only add to the aesthetic value of the Chambal river but also will avert floods in Kota, said UDH Minister
Every 2-3 years, Kota faces major floods in the areas where Chambal Riverfront is being constructed.
One common confusion among locals is what happens during the flood-like situation during Monsoon, how visitors are going to see the riverfront then.
There are quite a few ifs and buts to the situation, but nothing as such explains how the project would help in preventing floods.
Wait for the architectural wonder to get ready!
For now, let’s wait for the very picturesque riverfront to get ready which will engage huge crowds and will be one of its own .