New Delhi: Hoping to start a business along the Chambal Riverfront in Kota, Rajasthan—the first heritage-listed riverfront in the world—Uday Raj Singh invested Rs 55 lakh over the past year. However, his plans went awry when the project became entangled in a National Green Tribunal (NGT) case over environmental clearances, hindered further by political conflicts and administrative indifference.
“I’m surviving because I have money, but others shouldn’t risk starting a business here just yet,” said the Kota-based businessman. He added that the riverfront has the potential to become India’s biggest mall. “Once all the shops open, it will be a highly profitable destination, offering a vibe that feels like being in Europe.”
Of the 137 shops lining both sides of the riverfront, which spans a 1.76 lakh sq ft commercial area, only seven are operational. Among these, only two are branded outlets—House of Candy and Frozen Bottle—both owned by Singh. The remaining shops are small canteens offering snacks. Singh has also acquired franchises for Chicago Pizza and Barista but has yet to open them.
The Rs 1,442-crore Chambal Riverfront, an ambitious project spearheaded by former Congress minister Shanti Dhariwal, was inaugurated in September last year. However, within just a year, its operations have fallen into disarray. After enduring consistent losses for 14 months, the project has now made its way onto the agenda of Kota’s administrative executive committee, which plans to hand over operations to a private entity.
Last week, the Kota Development Authority (KDA)—nodal body handling the riverfront operations—reviewed a detailed report, prompting its secretary Kushal Kothari to approve a new tender and fresh plans for commercial activities.
“According to our estimate, we should be making Rs 2.10 crore monthly, but have been getting only Rs 1 crore from the riverfront. A monthly loss of one crore. So, to meet the expected revenue and for better operations, the riverfront will be given to a single private firm for the next 15 years,” said Bhupendra Bansiwal, executive engineer at KDA.
He stated that if the entire commercial area becomes operational, all the losses could be recovered within just one month.
Currently, five different vendors manage various aspects of the operations, including daily events and facility management, boating, golf carts, the VIP tent city, and the water park. The primary sources of revenue come from ticket sales, the water park, and pre-wedding shoots. In the past month alone, more than 60 pre-wedding shoots have been conducted here, Bansiwal said.
“Now KDA has decided to tender all services for one tender, like the arrangement in the famous City Park of Kota,” said Bansiwal, adding that a new tender is yet to be issued.
On the eastern bank, out of 88 shops, only 38 have been allotted, with just seven currently in operation. On the western bank, 15 out of 49 shops have been allotted by the KDA, but none of them have begun operations yet.
Bansiwal stated that commercial activities were meant to be the key source of revenue, as originally planned before the riverfront’s construction. However, limited commercial establishments, such as souvenir shops and a few restaurants, have materialised, leading to significant losses for the government. Additionally, there has been little interest in booking the amphitheatre or the banquet hall.
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The NGT case
The grand Chambal Riverfront, featuring 22 ghats, dozens of ornate pillars, fountains, and miniatures of iconic monuments like the Lal Qila and Taj Mahal, was envisioned as a vibrant hub for restaurants and shops. However, everything remains closed. While they light up and dazzle at night, they are yet to contribute to Kota’s economy.
The riverfront was meant to complement the city’s other attractions, such as the Seven Wonders Park, City Park, Chambal Garden, and Oxyzone Park.
In September last year, after missing five deadlines and just a month before Rajasthan assembly elections, the riverfront was inaugurated, with Deepika Padukone and Ranveer Singh as brand ambassadors.
After elections, though, a case was filed in NGT citing violation of environmental rules during the construction of the riverfront. The NGT formed a joint committee comprising district collector of Kota, Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) officials and representatives from Rajasthan’s Water Resource Department and Bio Diversity Board to investigate the project.
But within three months, after a ground visit, the committee rejected the petition claiming violation of environmental and other rules.
“The lack of interest among businessmen, as a result of the NGT case, persisted even after the case was over,” said Bansiwal, adding that the KDA also sent notices to those who were allotted shops, but they remain shut.
More than 100 people are engaged in the maintenance of Kota Riverfront and the income from the riverfront is insufficient for its maintenance.
“Every month the electricity bill comes to Rs 1.5 crore while the income from it is Rs 1 crore,” said a KDA official to ThePrint.
Lack of tourism culture and the politics
The revenue losses at the riverfront can also be attributed to the broader tourism ecosystem in Kota. While around 1,500 people visit daily, this number is insufficient to sustain such a large-scale infrastructure.
“There is no tourism culture in Kota. Being a coaching hub, there is movement of people here but this year students have also come in fewer numbers,” said Brijesh Vijayvargiya, Kota-based environmentalist. He added that there is very little hope of more people coming here to only visit the riverfront.
Vijayvargiya also pointed out that the Rs 200 entry ticket is unaffordable to the common people. “If the riverfront has to be sustained, then Kota will have to be brought into the tourism circuit and many of its untouched places will have to be developed.”
Businessman Uday Raj Singh claimed that after the Congress government exited last year, the new BJP government did not give importance to the riverfront.
In January 2024, Urban Development and Housing Minister Jhabar Singh released a poster of “Kamyaab Kota” (successful Kota) but the riverfront and the City Park were absent from the poster. “This riverfront is a gift of the Congress, so the BJP is ignoring it,” said Singh.
However, earlier this week, the wedding of Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla’s daughter was held on the riverfront. “The BJP opposes the riverfront, but BJP leaders hold their personal events here,” said Singh.
In February, Congress’s Shanti Dhariwal had said that if the world-class Chambal riverfront is ignored, then a movement will be launched.
Uday Raj Singh, however, is primarily concerned about his significant investment. He stressed the need for quick action, pointing out that with only a few shops open, there’s little chance of generating enthusiasm.
He compared the riverfront’s situation to a movie, saying, “The film was grand and promising, but it got caught up in political controversy”. Now, he added, the riverfront is trapped in a political limbo.
(Edited by Zinnia Ray Chaudhuri)
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