Once a river, the Kartarpura Ganda Nallah is now a drain, a consequence of Jaipur’s depleting water supply and insufficient solid waste management infrastructure. Houses encroach dangerously on the banks of this heavily polluted water, with hundreds of homes flooding yearly as a result of monsoon rains. This proposal seeks to utilize monsoon runoff to recharge groundwater through the development of the Kartarpura Ganda River Park. Acting as a filtration system and public green space, the park will inject vital infrastructure into low-income neighborhoods and provide improved housing for those living in unsafe conditions at the drains edge.
This green spine through the neighborhoods will provide a walking and cycle route which connects to the city’s main commercial areas and offers an alternative to the city’s pavement-free streets and expensive public transport. Sewage treatment plants, public toilets, community amenities, safe play areas and a recycling center are integrated to support the park and surrounding communities.
Affordable infill housing will be developed in adjacent neighborhoods to absorb households who are relocated from unsafe structures at the river’s edge. New homes will prioritize improved living conditions for residents through natural ventilation, solar shading, structural stability and access to basic, yet often absent, amenities. The homes will connect to the river parks filtration and sewage treatment systems and form the framework for integrating improved housing throughout the city.
