Narsinghpur: Rs 4.8 crore project restores 600-metre Singri riverfront
A restoration effort led by an IAS officer has transformed a polluted stretch of the Singri River into a community space.
A 600-metre riverfront has been restored along the Singri River in Madhya Pradesh’s Narsinghpur district through a Rs 4.8 crore initiative, according to The Times of India. The project, led by Narsinghpur Zilla Panchayat CEO Gajendra Singh Nagesh, involved 26 separate projects implemented via local panchayats.
The Singri River, which flows for 39.6 kilometres before joining the Narmada, had previously become a polluted channel due to sewage discharge and garbage dumping. The restored stretch now features a community hall, a cafeteria, and an open-air theatre to encourage residents to gather by the water.
To complete the work, the administration removed encroachments from an initial 900-metre stretch. The project utilised machinery from other departments for approximately 800 hours, with the project covering diesel costs. Stone pitching was used to strengthen the banks instead of concrete walls, and the riverbed was raised by two to four metres.
The restoration was carried out during the Jal Ganga Samvardhan Abhiyan between March 19 and June 30, 2026. To manage waste, the administration is setting up small filtration systems where village drains meet the river to catch plastic and suspended particles using gravel, sand, and plants.
Nagesh stated that the water quality has not yet reached permissible limits and additional filters are required. The administration intends to expand these efforts to all 14 gram panchayats located along the river.