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Water is a precious resource churning the growth of cities and is one of the determining factors for sustainable development. However, with unprecedented urbanisation and drastic impact of climate change, the world is facing severe water woes that require immediate action. Indian cities are taking consistent efforts to address the challenges.

The Road Taken
They say prevention is better than cure. Underscoring the practicality of this theory and keeping the rising effects of climate change in mind, Indore has been doing everything possible to tackle any such challenges associated with the water. It has recently undertaken a mammoth exercise of rejuvenating and restoring its water bodies.

Indore has 455 wells, 25 stepwells and 29 lakes across the city. Its water bodies rejuvenation project began with cleaning and beautification of Hari Rao Holkar Chhatri Stepwell under the heritage conservation efforts of Indore Smart City.

An initial survey was conducted to assess the present condition of these water bodies, specially to identify the major issues which hamper the quality and quantity of water. Thereafter, a concerted action plan was made by Indore Smart City to comprehensively rejuvenate its water bodies through activities like desilting, deepening and clearance of catchment channels.

Systematic & Technical Measures
Indore Smart City started geo tagging these water bodies according to the rejuvenation plan. It identified illegal establishments that drained their wastewater in these water bodies, resulting in accumulation of silt which in turn led to reduction in storage capacity and non-potability of water. After consultation with local stakeholders, illegal constructions were removed, after which rejuvenation of these water bodies began in systematic and technical manner.

After desilting, cleaning of the water body, outputs of proximate rainwater harvesting structures were connected to city;’s wells through recharge shafts, after which stakeholders like nearby RWAs, NGOs and Garden teams were handed over the responsibility of plantation surrounding the water bodies which would help in reducing the soil erosion and increasing the accumulation of their water storage, by inducing a sense of ownership to the beneficiaries.

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Indore citizens enthusiastically responded to the call of cleaning the city’s wells and stepwells. Multiple social groups joined the initiative.

The Smart City started IEC drives including chalking out activities like weekend cleaning events. Finally, completing the whole circle, the rejuvenated wells, stepwell were covered with green net and water connections were made at nearby gardens, dividers and green belts which would further reduce the wasteful expenditure of Municipal Corporation on water tankers.

Waste to Wealth
Following the principles of Waste to Wealth and 4R (reduce, reuse, recycle & recover), the Indore Smart City indigenously developed a weed harvester in IMC’s workshop to arrest the consistent issue of weeds in lakes and ponds using body parts and chassis of old vehicles and local spare parts. The expense of this weed harvester was even less than Rs 8 lakhs against the market price of a new harvester of more than Rs70 lakhs. The weed harvester has proven to be a boon for Indore’s lakes.

Additionally, in order to maintain water level and aquatic ecosystem throughout the year, a reuse network has been laid and treated water of STP is draining into ponds like Pipliyapala, Pipliyahana and Patthar Mundla.

Moreover, the Smart City has taken up multi-dimensional activities like construction of cascaded Stop Dams across major rivers of Indore and using treated water from STPs to make the channels perennial and constructing multiple stretches of Riverfronts.

The quality of water in these water bodies is regularly tested through portable testing kits. Also, ban on single-use plastic is being strictly implemented in Indore to prevent plastic bottles and polybags ending up clogging our precious water bodies.

Smart Innovations

• Involvement of RWAs, Social groups and NGOs in rejuvenation of their own water bodies.
• Aerial Survey of water bodies through Drone for mapping of their Catchment channels.
• In order to monitor and provide maintenance support, geo-tagging for water bodies with photographs is done through the ICT application.
• Installing fountains to maintain dissolved oxygen in water bodies.
• Construction of cascaded stop dams to increase the percolation of water and reducing run off.
• Construction of in-house de- weeding machine at around 10 % of market cost.
• Reuse of STP water and use of water from wells, stepwells in gardens, dividers and green belts.

Quantifiable outputs

• Conservation of 25 stepwell and 455 wells completed.
• More than 01 lakh trees planted near water bodies.
• 100% wells and stepwells covered with green net,so that dry waste is not dumped.
• Reuse of water from STPs, wells and step-wells through hydrants, thereby reducing dependence on water tankers leading to saving of crores of revenue annually.
• Construction of Stop Dams on Kahn and Saraswati Rivers.

Outcomes and Impact achievement

• Increase in citizen participation for conservation of water bodies.
• Providing better living standards to people residing near nallahs and rivers
• Clean water in rivers throughout the year, and afforestation improves climate of city
• Planned reuse of treated water helps in judicial use of water
• Preservation of old stepwells, wells preserves heritage value of our city in the younger generation.
• Treated water of STP is drained into water bodies like Pipliyapala, Pipliyahana and Patthar Mundla lake which is maintaining the Ground Water Table in the nearby area.
• Cleaning of lakes has led to increase in morning walkers and joggers

Sustainable Development Goals

• Rejuvenation of water bodies and capturing rainwater boosts the quality of groundwater thereby promoting clean water. (Goal 06)
• Clean water accessibility to everyone helps in proper health and hygiene. (Goal 03)
• Conservation of water bodies helps in balancing ecosystem thus combats climate change and its impacts (Goal 13)
• Conservation of water bodies helps in envisaging sustainability in the city. (Goal 11)
• Saving and reusing water creates consciousness while using water which results in responsible consumption of water resources (Goal 12).

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Ever since the Smart Cities mission has been launched, Indore, with its global standard initiatives and projects, has been constantly getting featured in the country’s top position under the mission. From solid waste management to meticulous traffic handling, efficient urban mobility to result-oriented citizen engagement, Indore has set a standard that other states are contemplating following suit. Indore has constantly been awarded as the best smart city in India. This year also, it bagged the coveted award. Recently, it also clinched the Innovative Idea Award in the carbon credit financing mechanism. Technology like artificial intelligence, machine learning, robotics and drones are playing phenomenal roles in transforming urban governance. It has done remarkably well in rejuvenating and restoring several waterbodies in the district. As a result, it is well poised to show the light to other cities in shaping their developmental and innovation planning.

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