Kota’s Chambal Riverfront: Rs 1,200 crore project stares at losses, and a political fight over who is to blame

“With a daily average footfall of 1,000 people, the riverfront receives 3.6 lakh visitors per year. We have earnings of around Rs 1 crore while the expenses are Rs 2.10 crore,” Mahendra Saxena, executive engineer at the KDA, told The Indian Express. “We’re trying to get more tourists. It could make for a good tourist experience, but we need more tourists.”

Adds one official: “The summer and winter holidays are when the project sees the highest footfall.”

Inaugurated on September 12, 2023 – a month ahead of the Rajasthan Assembly elections – and billed as India’s first “heritage riverfront” project, the Chambal Riverfront in Kota was designed to transform the city beyond its “coaching hub” image. The project has been beset with problems since the start: months after its inauguration, it came under legal scrutiny, with proceedings before the National Green Tribunal examining alleged environmental violations linked to construction along the Chambal river, including questions over clearances and ecological impact.

Meanwhile, costs continue to escalate. For instance, the Chambal aarti — a daily evening devotional ceremony along the riverfront — costs the administration Rs 12 lakh a month, according to officials.

As a supplementary source of revenue, the riverfront is also leased for marriages and other social events, with officials hoping these will help gradually increase footfall.

Sandeep Sharma, the BJP MLA from Kota South, calls the project a “waste of government resources”.

“We’re trying to get more tourists. It could make for a good tourist experience, but we need more tourists.”

“Even if you say that the riverfront was a necessary step towards the beautification of the city and the river, look at the ghats. There’s no greenery, no trees, no shady spaces. Did the Congress government expect people to visit just during the night? Because during the day, the sun is unbearable. So much money was wasted and if the KDA ran out of money to handle it, these buildings would become ghost towns,” he said.

He also blames the “high” entry fee — Rs 200 per head — for the low footfall. “Kota residents will not spend Rs 200 just for an entry fee every week; only tourists can do that, but Kota is renowned for coaching institutes, not tourism,” Sharma said.

But Kota North MLA Shanti Dhariwal — who pushed for the project — defends it, and blames the ruling BJP government for its current state. While the KDA claims to have attempted twice to hand over operations to a single private operator, these tenders could not be finalised.

Dhariwal claims the BJP government “has no idea how to handle such a project”.

“They took out a tender for Rs 6 crore to give it to one private player. Why would any company handle the initial stage of River Front at such an exorbitant price? They can first give it for a lower rate and then they can increase it,” he said.

He blames the absence of shops along the promenade for the low tourist footfall. “There are 100 shops inside the riverfront but not more than 10 are functioning. If a person comes for a long walk, he will need some form of refreshment. The state government has done nothing to promote tourism in the city nor has it been able to handle the project,” Dhariwal said.

Despite this, the riverfront continues to see some regular visitors. For Manish Singh, a resident of Himachal Pradesh who is visiting family in the city, this is his favourite place in Kota. But he too agrees that the entry fee is too steep.

“It’s a good place to spend the evening. Fountain light show, the Chambal Aarti, different cultural programmes — it’s an experience,” he said. “But taking a Rs 200 entry fee and hiring a Rs 200 seat in a golf cart for better comfort is not affordable.”