Does Providing Incentives for Parcel-based Regeneration Facilitates the Restoration of Polluted River Stretches Flowing through Brownfield Contexts in Indian Cities? The Case of Nag River, Nagpur

The study provides evidence of how restrictive and poor incentives through building bye-laws limits urban regeneration in brownfield neighborhoods resulting in degraded condition of 17-km strech of Nag River in Nagpur and limiting Nag River Restoration. Starting with the literature review, the study highlights the lack of a comprehensive approach for river restoration, specifically for the stretch of urban rivers in brownfield contexts in Indian cities. The study was conducted on neighborhoods located along the stretch of 17-km stretch, which entirely flows through city’s brownfield context. The study uses both primary and secondary data for an empirical assessment of the Nag River, divided into three sections. The first investigates the historical river-city relationship of the Nag River with Nagpur’s Old City, highlighting key issues leading to degraded condition of the river. The second section documents existing conditions along the 17-km stretch, mapping land use, urban infrastructure (water and sanitation), public-private ownership, building conditions, and development potential highlighting key issues with riparian context. The third section empirically demonstrates (selecting the case examples from documented neighborhoods) how building codes limit urban regeneration in Old City neighborhoods, indicating a lack of incentives (in terms of FSI) for urban redevelopment. The fourth section maps stakeholder roles and responsibilities, highlighting the technical and financial aspects leading to the failure of the Nag River Restoration Project over the past two decades. The study’s evidence compared with national and global practices, which highlights how building codes through urban regeneration can facilitate river restoration and concludes with a conceptual outline to the use of spatial planning tools to ensure technical and financial feasibility of river restoration projects.