Question Of Cities
Share
We ask the difficult questions about cities and seek answers.
06/07/2026
The Godavari is India’s second longest river after the Ganga. The river, which passes through five states – Maharashtra, Telangana, Andhra Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, and Odisha – and parts of Madhya Pradesh, Karnataka and Puducherry and sustains millions of people, has been central to their livelihoods, culture, and pilgrimage. Today, the river faces a mounting ecological crisis – deeply polluted and fragmented in the way it is governed in each state, the rising pollution and construction on its floodplains, including for riverfront development, it faces a threat to its ecology and existence.
As Nashik prepares for the Kumbh Mela in 2027, the 20-kilometres of the Godavari passing through the historical city are once again in focus. The Kumbh Mela has a state government budget of Rs 35,000 crore to boost infrastructure, and the Nashik Municipal Corporation is spending Rs 1,600 crore on building infrastructure including four new Sewage Treatment Plants for the river.
This Fact Sheet prepared by Ankita Dhar Karmakar traces the river’s journey, the challenges it faces, and the restoration efforts taken so far to revive the river. Through this, we ask whether current interventions are restoring the river’s ecology or merely reshaping its banks.
www.questionofcities.org
[Nashik, Godavari, Maharashtra, Kumbh Mela, Nashik Pollution, Ramkund, Tapovan, Riverfront, Riverfront Development, Sabarmati, Yamuna, Mula M***a, Musi]
Nashik’s ancient mythological, historical and contemporary connection with the Godavari is symbolised in the Panchvati area and, within it, specifically in the Ramkund. This is today a strange confluence of mythology, chemistry and modern construction.The area with 17 kunds (reservoirs or bathing tanks) is seeing demolitions and constructions for the forthcoming Kumbh Mela but, along with Hindu references, there are influences of Buddhism and Jainism besides traces of Sikh reverence too.
At a vantage point in the walk, the concretised portions of the Godavari were at least 10 feet above the river bed and the concrete had closed off a natural network of tributaries, rivulets and springs that kept the river alive. For the Kumbh that’s expected to draw 10-12 crore pilgrims, the authorities reconstruct the ghats, concretise further, and build huge retaining walls along the river, while the real estate ignores the red and blue flood lines. Will the Godavari turn into a stagnant garbage dump after the Kumbh?
Read the full essay by Nikeita Saraf through the link in bio. www.questionofcities.org
[Godavari, Nashik, Kumbh Mela 2027, Kumbh Mela, Ramkund, Tapovan, Panchvati, Riverfront Development]
26/06/2026
As most cities in India record temperatures above 40 degrees Celsius, the warning signs of climate change cannot be ignored. Over the years, researchers have, through their studies and reports, detailed the impact of extreme heat. Climate change is a reality and it is high time cities acted to reduce the impact and worked on better water management. A compendium of reports and studies on heat deep dives on heat risks, water scarcity and solutions to survive the impact of global warming.
Find all of them through the link in bio.
www.questionofcities.org
[Reports, heatwave, heat stress, data centres, water scarcity, groundwater depletion]
Click here to claim your Sponsored Listing.
Category
Contact the organization
Website
Address
Mumbai
