Technical Workshop on River & Water Sensitivity into Master Plans, Patna, Bihar

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Government of India

Technical Workshop on River & Water Sensitivity into Master Plans, Patna, Bihar

March 10, 2026

About the Event

A one-day Technical Workshop on River & Water Sensitivity into Master Plans was organised on 10 March 2026 in Patna, Bihar, by the River Cities Alliance (RCA) in collaboration with the National Mission for Clean Ganga (NMCG) and the National Institute of Urban Affairs (NIUA), under the Urban Development and Housing Department (UDHD), Bihar. The workshop focused on integrating river-sensitive planning principles into the ongoing Master Plan preparation process for 43 Urban Local Bodies (ULBs) across the state.

Bihar’s urban systems are deeply shaped by major river networks, including the Ganga, Gandak, Kosi, Bagmati, Son, Punpun, and Ghaghra. With over 60% of urban settlements located in flood-prone or floodplain areas, the workshop emphasised the urgent need to embed river and water sensitivity into statutory planning instruments to avoid long-term ecological degradation and unplanned urbanisation.

The workshop brought together over 50 officials, planners, and consultants from more than 25 cities, including municipal commissioners, town planners, and technical experts engaged in Master Plan preparation. The objectives included introducing urban river management principles, demonstrating integration of river-sensitive provisions into Master Plans and Development Control Regulations (DCRs), and enabling cities to strengthen implementable planning strategies.

The inaugural session featured remarks from Shri Rajiv Shrivastava, Special Secretary, UD&HD Bihar, and Shri Nalin Kumar Shrivastava, Deputy Director General, NMCG, who highlighted the importance of aligning Master Plans with river-sensitive frameworks such as the Urban River Management Plans (URMPs). Technical sessions by NIUA experts and TCPO representatives introduced key frameworks, including the URMP approach, river-sensitive Master Planning tools, and urban planning guidelines.

Key discussions highlighted the need for dynamic floodplain zoning for rivers such as the Kosi, Gandak, and Bagmati, improved geospatial and hydrological data systems, and the institutionalisation of waterbody inventories under missions such as Jal-Jeevan-Hariyali. The role of Zonal Development Plans in translating river-sensitive strategies into enforceable regulations was also emphasised, along with the importance of culturally sensitive riverfront planning in cities such as Patna, Hajipur, Sultanganj, and Sitamarhi.

The workshop marked a significant step towards embedding river-sensitive planning within statutory Master Plans at scale, setting a precedent for integrating ecological resilience, flood management, and sustainable urban development into planning frameworks across river-dependent cities in India.