The Centre has revised the regulatory framework for floodplains along the River Ganga and its tributaries through the River Ganga (Rejuvenation, Protection and Management) Authorities (Second Amendment) Order, 2026.
The amendment, notified by the Ministry of Jal Shakti in August 2026, changes how the Ganga floodplain is defined and replaces the earlier explicit reference to the floodplain as a “construction-free zone.”
Three Floodplain Zones Introduced
The amended framework divides the floodplain according to the frequency of flooding:
- Active Flood Plain: Area inundated by a flood corresponding to a 1-in-5-year return period. This is the part of the floodplain most frequently exposed to flooding.
- Regulatory Zone: Area lying between the 5-year and 25-year flood extents. Development activities in this zone are subject to regulation.
- Warning Zone: Outer floodplain area lying between the 25-year and 100-year flood extents. Flooding here is less frequent but can occur during larger flood events.
The floodplain can extend up to the area affected by a 1-in-100-year flood. The zoning approach is consistent with the floodplain classification used in Central Water Commission guidance.
What Changed for Construction?
The earlier 2016 provision described the banks of the Ganga and its floodplain as a construction-free zone. The 2026 amendment removes that wording and instead requires riverbanks and floodplains to be managed to reduce pollution pressures and preserve their natural groundwater-recharge functions.
This does not mean unrestricted construction across the floodplain. The revised approach moves towards zone-based regulation, with the active floodplain receiving the highest level of protection while activities in less frequently flooded areas may be considered subject to applicable approvals and safeguards.
NMCG has also issued directions to Ganga-basin States for implementation of floodplain zoning and continues to require prior approval for specified construction across the Ganga.
Why the Amendment Matters
The change gives authorities a clearer technical basis for distinguishing frequently flooded land from areas affected only by larger, less frequent floods.
For planners, infrastructure agencies and developers, the exact location of a project within the active, regulatory or warning zone could now become increasingly important when assessing development proposals.
At the same time, removing the broad “construction-free zone” wording has raised environmental concerns, and the change has already come under scrutiny before the National Green Tribunal.
Source: Ministry of Jal Shakti, River Ganga (Rejuvenation, Protection and Management) Authorities (Second Amendment) Order, 2026, S.O. 4427(E).