Nexus between City Resilience and Surface water bodies: A case of Jabalpur city & Narmada River

The need to make our cities resilient cannot be stressed enough, viewing the various issues that have arisen globally over a period of time. With the cities being dynamic in nature and ever-increasing, the urban communities need to address the complex shocks and stresses that they face to safeguard the advancements made towards achieving sustainability and equitable development. To structure the foundation of the three pillars of sustainable development, i.e., economic, environmental, and social aspects, natural resources play a crucial role in all areas of the planet. Natural resources address a key connection between people and the environment all around the world, which is why maintaining and managing these is essential to attain resilience in any area. One such important natural resource is water, whose optimum development, efficient utilization, and effective management should be a part of the strategies formulated for growth and development, especially for developing nations like India. The state of Madhya Pradesh (M.P.) in India is enriched with ample water assets, yet because of ineffective administration combined with exorbitant over-utilization of the majority of water bodies, are seriously hampering the condition of this natural resource. The town of Jabalpur in M.P. is one such city that is blessed with both natural and man-made water bodies in abundance, the most important one being the Narmada River. The paper explores the condition of the surface water bodies in Jabalpur city, with the main focus being on the Narmada River, which acts as the major attraction point not just for the residents but also for the tourists due to the high religious value that it holds. This research emphasizes the linkage between Narmada River and Jabalpur city resilience by highlighting the implications of anthropogenic activities and the importance of integrating river and streams in planning.