The National Mission for Clean Ganga (NMCG) has launched a landmark initiative to trace the transformation of the Ganga river from its past to its future, with scientists from the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Kanpur leading the project.

Researchers at IIT-Kanpur have combined rare images from the US "Corona" spy satellite series of 1965 with high-resolution satellite data from 2018-19 to track changes in the river’s flow, geomorphology, and land use over the last five decades. The study is being hailed as a milestone in creating a data-driven blueprint for the conservation and restoration of the Ganga.

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The project forms part of the Ganga Knowledge Centre, a repository of research, portals, and datasets aimed at supporting scientific decision-making for river rejuvenation.

The comparative study revealed that while the 1965 images showed the Ganga in an almost pristine natural state, recent images highlighted how barrages, embankments, and rapid urbanisation have obstructed its natural flow. Concrete maps now indicate areas where the river can be restored to its old rhythm and where improvements in land use can strengthen its ecological health.

As part of the project, a state-of-the-art web-GIS library is being developed to integrate Corona data with modern land use and land cover (LULC) datasets. This interactive system, supported by Google Earth Engine, will enable both analysis and planning on a single platform and guide future river management strategies.

Special digital displays are being prepared for nine critical stretches, Haridwar, Bijnor, Narora, Kanpur, Prayagraj, Varanasi, Patna, Bhagalpur, and Farakka, to support decision-making at both local and national levels.

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Professor Vinod Tare, founding head of the Centre for Ganga River Basin Management and Studies (CGanga) at IIT-Kanpur, said the project ushers in a “new era of data-driven planning for Ganga conservation.” He noted that the 2019 images clearly illustrate how urban expansion and hydraulic structures have restricted the river’s natural meandering, but also stressed that the new datasets offer a roadmap for targeted restoration.