The organization "Belgrade on the Move" called on the competent authorities to urgently clean up the Čukarica backwater, because nothing has been done since 2018.
That organization announced that the competition for the urban-architectural solution for the arrangement of the Čukarica backwater was held six years ago.
In this part of Belgrade there are rowing, kayaking and nautical clubs, and the space is used for rowing, walking, cycling and recreation.
"The solution that won the competition envisaged the arrangement of the coastal fort, sports areas on the water and water areas, as well as the arrangement of the marina itself, which would contribute to a better quality of life and the development of sports and recreation," the announcement states.
Marina or skyscrapers
In September 2018, the Belgrade company Novkol won the first prize in the competition for the urban-architectural solution for the arrangement of the Čukarica creek, the area of which covers about 42,6 hectares, of which 20,8 hectares are territory and about 21,8 hectares are water areas.
This solution predicted a bright future for the forgotten backwater. The adopted marina design solution in the "three anchors" category envisages that the marina on the Chukaric Bay will be the most modern in the area, with a number of diverse additional multifunctional facilities, thus becoming a pioneer in raising the standards for the construction of all future marinas on rivers in the entire region.
It was said at the time that this marina could be a "magnet for sailors all over Europe". The words, however, have not yet been put into action.
In the meantime, the investor of the Belgrade on the Water project received another 327 hectares of land, three times the area he had until now.
With the new decision of the Government, Belgrade on the Water is also expanding to the Belgrade Fair. plots of the Old Sugar Factory, a part of the Novobeograd coast, and also on the Čukarica inlet.
The value of the land that is now in private hands is measured in millions of euros. However, it is not certain that the new 327 hectares will be the end of the expansion of Belgrade on the water.
Purification of sludge and waste
A "green carpet" of silt often covered this bay during the summer months, due to, as the City Public Health Institute determined in 2017, sewage spills.
Along the promenade, you could see a line of garbage that caused an unpleasant smell.
According to the explanation of the Republic Directorate for Water, this phenomenon is common, and it was caused by an unfavorable meteorological and hydrological situation. At that time, it was also said that the situation on this stretch will improve with the change in the hydrological situation.
The situation today, at least as far as pollution is concerned, is much better, claims Božidar Borčanin from the Association of Čukarica Bay Lovers.
"Since the Sugar Mill stopped working, the situation is much better." And that waste that comes is carried by the wind into the bay from the Topčiderska river", says Borčanin for "Vreme".
He adds that the owners of the boats and rafts are quite tidy and help to keep the bay clean.
The big cleaning of the Čukarica backwater was organized in the spring of 2021. At that time, the Public Water Company "Srbijavode" managed to remove about 60 cubic meters of sludge in 40.000 working days.
The works did not remove the cause of the poor water quality, but only remedied the existing condition and removed the sludge and dirt.
