Musi Riverfront Plan To Transform Hyderabad: Revanth

Hyderabad:Chief Minister A. Revanth Reddy asserted that not a single poor family would face injustice when the government took up work on the Musi rejuvenation project. He said the Musi project would not only end man-made disasters — frequent flooding of many parts of the capital— but also elevate Hyderabad into the league of global cities thriving on riverfront economies.

Addressing a gathering of environment activists, industrialists, diplomats and Gandhians, the Chief Minister called upon people to join the mammoth task of restoring the Musi’s glory and the economy that the Nizams had developed alongside the river. He was speaking after a presentation of the government’s plans for the riverfront development encompassing a range of features.

The presentation was a milestone for the Revanth Reddy government which kept its promise of presenting a detailed project report (DPR) within the stipulated time. The report, prepared with scientific data by internationally reputed consultants consortium, established that the Musi could be turned into a perennially flowing pollution-free river centring on which a flourishing economy could be developed along the 55-km riverfront, the longest in the world.

The DPR put to rest allegations of the Opposition parties that government had been going ahead with the project without finalising the crucial document. It also instilled confidence in the state machinery that the first phase of the project, costing a maximum of `7,000 crore, was doable within the targeted timeframe of two years.

“I will inaugurate the first phase before next Assembly polls,” Revanth Reddy told mediapersons on the sidelines of the event.

The Asian Development Bank (ADB) is ready to fund 50 per cent of the cost, and Centre, which expressed has its satisfaction over the project, is keen to include it in the Urban Challenge Fund and give a 25-per cent grant while the remaining 25 per cent will be invested by the state government. Contrary to Opposition claims that the state would spend thousands of crores of rupees on Gandhi Sarovar, containing the largest statue in the world of Mahatma Gandhi and other facilities, the DPR put actual cost at `200 crore, Revanth Reddy pointed out.

He said some individuals were deliberately spreading half-truths and incomplete information to create anxiety among the public. He asserted that the government believed that power should be used as a safeguard for people rather than to dominate them, and that the presentation on the Musi was organised to transparently place facts before people.

Revanth Reddy observed that human civilisation had historically evolved around rivers and warned that future generations would not forgive the present generation if the city lagged behind while the rest of the world progressed.

Recalling the devastating 1908 Musi floods that submerged Hyderabad, he said the Nizam government, after consulting legendary engineer Mokshagundam Visvesvaraya, had built the Osmansagar and Himayatsagar to control floods and supply drinking water to the city. Those reservoirs had protected Hyderabad from floods for over a century and quenched the city’s thirst, he noted.

“Should we abandon such a historic city with a rich heritage,” the Chief Minister asked, urging critics to offer constructive suggestions rather than obstruct development. Without naming anyone, he questioned why those who governed the state for ten years were opposing the Musi rejuvenation.

Revanth Reddy stressed that urban development in Hyderabad had never stopped despite changes in government since 1994, and said history would remember leaders who pursued visionary development. He noted that the Nizams had once shaped Hyderabad into a powerful economic zone and stressed that it was the responsibility of the present generation to preserve and enhance that legacy.

Highlighting the cultural and historical significance of the Musi river, he recalled that the ashes of Mahatma Gandhi were immersed at the confluence of the Musi and Esa rivers at Bapu Ghat, but lamented that very few tourists now visit the site. The Musi had turned toxic due to pollution and human negligence, affecting downstream regions including parts of Nalgonda district.

Challenging critics, he asked whether those opposing the project would be willing to live for three months along the polluted Musi basin, even if provided with container houses and all facilities.

Responding to criticism that the project was about “beautification” or alleged “lootification”, the Chief Minister said such remarks were misleading. He invoked the ideals of Mahatma Gandhi, noting that even great conflicts could be won through peace, and urged people to carry forward Gandhian values.

Drawing a mythological parallel, he said noble efforts for public welfare had always faced obstacles, but they ultimately succeeded for the larger good. “Even if you do not support this effort for public welfare, please do not try to obstruct it,” he appealed.

The Chief Minister said the government was ready to provide appropriate compensation to those affected, recalling that land acquisition during construction of the Outer Ring Road had also displaced some people but ultimately contributed to the city’s growth. He said he was ready to listen to suggestions from all sections of society. “I am one among you. Let us work together and complete Musi project with everyone’s cooperation,” Revanth Reddy said.