Musi Project Will Make Hyderabad a Vibrant City: Telangana Govt
Experts urge long-term planning as Telangana outlines an ambitious Musi rejuvenation plan
Hyderabad: The Musi river rejuvenation project of the state government would help Hyderabad become a vibrant city with a resilient river system, with riverfront activities to be developed by keeping various factors in focus, along with the needs of Gen Z and Gen Alpha, and will be a demonstration of the government ‘blue-green’ policy, of cleaning and protecting water bodies, and developing greenery that will enrich Hyderabad’s environment.
These were among several aspects of the Telangana government’s flagship Musi project that were discussed at a session on the subject at the Telangana Rising Global Summit on Tuesday. The session saw experts in water resources, including Rajendra Singh, the ‘Waterman of India’ provide suggestions on various aspects of the proposed project.
Industries and IT minister D. Sridhar Babu said that for long, Musi was pushed to the periphery and the Telangana government had now put the river at the centre of the government’s thrust to provide clean water to drink, clean air to breathe, and a clean environment to live in. “To ensure a clean and continuously flowing river, we plan to lift 3 tmc ft of water from Godavari river and allow that water into the Musi. There are 50 sewage treatment plants that will ensure only treated water will be allowed to be let into the river, Sridhar Babu said.
‘Water Man’ Rajendra Singh, congratulating the government on its plans, said “rivers have rights too. The land that belongs to a river cannot be used for industry or commercial complexes. If you really respect the river, then the freedom of the river must be borne in mind,” he said.
Tapas Paul, former lead environmental specialist at the World Bank, said the plan must be more ambitious and account for future pressures on the river. “The 50 STPs may be good for now, but we are talking about 2047; more would be needed. The city turned its back on the river, and it was converted into a drain. This must change; otherwise, you will only have a bigger, cleaner drain and not a river,” he said.
Hyderabad has the unique opportunity to create an India benchmark with the Musi project, and the river must become a front for the entire city, and this cannot be done in 100 to 300-metre strips on its sides. Long-term development plans should make it ‘the spine’ of the city. “Of the 110 sq km along the river, restrict high-rise density to around 30 sq km, and give 80 sq km to the river for its wetlands, and other ecosystem services it needs,” he said.
Arjun Shashidharan, a coastal engineering and numerical modelling expert, recommended using future probabilistic modelling for realistic, practical solutions for Musi to cope with future floods in the fast-changing climate scenario. “Using past data for a future project, and creating embankments, and a 50-metre buffer alone may not suffice,” he said.
The Musi Riverfront Development Corporation Limited managing director, E.V. Narasimha Reddy, sought to put these concerns at rest, saying that all these aspects were considered and that the detailed project report was near finalization. “The restoration is being done based on scientific understanding, will see activity-based development keeping Gen Z and Gen Alpha needs, and with community participation and inclusivity of all sections,” he said.
