The beautification and cleanup of the Musi River have been on the wish list of every chief minister of erstwhile Andhra Pradesh and later, Telangana. Ironically, it remained just that—a part of a wish list—as successive governments failed to move beyond paperwork and meetings. A poet's and historian's fantasy, the Musi originates in the Ananthagiri Hills, 100 km from Hyderabad and flows for 50 km through the city's heart before merging with the Krishna River. For Hyderabadis, the Musi has become synonymous with sewage and pollution as the river has suffered from unchecked encroachments and water contamination for decades.
Less than a year into his term as chief minister, Revanth Reddy has made the rejuvenation of the Musi River a priority. Can the Congress leader succeed where others have failed? Or will he join the long list of predecessors who fell short? If Revanth's grand plans materialize as envisioned, he will not only go down in history as the leader who gave the Musi a much-needed facelift but will also earn a tangible achievement that could overshadow the past projects of his political rivals.
At a press conference on Thursday, the CM demonstrated his commitment to the idea and assured the public of transparency. Through slideshows, he introduced five consultants—Meinhardt Group, Rios, Cushman and Wakefield, Zha, and SOM—who will be involved in the Musi River Development Project aimed at restoring the river's past glory. Addressing allegations from opposition parties, including the Bharat Rashtra Samithi and the BJP, who hinted at a potential scam exceeding one lakh crores, he clarified that only Rs 140 crores had been allocated for the consultants fees for the Detailed Project Report (DPR), with cost estimates to be finalized in 18 months. He criticised the opposition for spreading falsehoods and attempting to derail the project.
"I am taking this step keeping in mind the future of four crore people. This will be talked about for a long time," he said. "Only those with feudal mindsets want to stop the project by misleading the public. This is not just about beautification but also about the revival and development of the river."
He cited the examples of Bengaluru and Chennai to caution that if the Musi continues to be neglected, the city will face severe crisis like flooding during the rainy season.
"There are very few cities in the world where rivers flow through the heart of the city and Hyderabad is one of them. This project is a brilliant opportunity for all of us," he said.
The CM noted that there are over 10,000 structures in the buffer zone of the river. Additionally, there are hundreds of illegal encroachments in the bed area. He assured that utmost care would be taken during the rehabilitation of the affected population. For months now, officials have been consulting with residents and noting down their concerns, he said. He also assured fair compensation following discussions with the stakeholders. If all goes according to plan, the project is expected to take shape in 5-6 years, transforming the landscape along the Musi and opening up new business, destinations and employment opportunities.