Hyderabad: The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on Friday said it has never opposed the Musi River rejuvenation project and demanded that the Telangana government carry out the initiative without demolishing the houses of poor residents.
Speaking to the media at the BJP state office, BJP Telangana president Ramchander Rao said the party supports the cleaning and restoration of the Musi River but objects to the demolition of legally constructed houses in the name of the project.
Revanth presents Musi redevelopment plan
His remarks came after Telangana chief minister A Revanth Reddy attended a presentation by officials on the Musi River redevelopment project and strongly pitched for the rejuvenation of the highly polluted river. The chief minister said the proposed project would cost around Rs 6,500–Rs 7,000 crore.
According to the government’s plan, the project will cover about 21 km of the Musi River stretch, including 11.5 km from Osman Sagar to Gandhi Sarovar and 9.5 km from Himayat Sagar to Gandhi Sarovar.
Reddy said part of the project includes developing public spaces such as a Gandhi statue and associated buildings, estimated to cost around Rs 200–Rs 250 crore.
Reddy said rejuvenating the Musi River is essential for environmental conservation, protection of Hyderabad’s heritage, and promotion of economic activity in the city.
He also pointed out that the polluted Musi waters are causing health problems in the downstream areas of Nalgonda district due to toxic pollution flowing from Hyderabad.
Revanth targets opposition
In a veiled attack on opposition parties, including the BRS, the chief minister questioned whether those opposing the project would be willing to live near the polluted Musi River.
He also highlighted the historical importance of Bapu Ghat, located on the banks of the Musi, where the ashes of Mahatma Gandhi were immersed, calling it a place of great national significance.
CM thanks Defence minister Rajnath Singh
The chief minister thanked Defence Minister Rajnath Singh and the Army authorities for agreeing to transfer certain defence lands to the state government to facilitate the Musi redevelopment project.
He also assured that people who may be displaced would receive fair compensation, adding that the project would boost economic activity once redevelopment is completed.
Responding to the government’s remarks, Ramchander Rao said the BJP supports efforts to clean the river so that clean water flows from Hyderabad until it merges with the Krishna River and can also benefit farmers for irrigation.
However, he stressed that legally constructed houses in areas such as Madhuban Park and Vigneshwar Colony should not be demolished, arguing that the Musi can be cleaned without displacing residents.
“The government should ensure that the Musi rejuvenation project is implemented without touching the homes of poor people,” he said.
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