Hyderabad: The Gandhi Sarovar project, which is being undertaken by the Telangana government as part of the Musi rejuvenation initiative, recently came under controversy after the Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS) accused the state government of forced evictions and allocating Rs 5,000 crore to build a Gandhi statue without a detailed project report.
Following flak from the Opposition, the fact check page of Telangana government on February 19 said that the Gandhi Sarovar Project was currently in the planning stage and that no budget had been finalised or announced for the project.
Responding to the Rs 5,000 claim again on March 7, the fact-check page has now put out the estimated cost of the project components.
According to their post, the entire Phase 1 of the Musi rejuvenation project will cost 5,812.4 crore, while different components of the Gandhi Sarovar Project together will cost Rs 395.4 crore.
This includes Rs 73.8 crores as cost of the Gandhi statue, Rs 22.6 crore for the statue platform, Rs 220 crore for the museum and statue building and Rs 79 crore for electro and mechanical works.
Meanwhile, development of the two stretches of the project, from Himayath Sagar to Bapu Ghat in Langar Houz and from Osman Sagar to Bapu Ghat, are estimated to cost Rs 1,684 crore and Rs 1,992 crore, respectively.
An additional Rs 1,596 crore has been kept aside for taxes and other provisions.
Gandhi Sarovar project
According to the state government, the objectives of the Gandhi Sarovar Project are ecological restoration, sustainable urban development and riverfront improvement.
On February 12, Chief Minister Revanth Reddy had met Defence Minister Rajnath Singh in Delhi and invited him to the foundation stone laying ceremony of the project.
He also said that in February 1948, the ashes of Mahatma Gandhi were immersed at the confluence of the Esa and Musi rivers. He said that the government aims to develop Bapu Ghat into a world-class educational, cultural, spiritual and environmental landmark, reflecting the ideals and legacy of Gandhi.
A “Gandhi Circle of Unity” and the world’s tallest Gandhi statue will also be built at the confluence of the Musi and Esa rivers, the Chief Minister has said.
In September last year, Revanth Reddy had requested the Union Minister to transfer 98.20 acre of defence land for the Gandhi Sarovar Project.
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