The Musi project in Hyderabad has come under fresh political opposition, with BJP Telangana president N Ramchander Rao warning that his party will not accept the demolition of homes unless residents facing displacement are provided compensation and proper rehabilitation.
Speaking at a press conference at the BJP state office, Rao said the party was not opposed to the beautification or purification of the Musi river. However, he argued that homes of poor residents, farmers and other citizens should not be demolished in the name of river rejuvenation. He said scientific purification work could be carried out without removing houses.
Rao also questioned the conduct of a public hearing held by officials of the Musi Riverfront Corporation near Himayatsagar on October 28. According to him, residents who would be directly affected by the proposed works were not invited to the meeting. He specifically referred to ex-servicemen living in the Madhu Park area, which falls within the limits of the proposed Gandhi Sarovar project, and said their exclusion raised questions about the hearing process.
The BJP state president described the hearing conducted by the Congress government as a “farce” and demanded that the government hold a direct Praja Darbar with affected residents before proceeding with the project. His remarks place rehabilitation and participation at the centre of the political dispute over the Musi riverfront plans.
Rao also questioned the financial basis of the project. He alleged that the previous BRS government had estimated a cost of Rs 750 crore for the Musi Corporation but eventually provided only Rs 3 crore. He further claimed that the present Congress government was projecting costs running into thousands of crores without making a clear Detailed Project Report or budget allocations available.
The allegations were made by Rao at the press conference and were not accompanied in the supplied report by a response from the Telangana government, the Musi Riverfront Corporation or residents named in connection with the hearing. The central issue raised by the BJP is whether river-cleaning and riverfront works can proceed while protecting existing homes and establishing a transparent rehabilitation framework for people who may be displaced.
Rao warned that the BJP would oppose demolitions if the government proceeded without compensation or adequate rehabilitation. He also criticised the state government over its alleged financial constraints, referring to pending demands relating to government employees’ dearness allowance, pay revision, pensions and farmers’ payments.
The BJP leader announced that Union Home Minister Amit Shah would visit Hyderabad on November 2 for a Maha Padayatra. The march is scheduled to begin at 3 pm from the statue of Babu Jagjivan Ram opposite Nizam College in Basheerbagh and conclude at the Mozamjahi Market crossroads, where Shah is expected to address a gathering.
According to Rao, the march will include party workers, lawyers, doctors, intellectuals and other professionals. The event is being organised to counter Congress criticism of the Special Intensive Revision process, which was another subject raised during the press conference.
For the Musi project, Rao’s immediate demand is that the government meet affected residents directly, address their objections and clarify the project’s rehabilitation, compensation, cost and implementation arrangements before any house demolitions take place.
