Chief Minister A. Revanth Reddy has asserted that the government was committed to rejuvenating the Musi river and develop it on par with Sabarmati riverfront and other projects.

The government has conducted a survey over the past six months and ascertained that about 10,000 families would be affected by taking up the riverfront development project. “We will build a colony with all amenities, including schools, ITIs and engineering college, for the affected families spending ₹10,000 crore if need be,” he said.

The government had decided to provide two-bedroom houses to families that were living on the riverbed and efforts were underway to rehabilitate those living in the buffer zones so that they could lead a respectable life. “I understand the agony of the people losing their houses. But we cannot allow the future generations to suffer with hazardous wastes that are being released into the river,” he added.

The Chief Minister continued his tirade against the BRS and BJP leaders for trying to put spokes in the ambitious project that was aimed at the betterment of people who were living alongside the highly polluted river. He exhorted people living along the river to ensure BRS leaders K.T. Rama Rao and T. Harish Rao stayed there for a week so that they could understand the problems at the grassroots level.

The BRS government resorted to land acquisition for all major projects, including Kaleshwaram ‘whose quality has been thoroughly exposed’. “Over 60,000 acres were acquired for the Mallannasagar reservoir and the then Government headed by K. Chandrasekhar Rao used force against farmers opposing the land acquisition,” he recalled.

He charged KCR with amassing huge wealth in the form of a farm house spread over 1,000 acres and party fund amounting to ₹1,500 crore during his 10-year rule. “KCR who started his party without any financial backing owns a farm house which is worth a couple of thousand crores,” he alleged.

He was equally critical of BJP MP Eatala Rajender who was repeating what KTR and Mr. Harish said a day earlier. “Why is Mr. Rajender repeating the same words. The BJP has its MPs in all constituencies around the GHMC limits. I am prepared to meet Prime Minister Narendra Modi to seek funds for Musi riverfront development. Why are the BJP MPs not forthcoming?” he asked.

He ridiculed the BRS leaders for claiming that they would stand in the way if bulldozers were used to raze the existing structures. “Where are funds to buy the bulldozers? You have already emptied the State coffers with huge loans,” he said.