Published Mar 15, 2026 | 1:59 PM ⚊ Updated Mar 15, 2026 | 1:59 PM
BRS working president KT Rama Rao. Credit: x.com/BRSparty
Synopsis: BRS working president KT Rama Rao accused the Telangana Congress government of turning the ₹1.5 lakh crore Musi Riverfront Project into a “land grab scheme.” He warned of mass demolitions and displacement, contrasting it with the earlier BRS plan costing ₹16,000 crore. KTR pledged to oppose the project, alleging corruption, neglect of studies, and selective targeting of residents.
In a vituperative attack on the Congress government over the proposed Musi Riverfront Development Project, Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS) working president KT Rama Rao on Saturday, 14 March, alleged that the plan was not aimed at beautifying the river but was designed as a “massive land grab scheme” targeting valuable properties along the Musi.
Addressing a programme – “Musi Rejuvenation – PowerPoint Presentation vs Public Point” – near the Himayat Sagar reservoir on the outskirts of Hyderabad, the BRS leader said the river could be developed without displacing residents or demolishing houses along its banks.
KTR said the previous BRS government had already demonstrated that Musi development was possible without harming people’s livelihoods. He recalled that nearly six kilometres of the river stretch between Uppal and Nagole had been developed during the BRS regime without demolishing a single house.
“The Musi can certainly be rejuvenated and developed, but it should not come at the cost of thousands of homes. Development should benefit the people, not displace them,” he said.
KTR alleged that the Congress government led by Chief Minister Revanth Reddy was pushing a project worth nearly Rs 1.5 lakh crore with the objective of acquiring prime land along the river and facilitating large-scale corruption.
According to him, the earlier BRS government had prepared a comprehensive plan to develop Musi river with an estimated cost of around Rs 16,000 crore. That proposal included construction of an expressway along the river corridor as well as several infrastructure upgrades aimed at improving connectivity and riverfront access.
“In contrast, the present government has proposed a Rs 1.5 lakh crore project which will involve demolition of thousands of houses and displacement of people living along the river,” he alleged.
KTR claimed that the state government was attempting to acquire nearly 3,300 acres of land along the Musi, the total value of which he estimated at around Rs 1.5 lakh crore.
The BRS working president criticised the government for proceeding with the project without completing key preparatory studies. He alleged that the government had not prepared a Detailed Project Report (DPR), conducted a Social Impact Assessment, or undertaken an Environmental Impact Study before announcing the massive project.
He also claimed that there had been no meaningful consultation with the communities that could be affected by the development plan.
“The government is spreading fear among thousands of residents by threatening large-scale demolitions without even explaining the project properly,” he said.
Questioning the scale of expenditure proposed for the Musi project, KTR compared it with the Centre’s river rejuvenation programme.
Referring to the Namami Gange Programme aimed at cleaning and restoring the Ganges River, he said that the national initiative covering hundreds of kilometres had been executed at a cost of around Rs 42,000 crore.
“If the Namami Gange project covering such a vast river system costs around Rs 42,000 crore, the state government must explain why Rs 1.5 lakh crore is required to develop just about 55 kilometres of the Musi,” he said.
KTR also accused Congress of historically neglecting the Musi river during its decades in power in the undivided Andhra Pradesh, alleging that the river was turned into a polluted drain during that period. He demanded that Congress leadership apologise to the people of Hyderabad for what he described as decades of environmental neglect that led to the present condition of the river.
Elaborating on BRS government’s approach, KTR said the previous administration had prepared a comprehensive development strategy aimed at cleaning the river while improving infrastructure along its banks.
The plan included construction of sewage treatment plants (STPs) to prevent untreated sewage from entering the river, as well as building expressways, walkways, cycling tracks, parks, bridges and check dams along the river corridor.
He said the BRS government had also proposed bringing fresh water into the Musi through the Kaleshwaram Lift Irrigation Project, with an estimated cost of about Rs 1,100 crore, to improve water flow and reduce pollution levels. According to him, these measures were practical and cost-effective compared to the large-scale redevelopment project proposed by the Congress government.
KTR alleged that the present government was ignoring these earlier plans and instead pursuing a large project that would benefit real estate interests along the river. He further questioned what he described as the selective implementation of buffer zone regulations, asking why ordinary residents were being targeted while properties belonging to influential individuals, including politicians and ministers, were being left untouched.
Assuring residents living along the Musi riverbanks of the party’s support, KTR said the BRS would strongly oppose any attempts to demolish houses or displace people in the name of development.
He said the party was not against Musi rejuvenation but would resist corruption and protect the interests of affected residents. “If the people collectively oppose this plan, a future BRS government will reverse the bulldozer politics of the Congress and ensure protection of people’s homes and lands,” he said.
Several residents from areas along Musi who attended the programme expressed concern and anger over the proposed project, fearing that their homes and livelihoods could be affected. They appealed to the government to safeguard their housing and provide clarity about the development plans before initiating any action.
The event was attended by several BRS leaders including Whip Vivekananda Goud, former ministers Sabitha Indra Reddy, T Laxma Reddy, MLC P Shambipur Raju, former Legislative Council chairman K Swamy Goud and R. S. Praveen Kumar, among others.
