While announcing the commencement of the Musi Riverfront project, Chief Minister Revanth Reddy he referred to the BRS, saying venom in some leaders minds is more poisonous than the pollution choking the Musi River.
Published Jan 02, 2026 | 2:48 PM ⚊ Updated Jan 02, 2026 | 2:48 PM
Revanth Reddy said he had studied riverfront models in cities such as London, New York, Japan, South Korea and Singapore, and observed the revitalisation of river ecosystems. Pictured, the chief minister at the Dubai waterfront.
Synopsis: The chief minister said the government planned to divert Godavari waters to permanently resolve Musi’s problems. Of the proposed 20 TMC, 15 TMC would be used for drinking water, while 5 TMC would ensure a continuous flow of treated water in the Musi.
Telangana Chief Minister A. Revanth Reddy on Friday, 2 January, asserted in the State Assembly that the ambitious Musi Riverfront Development Project would move into execution mode after March 31 this year, once estimates are finalised and tenders are called.
Defending the project as a civilisational necessity, he launched a fierce attack on the BRS, alleging that the “venom in some leaders’ minds is more poisonous than the pollution choking the Musi River.”
Speaking during a detailed discussion, the chief minister traced the historical link between rivers and human civilisation. He said development had always flourished along river basins, from the Kakatiya era to the Nizam period, when large irrigation and drinking water projects were built to serve both agriculture and industry.
Recalling the devastating floods of 1908 that submerged Hyderabad, Revanth Reddy noted that the Nizam government permanently addressed the flood menace by constructing Osman Sagar and Himayat Sagar, two reservoirs that continue to quench the city’s thirst to this day. He noted that when drainage from elite farmhouses threatened these reservoirs, the government acted firmly and refused to retreat despite criticism.
Drawing global parallels, Revanth Reddy said he had studied riverfront models in cities such as London, New York, Japan, South Korea and Singapore, and observed the revitalisation of river ecosystems. He cited the Sabarmati Riverfront project in Gujarat, where 60,000 families were relocated, and the Ganga rejuvenation works in Uttar Pradesh, which were projected by BJP leaders as symbols of development.
“We did not oppose those projects or fault them,” he said.
Turning to Musi, Revanth Reddy painted a grim picture of neglect. He said residents of Nalgonda district were “paying a heavy price” for decades of pollution, with industrial effluents and even animal carcasses flowing into the river. Alarmingly, he said, doctors had reported that women in Musi basin villages were facing reproductive health issues due to contaminated water.
After studying global urban practices, the government decided that a clean, continuous flow of purified water in the Musi was non-negotiable, he said. Consultancy agencies have been appointed to prepare detailed rejuvenation plans. At Bapu Ghat, the confluence of Musa and Esa rivers, where Mahatma Gandhi’s ashes were immersed, development is being taken up in a distinctive V-shaped design to create the Gandhi Sarovar.
The chief minister said the government planned to divert Godavari waters to permanently resolve Musi’s problems. Of the proposed 20 TMC, 15 TMC would be used for drinking water, while 5 TMC would ensure a continuous flow of treated water in the Musi.
He said estimates would be completed and tenders floated by 31 March, paving the way for works to commence. The Asian Development Bank has agreed to extend a ₹4,000 crore loan, while the Centre has also cleared the Gandhi Sarovar development. An elevated corridor stretching 55 km from Gandipet to Gaurravelli is also proposed.
Dismissing as baseless the allegations that the Old City was being ignored, Revanth Reddy said it was the “original city” and would be transformed into one of the world’s finest urban spaces.
He brushed aside taunts branding him a realty broker, saying real estate too was an industry and similar criticism was levelled when Hitec City was conceived. Urbanisation, he warned, was inevitable.
“In the next 20 years, urbanisation will touch 75%,” he said, underlining the urgency of planned development.
In his sharpest political attack, the chief minister accused BRS leaders of deliberately poisoning public discourse.
“Some people carry venom in their bellies. That venom is far more dangerous than the pollution in the Musi,” he said, accusing them of shouting down debate to prevent facts from reaching the public.
He questioned why they felt pain when details were being explained and accused them of opposing improved housing and facilities for the poor in the Musi basin.
Ironically, he pointed out, even BRS MLAs have demanded Musi rejuvenation. The government, he said, would also develop an ancient Shiva temple near Manchirevula and promote communal harmony by building a Gurudwara, mosque and church along the river stretch.
He assured that once the Detailed Project Report (DPR) is ready, suggestions from all stakeholders would be invited. He said Defence Minister Rajnath Singh had given in-principle consent to provide Defence land for the Gandhi Sarovar.
Calling upon GHMC-area MLAs to spell out development priorities in their constituencies, the chief minister said the government’s resolve was to provide quality housing to the poor and transform Hyderabad into a truly global city.
“We want to do good work. Give us your suggestions,” he said, adding pointedly that some leaders would do well if they “reduce the poison within.”
(Edited by Majnu Babu).
