Telangana civic groups float ‘Musi Jan Andolan’, demand scrapping of riverfront project

Several Telugu and English media outlets recently reported that the Asian Development Bank (ADB) had approved Rs 4,100 crore for the project.

South First Desk

Published Dec 01, 2025 | 1:45 PM ⚊ Updated Dec 01, 2025 | 3:39 PM

Declaring the project a “mega real-estate venture disguised as river rejuvenation, MJA warned that it would launch widespread on-ground protests and pursue legal remedies if the government continues to ignore public concerns.

Synopsis: Telangana civil society launched Musi Jan Andolan to oppose the controversial Musi Riverfront Development Project, calling it a real-estate-driven scheme lacking transparency and public consent. Activists condemned forced evictions of 400 families, absence of a Detailed Project Report, unchecked industrial pollution, and dubious ADB funding claims. Demanding immediate consultations and genuine river cleanup, the coalition vowed democratic protests and legal action.

A broad coalition of environmentalists, human rights activists, scientists and riverbank residents under the banner of Musi Jan Andolan (MJA) on Thursday, 27 November, strongly opposed the Telangana government’s ambitious Musi Riverfront Development Project, calling it “socio-ecologically unjust, financially unviable and a veiled real-estate venture”.

Addressing a press conference in Hyderabad, prominent activists including Dr Babu Rao (Scientists for People), Meera Sanghamitra (National Alliance of People’s Movements), V Sandhya (Progressive Organisation for Women), Jeevan Kumar and Syed Bilal (Human Rights Forum), Sajaya Kakarla (Working Women’s Joint Action Committee), Pittala Srisailam and others accused the state government of pushing the mega project without transparency, public consultation or even a Detailed Project Report (DPR).

“The government has not clarified whether the project is for cleaning the river, beautifying it, rejuvenating the ecosystem or simply commercialising the riverfront for real-estate and tourism profiteering,” the coalition said in a 10-point charter of demands.

Also Read: Musi flood in Hyderabad — Whose tears, whose prospect?

Allegations levelled by Musi Jan Andolan:

Over 400 poor families in Chaderghat and Malakpet have already been forcibly evicted and their homes demolished without rehabilitation or due process.
Demolitions and land transfers are proceeding despite the government admitting under RTI that no DPR exists.
734 acres of institutional and government land along the Easa/Esi river have been transferred to the Musi Riverfront Development Corporation Limited (MRDCL) without any approved plan.
A “pre-feasibility report” prepared by Falcon Resilient Infra Consultants has created panic among residents of 12 colonies in Hydershakote–Bandlaguda Jagir.
Decades of toxic pollution by pharmaceutical, bulk-drug and chemical industries continues unchecked, with no credible, publicly available plan to detoxify the river.
Residents living along the Musi — especially downstream farmers and villages — continue to suffer severe health, agricultural and livestock losses due to contaminated water.

Also Read: Hyderabad flood affected mostly Musi bank encroachers, says HYDRAA chief

ADB funding claims debunked

Several Telugu and English media outlets recently reported that the Asian Development Bank (ADB) had approved ₹4,100 crore for the project. MJA representatives revealed that they had written to ADB on 12 November raising serious concerns over social, ecological and procedural violations.

In a written reply dated 17 November, ADB’s Senior Urban Development Specialist Momoko Nitta clarified: “The Musi Riverfront Development Project has only recently been posed by the Government of India to ADB for financing and is not yet listed on our website… The issues you have raised will be examined during our due diligence process.”

The coalition described the ADB response as a clear contradiction of media claims that funding had already been sanctioned.

‘Ready for democratic, legal struggle’

“We demand immediate consultations with all riverbank communities — upstream and downstream — and a complete review of the project. Forcing people out of their homes and handing over prime riverfront land to private interests in the name of ‘public purpose’ is unacceptable,” the activists said.