Musi River Project: a Hidden Agenda to Displace Thousands for Real Estate?
Musi Riverfront Development Project to displace thousands of families for the benefit of real estate developers. Speaking to the media on Wednesday,
Hyderabad: Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS) MLC K. Kavitha has accused the state government of using the Musi Riverfront Development Project to displace thousands of families for the benefit of real estate developers. Speaking to the media on Wednesday, Kavitha slammed the Congress-led government, alleging a lack of transparency, mounting debts, and no clear compensation plan for those affected by the project.
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Kavitha’s remarks come after Chief Minister A. Revanth Reddy reportedly appealed to the BJP government at the Centre for an additional Rs 14,100 crore.
BRS Raises Concerns Over Lack of Clarity and Transparency
Kavitha described the project as one with “zero clarity” and a complete lack of transparency, adding that no solid plan had been presented to rehabilitate those who would be displaced. She further accused the government of misleading the legislature, particularly the Detailed Project Report (DPR). According to Kavitha, Congress misrepresented the status of the DPR in the state Assembly, first claiming that the report was not ready, only to deny its existence later altogether.
She also made public documents showing that on September 19, 2024, the government had already sent a proposal to the World Bank stating that the DPR was ready. Despite this, Minister D. Sridhar Babu misinformed the House, saying no World Bank assistance had been sought for the Musi Riverfront project. Kavitha emphasized that this contradiction raised serious doubts about the government’s intentions.
Accusations of Real Estate Motives and Land Grabbing
Kavitha, who is the daughter of BRS president and former chief minister K. Chandrasekhar Rao, alleged that the real aim of the Musi Riverfront project is not urban development, but rather land-grabbing for real estate projects. She claimed the government is trying to seize land from the poor and mortgage it to the World Bank for commercial real estate development. According to Kavitha, the proposal sent to the World Bank included plans for multi-story buildings through land pooling and real estate ventures.
She also criticized the government’s lack of action regarding the people living in areas near the Musi River. Kavitha revealed that 15,000 houses in these areas have already been marked for eviction, causing residents to live in constant fear of displacement.
BRS to Fight for the Rights of the Displaced
Kavitha vowed that the BRS would continue to stand against what she called an unfair project that disregards the rights of the people living along the Musi River. She assured the public that the party would fight for fair compensation and oppose the alleged real estate motives behind the project.
“The Congress government’s vision for Telangana is built on lies, loans, and hypocrisy,” Kavitha stated, criticizing the government’s decision to approach the World Bank for a loan in its first year of power. She highlighted that the BRS government, during its ten-year tenure, never sought loans from international bodies like the World Bank.
Conclusion: Musi Riverfront Development Project Under Scrutiny
As the Musi Riverfront Development Project continues to gain attention, the accusations leveled by K. Kavitha raise serious concerns about its transparency, financial impact, and potential social consequences. The BRS party has vowed to fight for the people living along the Musi River, warning that this ambitious project could lead to the forced eviction of thousands for commercial purposes. The ongoing political debate around the Musi project is expected to intensify as more details emerge in the coming days.
