Hyderabad’s Musi river to get a facelift

Mega project to be executed through two master plans -- Musi Action Plan and Musi Road Development Plan

Hyderabad: There was a time when the River Musi was Hyderabad’s lifeline. And then, for a long time, pollution of different forms coupled with inaction from successive governments over decades made her weak. Now, River Musi is preparing for a new chapter, one with which the State government wants to make the historic river a major tourist attraction in Telangana.

Members of the Musi Riverfront Development Corporation Ltd (MRDCL), the wing formed exclusively to rejuvenate the water body, say that by 2024, the smoothly flowing waters of the Musi will be dotted with boats.

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“Chief Minister K Chandrashekhar Rao’s dream is to make sure Musi is rejuvenated and start boating in it. We are dedicatedly working for it,” MRDCL chairman Sudheer Reddy said.

The mega project, not to be simple by any means, will therefore be executed through two master plans. The first one is the Musi Action Plan, to bring back life to the water body and the second, the Musi Road Development Plan to develop infrastructure in and around the river. A total of 13 bridges will be constructed and 63 sewage treatment plants will be built as part of the project. Several of the works have already been launched alongside the water body that was neglected for decades.

From Puranapul to Nagole, bushes have been removed, walking tracks were built, extensive greenery has been developed and tonnes of debris were cleared. Anti-larval operations, extensive fogging and spraying of chemicals using drones to check mosquito menace are some of the measures taken to control the mosquito population along the banks of Musi.

Efforts of the State government are yielding results, revealed verification. Part of the Musi running across Nagole, which once used to be an eyesore due to pathetic sanitation, has drastically changed. That particular stretch of the water body was one of the dirtiest places, with commuters avoiding the stretch due to the rancid smell and fear of vector-borne diseases. Post-rejuvenation, the same place has turned out to be a hit among locals and joggers. Some locals along with elected representatives also had breakfast on the banks of the Musi running through Nagole.

“Around 1,000 joggers visit the place every day. Before the lockdown, the locals also had breakfast with me on the banks of the river. They enjoyed the meal without any complaints,” said Reddy. Taking a leap ahead, following the craze among locals, authorities are now planning to hold a monthly exhibition (santha) on the riverbanks from next month. A 100 metre flag post has also been installed and will be unveiled this month. The Musi, which roared into life in October 2020 after the nonstop heavy rains, is raring for a new shot at life, and if these master plans work out, that new chapter won’t be far.

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