Civic chief plans Musi beautification

The Musi beautification project was in doldrums, though it was launched with much fanfare in 2005. Encroachments have proved to be a major roadblock for the project. Revenue department estimates suggest that there are as many as 6,000 encroachers along the banks of the river, involving around 57,721 square yards. GHMC Commissioner Krishna Babu has now directed the officials to go ahead with the beautification programme in the 21-km stretch of the Musi river that falls under the GHMC limits. That means removal of encroachments that delayed the project for so many years

The much-hyped and much-awaited ‘Musi Beautification Project’ was launched by then chief minister Y S Rajasekhara Reddy with an initial outlay of Rs 906 crore. The project was scheduled to be completed within 30 months, but it hasn’t made any progress, mainly due to encroachments, with about 41,414 sq yards of land mired in various court cases. The crucial relocation process had not begun, as many perceive that the package offered for relocation was not attractive.

GHMC Commissioner Krishna Babu is now hell bent on removing encroachments in the jurisdiction of the civic body. He has directed officials to go ahead with the beautification project in the 21-km stretch of the Musi that falls under GHMC limits.

Krishna Babu held a review meeting on Saturday. He asked the Irrigation Department to submit a report with regard to the stipulated Maximum Flood Level of the Musi. A three-member technical committee has been constituted by the government for the purpose. The panel has been asked to submit its report within a week’s time. Irrigation Department officials have been asked to mark the boundaries of the Musi river on paper on the basis of the MFL.

Krishna Babu asserted that the 21-km stretch of the Musi river that passes through the GHMC’s limits would be the civic body’s responsibility. Accordingly, the civic body would construct pillars along the river bund. Co-ordination amongst all the departments in this regard would yield good and speedy results, he noted.

The officials were told to present videographed evidence of encroachments, with the footage covering every 50 metres of the Musi Bank. The GHMC Commissioner also directed the Additional Commissioner (Planning) to attach the concerned ACPs to the eight Tahsildhars during the survey and enumeration of the encroachments. The Commissioner then said that ‘Possession Certificates’ relating to Mallapur and Bandlaguda Housing Colonies would be issued to displaced encroachers along with a relocation allowance.

Some of the encroachments that GHMC is now battling pertain to squatters growing grass along the Musi river. However, they claim that the land was given to them by the Nizams. The GHMC authorities dismiss the claim as untrue. The authorities have since earmarked 35 areas en route as heritage sites and are now linking the routes to the Charminar Pedestrianisation Project, hoping that this would attract more public participation.

Born as ‘Muchukunda’ in Anantagiri hills, Musi, which was a source of drinking water in good old days, has turned into a sewage channel over the years. Post-Independence in particular there have been many encroachments.

Although the government started the ambitious beautification project in right earnest, lack of public participation and rampant illegal constructions threw spanner in the works. The government offered relocation under JNNURM at Shamsiuguda in Kukatpally, but there are few takers for it.

The main idea behind the beautification of Musi is to restore the river and its environs to their past glory. The project involves development of local markets, marked zones for hawkers to sell their wares, better roads, landscaping, pavements, lights and benches. The project covers three precincts with plans to develop them in two phases.

According to statistics with the Revenue Department, in all 57,721.8 square yards of govt land and 68,924.3 yards of private land has been encroached along the banks of Musi. With the new MFL mark set at 1.798 cusec, officials of the revenue department believe that the figures may rise. It is estimated that there are as many as 6,000 encroachers. According to the Telangana Land Revenue Act, not a penny has to be paid to the encroachers; yet, all the encroachers have been offered relocation, rehabilitation and compensation under JNNURM scheme.