Industries and IT Minister D. Sridhar Babu has dismissed the claims made by BRS leaders alleging that the Congress government is planning to spend Rs 1.5 lakh crore on the Musi Riverfront Development Project.
He clarified that the opposition is making exaggerated claims and creating fear among the public.
“Whether it is Rs 50 crore, Rs 100 crore, Rs 150 crore, Rs 1000 crore, Rs 50,000 crore or Rs 1 lakh crore, they are making estimates of Rs 1.5 lakh crore and engaging in spreading lies.
“We don’t know whether it will be Rs 1, 2 or Rs 10 crore. Like they spent Rs 1 lakh crore on Kaleshwaram, they are under the impression that we will spend Rs 1.5 lakh crore,” he said.
He emphasized that the actual estimates would only be determined once specific things like sewage treatment plants, storm water networks and other related infrastructure details are finalized.
Sridhar also criticized BRS leaders for opposing the project for political gains. He pointed out that the Musi Riverfront Development Project was originally initiated by the BRS government in 2016, and the Musi Riverfront Development Corporation Limited was established the following year.
“We are following the same GO issued by the previous administration,” Sridhar said, referring to GO MS: 7, which demarcated a 50-meter buffer zone along the riverbed.
He said the BRS government had also begun efforts to remove illegal encroachments along the river and had set up committees to identify the maximum flood discharge levels for the river.
Sridhar recalled how former Chief Minister K. Chandrasekhar Rao and the then Municipal Administration Minister KT Rama Rao had wanted to address these issues but eventually sidelined the project.
He accused BRS leaders of using mudslinging tactics instead of providing constructive criticism to regain ground after losing power.
The Congress government, he said, is committed to protecting the interests of those affected by the project and has ensured that consultations with stakeholders are being held at every level.
Sridhar added that some junior officials who had acted prematurely were warned, and the government is focused on working closely with families affected by the riverfront development.
