Hyderabad: Civil society groups have urged the Telangana government to pause and review the Musi Riverfront Development Project, stating that the initiative is socio-ecologically unjust, financially opaque and being pushed forward without public consultation.
At a press conference in Hyderabad on Friday, November 28, leaders of the Musi Jan Andolan (MJA), a collective of environmentalists, human rights groups and riverbank communities, said the project was being advanced without clarity on its purpose, legal compliance or environmental safeguards.
Representatives, including Dr. Babu Rao of Scientists for People, Jeevan Kumar and Syed Bilal of the Human Rights Forum, V Sandhya of POW, Varghese Theckanath of CHATRI, Sajaya Kakarla of WT-JAC, Meera Sanghamitra (NAPM), Anand, Vishali (CARRSIRD) and several local residents, voiced alarm over the state’s approach.
Activists seek clarity over project’s objectives
They argued that the government has yet to explain whether the project is aimed at cleaning, rejuvenating, beautifying or commercialising the Musi, and accused officials of treating settlements along the river as the primary source of pollution while ignoring decades of untreated industrial effluents entering the water.
Speakers said communities living along the Musi have been kept out of all discussions related to the project despite being the most directly affected.
On evictions
They criticised the state for allegedly evicting around 400 families from slums in Chaderghat and Malakpet without due process, and for beginning demolition and preparatory work even as the Detailed Project Report (DPR) remains unavailable in the public domain.
According to an RTI response cited by the group, no DPR existed even as recently as October 2025. Activists questioned how government land parcels amounting to 734 acres along the Esi tributary were transferred to the Musi Riverfront Development Corporation Limited (MRDCL) without such a report, and why consultant Falcon Resilient Infra prepared a pre-feasibility study in its absence.
On claims of ADB loan
MJA representatives also raised concerns over media reports claiming that the Asian Development Bank (ADB) has approved a Rs 4,100-crore loan for the project.
They said these claims are misleading and noted that the project does not appear on the ADB’s website. The group submitted a detailed representation to ADB officials earlier this month, urging the institution to examine environmental impacts, legal compliance and financial viability before considering any funding.
In a written reply, ADB’s Senior Urban Development Specialist confirmed that the project had only been “posed” to the Bank by the Government of India and is still under due diligence review — contradicting suggestions that funding has been finalised.
Musi remains heavily contaminated: Activists
The collective warned that the Musi remains heavily contaminated by toxic effluents from pharmaceutical and chemical industries, causing long-term harm to farmers, residents and livestock downstream.
Despite this, they said, the government has offered no credible plan for cleaning the river or regulating polluting industries, instead framing the riverfront project as a tourism and real-estate-driven venture.
Activists call project ‘non-transparent, undemocratic’
Calling the initiative non-transparent, undemocratic and potentially violative of environmental and human-rights norms, the Musi Jan Andolan demanded that the Telangana government halt the project, release all relevant documents and conduct thorough consultations with riverbank communities and civil society groups.
The coalition said it remains prepared for democratic and legal action if the project continues without addressing these concerns.
