Musi facelift starts amid protests from residents

HYDERABAD: Work on the Musi Riverfront Development Project (MRDP) gathered pace on Thursday with officials from Hyderabad, Rangareddy and Medchal-Malkajgiri districts surveying structures on the Musi riverbed and its catchment areas even as the occupants tried to obstruct them.

The survey is part of the state government’s efforts to expedite the MRDP, aimed at conserving the river, promoting tourism and preventing flooding.

In several places, including KCR Nagar, Ramanthapur and others, residents insisted that they would not vacate their homes and were ready to lay down their lives to protect their properties. They claimed to possess valid pattas and documentation, having lived in these areas for decades while paying property tax and utility bills.

Ignoring the slogan shoutings, officials labelled the encroachments “RB-X” (riverbed extreme) using red paint, indicating they would be demolished after residents were rehabilitated. Officials also collected details from residents, including Aadhaar numbers, age, caste and tenant information.