BJP questions rising cost of Musi project, seeks clarity on rehab plan | Hyderabad News

Hyderabad: Telangana BJP president N Ramchander Rao on Saturday raised a series of questions over the state govt’s approach to the Musi river rejuvenation project, seeking clarity on its rising cost and rehabilitation plans for residents living along the river.Rao pointed out that the govt had initially estimated the cost of reviving the Musi at ₹5,000 crore, but chief minister A Revanth Reddy had recently revised the estimate to ₹7,000 crore. He said the cost could escalate further once the project begins. While reiterating that the BJP supports efforts to clean and restore the Musi, Rao stressed that proper rehabilitation must be ensured for families living along the river before any works are taken up. He also questioned the govt on the measures proposed to prevent drainage water from flowing into the Musi and whether a detailed project report had been prepared for the project. Rao further argued that there was no justification for imposing a 50-metre buffer zone, saying such a move would disproportionately affect poor residents during the clean-up exercise. ‘Artificial shortage’Rao made the remarks during a press conference at the party’s state office in Nampally. During the interaction, he also addressed concerns over the availability of cooking gas, claiming that the reported shortage was not natural but an ‘artificial shortage’ created by certain parties. Responding to criticism from the opposition, Rao said that although global gas prices had surged due to conflicts in the Middle East, prices had remained stable in India under the leadership of PM Modi. He added that the Centre had reduced gas prices from ₹1,200 to ₹900, providing relief to the public, and accused opposition parties of spreading fear among people for political reasons.