Amid hostility, encroachment drive continues on Musi front

As part of its efforts to rejuvenate Musi river, the Musi Riverfront Development Corporation (MRDC) has cleared encroachments that had crept up on an area close to Chaderghat bridge.
The line of houses and other buildings which have come up illegally along the banks of the Musi river in Hyderabad
The line of houses and other buildings which have come up illegally along the banks of the Musi river in Hyderabad

HYDERABAD:  As part of its efforts to rejuvenate Musi river, the Musi Riverfront Development Corporation (MRDC) has cleared encroachments that had crept up on an area close to Chaderghat bridge.
Speaking to Express, Malathi, deputy collector of MRDC, said, “The drive was first conducted before Ramzan. We had cleared a few shacks then. However, when a few locals pleaded their case and asked for time till Ramzan, we gave them a time period of 15 days.”

“During her second visit after the time frame was over, Malathi, with the help of her staff, successfully cleared the area off those encroachments despite continued hostility and resistance from illegal encroachers,” read a tweet by Project_Musi, the official handle of the Musi Riverfront Development Corporation. A total of 14 shacks were cleared. 

However, the main objective behind the drive was not to clear the shacks specifically. “People were dumping debris into the riverbed, levelling it and this had eaten up a portion of the river near the Chaderghat bridge. It was done to protect the river.” Through the years, Musi has turned into a den of encroachments, which include religious structures. Malathi expects opposition from local people and politicians while removing them. “But we have to do it to rejuvenate the river,” she said. Recently, the MRDC, with the help of GHMC, stopped the construction of a temple on the riverbed at Bapu Ghat.

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