HYDERABAD: The Musi Riverfront Development Project, aimed at revitalising the polluted Musi river, is expected to soon become a reality with the state government allocating a whopping Rs 1,000 crore exclusively for the project in the Vote-on-Account Budget for 2024–25 presented by Finance Minister Mallu Bhatti Vikramarka on Saturday.
As part of the project, pedestrian zones, people’s plazas, heritage zones, bicycle tracks, green spaces, hawker zones, bridges, recreational and tourist areas, sports facilities, parking areas, commercial and retail spaces and hospitality infrastructure in the Old City will be developed. Besides this, the Musi and its catchment areas would be developed into environmentally friendly zones with a comprehensive plan. Cultural heritage places will also be protected as part of the project.
During a recent visit to London, Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy inspected the Thames riverfront and met officials to understand its functioning. The state government aims to take up integrated development of Musi on those lines. In this regard, the chief minister held discussions with British Commissioner Alexander Ellis and Niti Aayog Vice-Chairman Suman Berry to gather insights.