Upstream area of Musi River near Narsingi Road in Hyderabad. | Photo credit: Siddhant Thakur
The Musi Riverfront Development project envisages impoundment of water at the confluence of Musa and Esi rivers near Bapu Ghat at Langar Houz for its development as a tourist spot under Phase I of the project. It is in the midst of the retained water that the Gandhi Sarovar project is proposed through the installation of the world’s “tallest” statue of Mahatma Gandhi.
According to official information, a dam is proposed at the site to hold water against the construction of a reservoir, as is widely believed. The government recently issued a land acquisition notice for properties in the buffer zone where the Gandhi Sarovar project is proposed, sparking widespread consternation and disapproval.
The detailed project plans for the rejuvenation and development of Musi are scheduled to be unveiled by Chief Minister A. Revanth Reddy on March 13. Officials informed that final touches are being made to the detailed project report being prepared for the project.
An earlier experiment with retaining water in the river for tourist purposes failed. Two cofferdams, one at the High Court and the other near the Salar Jung Museum, were installed on the Musi river 16 years ago at a cost of over ₹16 crore. They have been shown to be counterproductive as they trap trash and provide fertile ground for mosquitoes. They proved to be white elephants, but were eventually phased out.
However, the government now hopes to pump 2.5 tmcft of water from the Mallanna Sagar reservoir into twin reservoirs to be released into the Musi river. To prevent sewage from entering the river, 70 sewage treatment plants are installed.
Officials informed that the river is designed for a one in 100 year flood level. The 1908 floods brought 1 in 1,000 year flows in the river, amounting to more than 4 million cusecs of water, after which twin reservoirs were planned for the river.
On both sides of the river in the protection zone, main distribution lines will be laid for the drainage of rainwater and sewage, which will be cleaned in the sewage treatment plant before being discharged into the river. An east-west corridor will be built on both sides of the river, also in the buffer zone, which will improve connectivity to the ORR.
Published – 11 March 2026 08:43 IST
