Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS) working president K.T. Rama Rao on Friday accused Telangana Chief Minister A. Revanth Reddy of turning the Musi river project into an ATM for Congress party by inflating the cost to Rs 1.5 lakh crore from the initial estimate of Rs 50,000 crore.
After the Chief Minister launched an attack on BRS leaders and dared them to stay in houses on the Musi riverbed for three months to prove their claim that it is a liveable area, Rama Rao made a PowerPoint presentation before media to claim that Musi can be cleaned at a cost of Rs 25,000 crore.
The BRS leader accused the Chief Minister of spreading falsehoods and making baseless statements about the Musi river rejuvenation.
KTR, as Rama Rao is popularly known, alleged that Revanth Reddy was conspiring to execute the biggest scam in the country by discarding the existing Musi designs and programs that could be implemented at a much lower cost.
He also detailed the initiatives taken by the Bharat Rashtra Samithi government for Musi River rejuvenation over the past 10 years.
KTR mentioned that the BRS government constructed Sewage Treatment Plants (STPs) costing over Rs 3,800 crore to treat wastewater before it enters the Musi. He stated that Hyderabad would soon become the first city in South Asia with 100 per cent sewage treatment, ensuring no untreated water flows into the Musi.
The BRS leader also explained how linking the Godavari to the Musi through the Kaleshwaram water would permanently solve the wastewater problem and revive the Musi river. He also detailed plans for expressways on both sides of the Musi and the construction of 15 bridges over the river.
KTR accused Revanth Reddy of planning to misuse the Musi project for corruption by engaging dubious companies as consultants, potentially embezzling hundreds of crores. He claimed that these companies have been involved in financial crimes in various countries and are subject to Interpol Red Corner Notices.
KTR alleged that Revanth Reddy is orchestrating the country’s biggest corruption scandal by inflating the project cost from Rs 16,800 crore (as planned by the previous government) to Rs 1,50,000 crore under the guise of beautification.
He pointed out inconsistencies in Revanth Reddy’s statements, noting that the Chief Minister had initially mentioned a budget of Rs 50,000 crore but later changed his stance.
KTR urged the government not to displace the poor for their corrupt plans and warned of protests if the project harmed the lives and properties of the underprivileged. He reminded that the previous government, under KCR’s leadership, had modified Musi plans to avoid affecting poor families.
In response to Revanth Reddy’s personal attacks, KTR retaliated by referencing a past incident where Revanth was allegedly caught on camera with bundles of Rs 50 lakh notes, predicting that he would face punishment for his crimes.
KTR sarcastically offered a reward of Rs 50 lakh rupee carrying a bag if the Chief Minister could spell “rejuvenation” correctly.