Hyderabad: Chief Minister A. Revanth Reddy on Tuesday announced the allocation of 16,000 double-bedroom homes for families who will be displaced by the Musi Riverfront Development Project. The families should not be left homeless and must either be allotted double-bedroom houses or provided with suitable alternatives, he said.
Revanth Reddy, speaking at a review meeting, directed officials to collect detailed information on the eligible poor living in the Musi catchment area, including those residing around encroached lakes and canals in Hyderabad, who could be allotted 2BHK flats or assisted otherwise.
According to a recent survey conducted by the authorities, 10,200 people have been identified as affected by the Musi development project. Starting Wednesday, teams led by the collectors of the Hyderabad, Rangareddy and Medchal-Malkajgiri districts will go door to door to inform residents about their allotted double-bedroom houses.
Initially, 1,600 occupied houses in the Musi riverbed will be removed, and residents relocated. Those living in the buffer zone will receive compensation for their structures in accordance with the Right to Fair Compensation and Transparency in Land Acquisition, Rehabilitation, and Resettlement Act.
For landowners, the compensation will include both the cost of construction and the value of the land, along with the allotment of a 2BHK house.
Revanth Reddy said that all affected families would be rehabilitated in line with legal provisions. Recently, Hyderabad district incharge minister Ponnam Prabhakar had toured the Musi catchment area with officials to assess the situation.
At the review meeting, Revanth Reddy discussed the Musi riverfront development and Hyderabad Metro Rail expansion projects with key officials. Officials at the meeting included MA&UD principal secretary Dana Kishore, Metro Rail MD N.V.S. Reddy, adviser Srinivasa Raju, CM’s special secretary Ajith Reddy, GHMC commissioner Amrapali Kata, HMDA commissioner Sarfaraz Ahmed and the collectors of Rangareddy and Hyderabad districts.
Revanth Reddy directed officials to take responsibility for conserving lakes and canals within the Outer Ring Road (ORR) to prevent natural disasters and ensure future protection. He stressed the need for strict monitoring to prevent further encroachments, ordering the installation of CCTV cameras around ponds in the city, with the footage connected to a command control centre.
All lakes, ponds, and drains within the ORR should be identified, and full-tank levels (FTL) and buffer zones should be demarcated.
The Chief Minister said that a detailed report on the encroachment of lakes, ponds, and canals within the city must be prepared. He also instructed the officials to ensure that genuine and deserving poor families are protected from any losses during this process.
Revanth Reddy also ordered the preparation of a comprehensive report regarding the metro line connecting the airport to the upcoming Future City. He asked officials to expedite the construction of the Old City Metro, addressing land acquisition issues or other obstacles.
Officials briefed the CM on various aspects of Metro Rail expansion from LB Nagar to Hayathnagar and MGBS to Chandrayangutta. The CM instructed that a complete detailed project report (DPR) on the metro expansion routes should be submitted to the Centre before Dasara.
