Master plan for Musi Riverfront devpt to be ready by Aug-end: CS

Hyderabad: The ambitious plans of the government to develop the Musi Riverfront gained momentum as officials are planning to get ready with the draft master plan by the end of August.

This was informed by officials at the 24th board meeting of Musi Riverfront Development Corporation held under the chairmanship of Chief Secretary Santhi Kumari at Secretariat on Monday. The corporation MD Amrapali Kata gave a brief overview of the entire project and said timelines for all project components like feasibility report, DPRs of all projects have been identified. She informed that concept master plan have been fixed; the draft master plan would be ready by August-end.

Municipal Administration Principal Secretary Dana Kishore said many private players are evincing keen interest in the project. The board discussed the proposal for development of Musi River stretch from Osmansagar dam downstream point to the Outer Ring Road east near Gowrelli and from Himayatsagar dam downstream point to confluence point at Bapughat for a length of 55 km under the first phase of MRDP.

The board also resolved to consider the proposal for protection, restoration and development of heritage structures around the Musi in the city.

The CS told the meeting that the government was giving top priority to development of the Musi Riverfront which will be developed on a public-private partnership basis. She asked officials to identify certain projects which can be taken up to boost investor and stakeholder confidence in the project; to trigger growth in the area. She directed officials to come out with specific orders on constitution of expert committee/advisory committees. She asked them to conceptualise the organisation structure for MRDCL.

The government had expedited works related to rejuvenation; as part of the exercise, structures on the riverbed and the ones that fall under 50 meters from its boundaries are being identified. The GHMC has instructed officials to reject all permissions for layouts, buildings and developmental activities that fall under 50 meters of the river boundaries.