First Phase of Musi River Clean-Up to Start Soon, Says Chief Minister Revanth Reddy

The first phase of the Musi river restoration project will start soon, according to Chief Minister A. Revanth Reddy. Speaking at the opening of the newly fixed Thammidikunta Lake in Madhapur on Wednesday, he stated that the river needs a deep clean-up instead of a simple surface makeover. He promised that the government will make sure no one faces unfair losses during the work and asked all political parties to cooperate.

Background

People living in Nalgonda district face heavy hardships from Musi pollution due to past neglect, while the daily lives of Hyderabad residents remain closely tied to the water body. Historically, the Nizam built the Osmansagar and Himayatsagar reservoirs nearly a hundred years ago to protect the city from floods.

Lake Revival Efforts

Out of 1,372 lakes in Hyderabad, nearly half have vanished over time because of various issues and illegal land grabs, causing heavy waterlogging and floods during rains. The 30-acre Thammidikunta Lake expanded from 14 acres during this latest revival work. Actor Akkineni Nagarjuna freely gave two acres of his own land to the state for this project, earning praise from the Chief Minister as a real-life hero.

Context

Urban water bodies like lakes and rivers play a vital role in managing rainwater drainage and preventing urban floods in growing cities. Protecting these natural ecosystems often requires removing illegal structures and securing public land for future environmental safety.