Gujarat’s Sabarmati River may hold the key to the much talked about Musi River rejuvenation programme. Musi, which flows through Hyderabad city, is on the priority list of the Congress government which wants to transform it from a polluted water body to a global landmark.
In early 2024, officials from Musi Riverfront Development Corporation Limited (MRDCL) visited Sabarmati Riverfront in Gujarat to interact with local project officials and gather insights. In the same year, Telangana CM Revanth Reddy announced that the state was committed to giving a new lease of life to Musi and compared the endeavour to the Sabarmati River. Now, a delegation of senior Congress leaders has visited the Sabarmati to have a great understanding of the project.
Transport Minister Ponnam Prabhakar along with Telangana PCC Chief, Mahesh Kumar Goud, Chief Minister’s Advisor Vem Narender Reddy and others visited the Sabarmati Riverfront. The tour was undertaken after the AICC session meeting held in Ahmedabad. The delegation’s mission was to understand Sabarmati’s makeover and apply similar strategies to the Musi River development project.
The team engaged with local authorities to understand their approach which was instrumental for Sabarmati River’s revival. The discussions covered environmental improvements, social infrastructure enhancements and sustainable development practices.
The Sabarmati Riverfront Development Project, which began in 2005 and was thrown open to the public in 2012 in the first phase, has successfully revitalized the river, turning it into a vibrant public space. Minister Ponnam Prabhakar emphasized on the importance of collaboration of all the political parties for the project. He announced plans to organize a comprehensive study tour for the Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation (GHMC) Mayor and remaining Hyderabad corporators to the Sabarmati Riverfront. The initiative is aimed to equip them with firsthand knowledge to richly contribute to the Musi River redevelopment plans. The proposed GHMC delegation will focus on Phase-1 developments of the Sabarmati model, particularly the stretch up to Bapu Ghat in Hyderabad.
