Musi meetings by phone? Show the paper
A report says residents along Bapughat–Gandipet were summoned to “meetings” with no notices. The law requires consultation on the record; the file so far is a website and a phone number.
Residents say consultations were held without the notices and records required by law.
MRDCL is not a mysterious private operator — it is a Telangana government company set up by GO Ms No. 90 (MA&UD) on 25 March 2017, chaired by the Chief Secretary, with E.V. Narasimha Reddy, IAS, as managing director, and tasked with cleaning up and developing the Musi riverfront. That is the government’s own description, not spin. According to a January 3, 2024 state release, Phase 1 covers 55 km within Hyderabad and was told to finish in 36 months, with tourism and PPPs in the mix.
The project’s tender page shows boundary-stone work on stretches from Himayat Sagar and Osman Sagar (Gandipet) towards Gandhi Sarovar — which tells you the state is marking lines and getting its contractors on site. What it does not tell you, yet: whose private land is being acquired, under which section, with what compensation.
On acquisition, the 2013 law is unambiguous about process. A Social Impact Assessment with public hearings, publication of the study, a preliminary notification, and a hearing of objections are in the statute — the “humane, participative, informed and transparent” bit is the law speaking. If the state intends to take land, those steps live on paper you can read, not on missed calls.
A Telugu report alleges residents from Bapughat–Himayat Sagar were called to the Rajendranagar RDO office, and from Bapughat–Gandipet to a private function hall, with instructions to send only three representatives per colony, and no formal notices. Strong claims — and they need strong documents. No notification, minutes, statutory notice, SIA or named resident statement is on the public record we can see.
The government, for its part, has said in March 2026 releases that affected residents will be relocated safely, with housing within localities wherever needed, and that land loss will draw fair compensation. Good — now put the exact package, survey numbers and legal route in writing for each stretch.
Telangana is building a riverfront it has talked about for decades. That is worth doing — on the record. If someone wants to turn a hard project into a soft target, skipping the paperwork would be a gift to every national party that loves stalling Telangana and calling it “due process”. File the notices, hold the hearings, publish the SIA — and deny them the excuse.