Hyderabad, March 18 (NationPress) K.T. Rama Rao, the working president of the Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS) and MLA, claimed on Wednesday that the Telangana government is involved in a ₹1.5 lakh crore financial scam disguised as the Musi Riverfront development initiative.

During the Assembly's Question Hour, he asserted that while the BRS supports the revitalization of the Musi River, it vehemently opposes what he termed a 'massive theft'.

Rama Rao inquired whether the Detailed Project Report (DPR) had been finalized, urging the government to disclose it if available.

The Assembly saw a heated debate between the ruling party and the main opposition regarding the project.

Deputy Chief Minister Mallu Bhatti Vikramarka and Minister for Legislative Affairs D. Sridhar Babu rebuffed Rama Rao's accusations.

Sridhar Babu disclosed that the DPR for the project's initial phase is complete, with projected costs between ₹6,500 crore and ₹7,000 crore.

He noted that the project could impact 1,435 structures, and a definitive enumeration process is ongoing.

The minister also indicated that residents within the buffer zone would receive Transferable Development Rights (TDR). He assured that land acquisition, as well as relief and rehabilitation, would comply with the 2013 Act.

In protest against what he described as the government's lack of transparency, Rama Rao announced a walkout from the Assembly.

Earlier, Rama Rao and other BRS MLAs raised numerous pressing questions regarding the Musi project. Their primary concerns included the alleged absence of the DPR, extensive demolition of residences, land acquisition, rising project costs, and conflicting statements from the government across various platforms.

He demanded an explanation for the inflated project estimate, which soared from the original ₹16,000 crore to the claimed ₹1.5 lakh crore. He pointed out that while the Chief Minister mentions ₹1.5 lakh crore publicly, figures of only ₹4,000–₹5,000 crore were provided in the Assembly.

Rama Rao further sought clarification regarding the number of phases for project execution, the scale of land acquisition, and the anticipated number of homes to be demolished.

Referring to official Gazette notifications, he highlighted that over 10,000 houses may face demolition and more than 3,260 acres of land will be acquired. He also questioned the expansion of the buffer zone, noting that local RDOs assert it has grown, yet the government has not clarified the extent or the criteria for this expansion.

Criticizing the government's lack of transparency, Rama Rao claimed there is no concrete evidence that a DPR exists.

He alleged that even the Managing Director of the Musi River Development Corporation reportedly stated that no DPR is available. Furthermore, he accused the government of failing to provide accurate information about the number of houses slated for demolition.

He reiterated that the BRS had requested the government to hold public presentations in affected communities instead of exclusive presentations in five-star hotels. This is why the BRS opted out of the government’s PowerPoint presentation.

Rama Rao charged that the government had initially turned the Musi River into a polluted drain and is now attempting to exploit this situation for large-scale corruption under the pretense of redevelopment. He demanded that if a DPR exists, it should be presented in the Assembly without delay.

Pointing out discrepancies, Rama Rao noted that while the government mentioned a 50-metre buffer zone, notices were served to residents in areas like Hanuman Nagar, which is nearly 5 kilometres away. He questioned how the initial estimate of demolishing 1,400 houses escalated to issuing notices to over 10,000 households.

Rama Rao asserted that the government lacks both financial resources and a coherent plan, stating that no loan has been approved by the Asian Development Bank for this project.

He alleged that the DPR preparation has been assigned to a firm named Main Heart, which, according to him, has faced bans from various organizations in Singapore, Pakistan, and India.

He questioned how a DPR that was supposedly to take at least 18 months to complete was claimed to be finished in just two months, demanding that such a document be released to the public.