14 dams, boating facilities to come up across Musi, state govt.

The state government in coordination with Hyderabad Road Development Corporation Limited and irrigation department has decided to construct 14 check dams on the Musi River, replicating the one on the Himayatsagar. The idea is to maintain water levels at sufficient levels so as to create boating facilities at 14 locations, all of which ought to be clean.

During a meeting chaired by Chief Minister K. Chandrashekar Rao, instructions also given to the Hyderabad Metropolitan Water Supply and Sewerage Board (HMWS&SB) to lay emphasis on the construction of the 14 dams and ensure that the water would be stench-free given that the spots have the potential to attract tourists. Officials were told that the state government would rope in bankers, financers and agencies to undertake construction of the project.

Besides, there is a proposal to construct several bridges across the Musi and the Esa. The idea was first proposed when the government decided to shelve the iconic bridge project near Salar Jung Museum for financial reasons.

The government has now decided to construct 15 bridges across the Musi and the Esa, one of which would be the bridge near Salar Jung Museum that can provide space to about 300 hawkers who would be displaced from Charminar. The authorities have also prepared a detailed project report and decided to take up the project at a cost of Rs 231.5 crore.

The government later on asked officials to bring the cost of the pedestrian bridge down to Rs 40 crore and prepare a proposal for another 14 across Musi. The officials prepared proposals to construct an iconic pedestrian bridge at Afzalgunj costing



Rs 40 crore and high-level bridges at the following places: missing link corridor no. 99 (cost: Rs 30 crore, Ibrahimbagh causeway (Rs 24.50 crore); Suncity to Chintalmet (power corridor) on the Esa river (Rs 19.10 crore) and one connecting Inner Ring Road (IRR) with Kismathpur road on the Esa at Bandlaguda Jagir (Rs 19.10 crore)

The project proposes high-level bridges at Moosarambagh and Chaderghat both costing Rs 30 crore, as well as a new bridge parallel to the existing bridge at Attapur at Rs 46 crore. There will be two bridges to Budvel (IT parks and connecting roads parallel to Esa river), one costing Rs 11 crore and another Rs 41 crore.

In the proposals are a bridge connecting Uppal layout to south bank of Musi at Rs 39.1 crore, high-level bridges connecting Manchirevula village and Narsingi (Rs 24.50 crore), Hydershakote-Ramdevguda (Rs 11 crore), Pratapsingaram to Gowrelly (Rs 16 crore) and a link road to Manchirevula bridge costing Rs 11 crore.

According to sources, minister K.T. Rama Rao, while going through the proposals, asked officials to prepare plans to construct check dams underneath the 15 bridges. Officials replied that Chief Minister K. Chandrashekar Rao had called for construction of floodwater dams and gates and to maintain water levels to facilitate boating. The nodal agencies were urged to coordinate with the irrigation department and come up with a detailed study to execute the project.

A senior official, requesting anonymity, said that the nodal agencies, including HRDCL and HMWS&SB, have taken appointments with the irrigation department's chief engineers to work out the modalities.