CM Revanth Reddy has claimed to be following the Thames model for the development of the Musi Riverfront. However, critics argue that the government is actually replicating the controversial Ravi Riverfront project model from Pakistan, which has been plagued by allegations of corruption and mismanagement.
The Singapore-based Meinhardt Company, which is now involved in the Musi project, was previously responsible for the Ravi Riverfront Urban Development Project (RRUDP) in Pakistan. This project faced severe backlash and legal troubles.
In Pakistan, critics accused the government of demolishing the homes of slum dwellers under the guise of beautification, a pattern similar to what occurred during the Ravi Riverfront development.
Human rights activists highlighted that, instead of first focusing on building necessary sewage treatment plants to clean the river, the government prioritized evicting poor residents and small traders from the riverbank.
Furthermore, the project involved the acquisition of vast amounts of land from local farmers, with inadequate compensation. There were also allegations that some of this land was handed over to large corporations.
Eventually, the Lahore High Court halted the project due to widespread irregularities, despite the government’s efforts to push it forward. Social activists claim that the project, which was supposed to enhance urban development, resulted in a scam worth thousands of crores.
Meinhardt and the Pakistani government were heavily criticized, and the owners of the company, Naseem Shehzad and his son Omar Shehzad, left Pakistan amidst multiple charges of fraud and corruption.
Concerns over Meinhardt’s involvement in the Musi project are growing, with accusations that the company has a history of irregularities in Pakistan. Additionally, Meinhardt has been involved in other controversies, including a scam involving a residential project and a hawala scandal.
Meanwhile, questions are also being raised about the funding for the Musi project. The New Development Bank (NDB), led by Director General DJ Pandian, has expressed readiness to finance both the Musi Riverfront project and the Amaravati development in Andhra Pradesh. This has raised eyebrows due to Pandian’s connections with Singapore’s former minister, Iswaran, a key figure in Meinhardt.
However, despite Meinhardt’s involvement in the Ravi Riverfront project, NDB did not provide funding for it, as Pakistan is not part of the BRICS alliance, which governs NDB’s financial assistance guidelines.
The Ravi Riverfront project in Pakistan, originally proposed in 1947, has faced significant delays and controversies over the past several decades. While the Imran Khan government revived the project in 2020, critics accused Meinhardt of inflating the project’s scope and costs.
Initially planned for 44,000 acres, the project’s land area was later expanded to over 1,02,000 acres, with an estimated cost of Rs. 2.5 lakh crores.
Activists criticized the government for prioritizing the construction of urban forests, water treatment plants, and barrages without adequately addressing the needs of the displaced poor. Despite the government allocating Rs. 15,000 crores for the project’s first phase, little progress has been made.
As the Congress government moves forward with the Musi project, concerns about Meinhardt’s controversial history, coupled with the similarities to the Pakistan model, are casting a shadow over the initiative.
There are uncanny similarities between the Ravi Beautification Project and the Musi Beautification Project 👇
- Ravi Beautification Project
🔸Project name: Ravi Riverfront
🔸Location: Lahore, Pakistan
🔸Project length: 46 km
🔸Model: Thames, London
🔸Company entrusted with the project: Meinhardt
🔸Objective: Cleaning and beautification of the Ravi River
🔸Initial estimated cost: Rs. 40,000 crore
🔸Revised cost (with Meinhardt’s entry): Rs. 2.5 lakh crore
🔸Progress so far: Demolition of houses, with cleaning of the river sidelined
🔸Repercussions: Legal complications arose after victims filed complaints.
🔸Result: Meinhardt departed with Rs. 15,000 crore
- Musi Beautification Project
🔸Project name: Musi Riverfront
🔸Location: Hyderabad, India
🔸Project length: 55 km
🔸Model: Thames, London
🔸Company Entrusted with the project: Meinhardt
🔸Objective: Cleaning and beautification of the Musi River
🔸Initial estimated cost: Rs. 50,000 crore
🔸Revised cost (with Meinhardt’s entry): Rs. 1.5 lakh crore
🔸Progress so far: Demolition of houses, with cleaning of the river sidelined
🔸Repercussions: Legal challenges soon followed, with victims filing petitions against the government.
🔸Result: Uncertain