A.P. State Transport Corporation (APSRTC) plan to construct a second bridge across the Musi appears to have run into rough weather. The Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation (GHMC) seeking to rejuvenate the river through funds under the National River Conservation Project (NRCP) has sought an alternate plan.
The RTC has proposed to build a new bridge across the river connecting the platform number one of the Mahatma Gandhi Bus Station (MGBS) at Imlibun and Rangmahal junction to ease traffic congestion. An existing bridge caters exclusively to the buses and other vehicles moving into the station totalling to about 15,000 leading to lot of congestion.
Imlibun station caters to more than one lakh passengers as per of the Comprehensive Transport Study (CTS) carried out by Lea Associates for the Hyderabad Metropolitan Development Authority (HMDA). Proposal for a new bridge was cleared at a top level meeting of officials with the municipal corporation told to foot 50 per cent of the cost once feasibility and other reports are done.
Project report
RTC authorities estimated the cost to be around Rs.9 crore and sought permission from GHMC. The latter had by then decided to engage a consultant to prepare a detailed project report for building retaining walls throughout the length of the Musi at an estimated cost of Rs.200 crore as part of the Centre's NRCP.
The Union Ministry of Environment and Forests has agreed to fund such a project. The river runs close to 28 km from the start point of Hydershah Kotla (near Lanco Hills) to Nallacheruvu (near Nagole) with parts in between encroached by dwellings or being cultivated and most polluted.
Senior municipal officials pointed out that the bus station itself ‘obstructs' the water flow and another bridge would only compound matters considering the rejuvenation plan which includes a survey of the river length, build retaining walls and developing the riverfront. Moreover, linking the bridge directly to the junction would hamper traffic flow.
The Hyderabad Metropolitan Water Supply & Sewerage Board (HMWSSB) has already submitted a project report for cleaning up the river under NRCP at a cost of Rs.825 crore.
