Hyderabad: Telangana Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy on Thursday, June 18, vowed to develop the Musi riverfront here to “international standards”, surpassing the Sabarmati riverfront in Ahmedabad and the Yamuna riverfront in Delhi.

Speaking after inaugurating development works at Eco Park in Gurramguda, he attacked the opposition BRS for opposing the Bharat Future City project on the city outskirts and pledged to develop it into a vibrant urban hub. “We will cleanse the Musi river. It is my responsibility and that of my colleagues to develop the Musi riverfront better than the Sabarmati, Yamuna and Ganga riverfronts, on par with international standards, over a stretch of 55 km from Gandipet to Gourelli,” he said.

Without naming BRS MLA T Harish Rao, he said one person was speaking about setting up (polluting) chemical industries while he was developing the green Future City.

The CM added that people had already “cancelled the future” of the BRS and that “those without a future” were talking about scrapping Future City.

He said Rao should focus on retaining his Siddipet constituency in the next Assembly elections.

The Bharat Future City would attract international investments, he assured.

“I will build Bharat Future City even if some people cry, try to stall the project or die by drinking a pesticide. I will get international companies. Not only international investments but tourists from around the world should learn from Bharat Future City,” he said.

The CM said the Future City being developed by the state government would have 60 per cent green cover, and cautioned that pollution of air and water would make normal life extremely difficult.

However, cases are being filed in the Supreme Court and the National Green Tribunal against the Future City by those opposed to it, he said.

Reddy asked if Hyderabad would have emerged as an IT hub had the Hitech City and international airport not been built in the past.

The Bharat Future City is being planned across 30,000 acres on the city outskirts in view of the rapid development and expansion of Hyderabad, he said.

Taking strong exception to attempts to portray the Hyderabad Disaster Response and Asset Protection Agency (HYDRAA), set up by the Congress government, as an “evil” entity, he asked whether the agency had ever demolished the house of a poor person.

The agency would act tough against those encroaching on lakes and other government properties, he warned.

Such encroachments have led to inundation of human habitations owing to the absence of water outlets during heavy rains, he added.