Musi River project: Why is BRS calling Meindhart a shady company

Hyderabad: A day after chief minister A Revanth Reddy presented a detailed report on the Musi River Rejuvenation project, pegged at 1.5 lakh crores, BRS in opposition allegedly called out the company Meindhart for being a ‘shady organisation’.

As per the project report, Meinhardt is among the five companies – Meinhardt, RIOS, Cushman and Wakefield, ZHA and SOM – that have formed a consortium to draft a DPR (detailed project report) for the Musi River Rejuvenation Project, to be submitted in the next 18 months.

The consortium has been given 6.5 years to complete the project. In three to four months, an interim report would be submitted by the consortium. The agreement value for preparing the DPR is Rs 141 crores.

Notice by former Pakistan government

The opposition has come down heavy on Meinhardht, claiming they have been issued a warrant by the former government of Pakistan.

According to a purported document shared in public, a notice from the former Pakistan government stated that ‘a red warrant has been issued against an absconding accused named Dr Shehzad Naseem (it is not clear how the person is connected to the firm. Please check), s/o Muhammad Naseem Ansari, currently residing in 2A Cable Road, Singapore-249903.’ The document urged the execution of the red warrant of the accused and the submission of a report to the court on or before September 14, 2021. This same company was also reportedly issued an absconding notice from the Pakistan Government the same year.

Another alleged claim related to Meinhardht is that the Airport Authority of India issued a notice to the firm in 2022.

'Musi has become ATM for Congress party'

BRS working president, KT Rama Rao, accused the Congress government in the State of profiting from the project and conspiring to execute a scam.

“Revanth Reddy is turning the Musi Project into an ATM for the Congress Party. The project initially was estimated at Rs 50,000 crores, but now has been inflated to Rs 1.5 lakh crores. Using Musi’s name, they (Congress) have initiated one of the biggest scams in the country. Revanth is attempting to fill money bags by destroying the lives of the poor,” KTR said.

Sewage treatment plants

Speaking about the construction of sewage treatment plants (STPs) costing over Rs 3,800 crores to treat wastewater before it enters the Musi, KTR stated that Hyderabad would soon become the first city in South Asia with 100 per cent sewage treatment, ensuring no untreated water flows into the Musi.

KTR alleged that CM Revanth Reddy is orchestrating the country’s biggest corruption scandal by inflating the project cost from Rs 16,800 crores (as planned by the previous government) to Rs 1,50,000 crores under the guise of beautification.