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Gandhi Sarovar launch: Revanth invites Rajnath
Telangana CM A Revanth Reddy invited Defence Minister Rajnath Singh to the Gandhi Sarovar Project foundation ceremony, part of the Musi River rejuvenation.
Telangana chief minister A Revanth Reddy on Thursday invited defence minister Rajnath Singh to attend the ceremony to lay the foundation of the proposed Gandhi Sarovar Project, as part of the first phase of the Musi River rejuvenation project to be launched in the last week of February.
According to an official statement, the chief minister met Rajnath Singh in New Delhi and explained the significance of the Gandhi Sarovar Project. It will be developed at the confluence of the Esa and Musi rivers as a world-class educational, cultural, spiritual and environmental hub.
CM Reddy told the defence minister that the state government was planning to undertake the Musi River rejuvenation project with the objective of achieving sustainable urban development. “The initiative aims to restore the river to a clean, free-flowing state with an environmentally friendly approach and sustainable water management,” he said.
The project will be constructed near the Bapu Ghat, where the ashes of Mahatma Gandhi were immersed in 1948. It would reflect Mahatma Gandhi’s ideals of peace, unity, sustainable development and a simple lifestyle, the statement said.
Modelled on the lines of Sardar Sarovar Project in Gujarat, the Gandhi Sarovar Project envisages the construction of India’s tallest statue of Mahatma Gandhi.
“It may not be as tall as the Sardar Patel statue, but would definitely be the tallest statue of the Father of the Nation. We are studying different designs of various statues of Mahatma Gandhi from across the world to decide whether it should be in a meditative position or walking pose,” an official familiar with the project said.
During the meeting, the chief minister also outlined key components of the project, including the installation of a peace monument, a national museum, a science centre and a handloom promotion centre.
Parliamentarians Mallu Ravi, Suresh Shetkar, Kadiyam Kavya, Gaddam Vamsi Krishna and M. Anil Kumar Yadav accompanied CM Reddy during the meeting.
Later, the chief minister also met civil aviation minister K Rammohan Naidu and discussed key aviation infrastructure projects in Telangana.
He informed the minister that land acquisition for the Mamunoor Airport has been completed and requested that necessary steps be taken to commence further development works.
He also sought the Centre’s support for conducting an obstacle limitation surface (OLS) survey and a feasibility study for the proposed Kothagudem airport, for which land has been identified at Palvancha.
The chief minister further requested immediate approvals for the proposed airport at Anthargaon, noting that an alternative site has already been identified.
Regarding the Adilabad airport project, he stated that an additional 249.82 acres of land is ready to be handed over to the Centre for development. Reddy also had a brief meeting with railway minister Ashwini Vaishnaw and discussed the completion of pending railway projects in the state, the statement said.
