National Green Tribunal Rejects BRS Leader's Plea Challenging Musi Riverfront Development Project

The National Green Tribunal, Southern Bench on Thursday (April 2) has dismissed an application filed by BRS leader Patlola Kartik Reddy challenging the Musi Riverfront Development Project.

The bench noted that all the grounds raised by the petitioner were already covered in the Terms of Reference 'ToR' issued by the State Environmental Assessment Authority. Thus, dismissed the application as pre-mature. 

A detailed copy of the order is awaited.

The petitioner had argued that the State was undertaking construction activity without obtaining an valid Environmental Clearance. He prayed that the Respondent be stopped from carrying out any further development activities and be fined for the activities already undertaken.

The Additional Advocate General (AAG) Tera Rajinikanth Reddy, appearing for the State of Telangana informed the Bench, that EC had already been applied for. That any activity undertaken, was in compliance of the Terms of Reference (TOR).

For context, a TOR is a formal document defining the scope, objectives, structure, and methodologies required for an Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) of a proposed project.

He argued that the petition was pre-mature and politically motivated. That since the BRS Party was opposing the project, they are filing fictitious applications and using this bench as a Political platform.

Meanwhile senior advocate Srinath Sridevan appeared for Musi Riverfront Development Project and opposed the plea.

After appreciating arguments advanced by both sides, the Bench noted that all the contentions raised by the applicant, were covered under the TOR and this dismissed the petition as pre-mature at the stage of Admission.

Case title: PATLOLA KARTHIK REDDY vs UNION OF INDIA & Others

OA 47 of 2026

Counsel for petitioners: Senior Counsel G. Rajagopalan. Counsel for respondents: Additional Advocate General, State of TS, T. Rajinikanth Reddy assisted by advocate Nethan Reddy and Fareedunnisa Huma. Senior counsel Srinath Sridevan assisted by HS Hredai.