The trip by Telangana ministers to Seoul, South Korea, turned out to be a damp squib. The 20-member delegation, including ministers and journalists, embarked on a three-day tour ostensibly to study Seoul’s urban river projects, with comparisons drawn between Hyderabad’s Musi River and Seoul’s Cheonggyecheon stream. However, the trip left team members and the public questioning its purpose and outcomes.
Upon arriving at Cheonggyecheon, team members reportedly expressed dismay, as the stream bore no resemblance to the Musi River back home. “This isn’t a river; it’s just a stream,” one member noted, surprised at having traveled so far to see such an incongruous project. Viral videos reveal team members remarking that this type of river beautification wouldn’t be suitable for the Musi.
The team then visited a waste processing plant in Seoul, where they were further underwhelmed. With a capacity of 1,000 tons, it paled in comparison to Hyderabad’s own plants, which process up to 1,600 tons daily. To the dismay of the visiting ministers, this plant had been established during the tenure of the previous BRS government.
Seeking a viable project model, the ministers toured the Han River, expecting it to offer insights into Musi’s restoration. However, they were quickly disillusioned, realizing the Han River project prioritized riverfront development, not river rejuvenation.
The tour revealed artificial islands and commercial complexes that had invited environmental criticism for disrupting natural water flow. Realizing that the Han project did not align with their goals for Musi, the ministers abandoned further exploration there.
As prospects dimmed for the Musi project, the delegation opted to tour Seoul Sports University. They proposed a collaboration to train Telangana’s young athletes and even pressured representatives to sign an MoU. However, they received a non-committal response, leading to further disappointment.
The trip, seen as a misuse of taxpayer money, drew widespread criticism from the public, who questioned the rationale behind the delegation’s travel expenses. Telangana’s social media circles buzzed with outrage over what was perceived as an ill-prepared venture without clear objectives.
Some analysts speculate that the visit’s outcome was so lackluster that it prompted a diversionary tactic by Minister Ponguleti Srinivas Reddy, with statements deflecting from the river project toward broader real estate ideas.
Minister Ponguleti Srinivas Reddy acknowledged that while the Seoul trip didn’t yield a direct model for Musi, it highlighted alternative approaches to urban development. “It’s not about emulating Seoul’s river models directly for Musi; instead, it’s about understanding if Seoul’s urban approach fits our development goals,” he commented, defending the visit’s purpose despite its unmet expectations.