Hyderabad Report :: Roads & Gallis
Mahesh Kumar Bagade
This time I will let you know my travelling experience in Hyderabad:
* As I told you before I had put-on about 800km on Hamara Bajaj, covering
almost all the corners of twin-cities.
* Road condition are pretty bad. I guess most of the roads haven't been
repaired for at least 6-8 years. As you know MCH has been very popular
for it's "Atukula Bathuku" (patch work). I mean to say, they only do
patch works on the roads but, never work on it completely.
I sometimes, feel that the Telephone & MCH department are playing a game
which probably no body knows. I guess the Telephone department might be
having latest gee-whiz database (Oracle/Sybase)to find where MCH is
laying new roads, so that it can go right away and start digging :-)
* The traffic has grown by numerous proportions. For people going after 3-5
years to Hyderabad, it will be a real shocker.
* I have noticed that people's perception of the traffic lights have
completely changed. People all over hyderabad are getting accustomed to
seeing the light meant for the other lanes and they fire up their scooters
and autos, etc... as soon as they see a red light for them.
They don't even bother to see if they have got a green light for themselves.
If you want to be a Sharifuddin, you will be the only person left at the
light. So, go with the flow. I have enjoyed this scene again and again at
almost all the cross roads.
* Also, the number of pot-holes in the roads is numerous. Sometimes I think
allowing our/American kids to drive bikes on the hyderabadi roads will
give them a pretty good training for vedio games. (Escaping pot-holes).
* There is some necklace road being laid in the tankbund (hussain-sagar).
* The Buddha statue is still incomplete. It need some work near the blessing
hand. Got a chance to help myself with a couple of Kobbari-bondas and
Chudava on the tankbund. On some evening the water really stinks. I mean
really stinks.
* A humongous Castle style hotel is coming up in front of Secretariat. I
could well be a 5-star.
* I snapped a chance to taste mirchi-bajji & gup-chup at the famous chat
store in front of women's college in koti (besides andhra-bank). I have
been eating there for years. Aaahh... it was certainly an experience to
be back pigging out :-)
* I would highly advise anybody going to hyderabad to buy a helmet to avoid
sudden unlimited contact with pollution (I mean, just imagine what happens
if you are behind a lorry at a stop light). Got the idea?
* Since I got my relatives all over the city and I myself are from the
famous old city "Doodh Bowli". I had a chance to visit old-city and check
out how things are. Nothing has changed. Everything is same.
All gallis are there intact as they were. I have noticed a lot of
encroaching though. Most of the big gallis have become smaller in size.
* Water problem is as it was for years. The rumour is that, this year it is
going to be very tough.
* Finally, I would like to let all those who are going to hyderabad in future,
that once you step into hyderabad, please please please please please please
convert yourself into a HYDERABADI, or else you wouldn't enjoy your stay.
Becoming a hyderabadi means taking a lot of things for granted. Accept the
life style there and enjoy it while you can.
Watch out for my next report.....
Have a nice day.
Mahesh Bagade
Samiuddin Mohammed
Just wanted to thank u for those wonderful Hyderabad reports... I haven't been
there for 5 yrs now and boy, do I miss it!!
The best comment was perhaps, "when u reach Hyderabad, become a Hyderabadi" I
think that's the only way to enjoy that wonderful place.
Sami... a Hyderabadi from the Mehdipatnam area.