Yesterday I came to know about this contest organised by Tata Motors where one had to write about his favourite Indian city as per design, drive and connectivity of the place. Since the last four years, ever since I was transferred from Hyderabad, I have been living here Bangalore. Having lived in both the cities for a fair amount of time, it didn't take me much time to decide which city I loved more. Both cities are quite similar in many ways and would fare very well in my opinion if a survey was done about most liveable cities in India. Some people would have probably chosen Bangalore over Hyderabad for its climate, because the two cities are otherwise similar in various aspects. But for me, Hyderabad fares a bit better if these three parameters are the sole criteria - design, drive and connectivity.
What I like most about Hyderabad is the harmonious existence of the old traditions and modernity and its cosmopolitan way of life. The city is quite old, almost 400 years old and has a rich cultural heritage. Both the old city and the new city co-exist side by side. Even in the old times, the city used to be an important centre for trade and commerce in India. During the period when the Nizams ruled it, Hyderabad used to be the largest state in India. But after India's Independence when Andhra Pradesh was created on linguistic basis, Hyderabad was made its capital. Like Chandigarh, today Hyderabad is the joint capital of the two states simultaneously - that of Telangana as well as of Andhra Pradesh.
Then in the late nineties and early 2000s, during the tenure of Chandrababu Naidu, who had envisioned Hyderabad becoming the Silicon Valley of India, the city gallopped its way towards realising that dream. During that period, several global IT firms set up their branches in Hyderabad. Since then, along with Bangalore, Hyderabad has come to be dubbed as the IT capitals of India. Not just the IT companies, but today Hyderabad is home to many international MNCs like Dell, IBM, Microsoft, Facebook, Google, Oracle and Deloitte, research and development institutes and defense establishments. The city has seen unprecedented growth and developments in the areas of IT, Biotechnology, Construction, Pharmaceuticals and Tourism in the recent times. Thus Hyderabad is seen as a promising first tier city with immense business opportunities. It is one of the primary destinations in India for FDI (foreign direct investments). Thus the city that was once known for its minarets and domes and as a pearl and diamond trading centre, is now an important IT destination in India and is called "Cyberabad".
If we look at the city's design, one will find several mesmerising heritage structures that were constructed during the period of Qutb Shahi and Nizam rulers which showcase Indo-Islamic architecture (a style influenced by the Indian medieval architectural style, that of the Mughals and also of the Europeans). The new city has been very well-planned and several parks, upscale residential and commercial buildings like shopping malls, and recreational centres like multiplexes or Ramoji Film city dot its landscape. The industrial areas are located in the northern end. Then there is the "Cyberabad" area that is spread across a sprawling area housing many IT and bio-pharmaceutical companies.
Hyderabad is nicely connected to all parts of the country by railways, roadways and airways too. Several domestic airlines fly from the city to other places in the country and one will easily get a domestic flight to travel to any major city in India from Hyderabad. The city is also well connected to all neighbouring towns and cites by many express trains. One will also find regular bus services available to nearby major cities like Mumbai, Bangalore, Nagpur or Chennai. Additionally it also boasts of a well-maintained intercity bus service. Bus services as well as motor rickshaws and taxis are available to all corners of the city from Hyderabad.
(This has been written for “Made of Great zonal wars” sponsored by Tata Motors. Visit the website http://madeofgreat.tatamotors.com/ if you wish to know what it is all about)
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