The city of Nizams is getting older — it’s 425 years now. As we talk to citizens, who have been in the city for decades, watching it change and grow, we realise that the charm of the city of biriyani and haleem is far more than its delicious gastronomy. Hear it from them on what it feels like to be a Hyderabadi...
Alekhya Punjala, Dancer: City holds a lot of memories
I was born and brought up here. My entire family, and also my in-laws, are from this city. Hyderabad holds a lot of memories for me. My childhood here has been very pleasant — it used to hardly take 15-20 minutes to commute to faraway places. Commuting was easy back then, and there was so much of greenery. Even though earlier there were distinct old and new cities, the charm the city had then was incomparable. In the name of development, the city has grown in a haphazard manner without proper planning. The citizens’ inputs or preferences, too, should be considered, instead of giving them anything and everything. Everyone should be in tandem. There may be a few negatives here, but it is still the city which has given me my identity, and I am proud to be a part of this quaint, enchanting and culturally rich city. My only wish is that it gets better.
Daggubati Purandeswari, Politician: Hyderabad is developing rapidly
Since the time I can remember, the city has become more cluttered. Having said that, the Hyderabadi hospitality is something the other Indian cities look up to. The one thing the city should work upon is the traffic problem and the authorities should do so urgently. However, the speed of development in the city has been immense. People from outside the city visit here for the warmth. It has a very cosmopolitan appeal and once people settle here, they don’t easily move out. As a child, my summer holidays in the city were great. I would go out with my family to the cinemas. My only suggestion for the authorities would be that they keep the city in great shape — as it was years back.
Gita Karan, Principal, Gitanjali School: It is the easiest city to live in
Since time immemorial, there have been a lot of changes. Slowly and steadily, the old world charm that the city once had is fading away. But people coming from other cities still prefer the old world charm which Hyderabad’s every nook and corner still displays. Traffic is an issue that the authorities should consider looking into; it’s growing worse day by day. The development of Metro railways too won’t be of much help, I think. People from the city are very warm — can’t find such warmth anywhere else in the country. Hyderabad is a city that is easy to live in. Everything is easily accessible. The only thing the authority should consider improving is traffic. And yes, also to find a shelter for the beggars on the roads.
