Techie Voters to Focus on Civic Amenities

Hyderabad: Decongesting roads, providing better public transport systems, reducing air, sound and water pollution, addressing civic issues like water scarcity, and drainage issues, and improving gender sensitisation among people are some key issues that are on the top of minds for voters, who are working with technology companies in Hyderabad.

With around 90 lakh voters electing 24 legislators in GHMC limits, techies play a decisive role in swinging the balance in tightly contested polls, which the upcoming Assembly elections are expected to be.

“The political leadership needs to work towards decongesting Hyderabad if they want to make the city as well as the state better,” said Manisha Kashyap, an employee with a tech company.

"Development happens only at Jubilee Hills, Hitec City, and Cyberabad. Hyderabad or Telangana does not confine merely to these localities. Concentration of big companies in these localities forces people from all corners to commute there, creating unnecessary congestion," she told Deccan Chronicle.

Another employee V.K. Ramana felt that development should extend beyond Hyderabad to smaller cities. “Focusing solely on Hyderabad doesn't address the broader issues. A balanced urbanisation can alleviate many problems including water scarcity, drainage issues, pollution and so much more,” he said.

Commuting seems to be their second biggest issue that IT employees are facing in Hyderabad.

“We require smart and logical traffic diversions that don't worsen traffic problems. Illogical diversions and bottlenecks make commuting a nightmare. Efficient traffic management is essential. Hyderabad Metro is always overcrowded, particularly the Blue Line, right from Raidurgam. We need better public transport including a bigger fleet of buses to ease the daily commute for lakhs of employees," said Lionel Asher.

Umesh Kumar, a senior seller support associate at an IT company, said better working hours are vital as many companies force employees to work on their days off, provide improper compensation, and have no prescribed timings. "Unlawful contracts with lengthy notice periods need to be addressed. We need a dedicated team to address working-class grievances. Existing employee unions often fall short in safeguarding our rights," he said.

Adding to the same, S Sowjanya, an investigation specialist at a top tech giant in the city, noted that competent married women should be hired with the same enthusiasm as unmarried women or married men. "Fear of maternity leaves or quitting shouldn't hinder their employment. We need stronger safeguards and support," she insisted.

"Mental health and gender sensitisation policies should extend beyond the workplace, encompassing law enforcement, bureaucracy, political leaders, and party members," another employee Madhav P. stressed.