If developed well, Secunderabad can be on par with Jubilee Hills, opine locals
Hyderabad: Residents of Secunderabad have been raising their voice about the neglect of their constituency for years. They say that the constituency has everything from picturesque lakes, serene parks and lively pubs to thriving IT hubs and cultural art spaces, which, if developed appropriately, can put it on par with the more high-profile Jubilee Hills and Hitec City.
"We wouldn't have to travel 20 km every weekend to have a life," remarked Karthik Betha, encapsulating the sentiments of most locals.
Once a bustling weekend destination, Secunderabad's charm has waned over the years as they have fallen into disrepair. The residents are now speaking out about several issues that will influence their voting pattern in the upcoming Assembly elections.
Commuting is a big nightmare. A resident cites the example of horrendous traffic congestion on the route from Secunderabad to Gachibowli. They also lament that the traffic problems towards Begumpet, Panjagutta, Paradise and Rasoolpura have never been addressed.
“The roads leading to IT companies are either via Patny or Begumpet, otherwise we have to take the ORR. It's been 30 years since these roads and flyovers were built. The traffic has increased exponentially and a lot needs to be done to decongest the traffic," said Johnson Hatagle.
The residents yearn for an IT park and a zoo park to enhance the area's appeal so that the erstwhile glory could be salvaged.
"The ill-maintained parks make us travel longer distances looking for better ones to spend quality time with friends and family. The only big playground is in the Osmania University campus. There's no serene place where artists can hang out and meet their contemporaries," said Harita G., a resident.
Anitha Draksharam said that Lalapet, where she resides, has stench all over due to cattle sheds in the area.
"The promise of a hospital in Manikeshwarnagar is still to be honoured. We've never seen the MLA visit us and the deputy mayor Srilatha has done precious little to make it better for us. About 90 families in Sainagar still await the promised double bedroom flats. It has been such a long wait that some have even passed away," she said.
Infographics:
MLA
T. Padma Rao (2014, 2018)
Party: BRS
Main issues:
Lack of infra
Bad roads
Ill-maintained parks, lakes
In fray:
BRS: T. Padma Rao
INC: Adam Santosh Kumar
BJP: Mekala Sarangapani
Parties in the past:
Congress elected in 1952-67, 1989-94, 2009-2014
TRS since 2014
General category assembly seat
Voters:
2,37,955 registered electors
SC - 28,759 - 11 per cent
ST - 4,258 - 1.71 per cent
Male - 121223
Female - 116708
