Telangana is in the news once again and by implication along with it Hyderabad. The latest stories doing the rounds suggest that the powers that be in New Delhi will by the month end take a call on whether to grant separate statehood for Telangana or to offer a financial package for the region. (Or not do anything at all).
Whatever be the decision, what will be the status of Hyderabad? This is the question that has been uppermost on the minds of the denizens of the city. And this is not without reason. The uncertainty of the last few years has taken a toll on the prospects of the city.
Records clearly point to a steep drop in investments flowing into hi-tech Hyderabad of late - once touted as the next big global IT destination. Large and small scale industries that until a couple of years ago were seen crowding commercial belts in the city have either shifted base to other states or cut their local operations down to a bare minimum. Real estate prices continue to remain at an all-time low with land parcels in and around Hyderabad now seen sporting a cheaper price tag than those even in the other districts of Andhra Pradesh. Worse, the education sector is in constant turmoil.
The `migrant’ population of Hyderabad, an integral part of its identity, is wary too. Whether they will continue to feel welcome in the land they have so fondly made home over the years, if and when a new state is carved out, is a fear that most seem to be living with.
So does Hyderabad require a special status? Should Hyderabad have a city government, irrespective of whether it is part of Andhra Pradesh or Telangana? Kindly post your views to editor@indiatell.org
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