The Insane Gridlock of Hyderabad
Fri, May 16, 2008
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Image via Skasuga
The sprawling metropolis you see in these pictures is Hyderabad, the capital city of the Indian State Andhra Pradesh. Known for its rich history, culture and architecture, the city accommodates a population of over 10 million. It’s no wonder then that Hyderabad suffers from such incredible congestion.
The main way to travel there is on a yellow rickshaw, which believe me, is one of the most frightening and exciting experiences you’ll ever have. For very little money indeed, you can have several near-death experiences, whilst watching all the hubbub, smells, sounds and colours of the street. I mean just look at the traffic situation in this video below. It is incredible:
Want to know what it’s like at ground level? Well, this is how it looks on a motor bike:
So what’s the solution to this frightening congestion gridlock?
To ease transport in the city, the local government has ordered the creation of various flyovers and ring roads around and across the city. But one has to wonder, with a growing population, can the city bear the strain?
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May 16th, 2008 at 4:16 pm
I have seen the first video a few times on the internet and always wondered what is so special…it is always like this in India, in every city, everyday. There is a completely different way of approaching driving in India. In the west this seems so crazy, but there is a hidden order to things that is invisible to the eyes of the west, everyone there is used to it. Keep in mind the right of way there is given to the largest vehicle, no matter what. To me the amazing thing is that it all works. Everyday in India, enormous cities somehow operate and function, where millions of people have almost nothing. An infrastructure some how exists in the poorest of slums. And each day these people find a way to survive. If you want a real story look atthe size of the Mumbai (Bombay) slums. They extend for 80-100km from the heart of the city. The official population of Mumbai is ~20 million, the real population is more like ~120 million. It is amazing to see how people have adapted!
May 19th, 2008 at 8:47 am
Several People have written on this matter but the government- particularly the bureaucrats- is not bothered. They are bothered in a way but it is notbacked up by wilful action. The only thing is keep putting up these blogs to the point where some of the investors baulk at the mention of Hyderabad (because their employees won’t go there), then the govt might act. In India, only precipitation of crisis results in action.
But then, most of the NRIs and the multinationals are in the Hitec city with relativel priveleged existence in relatively serene surroundings, and their offices are easily accessible. So, the expat syndrome comes in, and they could be least bothered about the average Hyderabadi getting to work or trying to get to work. Nowadays, no one within the city is exempt- be it Jubilee/ banjara or be it the old city or chikkadpally. Only YSR is exempt with his entourage (okay, not just YSR, anyone in his place) when they shamelessly block the already congested traffic to clear the way for the minister on his way to do something monumentally insignificant and inconsequential.
May 19th, 2008 at 8:53 am
Re the earlier comment by Pedro, with no prejudice to the commentator, it is this kind of thinking- that it is amazing to watch these vehicles run some kind of grandtheft auto indian version everyday- that has kept us and will keep us where we are. The growth that has come to the country has not come with any improvement in quality of life. It is perhaps unrealistic to expect radical improvements but if it had not deteriorated so much, even with the status quo of QL about 15 or 20 years ago, I would not be complaining.
It is amazing indeed, only from a sociological point of view but I do not think people want to be (or see themselves as willing subjects)the life time subject of a perpetual socilogical study on conventions, symbols and the vehicular culture of an old Nizam city. You should talk to people on the ground instead of making these grandiose abstruse claims and see how much they hate their daily existence. There are people nowadays saying they do not want to just go out.
July 1st, 2008 at 3:50 am
much like in my town in Jakarta, Indonesia. It seems all of the motor riders and cars congested on poorly made roads and poor traffic management.
The solutions is also interestingly same, creating underpasses, flyovers, and ring roads.