Life as a pedestrian in Hyderabad

Life as a pedestrian in Hyderabad

Having lived as a pedestrian in Delhi, Bangalore, Madras, Baroda, and Lucknow, I consider myself to be adept at crossing the roads. However, Hyderabad has defeated me. The city does not believe that pedestrians exist. The vehicles are driven by maniacs who believe that they are driving their vehicle in Formula One. The net result is that there are no zebra crossings, no lights, no footpaths, and no one stops for those idiots who want to cross the road. I have been just barely surviving these past couple of days. Of necessity- to get photograph for temporary ID and for mailing recommendation letter for a student, I have been forced to walk on the road just outside CCMB. Yesterday, I ran across the road as a bus driver determined to mow me down in increased the speed as soon as he espied me. In fact, whenever the drivers see someone on the road they increase the speed. Having just returned back from Charlottesville where the drivers stop to let a pedestrian cross, it is taking me time to adjust back to the realities. In Delhi I usually can stop the traffic by holding up my hand but here in Hyderabad it does not work.

The roads are full of potholes. For a city that prides itself on being Cyberabad, the roads are just pitiful. Even Bangalore and Chennai have better roads than this. It would be helpful if the politicians instead of stoking the fires of Telangana paid attention to the basic civic amenities of the city.

I am again working on the bench and it is a moment to savour for I will not get many opportunities to do so. In my own lab no one likes to see me on the bench and it gets tedious when the students treat me with kid gloves, trying to do it themselves when all I want to know is where the enzymes are kept.