HYDERABAD: Even before the first rays of the sun begin to brighten the twilight sky, Kundanbagh is wide awake with walkers and joggers vigorously performing their exercise regimen. The GHMC park in the peaceful locale, a hub of senior IPS and IAS officers, is a meeting point for all.
Soon, the same locality is abuzz with school children by 7 am given that a school operates beside the said park. At the same time, a nearby breakfast vendor is already catering to office goers and students of the nearby St Francis College for Women.
Having fallen into a routine over the years that just about manages to accommodate students, residents and working professionals without stepping on each others toes, it was natural for everyone in the area to discuss the impending move of K Chandrasekhar Rao.
Chief Minister-elect and supremo of the Telangana Rashtra Samithi, Rao has decided to use two adjacent bungalows that are meters away from the park, as his political headquarters instead of the CM’s camp office located at Somajiguda. Which meant the topic of discussion all through Thursday was, ‘The Chief Minister of Telangana is shifting here!’
While the news initially led to mixed feelings among the residents of the locality, the aftermath of it was mostly concern, especially with regard to traffic issues. Nevertheless, people in the area have opted to wait and watch.
The park serves as a common point between Umanagar, Methodist colony, Hussain nagar and BS Maqta.
About 1,600 children between LKG and Class 12 study at the Chinmaya Vidyalaya school in Kundanbagh. As early as 7:45 am every day, about 250 autorickshaws, 70 odd cars and a few private vans visit the locality to drop off these children. While one batch of children leave in the afternoon, the rest leave by 3:15 pm.
On any day, all these vehicles can be seen waiting on the road and around the park by afternoon. Now, with the CM staying just a few meters away, school authorities will have to make alternate arrangements. “As of now, we don’t have any instructions. We will follow whatever we are asked to,” said a senior official at Chinmaya Vidyalaya, who wished to remain anonymous.
At the nearby St Francis College, which houses about 3,000 students and 300 faculty members, reports of the CM’s impending move was welcomed.
Principal Sr Alphonsa Vattoly said, “I am happy for we will have better security and other perks of being in a high profile area. Ours being a girls college, first priority is safety of our girls.”
However, she pointed out that the traffic management could be a headache. “Traffic any day is a concern. Even when the CM was living in his old camp office, we had our share of problems. But on the whole, it is more positive than negative,” she asserted.
A shopkeeper on the main road, fearing his business would be affected, lamented, “Now, vehicles will not be allowed to stop and most probably there would be restriction in movement too.” He further asked, “It is right now a peaceful residential locality. But will it remain one?” Capt Manohar Sharma, president of Umanagar Residents Welfare Association, also added, “We’ll have to see once he shifts here. Traffic movement and congestion will be there but it would depend on whether he is going to be here all the time.”
A resident of Hussain Nagar which falls behind Kundanbagh, M Rajesh also wondered about the change saying, “I come home rather late at night after work. Now, I do not want security men stopping me or frisking me late in the night everyday nor do I want to miss my morning exercise at the park.”
All in all, people in the area are rather cautiously waiting for the change in routine, and hope for the best.
