Is Hyderabad prepared to house two state capitals?

It may be advisable for the future Telangana government also to focus on the underdeveloped towns and cities within the region, leaving Hyderabad to industry bodies to further its growth. This way, it will enhance the real estate value in the region and provide equitable development in the state.

Hyderabad: Now that the bifurcation is just a formality and constitutional requirement, unfortunately, people living in Hyderabad - either Seemandhra or Telangana or other parts of the country – are inching towards catastrophe. Once both the state capitals – Telangana, Seemandhra – starts functioning at full pace, it will weigh on the social infrastructure, which is today considered as insufficient.

According to an IT professional, who is not willing to be identified, says: “As it is there is lot of pressure on the infrastructure with the world majors opening their shops here, with the two capitals function at one place will raise the floating population by three to four times, and the infrastructure cannot withstand to that pressure.”

He feels, the failure of the system like power, water, transport etc, will push the industry - manufacturing and services – to a corner. That may be the reason, despite vibrant the city, Hyderabad is not able to attract fresh investments or projects for the last two or three years, he opined.

He is true. The officials are going on trumpeting the past glory of the city and not even bother to evaluate the infrastructure requirements once the population balloons. As it is, we are not able to provide water every day to all the citizen of the city and travel is playing havoc.

Agreeing to the argument, the urban development experts say it will be immense pressure on the city infrastructure as a joint capital of the two states. Although, it was already experimented in Chandigarh, but it is a city planned and developed in modern times. On the other hand, Hyderabad, the old city was planned over 400 years ago but later the development was scattering to periphery as per the needs, unplanned.

Officials say, the joint capital will certainly cause immense stress on the urban infrastructure that is insufficient as on date.

While Hyderabad will continue to grow, as an established metro, the proposed new capital for Seemandrha will further spread the urbanisation and development, which may cause more migration to the city in search of greener pastures, not only from Andhra region but also from neighbouring states.

The only hope in this scenario will be metro rail connectivity; hopefully as the officials think, it will change the economic activities of the city. Of course, the industry bodies are confident, may be by voice, that the brand Hyderabad will not erase after bifurcation, of course with a rider, that it all depend upon the industrial policy the new government will offer.

Incentives such as power supply, good taxation structure and other attractions in the policy will play crucial role in furthering the industrial activity in around Hyderabad.

It is immaterial to consider the period of joint capital status to Hyderabad, as residual Andhra Pradesh will focus on their cities leaving their capital city. It may be advisable for the future Telangana government also to focus on the underdeveloped towns and cities within the region, leaving Hyderabad to industry bodies to further its growth. This way, it will enhance the real estate value in the region and provide equitable development in the state.