Of late, one can notice rumble strips on almost all main roads. The idea is to ‘improve’ the safety of commuters. However, in sharp contrast to the intention of GHMC, the citizens of Hyderabad unanimously feel rumble strips are a nuisance and a huge headache.Unlike speed-breakers, these strips are painful to navigate, and they feel they are a total waste of effort by GHMC. In an effort to put in place ‘traffic calming measures’ following requests from traffic police, the GHMC has laid over 1400 rumble strips within the limits of three police commissionerates. And the story does not end here. GHMC says they will lay more rumble strips in a phased manner if they are requested to do so.Rumble strips are a series of raised strips across a road. A vehicle goes without saying, rumbles over these strips alerting the vehicle drivers of potential danger. Many complain that the civic body’s laying of rumble strips on the city’s arterial roads is a flagrant violation of the norms specified by the Indian Road Congress (IRC).While some say signages need to be put up, others say that they should be put only on the sides of roads to warn motorists if they are leaving the lane. However, in Hyderabad city, rumble strips have become a headache for the drivers as many complain of the rattling of the spine and having no purpose.

Rumble Strips Are a Nuisance, Say Hyderabad Citizens

When you say heera... and leave it at that, then someone will surely complete it with the word panna. Panna is the emerald and a stone loved by jewelry collectors and connoisseurs in the city of pearls. Emeralds beautifully offset diamonds, and it’s a rather ethereal combination that always works.Well, as far as the history of Hyderabad goes, emeralds have been a favorite with the Nizams, who loved to mix and match their precious stones with a ‘panna’ or emerald. If one traces the history, many say emeralds came into reckoning during the time of Alexander the Great and came into the collection of the Nizams in the 1800s.The Nizams so loved emeralds that they had their personal jewelers pick pieces that had a sizeable emerald in them. One family that migrated to Hyderabad many years ago and has been personal jewelers to the Nizams happens to be Kishandas &amp; Co. Their business dates back 150 years.Though they always shied away from publicity and any kind of advertising, they have just recently launched their latest, uber chic collection for the new generation of jewelry lovers. And goes without saying, the pieces are a combination of emeralds and diamonds.“Hyderabad is considered to be the mecca of emeralds. That’s why we named our collection Emerald Gaze,” says Pratiksha Prashant, creative director of Kishandas &amp; Co. Today, they source their gems from Columbia, Zambia, and their rubies from Africa and Mozambique. Though an architect, Pratiksha took an interest in the family business and is a pro today.She says her family has adapted to changing times and is now present on social media and thoroughly understands the importance of going digital. She adds that they are prepping their next generation to be savvy, both in terms of jewels and their business, as the world has shrunk and customers have become more aware.

Emeralds Shine Bright in ‘Panna Mecca,’ Hyderabad

Once upon a time, office timings were set, and people would spend their time indulging in sports or hobbies. But today, the Gen Z has to race against time to meet deadlines that seem to be never ending. They have to study, work, and handle social life, and all this leaves them tired and unmotivated to spare time for anything else.Sedentary lifestyles, irregular food habits, lack of sleep, exercise, and sporting activity have made all Jacks and Jills dull people. To change this and to inculcate a healthy sporting ecosystem in the city, life’s a Pitch is organizing sporting events for the corporates.LLP is a recreational, cultural, and sports management company that has been organizing sports events such as cricket tourneys, cyclothons, and marathons, among others. Devideen Nilesh Kumar Yadav is the founder-director of life’s a Pitch, and he says that the pandemic has made people realize the importance of sports and keeping ourselves healthy.He says the objective of his firm is to encourage people to spend at least one hour a day for sporting activities or exercise. Being a baseball player himself, Yadav says corporates are into organizing marathons, running events, and cycling events these days to ensure their employees get time to relax through the sport. He says there are about 10,000 cyclists in the city, and he wants to increase the number on par with Delhi and Mumbai.LLP is planning to organize a Himalayan Cycling Expedition from Manali to Leh this August and a community cricket league.

Life’s a Pitch Helps Corporate Employees Unwind Through Sports

A Hyderabad-based start-up, Hindustan UAV Systems, has claimed that its rotary-wing unmanned aerial vehicles (UAV) can fly in most hostile environments. Ramdas M Kumbala, 42, founder of Hindustan UAV Systems, says that his UAVs can fly over the Himalayas at the height of 18,000 feet above sea level for surveillance and combat needs.Incidentally, Hindustan UAV Systems has been working on developing UAVs since 2015, and Ramdas says three of his designs are apt for the Indian forces facing threats from enemies at the highest altitudes along the Line of Control (LoC) and Line of Actual Control (LoAC).Kumbala recently displayed two of his prototypes at an event organized by the Military College of Electronics and Mechanical Engineering (MCEME) in Secunderabad. His prototypes look like miniature versions of a helicopter and, according to Ramdas, have multiple use cases depending on the applications.Ramdas shares, “My latest rotary-winged UAV can take off from any hostile terrain and fly carrying a payload of 60kg at over 18,000 feet regardless of the gusting winds and snow for 6 hours. The CXs-250 can be used for day or night operations. If the government funds, I can convert my design into a prototype ready for a flight test in 9 months.”His first product, CN-50, can fly for 2 hours straight, covering 50 km with a payload of 10 kg at 9000 ft. Barring the engine procured from Europe, the entire model was developed indigenously in India. They are in test readiness level 9, and lab tests on the rig are currently going on. Ramdas says it can carry a 4 km range missile on it.His second model on display, CX-80, uses a coaxial rotary wing (one rotor on top of another on a single axis and rotating them in opposite directions). This one can take a payload of 20 kg and fly for 4 hours at 16,400 feet above sea level. The drones can also operate at GPS-denied locations, working on inertial navigation systems. The drone also has a floatation system for 3 hours and a deck finder for landing. These apart, it has a camera with 15 km long vision.Titled ‘Encouraging Defence Start-ups Towards Development of Military-Industrial Complex (MIC) in Telangana State,’ the event was organized by MCEME in collaboration with the Administrative Staff College of India (ASCI). The Indian Army will be collaborating with the Telangana state government to encourage more defense start-ups at the innovation ecosystem enabler, T-Hub. Well, the officers at the event reiterated that the iron curtains were drawn, and all it takes is an email or WhatsApp message to reach out to them.

Hindustan UAV Systems Makes High Altitude Combat UAVs

Well, it is the new norm, and it is right here at your doorstep. Techies or software professionals from the city can now book their office seats in advance. Likewise, booking a workstation in advance in case an employee decides to work from the office is now a reality that one cannot avoid.Now that the hybrid working model has taken over the IT sector, many companies are looking at different mechanisms to safely accommodate employees whenever they plan to attend the office. The most popular among these is the ‘book your seat’ concept. However, the companies, too, are in a dilemma as to how to go about the process. As of now, they have realized that it is impossible to fit all the employees in one go like in the past.For starters, they have to ensure that physical distancing is maintained and count how many employees are present in the office on a given day. So, they have adopted the ‘book your workstation’ concept. This not only makes the office space a safer zone but also helps provide enough space and makes the office employee-friendly.So, the companies have now come up with an internally developed software application that makes it easier for employees to book their seats in advance to ensure physical distancing. This will also help keep a count of the employees attending the office at any given point in time. In addition, the seat booking tool helps the employees and the company plan their schedule, says Krishna Yedula, secretary, Society for Cyberabad Security Council (SCSC).One can pre-book a seat for a day or for a few days with the tool. It is quite useful if the employees want their laptops upgraded or install software at the office.

Pre-booking Workstations in Offices Made Easy

Investing in property has become a prime priority for many employed these days. With companies hiking the salaries of many and others taking home a good pay cheque, they are no longer interested in wasting money or whiling their time till they get married or have children. Many want to own their dream home now!Hyderabad’s realty market has been robust, and the share of under construction properties is high. Yet, the first-time buyers in the age group of 25 to 30 are looking at fully finished houses to put in their monies. Many youngsters feel buying a property in under construction building is not worth one’s time. They rue that they will have to wait for the property to be complete and then get the interiors done.On the other hand, completed properties come with all fittings and settings, and the younger lot just move in with their furniture and luggage. It’s convenient and just what the young employees want. They are also clear that they don’t want to invest in old properties.Low cost of maintenance, immediate possession of the house, and the house being fully equipped with the latest facilities as developers are providing smart fittings – are the major draws for first-time buyers. In fact, Hyderabad has gone ahead of Bengaluru, Chennai, Delhi-NCR, and Mumbai in terms of first-time property buyers.A recent report by Anarock shows that unsold inventory in Hyderabad has shifted from 53 months a year ago to 27 months in the first quarter of 2022. About 13,140 were sold in Q1 of 2022, registering the highest sales growth of 199 percent among all top seven cities when compared to the corresponding period in 2021.

Ready-to-Move in Properties in Great Demand in City

Most top businesses have a rag to riches story. Well, at least, mostly. And Pista House, which has become synonymous with haleem not just in Hyderabad but the world over, is one such story. The family was into a textile business that went bust with the entry of traders from other states. That’s when they decided to try their luck in the food business, which is evergreen. So that’s how Mohammed Abdul Majeed set up Pista House.It was started in Shalibanda in 1997, and its first dish was haleem, which was considered a Saudi Arabian dish then. Once they introduced it, they experimented with the taste for a good two years. They took feedback from the elderly to children before coming up with the final recipe. And voila, it was a huge hit and validated their grit and determination.Similarly, they experimented with various dishes on their menu. Majeed gives late prime minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee credit for making Pista House haleem world-famous. The late prime minister facilitated the haleem to be exported to various countries through the postal department. Around that time, they also realized someone was using their brand name in New Delhi and immediately sought a geographical identity (GI).Now Majeed intends to open 100 branches in Hyderabad and 1000 branches across India, along with his sons Mohd Abdul Mohsi and Mohd Mohddis Ali. Majeed says his cuisine is for all of Hyderabad, irrespective of one community.But it was no cakewalk for Majeed, as mentioned earlier. COVID time was equally critical as the crash of their textile business. His son got affected, and so did many of his employees. But Majeed, as always, did not let go of hope and did a lot of charity during the time. He recalls a time when his daughter was very ill, and all he could do was give her a tablet as he could not afford a hospital. However, God has been kind to him, and the Duas of his well-wishers worked, and he is back on track and waiting to take on the world.Majeed says his outlets in the US and Canada will put his establishment on the world map. They recently added two new items – Zafrani chai and fried chicken – which have become huge hits with the customers. Now, it’s about finding our way ‘through the world,’ concludes Majeed.

Pista House All Set To Go Global

Hyderabad Metropolitan Water Supply and Sewerage Board (HMWS &amp; SB) has started using Sequencing Batch Reactor (SBR) technology to treat sewage at its sewerage treatment plants (STPs). The technology is considered to be the best when it comes to the treatment of industrial and municipal waste.One of the primary reasons for this adoption is that it requires less space when compared to the Moving Bed Bio Reactor (MBBR) technology that is used in existing STPs. Also, the maintenance cost of SBR is lower.The 14 million liters per day (MLD) STP at Fox Sagar, 5 MLD STP at Vennela Gadda, 28 MLD STP at Pariki Cheruvu, and 14 MLD at Shivalaya Nagar in GHMC Qutbullapur circle and 41.5 MLD STP at Miralam are some examples of STPs equipped with SBR technology.The state aims at treating 100 percent of sewage generated in the city, and construction of STPs is being undertaken in different parts of the city. The STPs stop the flow of sewage into catchment areas and discharge wastewater into lakes and other water bodies. It also takes care of environmental aspects.The wastewater is treated using aeration and biological floc followed by a series of steps, and hence the water can be used to maintain greenery, washing vehicles, and construction activities, etc. Incidentally, Telangana state is way ahead of other states when it comes to sewage management.

City Adopts Smart Tech for Sewage Treatment

Two birds at one shot. You could have the ‘regular’ grilled chicken or the Nitro grill chicken. Whatever is your flavor, you can have the best of both in Hyderabad. Nitro Grill is a cloud kitchen in Begumpet started by Imran Izzathullah after his friends and family were impressed with his grilled chicken. But he is pretty clear that he will never share the recipe of his homemade sauce that he smears all over his grilled chicken.Once-upon-a-time national-level shooter, Imran is pretty happy in the F&amp;B industry. He has two grills and operates with a support staff of four. He says the quality of his chicken and the sauce in which he soaks them for 3-4 hours makes all the difference. But it was not a one-day preparation for Imran. Instead, he experimented quite a bit before coming up with the final ‘Nitro’ sauce. Though he is reluctant to share the recipe, Imran says one of the ingredients is onion.One can get two sizes of chicken portions and can further add Nitro dip or Nitro cheesy dip to their order. There are wings, too; one can couple them with saffron rice or fries. One dessert option is chocolate mousse, again a homemade special, which is his mother’s recipe loved by his friends and family.Then there is another grill place called Grill’d Chook with Australian-style names like the Bushranger fried chicken, You Beauty fried chicken, and Champ fried chicken. Grill options are named according to portion sizes, such as FairGoMate, Captain Chook, Bloke’s, and Sheila’s Pack. This is run by Raffy Shaik, who lived and worked in the F&amp;B industry for over a decade, where he learned to make the perfect fried and grilled chicken.He grills the bird in the rotisserie for an hour and allows it to baste for a few extra minutes inside the oven. Then he brushes it with either mayonnaise or perinaise and cuts the meat into thin layers. He says that grilled chicken cannot be coated with thick batter to the extent that they miss out on the taste of the chicken.On the other hand, his full grilled bird is much juicier and not at all chewy and is flavorsome with a dash of thyme and garlic. You can order from both the places through Swiggy and Zomato.

Relish The Best Grilled Chicken in City

Traveling to most Hyderabadis meant packing their bags and going to well-known holiday destinations. Though this has been the norm for many years, for the past few years, Hyderabadis have become real adventurous and are picking little-known nooks to have a memorable holiday.With COVID restrictions restricting many from traveling abroad, many travel lovers from the city have boldly gone ahead and discovered places that they can go to chill, just kilometers away from Hyderabad. One such person happens to be Usha Datta, who is a travel blogger. She says one can enjoy eventful and exciting holidays with family and friends without having to make elaborate travel plans.Well, she has some suggestions from her top list. She adds that there are beautiful places around the borders of Telangana and Andhra Pradesh. Also, the travelers can have a pick of home stays, farm stays, and luxury tent stay in the midst of greenery with ample parking spaces. The guests also get to indulge in planned activities such as nature walks, hiking, etc.Alisagar in Nizamabad has an Alisagar water body, and one can stay at Haritha Hotel there. Then there is Orvakal, Kurnool district, which also has a Haritha resort and is known for Orvakal Rock Garden. Then there are Vontimatta, Mahanandi, Ahobilam and Srisailam. One can also add Tirumala Hills to this temple tour. However, one must include Jabali and Srivari Padalu (the ascent and viewpoints are mesmerizing).And just 50 km from Hyderabad is Mouna Yoga Farm. Then there is a farm stay in Vargal, Siddipet, where you can experience glamping – a luxury tent stay including food, adventure activities, hiking, and camping.

Travel in Style With These Weekend Trips Around Hyderabad

On Monday, a leading brand in South India in TMT bars, Radha Smelters, launched the first of its kind 550 D Ladle Refining Furnace( LRF) Thermo Mechanically Treated (TMT) Bars produced through the LRF route.The product was launched by popular Telugu actor and the company's brand ambassador Rana Daggubati, along with the company's leadership at an event held at HICC.According to Sunil Saraf, company chairman, the new range bars are considered ideal for critical high-rise buildings and infrastructure projects. There are several grades in steel bars. 550 D is one of the most superior grade steel bars with high elasticity and has been introduced for the first time in Telangana.Saraf said that it is a special grade bar that only a few companies in the country are able to manufacture. This grade is used in high rises and for dams, bridges, ports, flyovers, wind turbine foundations, and other structures that need a high load-bearing capacity.Radha Smelters also has plans of expansion of its capacity at its Chinna Shankarmpet unit in Telangana's Medak district. In the financial year 2022-23, the company aims to achieve Rs 1500 crores.