The check dam on Balkapur Nala has been a nightmare for the inhabitants around the area ever since rains have been flooding the city. The downpours impact nearly 10,000 families in Tolichowki, Nadeem Nagar, Nizam Colony, and Al Hasnath Colony.An amicable solution has been reached between Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation (GHMC) and the Local Military Authority (LMA) for the removal of the check dam as the Nala flows through some military areas.Following talks with MA&amp;UD minister KT Rama Rao and army officials, including General Officer Commanding (GOC) of the Dakshin Bharat Area, Lt Gen A Arun, the LMA has decided to cooperate with the state government for the removal of the check dam.While the military officials inspected the Nala flowing through their area, the GHMC has written a letter to the GOC, seeking formal permission for the removal of the check dam and to construct an Interception and Diversion (I&amp;D) structure and 1000 mn dia RCC NP3 sewerage pipeline from Balkapur Nala check dam in Military premises to Military outlet at Syed Nagar Ek Minar Masjid (Chainage: 2760 meters to 4470 mm).The works will be taken up with GHMC funds. With the I&amp;D structure, the sewerage flow will pass through the pipeline proposed to be laid within the existing Nala (below the bed level), and during rains, this pipeline will be closed by operating sluice gates and all water will flow through the Balkapur Nala. This will give relief to all areas that have been inundated during the rainy season.The Balkapur Nala starts at Malkam Cheruvu and passes through Kotha Cheruvu at Virat Nagar, Hakeempet, Military area (Mehdipatnam Garrison), Ahmed Nagar, Pension office, and Chintal Basti and joins Hussainsagar Lake.

Woes of 10,000 Families Near Balkapur Nala to End

The realty scene in Hyderabad is robust and positive. There are a lot of media stories around it. However, the stability and success of the real estate sector are usually gauged by the fact of how much of the demand and/ or sale is for self-use and not if a property is being purchased for investment purposes.Given this scenario, the price range of Rs 25 lakh to Rs 50 lakh segment plays a pivotal role in determining the continuity of the real estate market of a particular city. Particularly in Hyderabad, where the prices are lower than in other metros, more than half of the residential sales happen in the range of Rs 25 lakh and Rs 50 lakh. According to a report by Knight Frank Research, this percentage has seen a jump of almost 20 percent in the last year, which is again based on the information from the Telangana Registration and Stamps Department.Real estate experts feel this increase is due to an increase in disposable incomes and also the need for homes from genuine buyers. As of now, most sales in Hyderabad are towards the higher end of the Rs 25 to 50 lakh segment. Of course, there are 2BHK properties that are being sold for Rs 70 to Rs 80 lakh. Going forward, they feel most sales will be happening between the Rs 50 to Rs 80 lakh segment.JLL India Hyderabad MD Sandip Patnaik feels this can be attributed to salary hikes and a ‘talent war.’ For the first time in 20 years, IT companies are vying to retain talent, and they are paying huge salaries to retain the ones they already have. This has led to a salary hike of almost 50 percent to 300 percent. In the past year, the disposable incomes of people have gone up, and they are investing in realty. Though the beginning of the year was a FOMO situation for realtors, there have been extensive launches, and this, in turn, has given many options for buyers leading to stability in the market.&nbsp;

Demand for Properties Between Rs 25 to Rs 50 Lakh High

Idli, the one food item that one can find in all south Indian homes, has come a long way. Of course, no south India can imagine a breakfast without either Idli or dosa. While dosa has had many variations recently, Idli was mostly enjoyed with podi, sambar, and peanut chutney.But times are changing, food habits are changing, and the demographic composition of Hyderabad is changing. So, the ubiquitous Idli is now being sold in quite a few variations. And one must thank the bandi-walas for doing the needful.If one goes to established south Indian eateries, at least 9 out of 10 people order Idli before moving on to other items. Well, that shows how intertwined Idli is in the hearts of south Indians. Today, one can find various types of Idli at food stalls and bandi-walas. These include pepper idli, tawa idli, butter idli, ghee idli, podi idli, cheese idli, rasam idli, tawa masala idli, and fried Idli.... Then there are fancier items such as Chinese Idli, Kanchipuram idli, moong dal idli, idli upma, among others.The bandiwalas say while the older lot still prefer the simple, good old Idli with peanut chutney and sambar, the younger lot opt for fancier variations. The most popular is fried Idli with podi, onions, and chilies.Soon, the bandiwalas say they intend to introduce millet idlis and corn idlis, both of which are good for sugar patients. Indeed, Idli has come a long way!

Tantalizing Your Taste Buds With City Idlis

As a child, she dreamt of being a beauty queen. However, she was equally interested in biology and wanted to become a doctor. Many would give up one for the other. But Sailikhita decided to have the best of both worlds, and she did it.Today she is a medal-winning doctor who is also a beauty queen and an avid traveler. She says balancing the two was not an easy task. To be a doctor, one needs to put in hours of study, and that was when Sailikhita was doubtful of pursuing her career as a model. But she was not one to give up.She decided to complete her medicine, and she started posting her pictures on Instagram. Much to her surprise, she started getting a good response and also many commercial offers. That’s when she took her role as a model seriously.Sailikhita completed her MBBS in first class from Mediciti Institute of Medical Sciences, Medchal, Telangana, and has been an active beauty pageant winner. Soon, she will be contesting for the Miss India crown. She says all those interested in entering the glamour world must make use of Instagram and ready themselves for big breaks.She has just come back from a trip to Meghalaya and says she wants to become an actress one day. And even if she cannot, she says she will continue with her dual professions.

Medal Winning Doc, Beauty Pageant Winner, Now Films

Traffic police are going to use WhatsApp to send challans faster to traffic violators. There are about 80 lakh motorists in Greater Hyderabad. Data of such vehicles are being collected from the RTA department. Violation information will be sent to WhatsApp users.The traffic e-challan section is doing the necessary background work. It is planned to be implemented across the state after a pilot project in Hyderabad. Traffic violations are recorded in different ways. Challans are issued by digital cameras, ITMS, Speed Guns, and Traffic Command and Control Center (TCCC) after detecting traffic violations.Challans issued by ITMS, Speed Guns, and TCCC are immediately uploaded to the server. If recorded on digital cameras it will be uploaded to the server that evening. Once logged into the server, the photo of the generated challan will be sent to the Whatsapp of the violator if he has one. Until now, SMSes are being sent but these days people have stopped checking their messages. And so, the authorities believe sending challans to Whatsapp is a better way.

Traffic Challans On Whatsapp Very Soon!

Changes and additions will be made to the Metro Phase II routes. The Delhi Metrorail, which has already studied several routes for the second phase, has submitted the DPR to the government. However, the project was delayed due to the corona. During this time, many flyovers, underpasses, and link roads have become available.In this context, it is inevitable that fresh changes and additions to the proposed routes - BHEL Lingampally to Lakdikapul, Nagole to LB Nagar, Raidurgam to Airport, and Miyapur to BHEL. The BHEL-Patancheru area is the most crucial in Greater Hyderabad. The construction of a metro over this area will benefit millions of people daily. Proposals have been prepared to construct a metro line from BHEL to Miyapur and Kondapur via Gachibowli, Shaikpet, Tolichowki, Mehedipatnam, and Lakdikapul in the second phase.However, in the last two years, several flyovers were constructed from Miyapur to Kondapur, Gachibowli, Raidurgam, Shaikpet, and Tolichowki. With this, all these will come in the way of the proposed metro line. Under these circumstances, it was necessary to collect a large amount of land to build pillars for the metro route. Metro officials also said that changes would have to be made to the second phase of the BHEL-Lakdikapul route. No decision has been taken yet since metro pillars would have to be built at higher elevations where the flyovers are present.

Changes To Metro Second Phase DPR?

The JAC of Telangana Auto, Cab, and Lorry Associations has announced that a one-day bandh of the autos, cabs, and lorries will be held on the 19th of this month to protest against the imposition of road safety law by the central government and the imposition of a fine of Rs 50 per day for delay in fitness certification.&nbsp;To this end, a wall poster related to the bandh was unveiled at the NSS in Hyderabad on Monday. Later, JAC state leaders R Mallesh (AITUC), V Maraya (TRSKV), Mohammad Amanullah Khan (TADJAC), Kiran (IFTU), Srikanth (CITU), A Sathireddy (Transport JAC) spoke. The meeting was attended by JAC leaders Srinivas, Mallesh, Salahuddin, and others.They have asked a large number of workers to participate in the bandh and called to make it a success. The JAC leaders handed over Bandh notice to the Shadnagar motor Vehicle inspector on Monday at Shadnagar. "If we take out the vehicle, cops ask us to pay up the entire pending amount since the time of the pandemic, along with a daily penalty of Rs 50 which is now running in thousands. We will agitate till this draconian act goes," they said.

One Day Bandh Of Autos, Cabs, And Lorries On 19th 

Once barren and barely known, today, Gachibowli is a much sought-after residential area. The place has two big IT companies in its vicinity and is a hub of high street food and high-end fashion malls. Thanks to its central location in the city, the property prices are premium here, and they seem to be showing a positive upward curve.The place also has five-star hotels and hospitals, which can be approached from premium apartment complexes. Today, any residential property in Gachibowli comes up to Rs 1 crore, and if you are looking for a spacious apartment or villa, you will have to shell out more. Today, the properties here are rated as premium properties.The situation is the same in areas like Gachibowli, Kondapur, Madhapur, and others, according to G Ram Reddy, national VP, CREDAI. The economic drivers will support the price quoted by the builders. However, till now, Miyapur, Chandanagar, Ameenpur, Miyapur, and BHEL quadrants do not have any economic drivers, keeping the real estate prices very moderate in these areas. So those in realty feel that those who cannot afford Gachibowli can now move into such areas. They point out that Manikonda has seen a three-fold increase in the past ten years.Then there is Chandanagar which is budget-friendly, and Kollur which is 25 minutes away from Gachibowli. A little further away is Velmala, which is also seeing a good supply of budget-friendly spaces. So, now many builders are looking at Chandnagar, Miyapur, Ameenpur, and BHEL quadrant to develop properties. Incidentally, Bachupally happens to be another area where people are slowly constructing small segment villas in Rs 75 lakh and Rs 1 crore.

Gachibowli, the Uncrowned Western Zone of Hyderabad

Bored of club-hopping in Jubilee Hills and Gachibowli? Then it’s time you check out a few places in Sainkipuri in our twin city Secunderabad. Post pandemic, the place is simply buzzing with activity as many enterprising entrepreneurs have opened interesting bistros or coffee shops.Right from décor to overall ambiance to food, the cafes are a hit with people from both Hyderabad and Secunderabad. In fact, it’s the latest fad for people from Hyderabad to drive into Sainikpuri to check out the cool coffee shops.Also, almost all the cafes are Instagrammable and don’t cost much, making them an ideal place to hang-out with friends on lazy summer afternoons or to distress following a long day at work. One such bistro happens to be F3 café &amp; bistro. They have the best food and mocktails, and their bestsellers include classic cold coffee, hot sizzling brownie, chicken Bolognese, Kung pao chicken, Mexican baby potatoes, BBQ Chicken wings, loose fried prawns, etc. Their watermelon punch and mango slush are totally worth their price. An adda for many youngsters, they play pleasant music in the background.Then there is Flamingo Café Le Estamine which has wonderful tempura fried prawns and has three seating areas – one is indoors, one is outdoors, and another is on the terrace. The outdoor area has a swing to chill and click pictures.Big Owl Café is for those who love to watch IPL matches on a big screen. One can play board games and football while gulping gol gappas and mojitos. Then there is Concu which recently opened shop in Sainikpuri. It is known for its desserts, but it also has an interesting menu filled with sandwiches, salads, bagels, burgers, pizzas, coffee, luxurious tea, milkshakes, and sodas.W-Café by Wich Way is a great spot to have an awesome breakfast, and they have a good collection of munchies on the menu. They have interesting seating that is lower than ground level.Then you could check out The Coffee Cup, which has grills, bakes, and exotic beverages. The book corner is another draw for people. Pink, pink, pink… is the theme of La Vie En Rose, and as the name goes, it is filled with everything pink, from the décor to the food.Groove 9 is another place to chill, especially with twinkle lights making it an ideal place to hang-out.

This Summer, Go Coffee-shop Hopping in Sainikpuri

Hyderabad has become a most sought-after destination for investments, both from within the country and outside the country. This is due to various parameters, including excellent law and order situation, women’s safety, ease of doing business, fast clearances, and good nightlife.However, the recent incident where the police raided a pub in the city where drugs were being supplied has sent ripples within the stakeholders. Neither the state government nor the police want the image of Hyderabad to be tarnished by such incidents. Further, there are several complaints from people with regards to sound pollution, parking issues and misbehavior by drunk people while leaving the pubs and bars.The commissioner of Hyderabad police, CV Anand, held a meeting with the owners of pubs, clubs, restaurants, bars, and drive-in restaurants to address such issues. “We expect you to run business responsibly and uphold the reputation of the city and state, which is getting compromised by just a few who violate set norms for petty gains. Please decrease inconvenience to residents,” Anand told the gathering.He also instructed them not to allow underage persons and restrict sound levels. The management was also asked to put up surveillance cameras with 30 days of backup and to have a dedicated monitoring team. The CP further asked them to soundproof premises, engage valet drivers, frisk staff and customers, etc.They were also told that all food orders must be stopped by 11 pm and the establishments need to be closed by 12 am, with the exception of Fridays and Saturdays, where an extra one hour was granted. CV Anand also said it would be best if the management dimmed the lights 10 minutes prior to closing time, which was common in developed countries. While the star hotels could serve liquor through the day as they mostly have international delegates, he said the rule was not applicable to the general public.

Hyderabad CP Strict Instructions to Those in F&B Industry

The ‘hijab’ row is raging in neighboring states, and one cannot help but realize that Hyderabad has turned into a mini-market for burqas. Incidentally, the city happens to be a major hub for the sale of burqas in south India. And as they say, for the retailers and wholesalers, the show has to go on.In fact, a number of shops have popped up in the last few years exclusively for the sale of burqas. And that’s not all. Hyderabad now supplies burqas to Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh, Maharashtra, and Kerala, shares Old city traders’ association president Maqdoom Mohiuddin.However, burqas are very popular in Hyderabad, and they come in the latest varieties and designs. Around 150 shops are located in Shehran in the old city where one can shop for the latest pattern of burqas at affordable prices. A few more shops are located in Laad Bazaar, Mallepally, and Tolichowki.One of the shop owners reveals that local and international patterns of burqa are manufactured in workshops in the old city. A few patterns are imported from the Middle East, though on a lower scale as they are costly. Of late, the business has bloomed into a mini-industry with new patterns coming up regularly.New designs are regularly introduced by designers mostly from Bengal. While the fancy burqas are worn for special occasions, budget ones are worn for education and work. A burqa costs anywhere between Rs 500 to Rs 2000 a piece, depending on the quality of the cloth used. Though the norm is that women opt for pre-stitched burqas, there are some who get them made to specifications.