There was a time when just about everyone knew Hyderabad and Secunderabad were twin cities. With time and quick development in the western part of Hyderabad, the residents of Secunderabad feel left out in the race. Once developed as a cantonment area, the place still has its hidden gems, but by and large, the people living here feel the government is doing little to develop the ‘twin.’

Hyderabad, on the other hand, boasts of luxury apartments, loads of high-end pubs and restaurants, good infrastructure, is home to glitzy exhibitions. While Hyderabad has emerged as the IT hub and tech hub, there is nothing for Secunderabad people to talk about.

While most of the people living here swear by the quality of life, they are mostly people of the older generation who had seen Secunderabad emerge as a quaint cultural hub thanks to the many language people residing here.

Today, the scene is such that youngsters have to travel as far as Jubilee Hills and Gachibowli to chill with friends and experience the glamour of its twin city. Some complain that the roads are the main problem, and so is the garbage, which is thrown everywhere.

Then there is the issue of street lights and limited Metro rail connectivity, making it difficult for the old-timers to continue living in peace. While some areas like Alwal are being developed, many say that no care has been taken with regards to infrastructure. Hence they say, in the future, there could be problems for residents.

While they are happy that they are better off than old city people, they point out that Hyderabad, especially in areas such as Jubilee Hills, Gachibowli, and Banjara Hills, has more MLAs than Secunderabad. Also, many wonder as to who will take up the onus of transforming Secunderabad by improving sanitation, laying wider roads, and building huge complexes, both residential and commercial.