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

Living and commuting in the city has become nothing short of a nightmare when there is a heavy spell. Storm water drains and lack of proper meshes along the wall of drains have led to the loss of lives during the monsoon season in the last few years.One such incident was that of a 54-yr-old man in Qutbullahpur who died by falling into an open drain last year. Though there was a chain link mesh, it was rusty and partially broken, resulting in the accident. In another incident, a techie stepped into a drain, thinking it was a road as there was no specific demarcation.While these are two incidents, commuting during the rainy season has become life-threatening for many. Of course, in the techie’s case, action had been taken against irresponsible officials who left the manhole open in Manikonda.In most colonies, the main problem residents face is open nalas and drains without any mesh or chain link mesh. It is hard to distinguish between a Nala and a road when it rains heavily. The problem is severe near the trenches. GHMC has constructed small roads over culverts in many areas. But this is not helping when the rains are heavy. People are not able to distinguish between the Nala and the road.However, the officials say when the drain is less than two meters in width; safety measures include laying slabs or covers and constructing box or pipe drains wherever the drain is open. However, a retaining wall or chain-linked mesh is the only option to prevent mishaps when the width is over two meters.

Hyderabad Roads Spell Mishaps During the Monsoon

Rocky Bhai has become an iconic figure in films, and since both the films have been superhits, there is wide viewership, obviously. While the film shows a larger-than-life Rocky Bhai using a hammer to attack his rivals, it looks like criminals in real life are using the same modus operandi to do away with their rivals.In the first week of May, two such incidents occurred in Abdullapurmet and Meerpet, where the killers used hammers to bludgeon the victims to death. In the Abdullapurmet double murder case, the prime suspect K Srinivasa Rao allegedly used a hammer to attack his wife and her lover Yashwanth, and both of them died on the spot.In Meerpet, B Swetha Reddy from Prashanthi Hills killed her paramour M Yashma Kumar by hitting him with a hammer with the help of her friends K Ashok and K Karthik. The police who are investigating the cases say that KGF is surely having an impact on the minds of people.While there is no direct proof that people do get inspired or instigated by what is shown in films, scenes of violence in films and serials do impact those with a criminal bent of mind. In fact, those already contemplating criminal activities seem to be inspired by such scenes and repeat them offscreen.The police also added that there are films that positively impact the audiences. It is, however not clear if the culprits in both murder cases were inspired by KGF.

Are Criminals in City Aping Rocky Bhai Style?

Well, if one were to think of one word that defines just about everything in today’s world, then it obviously will be ‘smart.’ From phones to cities to people, smart is totally the ‘it’ word for today’s generation. So, the lighting also needs to be smart and cannot remain dumb, feels like a top executive of a global lighting company.Sumit Joshi, vice chairman and MD of Signify Innovations India, formerly Philips Lighting India Ltd, shares that people have now realized the importance of lighting in their homes. So they are shifting from dumb lighting to intelligent lighting, he says.Presently, lighting is a part of home decor and connected devices. Though the metros top the chart when it comes to smart lighting, Joshi reveals that some tier-1 cities are also high on the trend. “When new technology comes in, it starts percolating from what we call early adopters. There are two kinds of early adopters – IT professionals and other progressive customers. Now we are in the second stage. We have crossed the stage of early adopters, but we haven’t yet reached mass adoption,” says Joshi.And to make people understand the relevance of ‘smart’ lighting, the company is setting up smart hubs in major cities. They already have 225 smart hubs across India, and they are planning to hit the target of 300. While 5 such hubs are in Hyderabad, the company intends to have 10-12 more hubs in the coming 6-7 months.Citing an example of router sales, he says the sales of connected devices increase after people shift to routers that are required for smart devices. He says the adoption of smart lighting has just started, and it will soon see vertical growth.

Smart Lights to Make Hyderabad Shine Brighter

The city is getting busier, and there are a lot of complaints with the traffic police regarding honking on the main roads. In some instances, it has become a public nuisance as the honks can lead to accidents. Following such incidents, the Hyderabad Traffic Police has launched a special drive to nab those using prohibited varieties of horns.Since Tuesday night, over 200 motorists were fined by the Traffic police for using prohibited air or multi-toned horns, with the devices being seized too. The traffic police are imposing a fine of Rs 1000 on the violators.Joint Commissioner of Police (Traffic) AV Ranganathan has shared that heavy vehicles like private buses and lorries were also checked, and horns were seized. “Our teams are checking vehicles and on finding multi-toned horns, are removing those and booking cases. The drive will continue,” he says, adding that as per Motor Vehicles Rule 119 of the Central Motor Vehicles Rules, no motor vehicle fitted with any multi-toned horn giving a succession of different notes or with any other sound producing device giving horn, shrill, loud or alarming noise unduly.In fact, the Indian Motor Vehicle Act, 1988, Section 52, bars alteration in horns.

Multi-toned Horns Will Now Cost You Dearly

Corruption levels have hit an all-time high in certain divisions under GHMC, thanks to the corrupt behavior of some corporators in using their authority for illegal activities. It has been noticed that the corporators use Enforcement and Town Planning officials for their illegal activities.In fact, a surprising majority of corporators in 150 GHMC divisions face such charges. It is being alleged that the corporators extort money for house construction activities through party workers. Corporators in Musheerabad, Amberpet, Kukatpally, Limgampally, LB Nagar, Sanath Nagar, and Uppal assembly constituencies are facing serious charges and complaints against corporators from Jubilee Hills, Rajendranagar, and Malakpet areas have been pouring in.In one such incident, the construction of a government project under the Sanath Nagar assembly constituency was stopped last year. It was said that while one of the corporators received a commission with regards to the expansion of a nala, another corporator did not, which led them to stall the development project.It is being said that the builders and house owners are kept under the radar through a network of informants. In case they fail to pay the extortion amount, Town Planning and Enforcement officials stop the construction activity. The activity is resumed once the amount is paid. Locals in the above-mentioned divisions complain that houses constructed on 100 yards or less are also not being spared from extortion.The corporators are not sparing the cart pullers and footpath traders as they extort weekly and monthly money through their party workers or close relatives who are under pressure to complete a set target. In case money is not paid, water and drainage connections are stopped forcing people to shell out hard-earned money.It is also being alleged that civic officials are hand in glove with the corporators who are fleecing money in the name of settlement and compromise.

Corrupt Corporators  Extorting From House Builders

A global enterprise IT solutions provider, Mouri Tech is all set to provide 10,000 new jobs in the next three years. Well, as for Hyderabad, it is good news as 3000 jobs will be created in the city alone. As of now, the company employs 1000 people.In the coming two years, the company with global operations will be adding 2000 new jobs in 2022-23. They intend to expand their employee base due to anticipated business growth over the long term. Presently, the company employs 3,500 people globally, with 3000 employees in India spread across cities such as Hyderabad, Bengaluru, Visakhapatnam, Kolhapur, and 500 in the US.The company hopes to hire mid-level and senior-level IT professionals along with fresh graduates through campus drives, job melas, and social media. For the uninitiated, Mouri Tech offers multi-domain IT solutions across industries and has a wide range of innovative products for its customers. And now, the company intends to expand its footprint in two-tier companies.Data sciences, artificial intelligence, machine learning, cyber security, infrastructure, cloud solutions, and automation are some of the areas where the company intends to hire. The hiring process will help their global and national customers accelerate digital transformation with faster execution.Anil Yerramreddy, the global CEO of Mouri Tech, shares that they have plans to hire from two-tier cities as they are brimming with talent that is waiting to be used.

Mouri Tech To Create 3000 Jobs in Hyderabad

Summer holidays have started, and this means it’s time to take off on a holiday. However, if you are not in the mood or not prepared to go on long trips, then here are a few ways you can still enjoy your days. These places will cost you almost next to nothing barring the fuel charges, and trust us, all of them have instagrammable views.Driving away from the heavy traffic onto greenery-laced roads is a huge luxury in itself, and this summer, check out these places. For starters, there are the Gandipet and Shamirpet lakes. You can go out for a family picnic and make some happy memories. And both lakes have beautiful picture-worthy locales. In fact, while at Shamirpet lake, you can also go to Deer Park, which is nearby. Also, remember, the outing need not be just for you; you can also take your pets along as they can enjoy the outdoors.Just a few kilometers from Anantagiri Hills in Vikarabad, there’s Kotapally Reservoir, where you can go boating, kayaking, and picnic, of course. There are a good number of food stalls that sell Maggi, juices, and other snacks. So pitch your tent and gaze at the waters and the sky.About 169 km away from the city is Yelleswaragutta Island, which is in the middle of the backwaters of Nagarjuna Sagar Dam. Just remember to add Vizag colony boating to your GPS to go to the right spot. Known as the mysterious island, fishermen catch fresh produce here. Do buy fresh fish while there.And if you want a quiet place right in the heart of the city, then Durgam Cheruvu is the place for you. The place has benches and trees where you can relax and click some awesome pictures.There are also Nehru Zoological Park, Botanical Gardens, Golconda Fort, and Nagarjuna Sagar Dam.

Places to Chill, While Staying in the City

The new price hike on commercial LPG cylinders announced by the Centre is surely going to hit foodies in a big way. As a consequence of the move, various foods right from Hyderabadi dum biryani to your Irani chai are going to get costlier.Also, to add to the woes of people, the increase in fuel prices and hike in the cost of other food materials such as wheat, oil, and vegetables is going to burn a hole in the pockets. Due to the pandemic and rising fuel prices, the increase has already impacted the hotel and restaurant industry in the last two years. And now, there is more pressure on hoteliers, both big and small, to increase their prices by 10-15 percent in the coming future.Incidentally, the prices at restaurants and eateries have already gone up by 10 percent once they opened the shop after the pandemic. From their side, the restaurant owners say they have been trying to cut corners to keep the customer happy but add that the increase in fuel prices is forcing them to up the prices by 10-15 percent.They say there has been an average increase of 25 percent in the prices of different food products, and so they have no choice than passing on the burden to the customers. They add that people can expect a further increase of 10-15 percent in the coming days.Inflation is inevitable feel top hoteliers as oil prices have increased by Rs 1000 a tin, and commercial LPG cylinders now cost Rs 670 more.