Young voters want to regain Brand Hyderabad

HYDERABAD: As the state inches closer to the polls, the youth of the city has made its demand very clear - reclaim the lost glory of Hyderabad. With the state, and particularly the city, losing out on several industrial projects owing to political instability over the past few years, young working professionals now want the spotlight back on Hyderabad.
"As a true blue Hyderabadi, it pinches me to see that we have lost out on so many industrial projects to other cities like Pune and Bangalore. To get the city back on the map, turning it into an IT hub should be the new government's topmost priority," said Santhosh Nanduri, a 26-year-old software engineer.
After being touted as the 'new face of IT' in India, Brand Hyderabad started losing its sheen post 2009 when the Telangana agitation gathered steam again. Frequent stirs and bandhs made investors wary and route their projects to other cities.
"The job market in Hyderabad must pick up post the slump that the city has been going through. I am extremely disappointed by the political scenario that has hindered the city's growth. It is high time that we regain our lost sheen," said Sankalp, 30, who works in the agriculture sector.
Meanwhile, safety and security - especially of women - is also preying on young voters' minds as the city, which was once considered to be safe, has been scarred by brutal cases of rapes, murders and kidnappings.
"AThe fact that I have to take precautions while traveling on buses is an indication of the low safety levels. A
fter 10 pm, the options of safe public transport become limited. This must change," said freelance writer Sejal Parikh.
Not just roads, but a general policy to make offices more women-friendly must also come in, said Monisha Agarwal, an employee with an MNC in Hyderabad. "The government must focus on making professional life easier for women, like making work from home an option across organizations. There should be gender sensitivity even in the professional sector," she said.
Meanwhile, several political parties are trying to woo the young IT population as they are a major vote bank. In one such attempt, BJP MLA G Kishan Reddy recently travelled in an MMTS train heading to Hi-Tec City and interacted with the techie community. Most parties also have dedicated social media cells to reach out to the youth and garner support.