The hustle and bustle of a metropolis has gone missing in Hyderabad during the last few days!
Thoroughfares are literally empty and there is no rush of commuters in RTC buses that ply within the city.
With office-goers on an extended holiday for Sankranti, the ubiquitous auto-rickshaws and private cabs have largely remained confined to their stands.
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Much to the joy of those working in holidays, the gridlocks too have vanished, albeit temporarily. A majority of the revellers are expected to return by Friday.
However, there are families who have decided to take a week-long vacation. Most non-missionary schools are reopening on Monday, January 20, prompting several families to plan a long holiday till Sunday.
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Parents maintain that this is the ideal time for children to get a mini break before the exam season in March.
“Exams are a few months away and we felt this is the best time for our children to take a break from the monotony. They will feel recharged when schools reopen,” says M. Kameshwari, whose children are studying in Dilsukhnagar Public School.
With a huge demand for reserved tickets in trains and buses for the return journey, several had to postpone their travel plans by a day or two.
“Most trains and buses to Hyderabad from the districts are full for Thursday and Friday. I decided to stay till Saturday and depart on Sunday,” says Satish Krishna, a software professional from Guntur.
The relative ‘calm’ in Hyderabad has prompted old timers to draw parallels with the present situation to the 80s and 90s.
“This reminds me of those days when the population was yet to explode. There were wide roads, traffic was minimal and orderly. These days, however, the traffic is heavy despite wide roads0,” sighs P. Satyanarayana Rao, a Chikkadpally resident.
While the city roads were empty, the footfalls in single screen theatres and multiplexes in Hyderabad increased.
“Since we were not travelling, I decided to take my children to the movies. Since a lot of people were out of town, the movie tickets were readily available,” says T. Rupesh, a resident Sri Nagar colony.