The city of Hyderabad teems like a thousand ants on a small sand hill. My friend and I witnessed a horrible accident involving two cars. We drove past a smashed up, white car, with the top completely removed. Later, we found out that a couple of the passengers had died and the others were critically injured.
The problems in traffic are made no easier by the opportunities of a growing economy. CNN in Malaysia made a special report on India's progress. The chief spokesperson for the finance department in India noted with a touch of pride, "A major indicator of a healthy economy is the rapid growth of the automobile industry." Yes, there are way too many cars on the road. Which would be great if the roads were built bigger.
A city like Hyderabad cannot handle the influx of wealth currently enjoyed by the middle classes. Not without smart, long-term planning. A list of the most wealthy people ever, in the history of mankind, places the Nizam of Hyderabad on fifth spot. So, this city is no stranger to the luxuries of extravagant wealth. But, as the number of people in possession of gross amounts of material wealth grows, the city gets poorer in character and starts losing a certain charm that made it so attractive. Spoilt by excess.
Maybe I'm simply upset at what I saw tonight. A decent public transport system, educating drivers and stricter road rules would be a great place to start.
