Littering on eight roads in the city will soon make a dent in your pocket with a hefty fine, and if caught doing so too often, it will lead to the jail.
Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation today said it was going to bring out a notification making littering punishable with a fine.
The notification declaring `litter-free’ areas will come into force from August 1 and cover eight roads in the city including one in Jubilee Hill, commissioner Somesh Kumar said.
“It shall be the responsibility of generator of waste to avoid littering and ensure delivery of waste in accordance with the system to be notified by the municipal authority,” he said.
The corporation will make arrangements for collection of garbage through garbage collectors on these eight roads. The owners and occupiers of all premises on these roads including the street vendors shall store their garbage in own premises.
If any garbage is found in front of a shop or a push-cart it will be presumed the culprit is the owner or the vendor.
“If any person is found dumping or throwing the garbage or litter on these eight stretch/ roads after the notification comes into force, he/she will be fined Rs 500 for first violation, Rs 1,000 for second violation, Rs 3,000 for third violation and Rs 5,000 for fourth violation. Fine of Rs 10,000 will be imposed besides cancellation of trade license and criminal prosecution will be initiated against such violators (on the fifth occasion),” the GHMC commissioner said.
On conviction, he/she will be liable for imprisonment which may extend to three months or a fine which may extend to Rs 10,000, the release added.
Hyderabad Metro Rail project created an all India construction record on Sunday with erection of the 1000th viaduct span and completion of 27 KM of Metro viaduct in just 20 months. The 1000th span near S.R. Nagar Bus stop was erected on Sunday. Photo: By Arrangement
The significance of record can be measured by the fact that Mumbai Metro Rail took about seven years to complete 11 km of metro viaduct; Bangalore and Chennai took over five years to complete about 25 km of viaduct each. Delhi took more than three years to achieve the same.
City’s ongoing elevated metro project has created a construction record by completing 27 kilometres of metro viaduct in just 20 months.
While the first between two pillars was erected near Genpact in Habsiguda in December 2012, the 1,000th was done on Sunday near S.R.Nagar bus stop, thus completing 38 per cent of viaduct works.
A total of 2,665 spans are required for 72 km of viaduct spread over three corridors: Miyapur to L.B.Nagar, JBS to Falaknuma and Nagole to Shilparamam/Raidurg.
The significance of record can be measured by the fact that Mumbai Metro Rail took about seven years to complete 11 km of metro viaduct; Bangalore and Chennai took over five years to complete about 25 km of viaduct each. Delhi took more than three years to achieve the same.
Engineering feat
HMR’s engineering feat of fast construction in congested roads of Hyderabad with a good safety record was possible due to a number of proactive measures taken by the State Government and the engineering capabilities of L&T, said Managing Director N.V.S. Reddy.
As on date 1,473 foundations (56 per cent), 1,370 pillars (52 per cent) are completed.
The Government too had facilitated setting up of the country’s two biggest precast yards, one at Uppal in 70 acres and another one at Qutbullahpur in 62 acres where L&T Metro Rail Hyderabad had established factory-like precast yards with sophisticated machinery such as automatic steel cutting and bending machines to produce precast segments each weighing about 40 tons, he said.
Precast segments are being transported in the night on low-bedded trolleys to various metro construction sites and erected between metro pillars with the help of “launching girders”. In all, 15 launching girders are being used to carry out these erection works simultaneously at several spots.
General length between two pillars is 100 feet, bridged by 11 precast segments. They are then glued and tied with a bunch of iron strands from inside, elongated and permanently grouted. The viaduct spans can withstand heavy loads plus heavy gales or earthquakes.
CM’s pat for HMR
Meanwhile, Chief Minister K. Chandrasekhar Rao congratulated HMR & L&TMRH engineers for the achievement on being informed by the MD.
source: http://www.thehindu.com / The Hindu / Home> News> Cities> Hyderabad / Special Correspondent / Hyderabad – July 28th, 2014
The Travel and Tourism Fair (TTF) travel show that got underway at Hitex in Hyderabad on Friday proved to be a big canvas for Telangana and Andhra Pradesh to promote their tourism in a big way.
Those who had visited the TTF trade fair, organised by Fairfest Media Limited in Hyderabad on previous occasions, would be now looking at two pavilions instead of one belonging to a composite state with the youngest state of India – Telangana – making its debut at the fair in a colourful manner. Its pavilion was artfully constructed based on Kakatiya theme. AP Tourism’s pavilion, simple yet elegant, catches the eye of the visitor with artfully decorated posters and wood carvings from Madavamala.
Beside the Telangana pavilion, Gujarat pavilion stands in all its glory with colourfully attired artistes playing dandiya raas. The three-day travel show, features around 200 stalls from across the country. Sri Lanka, Malyasia, Thailand and Oman also set up their stalls. In the middle of the expo, stands Kerala’s pavilion attracting the visitors.
Besides tourism departments and development corporations of states like Assam, Goa, Uttarakhand, Madhya Pradesh, Karnataka, Jharkhand and others, several private players from hospitality industry have also set up stalls. “It is a platform for the who and who of tourism and hospitality industry to interact, share and collaborate,” Fairfest Medial Limited joint managing director Gazanfar Ibrahim told ‘Express.’
“Like previous year, this year too, there is a good participation from India as well as abroad,” he said. Ibrahim said the tourism sector is one of the top five priorities of the NDA government. “If there is no uncertainty, progress in tourism is possible,” he pointed out.
On the incentives announced for the tourism sector in the Union Budget, he said: “Much needs to be done for the sector, especially rationalisation of taxation, if we are to stand a chance with global tourism players like Malaysia, Singapore, among others.”
The travel show will be open for the general public from Saturday 3 pm. The show concludes on Sunday evening.
source: http://www.newindianexpress.com / The New Indian Express / Home> Cities> Hyderabad / by S Guru Srikanth / July 02nd, 2014
The posh locality of Jubilee Hills in the city is all set to get a park with representations of species dating back to millions of years. As part of its chain of theme parks across the city, the Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation (GHMC) is completing work on a ‘Jurassic Park’ close to the Lotus Pond and the facility will be thrown open to the public in a couple of months.
Jurassic Park project at the Lotus Pond in Jubilee Hills is nearing completion after delay in execution of works by GHMC resulting in escalation of cost. / Photo: Mohammed Yousuf / The Hindu
The innovative aspect of the park is life size models of creatures that roamed the earth some 150 million years ago and went extinct. The urban biodiversity wing of the GHMC is setting up nearly 21 models of dinosaurs of varying sizes and designs, which help recreate the aura of a lost era.
“But for three models, the rest have been received and installed,” said the GHMC Biodiversity Director, Y. Ramesh. Plans are also afoot to have a giant-sized dinosaur model that will be spread across 60 feet and tower to a height of 20 feet, he said.
Jurassic Park project at the Lotus Pond in Jubilee Hills is nearing completion after delay in execution of works by GHMC resulting in escalation of cost. / Photo: Mohammed Yousuf / The Hindu
The ‘Jurassic Park’, which so far cost around Rs.19 lakh, apart from models of the fauna that flourished millions of years back, will also put together a rich collection of flora from the period. According to officials, these are the plant species that are usually referred to as living fossils having survived the ages and threats of extinction.
The plant species will be selected based on Palaeobotany studies and will include cycads, tree ferns and certain palms and gymnosperms. “We already have some varieties of cycads and more varieties will be acquired soon,” Mr. Ramesh said.
The officials plan to complete the works at the earliest after equipping the rest of the dinosaur models and adding the flora. The city is scheduled to host the Metropolis World Congress and around 2,000 delegates from across the globe are expected to visit the city for the international meet. “We plan to have the ‘Jurassic Park’ ready before the Metropolis meet gets going,” an official added.
source: http://www.thehindu.com / The Hindu / Home> News> Cities> Hyderabad / by T. Lalith Singh / Hyderabad – July 06th, 2014
Restaurants are roping in mural and graffiti artists to amp up Hyderabad connect and showcase popular sights, right on their walls
What do some of the new eateries in town have in common? No, it’s not the cuisine. It is their decision to showcase snapshots of the city in murals that are framed and mounted on their walls or make up most of one wall. In a new trend, several new eateries in town are opting to highlight popular city landmarks. From the Golconda Fort, Charminar, Falaknuma Palace, Hussain Sagar to the bustling food culture in these parts of town, it is all translated onto the canvas, or in this case on the wall.
PAINT WARS: City murals are fast becoming popular. The work at Plaza Fiesta. Photos: Nagara Gopal
Take for instance the Plaza Fiesta restaurant at Paryatak Bhavan. The restaurant boasts of quite a few works synonymous with the Deccan region. In fact, some of the 3D relief works have been created by popular Hyderabadi artist Aziz. “We wanted to create a unique ambience that would be distinctly different from what other restaurants offer. Also, we wanted to showcase some of our popular landmarks to visitors; so what better way to do so than art,” says Surya Prakash, officer on duty at Plaza Fiesta.
The works in this restaurant include images of the Golconda, the city’s unique rockscape and a banyan tree. “We have works by six artists on display — Aziz, Chinna Shripathi, Supretha Ghosh, Palash Paul, Agacharya and Madhu Kuruva,” adds Surya Prakash. While some of the works are displayed within the restaurant, others are mounted near the entrance to welcome guests.
PAINT WARS: City murals are fast becoming popular. The work at TenHill. Photos: Nagara Gopal
Hyderabadi fine dining restaurant TenHill also proudly displays city landmarks as part of its décor. It has gone beyond mounting paintings in the restaurant, to have an entire wall that displays the mural. “We had city-based artist Rekha create the mural for us; it is quite impressive. My aim was to portray the culture of the city, and I asked her to create something that showcases not just landmarks synonymous with Hyderabad but also the bustling life around these areas. So we have a Charminar, Golconda, Qutb Shahi Tombs etc forming the mural along with images of skilled chefs whipping up the famous Hyderabadi Biryani, haleem and sheermal,” explains Amar Chowdhary, proprietor of TenHill. The black and white mural, which took a week to complete, is the perfect foil for the restaurant’s otherwise bright décor.
PAINT WARS: City murals are fast becoming popular. The work at Hyderabad Times Café Photos: Nagara Gopal
The newly-opened Hyderabad Times Café (HTC) in Jubilee Hills has a wall mural in black acrylic against a white background in one of its dining areas. “Keeping with the name of our café, we wanted to do something with the décor that would have a city connect. Hence, we had artist Aamira Hussaini create a sketch of all the popular landmarks in the city including Taj Krishna and the Hussain Sagar to cover one wall in our café,” says Rizwan M., manager operations at HTC.
Aamira, who has created murals for several office spaces and hospitals in the past, says that this was her first stint with a commercial establishment. “Zeeshan, the owner, is a friend and he wanted something done on one particular wall. He gave me a free hand and I thought why not do a city-specific mural. So what I created is an abstract that highlights various monuments and sights in the city. It took me around two days to complete it,” she says.
source: http://www.thehindu.com / The Hindu / Home> Features> Friday Review> Art / by Ranjani Rajendra / Hyderabad – July 02nd, 2014
What gives late 19th century photographer Raja Deen Dayal’s work the acclaim it has received? An exhibition showcasing arguably India’s first professional photographer’s works tries to dissectLISTENING TO THE PHONOGRAPH: DEEN DAYAL, GHALIB JUNG AND FRIENDS AT HYDERABAD 22ND MAY 1891The palpable excitement of Nawab Ghalib Jung and his friends whilelistening to the first phonograph in Hyderabad is visible. Such naturalexuberance is seldom seen in 19th century photography
Lala Deen Dayal was to Indian photography what his peer Raja Ravi Varma was to painting. As a 20-something civil engineer, Deen Dayal was working at the draughtsman office at the Indore Public Works Department when he heard an ominous rumour — all draughtsmen were to be replaced by photographers. It was 1866. Dayal decided to brush up his photography skills; a subject that he had learnt during his final year in college. A decision that paved the way for Deen Dayal to eke out a successful career in professional photography.
Vikram Sampath, Executive Director of the Indira Gandhi National Centre for Arts (IGNCA), says: “The heavy Bellow cameras of the 19th century would have been cumbersome. But his photographs are so extensive that they can be the starting point for fleshing out the socio-cultural aspect of that period.” IGNCA is presenting the exhibition Raja Deen Dayal Photographs, a collection of 150 rare period photographs which will be shown in the city for the first time.
Sampath says he can imagine how hard it must have been for Deen Dayal to get people to be photographed, considering the superstitions around the act. “People believed that if photographed, their life span would be reduced.” It was not uncommon for him to break the glass-plate negative in front of the subject after giving them their photographs, probably to assure them that it wouldn’t be used again. But he would have stealthily kept another copy in the archive.
Grand old man
Here was an Indian photographer appreciated by Indian maharajas (the sixth Nizam of Hyderabad, in fact, wrote a verse in praise of him) and British Viceroys. His photographs were exhibited to great reviews in international exhibitions. He was appointed the court photographer for Hyderabad (1885); Mir Mahboob Ali Khan, the Nizam of Hyderabad, conferred on him the title Musawwir Jung Bahadur (the Bold Warrior Photographer) and referred to him as Raja Deen Dayal. In 1897, Queen Victoria granted him the Royal Warrant, which meant he could cover the Delhi Dubar (1903). He had flourishing studios in Secunderabad, Indore and Bombay that were operated by his firm Deen Dayal & Sons. And even after his death (1905), his fifth generation has photo studios in the twin cities of Hyderabad and Secunderabad. Not bad for a man who was born (1844) in a small town near Meerut.
Luck and talent
In 1870, when Deen Dayal was hired by the Archeological Survey of India, his brief was to capture 78 monuments of Central India. The technique used was refreshingly different. The monuments stood out against the sky as he captured them from a low angle, making them imposing and grand. Some, like the Gwalior Fort, had an extraordinary view of the sharp precipice below the steep path leading up to the main entrance. The portraits of the monuments form an extensive collection of places across India.
Deen Dayal quit his government job to pursue photography when he realised that the albums prepared by him on Indian monuments were a hit with the British officers returning to Britain. Sir Henry Daly appointed him the official photographer for the Prince of Wales’s tour of India in 1875. He started accompanying the Viceroys, Lord Dufferin and Lord Elgin, on their tours. His interactions with Indian royalty gave him unmatched access to their world. By being the court photographer of the Nizam, Deen Dayal secured a generous patron and an easy access to British officers in the cantonment. He was probably the first Indian photographer to have a Zanana (ladies only) studio at Hyderabad which was run by a specially-appointed employee, Kenny Levick.
From glass plates to digital
Deen Dayal’s family had preserved the glass-plate negatives with history recorded on them. Those negatives required long exposures and hours of work. Each comes with documentation of the place and year, apart from the name of the royals or nobles. The commoners were categorised broadly with captions such as ‘Maratha’ and ‘Brahmin’. IGNCA has reproduced the originals after the entire collection of about 3,000 negatives were handed to them by the family in 1989. These were then digitised and the first exhibition took place in New Delhi in 2010. For all aficionados of photography, this show remains the best place to know how it all began for one photographer, arguably the first Indian professional photographer.
Raja Deen Dayal Photographs, 10 am to 5 pm till July 20, NGMA
source: http://www.bangaloremirror.com / Bangalore Mirror / Home> Entertainment> Lounge / by Jayanthi Madhukar, Bangalore Mirror Bureau / June 23rd, 2014
A block printing workshop at Lad Bazaar. Photo: G. Ramakrishna
Charminar and its vicinity will soon don a festive look for Ramzan, but regular visitors vouch for colour and mirth in the Old City any time of the year
How early is early depends on which part of Hyderabad you are in. The market areas of the Old City barely are stretching themselves out of slumber around 9 a.m., a time when arterial roads in other parts of the city are choked with vehicles. These areas come alive only after noon. The 9 a.m. to 12 noon window is when one can drive through the area within minutes, or walk along the arched pathways, taking in views normally hidden behind endless street-side stalls peddling all things from quilts to dresses, leather to books, old coins to pearls, Unani medicine to mehndi.
By noon, the areas from Gulzar Houz to Patherghatti and Charminar to Lad Bazaar, leading up to the Chowmohalla Palace teem with people. Navigating this part of the town on a regular day is no less intriguing than during Ramzan, when shops here sparkle even more, selling all things bright and colourful. With a few days for Ramzan, the Old City is gearing up to cater to food lovers who will make multiple visits for their fill of haleem. But as a few vendors point out, there’s no dearth of activity all year round.
Ali Bin Abdullah, who runs a hole-in-the-wall store at Patherghatti stocked with plastic containers, mehndi and other cosmetics, points out, “On a regular day, I begin my work early because I have plenty of stock. It will take me at least an hour to dust and arrange them and by the time the first few customers come in, the display has to be good.” Adjacent to this store, Iqbal is busy wiping the dust off perfume bottles and adds, “The area has become so polluted and it takes time to clean the bottles. We have brisk sales through the year.”
Jewellery boxes, gift pouches, leather articles, trinkets and kaarigars working overtime to embroider garments for special occasions are all what make the market areas of the Old City a much frequented place. Large paper kites adorn the streets near Gulzar Houz during Sankranti and clay diyas are prominent during Deepavali. As for food, there’s never a dearth. Merchants sell seviyan round the year though the stock multiplies during Ramzan; pushcarts sell pieces of ‘junnu’ for Rs. 10 and fresh produce of fruits and vegetables are laid out for eager customers.
A few kilometres ahead, the kova sellers of Shah Ali Banda are gearing up for the festive season with more stock along with the eateries offering haleem. Elsewhere, in the bylanes of Begum Bazaar, traffic threatens to clog the roads every now and then. Plastic wares, aluminium and steel utensils, clay crafts, bangles and household items, the markets in Begum Bazaar make brisk business.
V. Sandhya, a homemaker who lives in Secunderabad, frequents the Old City to pick up pouches for return gifts, costume jewellery and kaarigars who take up custom tailoring. “Ours is a large family and whenever there is a celebration — be it weddings or smaller functions — people count on me to help. These days, you can source gift pouches and bags from General Bazaar and Ameerpet as well but nothing matches the vibrancy of the Old City. The bangles one gets in Lad Bazaar and the Begum Bazaar are unbeatable. My visits to these bazaars are incomplete without a lassi or falooda. I am sure I will visit these pockets with my family during Ramzan for the great food, but nothing stops me even other times of the year,” she says.
Anjum, a homemaker who specialises in making sweets, puts things in perspective, “The Old City symbolises Deccani tehzeeb in every aspect and I consider these areas a reminder of our history.”
source: http://www.thehindu.com / The Hindu / Home> Features> MetroPlus / by Sangeetha Devi Dundoo / Hyderabad – June 24th, 2014
Salar Jung Museum turns 125. / Photo: K. Ramesh Babu / The Hindu
Hyderabadis pick their favourite exhibits at the museum and suggest improvements, including a better display and a good cafeteria.
A visit to a reputed museum would entail spending a few hours observing collections displayed across spacious galleries, getting insights into the history of the land, partaking in an ongoing event at the premises and topping it off with a fresh brew and short eats at the cafeteria.
A well-informed guide or an audio guide comes in handy for visitors who do not want to pause and read notes along the museum. While this would be possible in leading museums across the world, how many museums within India can boast of giving such an experience? As Hyderabad’s Salar Jung museum celebrates 125 years this weekend, MetroPlus attempts to gauge the merits of the museum and possible areas of improvement through a few of its visitors.
A 19th century sculpture from France, a double statue of Mephistopheles and Margaretta, made of a single block of wood is one of the attractions at the Salarjung Museum. / Photo: K. Ramesh Babu / The Hindu
National treasure
“The Salar Jung museum is a national treasure and is one of the better maintained museums in the country. A hurried visit might take a few hours but someone who keenly observes the exhibits is bound to take two days,” says filmmaker Indraganti Mohanakrishna who last visited the museum a year ago with his daughter. “It’s a great place where children don’t need to be engaged with gadgets. I liked revisiting the statues, the musical clock, arms and ammunitions gallery and was glad my daughter liked the Veiled Rebecca the most, which is my personal favourite too,” he adds. Children taking photographs of the musical alram clock at the museum. / Photo: K. Ramesh Babu / The Hindu
Art curator and gallery owner Avani Rao Gandra, like many Hyderabadis, visits the museum accompanying guests. She appreciates the collections that showcase India, the Middle East and Far East. “I once spent a day at the museum researching miniature paintings. Apart from hosting fantastic collections, the museum organises travelling exhibitions of interest,” she notes. While Avani feels the museum has an advantage because of its autonomy, she feels there is scope for improvement. “A month ago, I saw the elevation being spruced up. The display needs to improve as well. A gallery hosting jade collections requires a different design compared to a gallery with textile collections. Art management is significant abroad. Recently, I found a sea change at the National Museum, New Delhi, where art students volunteered as guides and the complex also has a cafeteria. Our museum too needs a good cafeteria apart from a better souvenir shop to offer a wholesome experience,” she states.
Indraganti agrees, “While visiting museums, quite often we have children or the elderly and a good cafeteria is a necessity,” he says.
French artist Beatrice de Fays rates the miniature paintings as her favourite for their precision. “I can spend hours there,” she says, also marvelling at the Veiled Rebecca. The Veiled Rebecca, a white marble statue by Italian sculptor Giovanni Maria Benzoni. / Photo: K. Ramesh Babu / The Hindu
The well-travelled draw comparisons between museums abroad and in India, underlining the need for museums here to evolve. Ajay Gandhi of Manthan treasures the memories of visiting the Salar Jung museum on many occasions and talks about the sculptures, costumes, crockery and cutlery of the Nizam era, arms and ammunition, but feels the museum needs something more to engage visitors. “The archaeological museum at Acropolis, Greece, for instance, had recreated an entire excavated city at its basement. We need something more, besides the exhibits,” he says.
Visitors at the museum. / Photo: K. Ramesh Babu / The Hindu
Inclusive space
The Salar Jung Museum scores with its accessibility to people from different walks of life. Museologist Anita Shah who has researched extensively on how people react to museums, has in the past given several professional recommendations to make the museum a more inclusive public space. “Several recommendations were implemented. I had suggested organising events to bring in different communities and allowing them to exhibit their art,” she says. Anita lauds the ivory collections, miniature paintings, manuscripts, textile gallery, artillery gallery and the jade gallery and hopes to see the museum grow stronger.
source: http://www.thehindu.com / The Hindu / Home> MetroPlus> Society / by Sangeetha Devi Dundoo / Hyderabad – June 19th, 2014
