It has been more than three and a half years since the combined state of Andhra Pradesh has been bifurcated, but for the people of Andhra Pradesh, Hyderabad is still their home city.
This was the observation of some national media journalists who visited parts of coastal Andhra recently.
Though Andhra Pradesh chief minister N Chandrababu Naidu has shifted his entire administration lock, stock and barrel from Hyderabad to Vijayawada and parts of upcoming capital city of Amaravati, the government employees and even senior officials are not owning up Vijayawada or Amaravati as their home towns.
“They still own their properties in Hyderabad and are even purchasing new properties there. And they do not have any intention of leaving Hyderabad completely and coming to their own state of Andhra Pradesh.
They still have their families only in Hyderabad, while they shuttle between Hyderabad and Vijayawada every week. And after retirement, they want to go back to Hyderabad and settle down there for their retired life,” one of the journalists said.
Interestingly, even IAS officers working in Amaravati or other parts of AP, do not have plans to settle down in their home state. For them, Hyderabad is still their home city. Apparently, they do not have any sentiment of their native state.
“Surprisingly, the slogan of Andhra pride displayed during anti-Telangana movement has disappeared now. Now, they say even if Telangana is a separate state, they continue to treat it as their own state,” another journalist observed.
While the Telugu film industry is firmly rooted in Hyderabad, businessmen from Andhra, too, have made Hyderabad as their home city.
“They feel very comfortable in Hyderabad, which is the best bet for investments,” he said.
However, things might chance if Amaravati capital becomes a reality with all the infrastructure and ultramodern facilities.
“But it is a long way to go,” the journalist added.
