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Bund, fun no more
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Heavy traffic and mosquitoes have deterred people from holidaying at the Tank Bund, finds R. BALAJI
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The Tank Bund is just a bypass road now -- Photos: K. Ramesh Babu
A FEW years ago, thinking of the Tank Bund would have perhaps kindled sweet memories of your own romance. The good old days, when you and your beloved walked down the long promenade cooing sweet nothings into each other's ears. But alas! It isn't the same old Tank Bund anymore. The 33 statues of illustrious personalities installed at the place by the then Chief Minister, N.T. Rama Rao, stand mute witnesses to its present irrelevance and neglect. In fact, there were days when the authorities introduced pedestrianisation of the road to enable people to enjoy their holidays. But things aren't the same now. The place resembles any another feeder road. And what Tank Bund has lost, Necklace Road seems to have gained.
The spectacular development of the vast stretch of Necklace Road during the past few years has robbed Tank Bund, once Hyderabad's most popular holiday spot, of all its sheen. These days, you rarely come across the sight of people taking a stroll on the promenade, or for that matter the ubiquitous `chana wala' trying to thrust those hot and spicy peanuts into your palm.
"With hardly a handful of people coming to the Tank Bund, I decided to shift my business to the Necklace Road about a year ago," says Mohammad Shakeel, who sells "makka bhutta" (roasted corn) at the place.
The hub of activity has shifted to Necklace Road
Nostalgic trip
Shakeel is one of those several Hyderabadis who recall with nostalgia the days when the Tank Bund was swarmed by hundreds of holidaymakers. "The last I visited the Tank Bund was about five years ago. We now always prefer visiting the Necklace Road once in a fortnight. The lush green lawns, lip-smacking food courts and massive car parking space are drawing people to this place from Tank Bund," says K. Ramakrishnan, Regional Marketing Controller (retd.) of Sarabhai Piramal pharma company. A resident of Chikoti Gardens, Ramakrishnan and his wife Lalitha make it a point to bring their Dubai-domiciled grandchildren to the place, whenever the kids come to the city on a holiday.
Says Abdul Rub, Regional Manager of the Karnataka Antibiotics Private Limited, "The Tank Bund used to be a favourite holiday spot for my family and me. But now we come to the Necklace Road because of the various recreation facilities available around here," He admits that the prices in eateries are somewhat expensive. "But then when one comes with the children, you need to cough up the money," he says.
"I have stopped visiting the Tank Bund as I cannot stand the bustling traffic and mosquitoes around the place," says Mukkamala Easwari, housewife and resident of Kalyan Nagar, East Anandbagh. It is not Easwari alone, every holiday reveller feels that heavy traffic, lack of parking space and poor illumination around the Tank Bund has compelled people to shift their merry-making to Necklace Road. Ironically even the officialdom too seems to have given the go-by to the development of the Tank Bund road; evident as it is from the lack of proper illumination at the place, not to mention the swarm of mosquitoes buzzing around. Will Tank Bund regain its old exalted status, or end up becoming a mere bridge connecting the twin cities? The future holds the answer.
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