Pune

It was refreshing from this daily routine. A welcome break from this rush hour traffic and extra large roads. A really recuperating 2 day trip. I expected the city to be a center of bustling activity like any other modern metro in India (Especially the ones with software firms dotting the skyline). What I saw was exactly the opposite. No hurry, No jams, No nearly placed traffic lights. The roads were not the usual smooth ones that you would come to expect. They were rough. Even roads inside KPHB would definitely give them a run for their money! They were a little bit narrow for a big city. The hoardings that dotted the skyline through out the 10 kilometer long drive to my brother's office were only that of real estate ventures unlike Hyderabad. The atmosphere was cool. My brother complained about suspended particulate matter being high in the city which is why driving 2 wheelers was inconvenient. I found that the center of the city was under a state of reconstruction with lots of fly-overs coming up. I stayed at my brother's place which was an apartment inside a sprawling complex which overlooked a vast array of farm land - Quite a rarity in a city. Probably it was possible because they were living in Aundh (outskirts of Pune). I was quite surprised to see that there was a 3-hours-a-day power cut! After coming to Hyderabad the word "power cut" seemed to be from another world. Pune to an extent seemed to be like a extra-large town rather than a city. I don't know if my observations hold good for the entire city because I didn't have the time to venture out into the city center. But I felt a certain comfort level in the city which I enjoy in my home town. I would love relocating there if need be.