Hyderabad: A foot in Southeast Asia?

The newer areas of the city have a more prosperous feel than other Indian cities and hold their own with Southeast Asian boom towns, but there is a dark side to all this.

During my recent trip to Hyderabad I chose to stay in Hitec City, a 52.48-square kilometre piece of land that is full of information technology parks, swanky office towers and a diverse set of restaurants and cafes. This area is clean and has an air of prosperity. An efficient metro line connects this sprawling IT hub with the rest of the city, while th…