‘Kaiku’, ‘Nakko’, ‘Hao’, ‘Hauli’, ‘Aisaich’, ‘Khairiyat?’, ‘Pareshan’ — these are some of the catchphrases one often hears in Hyderabad. Now, these words are set to appear across various spots at metro stations in the city.
As part of a project by the Hyderabad Metro Rail Limited (HMRL), these words will be written on the walls with their meanings and context. ‘Kaiku means why; ‘nakko’ means no; ‘hao’ means yes; ‘hawla/hauli’ means mad or idiot; ‘aisaich’ means like this or just like this; ‘khairiyat?’ means how are you doing?; and ‘pareshan’ means confused.
Being a region with history and culture distinct from other parts of India, Hyderabad has its own flavour of Urdu.
According to the Managing Director of HMRL, NVS Reddy, this proposed makeover is “to familiarise newcomers to Hyderabad with Hyderabadi lingo, culture, ethos, etc., and to enliven the open spaces at Metro stations”.
Hyderabad's cultural icons, famous personalities, places to visit, and street art that depicts local culture and tradition will also be painted on the walls.
The metro rail authorities have also invited the public to suggest words, images and wallpapers that aptly reflect Hyderabad.
The 73-km elevated metro is the world's largest public-private partnership project. The 11 km-stretch between Jubilee Bus Station (JBS) and Mahatma Gandhi Bus Station (MGBS), which connects twin cities, was recently opened to the public, making it the second-largest metro rail network in the country after Delhi (covering 69.2 kms).
Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated the first 30 km-long stretch between Miyapur and Nagole in November 2017. In September 2018, another 16-km long route — between Ameerpet and LB Nagar — was commissioned.