Imagine that you are driving in a city in India. Your car descends from a spectacular flyover, you cross the Tata Interchange, pass through Google Street, turn onto Microsoft Road and finally reach your destination… Donald Trump Avenue. This is not some imaginary city or some corner of America, but India’s own ‘Cyberabad’ i.e. Hyderabad is going to be built. The Congress government of Telangana has taken a decision which has not only created a stir in the corridors of Indian diplomacy, but has also created a strange political contradiction between Delhi and Hyderabad.
The proposal will be sent to the Ministry of External Affairs
game of timing
The timing of this decision is most interesting. If we look at it from a diplomatic perspective, it is a ‘bold and risky’ step. Donald Trump’s attitude towards India has not been very favorable for the last few days. In such an environment, giving such a big honor to Trump by the Congress state government is completely different from the Centre’s line. Some political analysts believe that Revanth Reddy knows that Trump is a praise-hungry leader. If Hyderabad gets some relief in H-1B visa by naming a road in his name or the investment of American companies increases, then Reddy is ready to incur the Centre’s displeasure.
attempt to rebrand
The aim of the Telangana government is to completely re-brand the geography of Hyderabad. The government wants that when a foreign investor or tech professional comes to the Financial District of Hyderabad, he should not feel that he is in a normal Indian city, but he should feel that he is roaming in a wonderful crossover of Silicon Valley and Washington DC. Not only Trump, but many other industry leaders are involved in this re-branding mission:
Tribute to Ratan Tata
The government has decided that the new ‘Greenfield Radial Road’ connecting the Nehru Outer Ring Road (ORR) with the proposed Regional Ring Road (RRR) will be named after late industrialist Padma Vibhushan Ratan Tata. Apart from this, the interchange built at Raviryala has already been named ‘Tata Interchange’. This decision recognizes the contribution made by the Tata Group to the development of Hyderabad (such as aerospace and defense hub).
Google Street: Google’s largest office campus outside America is being built in Hyderabad. The road through which this campus passes will now be called ‘Google Street’. This is a big salute to Google’s contribution to Digital India.
Microsoft Road and Wipro Junction: Similarly, roads and intersections near the campuses of Microsoft and Wipro will be named Microsoft Road and Wipro Junction respectively.
Face of ‘Innovation-Driven India’
The Telangana government argues that this naming is not just a show, but it is a message. CM Reddy wants to make Hyderabad the face of Innovation-Driven India. Officials say, “When the world’s big companies invest here, we consider them our partners. Naming roads after them shows that we value their contribution. This is a psychological way to attract global investors.”
Will the central government impose obstacles?
Now the biggest question is whether the Ministry of External Affairs will approve it? It is rare in India to name roads after living foreign leaders, especially when that leader is the President of a superpower and diplomatic relations are going through a sensitive phase. If the Central government stops it, Revanth Reddy will publicize it as an anti-development move for Telangana. If the Center gives approval, it will be a positive sign for Trump, which can ultimately benefit India only.
