In India, most of us who were born in small towns never had the luxury to stay there for our entire life. Whether you wanted to study in a Good college or you just wanted to earn well, you had to leave behind what mattered to you the most; your home. Like every other small town kid, I also left my home to attend a college in a city which most of my family members knew nothing about. Sometimes I had to even correct them that I don’t live in Delhi, I live in a city very close to the capital. Even though its not home, Noida still gives me a sense of relief, each time someone mentions it in the conversation.
Whenever someone asks which is better Delhi, Gurgaon or Noida? I feel a sense of responsibility to defend the city despite it not being the perfect in terms of everything. Yet, Noida has many faces of its own. Walking around the city is like travelling in a time machine. While in some sectors, you will see perfectly designed homes, luxury cars and buildings touching the sky, on the other hand, the labours waiting together for an auto in exhausting summer heat, will remind you of the reason why our country still has a long way to go.
I have been seeing Noida grow since 2011, I have seen empty pillars being painted with breathtaking arts and I also have seen some places becoming colorless because of burden of population here.
When someone asks, do you feel you can live here forever? I mean it has what future promises; job opportunities, good apartments, friendly people, ease of live etc.
I don’t have an answer yet.
I love this city a lot but still Noida feels like a place where one comes to explore and then has to go back to home. It feels like a friend who invites you to party but still wants you to leave by 10.
Like most of the people in this city, I came here with dreams, and it has given me a lot, but I still feel stuck. Have I given something back?