Image via Skasuga

The sprawling metropolis you see in these pictures is Hyderabad, the capital city of the Indian State Andhra Pradesh. Known for its rich history, culture and architecture, the city accommodates a population of over 10 million. It’s no wonder then that Hyderabad suffers from such incredible congestion.

The main way to travel there is on a yellow rickshaw, which believe me, is one of the most frightening and exciting experiences you’ll ever have. For very little money indeed, you can have several near-death experiences, whilst watching all the hubbub, smells, sounds and colours of the street. I mean just look at the traffic situation in this video below. It is incredible:

Want to know what it’s like at ground level? Well, this is how it looks on a motor bike:

So what’s the solution to this frightening congestion gridlock?
There is a completely different way of approaching driving in India. In the west this seems so crazy, but there is a hidden order to things that is invisible to the eyes of the west, everyone there is used to it. Keep in mind the right of way there is given to the largest vehicle, no matter what. To me the amazing thing is that it all works. Everyday in India, enormous cities somehow operate and function, where millions of people have almost nothing. An infrastructure some how exists in the poorest of slums. And each day these people find a way to survive. Heck we complain everyday for hours via radio upon L.A’s population of about 10 million, well you want population? check out Mumbai. If you want a real story look atthe size of the Mumbai (Bombay) slums. They extend for 80-100km from the heart of the city. The official population of Mumbai is ~20 million, the real population is more like ~120 million. It is amazing to see how people have adapted!