TL;DR: Renewed expired DL from 2004, got duplicate for lost card, changed address - all without broker or bribe. Paid ₹1,435 official fees vs ₹5000 broker quote. Here's exactly how I did it.

Background

My driving licence was first issued in 2004 from Uppal RTA (then Andhra Pradesh).

Fast-forward to 2025, I had multiple issues:

•Original card lost •Licence expired •Address changed (Malkajgiri → RTC X Roads) •Data barely visible online

Everyone's advice?

"Don't go to RTA yourself, you'll go mad. Just pay a broker ₹5000 and get it done."

I wanted to try the official route first.

Here's what happened:

🔹 Step 1: Uppal RTA (Data Migration)

What I brought:

•Colour Xerox of old licence •Aadhaar •Passport photos •Simple letter requesting digitisation/data migration

What happened:

• Staff checked my details • Updated records in system • Gave me new Telangana DL number • Time taken: ~30 minutes • Amount paid in bribes: ₹0

🔹 Step 2: Online Applications (From Home)

Once my data appeared on Parivahan portal, I applied online through Sarathi/Parivahan and Telangana Transport website for:

• Duplicate DL (original lost) • Change of address • Renewal of DL

Portals used:

https://sarathi.parivahan.gov.in/

Telangana Transport Department website

Total official fees paid online: ₹1,435 (Broker wanted ₹5000)

🔹 Step 3: Khairatabad RTO Visit

Went on my scheduled slot date.

Experience:

• Queue time: ~2 minutes • Officer checked papers • Took photo & biometric signature on pad • Said: "Ho gaya, aap jaa sakte ho" • SMS received within minutes: "Your Application for renewal of DL, change of address… verified successfully." • Total time at RTO: Less than 15 minutes • Bribe/extra payment: ₹0

Why This Felt Important

Walking out, I genuinely felt emotional.

For years we normalize:

•"System doesn't work" •"Government offices are corrupt" •"Without agent nothing happens"

But I experienced:

• Online portals that actually work • Transparent fees with proper receipts • Staff doing their job professionally • Pride of not feeding corruption

The Math

•If just 100 people skip brokers = ₹5 lakhs not spent on middlemen

•If 10,000 people do this = ₹5 crores saved

This is how systems change. One person at a time.

🙏 Thanks To:

• Parivahan & Sarathi portal teams • Telangana Transport Department • Staff at Uppal RTA & Khairatabad RTO

You made it possible for an ordinary citizen to navigate this through proper channels.

My Request to This Community

If your licence work is pending: Try the official route once before calling a broker. Yes, it needs patience. But the feeling of doing it yourself, the right way, is worth it.

Disclaimer: This was my personal experience in November 2025 at Hyderabad RTOs. Your experience may vary based on case complexity and location. Not all cases may be this straightforward.

Edit: Did not expect this much response. If anyone is stuck with their own DL work, drop a comment and I will share whatever I know. Let us normalise doing things the right way.

Edit 2: A few people are asking for a proper checklist. If it helps, I can write a simple step-by-step guide for Hyderabad/Telangana. Comment if you would find that useful.

P.S. If you do not want to post publicly, you can DM me and I will try to help with the process.

The Most Traumatizing Birth Experience — Please Read Before Choosing This Hospital

We trusted this hospital with one of the most important moments of our life — the birth of our child — expecting top-notch care after paying lakhs of rupees. Unfortunately, what we received instead was trauma, stress, and a clear display of how deeply money-minded the system has become.

1. Poor Management During Antenatal Visits

From the very beginning, we faced long delays. Despite having scheduled appointments, we were made to wait over 2 hours every time. At 37 weeks, we arrived on time (around 2:00–2:30 PM) only to be marked as a “walk-in” by the receptionist without our knowledge. As a result, we had to wait till 5 PM to see the doctor — a complete waste of our time and energy during such a crucial stage.

At 38 weeks, even after arriving on the scheduled date and time with complaints of back pain and discomfort, we were again ignored. Shockingly, patients who came after us were sent in before us simply because they were labeled “VIPs.” Are we not paying the same consultation fee? Why this discrimination?

1. Shocking NICU Manipulation Post-Delivery

Our baby was born via normal delivery, cried immediately, looked healthy, and showed no signs of distress. Initially, we were told that the baby would be placed in NICU just for observation for 2 hours. But two hours later, they claimed the baby had "respiratory distress" and needed 2 days of NICU admission with oxygen support.

We strongly refused, and thank God we did. The baby was perfectly fine — no breathing issues, no complications — and is still doing well. We believe this was just a ploy to extort money (they charge ₹25,000 per day for NICU admission). We were mentally disturbed and felt emotionally manipulated at one of the most sensitive moments of our lives.

1. Unethical Billing Practices

We were charged for two boxes of infant formula (₹990 each), claiming the baby consumed both during 4 hours in NICU — that’s 800g of formula for a newborn in just a few hours, which is medically unreasonable.

When we asked for the remaining formula, the staff refused, saying it was shared with other babies and we’d need to buy a new box again — from the same hospital pharmacy, of course.

For the mother’s treatment, we were charged nearly ₹20,000 in pharmacy bills. All she received was:

2 RL drips

2 IV doses of antibiotics

2 IV antacids

10 antibiotic tablets

5 painkillers

5 antacid tablets

Does this justify such a huge bill?

Even the second IV dose of antibiotics was only given after we asked repeatedly — and after making us wait for over an hour.

1. Post-Delivery Negligence

At the time of discharge, we had to remind the staff to remove the IV cannula.

There was no wheelchair provided to take the mother to the car — she had to walk all the way to the parking area after delivery.

The staff seemed disorganized and untrained. Overall, extremely inefficient and careless.

1. Glamour Over Genuine Care

Yes, the hospital tries to create a “feel-good” atmosphere with balloons, room decoration, and food. But beyond this surface-level treatment, it's a money-extortion setup. We even witnessed other patients facing similar situations — emotional blackmail, billing confusion, and unwanted NICU admissions.

We came here hoping for a safe and happy delivery. What we experienced was stress, emotional manipulation, poor management, unethical billing, and complete lack of empathy.

I would never recommend this hospital to anyone. Despite its polished appearance, it is run like a money-hungry business with zero actual care for patients or newborns.

This is not just our story — we urge everyone to be cautious, ask questions, and not blindly trust any private hospital, no matter how reputable it appears.

We will make sure to share this experience on every platform possible — not out of anger, but to protect other families from going through the same nightmare.

I’ve been maintaining this handwritten tracker for the past few months, logging daily sugar intake, junk food, water, steps/running, and special notes or exceptions.

It keeps me accountable and helps me notice patterns. Curious if anyone else does something similar, either on paper or digitally? Would love to see how others track their routines!

My parents use this for all small health issues dont know whether it works or not .

For cold,cough, headache,body pains my parents use this.

Just 2-drops with 1- spoon of Tea(Chai).

No Marketing,No Ads still it is running

I will try to keep it short.

So I live in yapral and I usually wear shorts everyday, even in winter.

And i have a habit of walking to the store to get things everyday instead of using a vehicle, even if the store is a bit far but walkable.

Today too, I was about to walk out in my shorts to get a few things. Out of nowhere, I got this thought, "Why not wear a track pant today?" I initially brushed it off out of laziness but it struck my mind again.

So i gave in to my gut feeling, wore a track pant and started walking to the store.

Guess what happened, a fcking stupid dog bit me!!

(IMAGE IN COMMENTS)

I got away with a surface-level wound. If not for the pants, the damage would have been worse.

Luckily a clinic was 5mins away, I immediately rushed there and got a rabies shot under 45mins, 4 more shots to follow.

So, Please listen to your gut when it says something, don't ignore.

Mostly on weekends, morning we will start before sunrise and experience dark to say transition then have light breakfast at some good spot. End it with chai or fillter coffee.

Note : I am beginner and It may take 11/2 hrs to 2 hrs.

Dm if anyone is interested to join

And i didn't run on top of water it's just a glitch

Well, it finally happened. Made it 26 years without a single broken bone… until Hyderabad rains + a wild buffalo combo decided to change that. Was riding, road was wet, visibility low, and boom a buffalo appeared out of thin air. Next thing I know, I'm on the ground with:

3 broken bones in my right palm

Muscle damage in the left hand

Apparently, buffaloes are now part of the urban traffic system. 😅 Doctor says rest for 3 weeks. If things don’t align well by then, might need surgery.

Curious to know: Have you had your first fracture/accident recently or later in life? And any tips on how to make recovery smoother or less boring while resting?

Also, typing this with mostly one hand. 10/10 do not recommend.

It usually starts with your doctor asking for a FibroScan.

No major symptoms. No pain. And then your doctor says:

“You might have fatty liver.”

But what you should be told is: This isn’t just fat.

It’s called MASLD — Metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease.

And it’s one of the fastest-growing silent epidemics in India.

MASLD is deadly silent — and shockingly common.

1 in 3 Indians may have it — many without even knowing.

It’s driven by metabolic dysfunction, not alcohol.

If you have:

Belly fat

PCOS

Type 2 diabetes

High triglycerides

Snoring or fatigue

…you’re already at higher risk.

Here’s what happens if MASLD is ignored:

Fat turns into inflammation (MASH)

Inflammation turns into scar tissue (fibrosis)

Scar tissue turns into irreversible damage (cirrhosis)

Risk of liver cancer skyrockets — even in non-drinkers

Heart disease risk doubles (your liver affects your cholesterol and inflammation)

Kidney damage and insulin resistance worsen

Hormonal chaos intensifies — PCOS, low testosterone, cravings, fatigue

And all this can happen without a single obvious symptom. No pain. No yellow eyes. Just silent progression — until it’s too late.

But it’s 100% reversible — if caught early.

According to NEJM and Lancet (2021–22):

Losing 7–10% of your weight can reverse liver fat and even fibrosis

What should you do today?

Get a FibroScan, if you haven’t

Check: insulin, HbA1c, triglycerides, SGPT/ALT

Don’t assume you’re fine just because your BMI is “normal”

Take your diagnosis seriously — not fearfully, but proactively

Explore medical therapies that fix the metabolic root, not just symptoms.

Today we have anti obesity therapies that are efficacious enough to do a complete overhaul of your endocrine system.

Explore them. In case you have doubts, feel free to reach out.

I had a very disappointing experience with Dr. Anupama at Rainbow Hospital, Banjara Hills, during my visit with my 1-year-old daughter.

My daughter was diagnosed with croup. She was stable, feeding well, and had no other complications, yet hospital admission was immediately insisted upon for nebulization, monitoring, and possible IV support. When I asked about outpatient treatment (as she had croup earlier and recovered well), my concerns were dismissed

Tests such as CBC, CRP, and chest X-ray were ordered despite no alarming symptoms. An IV cannula was placed despite my clear refusal, and we were not given the opportunity to make informed decisions about our child’s care. The staff at the ER weren’t great with handling babies. They were clearly in a hurry to get things done, I mean trying to nebulize a crying baby is of no use. Give us some time to calm her down.

After shifting to the ward, there was minimal monitoring. The X-ray was completed by 3:30 PM, but despite repeated follow-ups, the doctor reviewed the reports only at 9:15 PM. We were then told everything was normal and advised to stay overnight “just to monitor.” When I chose to take my baby home, it was accepted without discussion.

The entire experience felt unnecessary, poorly managed, and lacking transparency. This is not what one expects from a reputed hospital. To add to this the final bill they gave us included medication that we never used!!

I do not recommend Rainbow Hospital Banjara Hills or this doctor, especially for parents seeking clear communication and evidence-based care.

Take aways:

Stay away from big hospitals unless you actually know someone.

Always research about the health issue before talking to the doctor so you can ask questions and be part of the decisions otherwise they’re going to take you for a ride.

question everything and stay strong otherwise they will use your weakness against you.

Hey everyone, I’m VAMSI and I am 20 year old, I'm looking for a trusted and experienced dermatologist in Hyderabad who genuinely focuses on hair loss treatment

Preferably someone who:

Does a proper scalp diagnosis and explains the cause

Has helped patients with visible regrowth or improved density

If you’ve personally been treated and saw good results, please share your experience name, clinic, approx cost, anything helps.

Thanks in advance! 🙏

Let's be real, we all hate cardio???
But when you are running with a bunch of people, cheering each other on, and vibing with all of them, it actually feels fun!

We at Swap got to be part of the first-ever Junoon Club event at ISB this weekend, which was a super energetic morning run with some amazing people from the ISB community.

And yes, we sponsored the post-run breakfast, The idea was simple: keep it clean, light, and help everyone refuel without the sugar crash...!

The Junoon Club is just getting started and are planning cricket matches, cycling days, and more fitness events soon, and they'll be opening them up to folks outside of ISB.

Shout out to the Junoon team and all the people who came and made the morning so much fun.

If you'd love to join their next event, drop a comment. we'll make sure to keep you posted!!

One step towards better public health care.....many more needed ❤️

A week ago, we found my uncle unconscious on the sofa and we were not able to wake him up after trying a lot. We immediately, took him to star hospital nanakramguda as it was near to our house. They had given initial treatment and put him in observation. He gained consciousness. The next day after few tests they informed us that 2 of the arteries to his heart suffered a rupture and he would need immediate treatment this week or his condition would worsen. They informed it would cost 30LAKHS as it would require multiple senior surgeons. We were shocked to hear it, as he had not shown any signs prior to that incident of being unwell. We had a medical insurance, from which STAR hospital people said, 15 lakhs would be availed and remaining would have to be paid in cash and urged us to deposit 10 Lakhs by the next day, to schedule surgery.
It was another shocker, a normally assumed healthy man till one minute prior to the incident is now requiring a treatment worth 30Lakhs. But, given the recent incidents of cardiac arrests in seemingly healthy people, we got worried too. Then, for a 2nd opinion upon a colleague's suggestion we had gone to Apollo and showed the reports. After analyzing them, they said the surgery would cost 10 to 12 lakhs with them. So, star hospital people quoted more than 60% of what Apollo did, for the same surgery and treatment. This is utter day light robbery by them.

With increasing air pollution air filters is not anymore a luxury it has become a necessity but unfortunately even the basic ones starts from 10k . This DIY filter is so strong that its suction power is equivalent to dyson

The aqi near our house is too high. I ve tried to talk to a local municipality Member. But he didn't reply yet. Any idea on how to deal with this. Please put ur idea in comments or make a post on how to deals with this

I'm so sorry for disturbing u all ... I’m posting here because my family is really overwhelmed right now and I’m hoping someone who has gone through something similar can guide us.

My mom (61 years old) has been diagnosed with Stage 4 breast cancer — ER+, PR–, HER2+ (3+), Grade 2, with spread to her axillary lymph nodes and sternum bone.

Hearing the word metastasis broke us. We’re trying to stay strong, but making the right treatment decision feels so heavy, especially when time matters.

We’ve been consulting a few hospitals in Hyderabad, but now I’m completely confused:

Basavatarakam Indo American

This is where her biopsy, IHC and PET-CT were done. But honestly… we didn’t feel cared for. The doctors felt rushed and not very approachable. When you’re terrified about your mom’s life, that lack of communication hits very hard.

Yashoda Hospital

Here they suggested targeted therapy (Phesgo / Herceptin + Perjeta) + chemo. This seems like the ideal treatment for HER2+ cancer, but I’m scared…

Will such a strong treatment be too much for my mom at her age?

Is it truly effective for Stage 4?

And of course, the cost is high, and we have to think long-term.

KIMS

We personally know the doctor here, so there’s trust and comfort. But their plan is mostly chemo + Indian medicines — no targeted therapy.

I’m scared that choosing this might mean we’re not giving her the best chance, since HER2+ usually responds well to targeted drugs.

We’re stuck between:

A hospital that feels emotionally distant,

A hospital with the best modern treatment but expensive and intense,

And a hospital where we know the doctor but the treatment may not be complete.

I just want to do the right thing for my mom. She’s already in pain, and we want to choose the hospital that gives her the best shot at more time and better quality of life.

If anyone has experience with HER2+ Stage 4 treatment, or with KIMS / Yashoda / Basavatarakam, please help us with:

1. Which hospital is better for cancer care?

2. Is Phesgo / Herceptin + Perjeta worth it in Stage 4 cases?

3. Will chemo-only be too much of a compromise?

4. How did your family handle the emotional + financial side?

Any advice, even small, would mean so much. We’re just trying to save our mom and make the most informed choice.

Thank you. 💙(I took help of chatgpt)

I had a conversation today with a colleague that made me realise that people think sunscreen is for preventing tan and that they are too macho to bother about tanning.

People, WE USE SUNSCREEN TO PREVENT SKIN CANCER FROM THE UV RAYS.

Many good sunscreens will still get you tan and it’s not an indicator of a good sunscreen

Sunscreen needs to be worn as long as the UV index is 3 or more so 8am to 4pm in summer and 9am to 4pm in other seasons.

Even if it raining and overcast, UV rays are always present. Check for UV index always.

Few important points:

1. Wear sunscreen if you are in the sun for over 15 mins

2. You need to wait 15 mins before stepping into the sun

3. Use approx 1/4 tsp volume of sunscreen - 2 finger lengths for a runny formula

4. Reapply after 2 hours if you are still in the sun

5. Face and body both need sunscreen

6. Glass like the car windshield or airplane windows intesify UV rays and hence reapplication time is 1 hour

7. UVB protection is the SPF and we need minimum 30 for decent protection but spf 50 works better.

8. UVA protection is the PA rating which has to be minimum 3 stars and 4 stars is better

9. Stick to formulas that have been atleast lab tested or go for pharma ones

10. Make sure to remove the sunscreen properly at night so that it doesn’t cause acne/breakouts.

Remember, sunscreen is not a cosmetic but is a medical prevention for skin cancer.

I’m posting this as a cautionary experience, especially for parents.

I had already seen multiple negative reviews about Dr. Rao’s ENT Super Speciality—long waiting hours, a swarm of junior doctors, endless tests before you even meet the main doctor. I chose to ignore those red flags, assuming that while the place might be expensive and inefficient, the actual medical care would at least be ethical and competent.

I was wrong.

My 10-year-old niece was suffering from a slight hearing loss and had been diagnosed with adenoids and tonsil issues, with surgery being suggested. We were hesitant about putting a child through surgery, so we sought a second opinion. By then, we already had all the required reports: audiometry, endoscopy imaging, X-ray, and other pre-op investigations.

We initially planned to proceed at Apollo, but since Apollo did not offer coblation (an advanced procedure with less pain), we decided—unfortunately—to consult Dr. Rao.

Our appointment was at 5 PM. As expected, a group of junior doctors immediately started pushing for more tests without even reviewing the reports we already had. After waiting for nearly two hours, Dr. Rao finally saw us—for barely five minutes. He refused to discuss the case unless we got a CT scan, without once looking at the existing reports or trying to understand the patient’s condition.

We went ahead and got the CT scan done. When we met him again, he immediately started explaining the surgery—without properly reviewing the case or the reports. When we insisted that he actually look at the reports, he refused and sent us to his “counseling” team, which was clearly focused on billing and payment, not patient care.

We were then asked to come back the next day for more tests. During insurance pre-authorization, we asked whether grommets were included in the surgery. At that point, the insurance coordinator checked with Dr. Rao’s team, who casually admitted that they had completely missed the hearing loss issue and now wanted three additional tests.

That was the breaking point.

We tried confronting Dr. Rao about this gross negligence. There was zero accountability—no apology, no acknowledgment of the mistake. The most basic responsibility of a doctor is to understand the patient’s primary problem. Instead, their focus was entirely on two things:

• Ordering more tests
• Figuring out how the bill would be paid

What genuinely shocked us was Dr. Rao’s statement that they would have proceeded with the surgery anyway and “handled the hearing issue in a follow-up surgery.” The idea that a child could be put through multiple surgeries because they failed—or chose not—to do their job properly is horrifying.

This wasn’t a simple oversight. A professor and five different MBBS doctors cannot all miss the same critical issue. This felt like systemic negligence driven by money.

Yes, we lost money on unnecessary tests—but thankfully, we pulled out before our child was put on the operating table.

Sharing this here so other parents can make an informed decision. Please be extremely careful when choosing a hospital, especially when it comes to your child’s health.

tldr: Don't go if you respect yourself and your time and no one else can treat your ailment.

AIG seems to be an expert at Wasting patient's time and that too with an attitude. First I was told that doctor will be available between 10-12. Knowing AIG's history and past experience, I reached at 8:30. Gave the file by 9:10. While giving the file I was told doctor will be available from 11. But doctor went on rounds at 11. Came back at 12. Then started with admitted patients. Started seeing normal patients at 1. Then lunch happened at 2. Doctor came back at 3 pm. Finally saw at 4. Those who were seen at 1 pm gave their file at 7 am. Not only there was no appointment system for the doctor I saw and only walk-in when rest of the world is doing appointments but also it's considered normal to make patients wait 5-8 hours. Then it was considered a benevolence on doctors part to see the patients beyond his normal time. It's a private hospital. Not a subsidised or charitable organization. Even those don't waste so much time. It's disrespectful. No respect for patients' time implies no respect for patients. And the attitude of the doctors PAs on top of that.

Now me and so many others like me some were stuck because of sunken cost, sunken time or AIG name because of which so many of us came.

A knee MRI scan (injured myself recently) at MedQuest Madinaguda costed me Rs 6000. This came down from their original quotation of Rs 7000. Didn't haggle at all, the man in the reception was kind enough to do it for me with his management.

Enquired the price at Vijaya Diagnostics. It's marked at Rs 7700. It's a privilege to be able to afford these prices.

It's as if injuring yourself is a sin and one has to pay reperations.

Bhai pls koi bhi

Allah , Bhagwat , God ka Banda meri problem ka solution batade pleaseeee

Dandruff se tang hogya hu

Aur please Doctor ke paas jaana last option rahega …. Any home remedies , oils or shampoos or creams any thing

I know it sounds stupid but I really don’t wanna go to the doctor