Padma Rao Nagar, sometimes also called PR Nagar, is a locality in Secunderabad, India, named after Diwan Bahadur Padma Rao Mudaliar. It was the early communities like Mudaliars who started developing the Secunderabad Cantonment commercially. Otherwise, Secunderabad had only large number of tents housing the troops of the British army as told by Mr. Luther in book Lashkar - 200 Years Of Secunderabad [1]. The Mudaliars, who were camp followers of the British, made immense contributions for the growth of education and health care and explained the growth of the Secunderabad Club from a public room [2]. It was previously known as Walker Town during the British raj.

It is bordered by Musheerabad, Bhoiguda, Chilkalguda and Sitaphalmandi areas of Secunderabad in the southern Indian state of Andhra Pradesh.


Landmarks

The major landmarks in this area are the Sai Baba temple, Sardar Patel College, Conjeevaram House, the government's Gandhi Hospital as well as the Swarajya Press, which has now been converted into an auditorium for ceremonies. The famous Skandagiri temple, with Lord Murugan as the presiding deity, is not far.
Contact

(SkandaGiri subrahmanya temple)
Commercial area

Padma Rao Nagar provides the urban dweller with all the necessities including markets, shopping complexes, major banks, public parks, hospitals, places of worship, schools and colleges.
Transport

Padma Rao Nagar is just a five minute walk from the Bhoiguda exit of the Secunderabad Railway Station. The major intracity buses ply through this area are numbers: 1P (Rathifile to Afzal Gunj), 2P (Rathifile to Bagh Lingampally), 10P (PRN to Sanathnagar), 6G, 20P (Rathifile to Nampally) and 44 (YMCA to Parseegutta).

The closest MMTS Train station is at Sitaphalmandi.
Recreation

The main attraction of this area is the Padmarao Nagar Park which is next to the Padmarao Nagar bus stop. The park provides fresh and clean air and is well organized with good maintenance. Of late, the 'Gharonda Food Court' has become quite famous with the upwardly mobile generation of Padmarao Nagar (in fact, that's the only food court existing in this area for quite some time. Hence Padmarao Nagar dwellers have got nowhere else to go though the food court does not provide good service). Recently though, Gharonda builders have also started an exclusively buffet serving restaurant by the name of 'Swaad'. The restaurant has been opened right behind the Padmarao Nagar bus stop (serving the Bhoiguda side) at the earlier site of the State Bank of India branch.

Immediately outside Padmarao Nagar, near the station side exit is also the eatery 'Naivedyam' which serves exclusively vegetarian delicacies from all corners of India.

Another good eatery which is attracting a lot of young customers is "Green chillies" which has newly opened.

Padmarao Nagar is well connected between Secunderabad and Hyderabad. In fact, Padmarao Nagar main road ends at the cross roads of Musheerebad which draws a virtual line dividing Hyderabad to Secunderabad. A very old Hanuman Temple can be found on the Padmarao Nagar main road, towards musheerabad end.

A new layout which emerged off the Padmarao Nagar main road in 1984 was named Abhinava Nagar. This layout was previously used as farm land for growing quality leafy vegetables. Eventually, this layout housed the renowned Telugu University for a few years before a CRPF camp was established in the buildings, who to this day, continue to occupy the same.

A popular reference on the NorthEast of Padmarao Nagar used to be Tungabadra Industries( known by locals as Dalda factory), other local references being Dandoo compound and Chungi compound. Chungi compound in particular, has an old mansion of the Nizam's times still in place, a reminder of their rule.

Gandhi Hospital, presently opening into Padmarao Nagar, was Musheerabad's Central Jail compound previously. Gautam Soap Factory was also a reference point on Padmarao Nagar main road.

Padmarao Nagar is a cul-de-sac between Secunderabad and Hyderabad. Upper middle class people continue to live here. The community used to be extremely calm and quiet, until Gandhi Hospital emerged. Housing and commercial prices have always been high in this area because of its proximity to Secunderabad Railway Station, 20 minute drive to the erstwhile domestic airport (at Begumpet), 10 minute drive to the famous Tankbund (Hussain Sagar)and 10 minute drive to RTC X Roads which houses a cluster of Cinema Theatres.

Despite the construction of the hospital, the area continues to remain relatively peaceful. Residential complexes like Gharonda and Pawan Towers in the area are very good.

Many residential complexes have come recently and a single screen theater is under construction for Padmaraonagar residents.