Bannerghatta Road: From a weekend getaway to jostling hub

Bannerghatta Road has changed over the years, from a weekend getaway to commercial hub. A few years ago traffic was not an issue when Bangaloreans breezed down the road, but now, the scene is entirely different.

From a weekend getaway to jostling hub
Times of India

Not so long ago, it was the road to a weekend getaway. Now, it’s a commercial hub dotted with top IT and BPO companies, shopping complexes, state-of-the-art apartment complexes and kalyan mantaps.

While Bannerghatta Road still leads to a national park and other picnic spots, traffic congestion and potholes have put the road in the news these days for all wrong reasons. During the wedding season, the road is packed with vehicles since over a dozen kalyan mantaps are located right up to the famous Meenakshi temple.

In sharp contrast, travelling a few kilometers down the road even five years ago, provided breathtaking views of lush green fields and lakes. Today, however, one can see only two waterbodies — the Gottigere and Hulimavu lakes, both surviving because they have been protected from the landsharks by NGOs. Apartment complexes and residential layouts stand on the other lakes.

The greenery of the paddy fields — once a favourite haunt for young couples — have also made way for concrete structures. A few years ago traffic was not an issue when Bangaloreans breezed down Bannerghatta Road to get to the drive-in theatre; the mango mandi at the current Bannerghatta Road-Ring Road junction, or the Indian Institute of Management. “After driving past IIM, the roads would be deserted, specially after evening. There were few ‘chai’ shops and ‘dhabas’ which would be frequented on weekends,’’ says Ramesh, who works in Jigani Industrial area located further down the road.

Preetham R., an engineer, recalls cycling down the road amid lush green fields on weekends. “We would ride to the national park and on the way, stop at some lakes where we spotted many birds,’’ he said. There were also groups of enthusiasts who trekked to the park on weekends, he added. Apart from a few Christian seminaries, nunneries and a few villages, little else existed. And now, there are factories, colleges, IT companies, apartment complexes, theme parks and resorts — right up to Anekal, 30 km from Bangalore.

The first major development came with the arrival of the ring road in the late 90s linking Bannerghatta Road, near J.D. Mara, to J.P. Nagar. With real estate value skyrocketing during this period, many roadside farms were converted into residential layouts.Gradually, more resorts and apartment complexes came up. IT professionals working in and around Electronic City too found Bannerghatta Road an ideal location to reside. Rapid urbanisation also led to the disruption of what was once an elephant corridor for pachyderms moving from the forest area around the national park. Mananimal conflicts are frequently reported from this zone. Elephants, in fact, have strayed into as far as J.P. Nagar, an area which is very much a part of the city.

The unplanned development — in what was once largely a marshy lake region — has led to several other problems, including flooding during the rainy season. Needless to say, the toll on the over-used road is increasingly showing these days. Most recently, residents took to the streets, protesting the pathetic condition of the road. With more development in the form of hospitals, colleges and residential complexes on the anvil, residents feel Bannerghatta Road needs immediate attention to prevent further sullying of Bangalore’s hi-tech image.