How does your Garden City grow?

How does your Garden City grow?
With Bangalore’s burgeoning population mini townships are springing up on its fringes
The TImes of India

BANGALORE’S bursting at the seams and residents are moving farther and farther out. With several apartments and houses coming up along Sarjapur Road, Bangalore North, Bangalore South, Whitefield and other areas, residents say that there has been a lifestyle change too. And there are both plus as well as minus points to reckon with.

The plus points are that the apartments are self-contained and provide many facilities. “We have a gym, a club house and a supermarket within the complex, so a lot of our needs are met. Though, in the initial stages, it was tough and we had to go Yelahanka Town to buy fresh vegetables,” says Rajkumar Naik, who moved a year ago to an apartment complex in Yelahanka. But, there are few hospitals of repute around that area, he says. “We must go to Mathikere and RT Nagar for these. And if you want the movies, you have to come to the city.”
The story is quite the same along Sarjapur Road. Manasi Sinha who also moved there recently says, “You certainly have quality of life. There’s pure air, sunshine, lots of walking and jogging space. A lot of the people who live here are techies, who work at offices nearby. Many are also yuppies. Our area is particularly convenient for those without active professional

lives, namely doctors and creative people who work from home, and don’t have to visit the city every day, simply because the commute to the city is a pain.”

The flip side is that since she doesn’t live in an apartment, but in an independent house, and parts of the area are still in the process of development, there are not enough convenience stores. “If you want broccoli, mushroom or fresh vegetables, you don’t get them there. And for entertainment, I go to multiplexes a little into the city, depending on which ones are closer.” Another minus point is that not all roads are welldeveloped, “so you have to walk on mud tracks in some areas.”

Sanjay M, who moved to Whitefield from the heart of the city says, “At the moment, we get all the basic needs catered to. There are some good hospitals here. There’s adequate choice in restaurants too. But for higher quality of entertainment, like films, you must come into the city. Another change in lifestyle is also that the commute into the city is long. So we need to plan our day well. There’s no question of “going back” if you want anything at home. Socialising is nil during the week, it’s just work and back. At other times, there is socialising, but it’s intra-Whitefield.”

Schooling too is adequate, each area has a cluster of schools coming up, many of them international. But, for some who are already attending schools in the city, “it’s a long haul.”

Another plus point is that most apartment complexes have bus facilities at specific times, making coming into town easier, as also going back home. This means that members of the family don’t stay out needlessly, and hence there is more quality family time.