Richmond Town is ever posh, but still quaint

Richmond Town is ever posh, but still quaint
The Times of India

Bangalore: Five years ago, Richmond Town used to be a rather sleepy little place. Now, life is hectic here.

So hectic in fact that Richmond Park, located in the heart of the area, has ‘morning walkers’ walking there at 1 o’ clock in the afternoon.

Of course, the walkers do not really live in the area. Nor do they wear comfortable, exercise clothes. Instead, they sport formals, starched churidhars and swipe cards and work in one of the swanky new, glass-facade offices that have sprung up in Richmond Town in the past couple of years.

These commercial complexes are an indicator to the growth of the area. But then, the area has always been ‘prime’ or posh, in terms of property values. For instance, in a November 1999 report, a real estate survey said capital values for residential property in Richmond Town, Langford Town and Cunningham Road ranged from Rs 2,400 to Rs 3,000 sq ft!

While on the subject of real estate and ‘development,’ Richmond Town is partly home to one of the city’s first flyovers — the Residency Road-Double Road-Richmond Road one. Controversy dogged the construction of the flyover and many residents still feel it has not helped things at all.

M.P. Jayapal, who with authorwife Maya Jayapal used to live on Alexandra Street (also known as Alexander Street) till not so long ago, considers the flyover a folly. “It only took away available space on the road,’’ he says.

The flyover dominates conversations everywhere. Sridhar, who runs ‘Dream Florist’ opposite Richmond Park, has seen the area change. “Now more people from outside (the city, state and country) come here.’’ The flyover, in his opinion, has only led to more traffic passing through Richmond Town.

But Mahantesh, who runs a Nandini Milk booth near the park, is happy. His booth is open from 5.30 am and is a favourite with joggers and walkers. People from the nearby complexes too go to him.

A curious offshoot of the flyover is that glass buildings around it have become the target of stonethrowers. So now, most of these complexes are swathed in all-encompassing nets, to protect the glass.

Despite the flyover and the complexes, the area is quaint still. Kingston Road, Alexandra Street, Rhenius Street are relatively quiet even now.

Convent Road too has its own brand of charm, as evidenced by a notice on a wall there: ‘Avoid Bringing Dogs Here to Keep Area Clean.’

Glass facades around Richmond Circle flyover are seen covered with nets to save the panes from stone-throwers (usually drunk passers-by).