Bengaluru morphed

Bengaluru morphed
The influx of youngsters from all over the country is changing the flavour of pockets across IT city
The Times of India

A LIFE OF ITS OWN:
IT begins with a PG digs, adds on a restaurant or a “mess” as it’s called, then a DVD outlet, and a supermarket, and the locality assumes a life of its own: the face of Bangalore’s changing alright, but the faces of certain pockets are changing drastically. With many youngsters coming in from outside Bangalore for careers in IT and ITeS sectors, areas like BTM Layout and Old Madras Road which are close to Electronic City or ITPL are humming with young life and activity. So, you may hear a snatch of a Carnatic raaga vying for earspace with the latest techno beats, or the whiff of filter coffee competing with that of a pizza. And there are BPO vans whizzing back and forth on the roads.

The young presence has not only impacted rentals, it’s also accelerated the commercial growth around these localities, including restaurants that cater to such a population. A typical example is BTM layout, a microcosm of sorts, that’s replicated in many localities across Bangalore.

KEEPING PACE WITH SPACE:
To meet the space needs of this community, there are many PG accommodation facilities that have come up, says Nagesh, a real estate professional in BTM. “Apart from that, BPO workers and IT professionals rent out a two-bedroom house for Rs 8,000 and share the space, three-four in each house.”

Agrees Ankush Singhal, who moved to Bangalore four years ago and works with an IT major, “I’ve lived in BTM since then. We pay a rent of Rs 3,500 for a onebedroom house, three of us sharing it. There are many restaurants here, north Indian, south Indian and Chinese.” He starts his day with breakfast at one of the joints. “There are cyber cafes, DVD shops and medical stores. This is important because we are away from home and need to look after ourselves when ill.”

BE MY GUEST:
As for PG accommodation, says K Yajnanarayana, a businessman who lives near BTM, “There are people who take up a four-bedroom house on a rent of about Rs 20,000, accommodate four cots in each bedroom, and charge people Rs 3,000 each per month. That works out to a neat profit. Earlier, there were PG digs only for women. Now, it’s for everyone.” He adds, “Darshinis and shops have sprouted all over, and the whole place has become a busy hub. The proximity to Electronic City and ITPL is an advantage. There are IT engineers working on Sarjapur Road, but Sarjapur and around is expensive, and this is convenient for bachelors.”

ROOM FOR RENTALS:
Says Nagesh, “Owners of sites are building houses, because they know there is a demand for rentals. Those who had built houses only on the ground floor are now going vertical, adding rooms on the first floor.”

Ulsoor, Old Madras Road and Banaswadi are also in demand, due to their proximity to ITPL. Says Uday Ranjan, a native of Assam and a BPO employee here living in Ulsoor, MG Road being only four km away is a draw. “There are many hotels nearby, and the rentals are not high.” Other places in demand are JP Nagar and Banashankari.

GRAB A BITE:
There are also many bakeries and coffee shops, lifelines for bachelors and unmarried professionals. “There are mobile phone and fruit juice shops, all of which are necessary for our everyday life,” says Singhal.

Bunny Patel, who works at a call centre a few kilometres away says the rent here is less than in Kormangala and Jayanagar. “Also, it’s a safe place for girls, they can move around without fear at night.”

In the neighbouring layout behind IIM, there are caterers who will drop off your breakfast. Says Chandrika Narayan, a BTM resident of 15 years, “If you inform the caterer a day before, you can get your breakfast with the newspaper.”

THE FLIP SIDE:
As with any thing, such changes come with their share of woes. Says Chandrika, “There are a lot of new faces. Not only have rentals gone up, it’s difficult to get maids, some demand as much as Rs 1,500 a month. The number of vehicles on the roads has increased.”