Heralding change, integrating growth

Heralding change, integrating growth
The north and east localities of Bangalore hold much promise for development in the months ahead
The Times of India

Six-lane expressways with cruising traffic patrol keeping a watchful eye on vehicles zipping along… This wasn't something many would have associated with Bangalore two decades ago. The city's roads accommodated its vehicles comfortably. Two-ways and parking were hardly an issue on most roads. Traffic snarls were a minor irritant at times. The picturesque fountains and landscapes that served as 'circles' in the middle of some roads were never a 'luxury'. Industrialisation meant 'industrial areas' on the outskirts. Trucks could enter the central parts of the city. In short, the city could take the traffic and population it played host to. The State Government went about 'marketing' the city using its salubrious climate and ample space as baits to get investors to set up shop here.

Today, all priorities have changed.

The IT sector's romance with the city changed its skyline forever. Gone are the days of quiet two-way roads in the heart of the city. Today's Bangalore has a new set of issues. Expressways, flyovers, corridors, ring roads, mass transit system, and such issues one associates with cities that are global destinations and business nerve centers in the region. Even as the civic agencies work to cater to the demand that is rising by the day, people living in the city are facing issues never seen here before.

Choosing a location, for example. The localities in the compact city, that Bangalore once was, were almost nextdoor neighbourhoods. Choice invariably meant a budget-related decision for those wanting to buy a house. The commercial spaces too had specific options, limited by sectors. Retailing, manufacturing industries, or services, necessarily had a smaller choice in terms of real estate options and location. It was common to see people living in one corner of the city and working in the opposite corner.

Now, it's not as simple. 'Location' and 'option' have grown in as many dimensions as the city. Bangalore, that was just Bangalore, is today known even by its regions. The IT belt, central business district, north, and east mean more than specific locations. They mean investment opportunity, lifestyle, sector-specific development, and even connectivity. The Comprehensive Development Plan is of interest to a great many people as it holds the key to what a location's characteristics will be.

Two parts of the city that are in the thick of development and change are the north and east. These two parts of the city have their distinct attributes, with space for development being the underlining characteristic that spelt their growth. While the east set out with the IT-led boom, the north is on the threshold of big change with the international airport set to unveil a new chapter in the city's business and travel panorama.

As the city grew by leaps and bounds, each locality developed into an area with its own characteristics, unlike in the 1980s when there were only a few differentiating factors. A host of issues come into play today when people choose a residential location or option. It is a question of locality, proximity to place of work, civic amenities, connectivity, infrastructure, neighbourhood, and many other factors relevant to a hectic pace of work and life. These issues are weighed against set parameters.

Bangalore north and east come out very strongly on many fronts. While the east came into the limelight some time ago as the IT sector took root here, the north too has an ace in the international airport. With the existing Outer Ring Road connectivity and the envisaged Peripheral Ring Road connectivity, these localities are accessible and inter-linked. It will therefore be compatible to live and work out of each other. It also means that development in one can see an echo of ancillary development in the other. With the international airport and the gamut of associated development on the cards in the north and a good many IT facilities taking shape in the east, these two parts of the city are set to play the next significant role in the city's march towards an international destination to reckon with.

The stage is being set for another set of milestones that will change the city's characteristics. The metro rail, arterial and ring road connectivity, corridors and such projects are waiting in the wings. Even as many thought the change is complete, it seems like it's only the beginning. And in the next part of this play, Bangalore north and east are set to play the lead roles.