Burgeoning Bangalore

Burgeoning Bangalore
The Hindu

Bangalore is a rapidly growing city and is attracting people from a range of regions and professions



PULLING POWER The Indian Institute of Science, which was in the news for tragic reasons last week, is a major draw for students from across the country

Bangalore is the fastest growing city in South Asia. The population of the city, which was 24,76,355 in 1980, went up to 42,92,223 in 2001. In a span of two decades, the city attracted a population of 18 lakh migrants.

The rapid growth of electronics and subsequently information technology-related industries and the excellent academic atmosphere of the city have, in part, been responsible for the rise in population. Professionals and students have come from across the country to be part of the city's industry and academia.

Expansive set-up

The city has the finest and perhaps the most expansive corporate set-up in the country, which includes IT units numbering more than a thousand.

The city also hosts a large number of colleges affiliated to Bangalore University and top-class institutes in Science (Indian Institute of Science), Management (Indian Institute of Management), Humanities (Institute of Social and Economic Change), Law (National Law School), Engineering and Medicine, apart from a number of boarding schools of international standard.

The population has also gone up on account of migrant labour from around Bangalore and the other districts of the State. The construction/building industry, infrastructure projects and petty industries and factories all attract a large population of labourers.

Civic bodies

This dramatic growth in population has increased the burden on civic bodies to provide basic amenities. The civic amenities too have grown since their origins in the '60s and '70s.

The Bangalore Water Supply and Sewerage Board (BWSSB) was constituted in 1964 by the State Government to supply water and make arrangements for the disposal of sewerage in the existing and developing regions of the Bangalore Metropolitan area.

Before the formation of the board, the corporation maintained water supply in the cantonment area and the Public Works Department (PWD) did so in the city area. But the corporation bore the brunt of the cost as it was purchasing water in bulk from the PWD. In August 1961, the entire system of distribution was transferred to the Bangalore City Corporation, which was eventually handed over to BWSSB in 1964.

The erstwhile City Improvement Trust Board, constituted for Bangalore city in accordance with the provisions of the City of Bangalore Improvement Act 1945, was reconstituted and reorganised as the Bangalore Development Authority (BDA) under the BDA Act 1976 with effect from January 1, 1976. The proper planning and development of the Bangalore metropolitan area was its objective.

During the 1980s, sites measuring 30x40 and 30x50 were available for Rs. 12,000 to Rs. 18,000 in suburbs such as Vijayanagar. Flats were available for Rs. 35,000 to Rs. 45,000. Rent for a two-bedroom house varied between Rs. 250 and Rs. 750. Rented bungalows were available for Rs. 1,500.

House owners who rented out their premises were in fear of rent control officials because the latter not only fixed rent levels, but also had a say in matters relating to occupants.

Earlier, on retirement, people would utilise their lifetime savings to build a house on a site purchased through loans.

Now, youngsters getting salaries around Rs. 40,000 to Rs. 50,000 a month, with no family responsibilities to bear like in the older days and with easy credit facilities available, own a flat or house at a very young age.

With growth, the population has not only grown, but has changed in its composition as well.