Bidadi beckons investors

Bidadi beckons investors
Bidadi promises to be a good investment hub with the planned townships and good road connectivity, writes Poornima B V


The proposed integrated townships in Bidadi, Ramanagara, Solur, Sathanur and Nandagudi in the outskirts of Bangalore is a huge initiative taken up by the State Government that's expected to decongest Bangalore and shift some economic activity to the outskirts of the city. It also promises development of residential, commercial, transportation and environmental infrastructure in these areas.
There are also plans to develop the Bangalore-Mysore corridor as a knowledge hub. A major precondition here is that any IT company which is taking space here should necessarily take space for accommodation of its employees. The idea is to see that Bangalore is not clogged. There will be schools, colleges, hospitals and other facilities in this township, thus making it a convenient place to work and live in. Apart from this, a heritage centre at Ramanagara, an industrial centre at Channapatna, an eco-tourism township at Srirangapatna near Mysore and a global apparel village planned in 500 acres of land in Ramanagara would facilitate the growth of manufacturing industry and lead to employment generation. A health city is also coming up in Ramanagara.
The Bidadi Township will be one of the largest townships in the country. The project will serve as a catalyst for community development, employment generation, business opportunities and much more. It will integrate housing with economic activity, making it an attractive investment hub. Development along this corridor will also help arrest rural to urban migration, creating newer markets and recreational facilities and better housing facilities too. With development diverted to these areas of the city's outskirts as well, it is likely to bridge the rural urban divide to a certain extent. When developed, the township will have large and ancillary industries and will provide the right environment to attract and retain talent that's so essential for knowledge-based industries like IT. The total land area is 9,684 acres out of which 2,725 acres are Government land.
A huge film city that's coming up near Bidadi promises to be a one-stop-shop for entertainment, business, movies, food and film production. The film city is approved by the Government of Karnataka and also recognised by the Department of Tourism and Information. Land has been allotted by the Karnataka Industrial Areas Development Board (KIADB).
Scheduled for an opening in 2009, it will be the country's largest 21 cinema multiplex, with digital sound and a seating capacity for 5,000 people. Its state-of-the-art film studio will recognise and boost the universal passion of filmmaking with six mega studios featuring the latest film equipment. The film city will also have an exclusive helipad.
Another major attraction here would be a majestic 80-metre tall tower, with a revolving glass capsule that travels up and down the tower, flaunting a panoramic 360-degeree view of Bangalore city. Resorts, hotels, theme restaurants, food kiosks, a retail park and a snow land will be the other attractive features. It will also house an IT Park and technological centre. The film city project will generate employment for 8,000 people, locally.
Prospects for investors
It is not surprising then, that Bidadi has thrown open huge prospects for investors. Land prices have gone up and there are people who are looking for a second and third home here.
Infrastructure
The Bidadi Township, to be developed on public-private partnership, would be connected via the satellite town ring road and intermediate town ring road as well as radial roads, developed by the Bangalore Metropolitan Region Development Authority (BMRDA). Apart from this, the creation of world class facilities like the Peripheral Ring Road and the Bangalore Mysore Infrastructure Corridor (BMIC) will bring about increased connectivity between the city and its outskirts. Bangalore's IT brigade has also evinced interest in this knowledge corridor.
The satellite town ring roads (STRR), connecting the peripheral towns of Dobbspet, Magadi, Ramanagaram, Kanakapura, Anekal, Attibele, Sarjapura, Hoskote, Devanahalli, and Doddaballapur. The intermediate ring road will connect the intermediate towns of Nelamangala, Tavarekere, Bidadi, Harohalli, Thattekere, Sarjapura, Hoskote, Mallapura, and Aradeshanahalli.
Grade separators and interchanges will be constructed at the junction of the ring roads with national highways, state highways and major district roads. All the roads will have provisions for carrying OFC cables, sanitary lines, telephone cables and electricity cables.