A place flying high

A place flying high
Michael Patrao
Hebbal, which was once considered as outskirts in the North of Bangalore, has today become a beehive of activity.


Hebbal, which was once considered as outskirts in the North of Bangalore, has today become a beehive of activity. Though originally famous for University of Agricultural Sciences and Hebbal Lake, it is now better known for its network of flyovers at the junction of Outer Ring Road and Bellary Road.

Hebbal used to be the end of the corporation limits of Bangalore City. Until recently you could see the milestone between the Baptist Hospital and checkpost. The commissioning of the Bengaluru International Airport (BIAL) at Devanahalli has made Hebbal an important location. All arterial roads and road networks leading to the BIAL intersect at Hebbal. Further, BIAL has its office on the National Highway (NH 7) exit of the Hebbal flyover.

The Bangalore Baptist Hospital on Bangalore-Hyderabad national highway is largely involved in the treatment of poor and middle class patients. It is a US-based International Mission Board's hospital which was opened in 1973.

Initially, the general hospital started with an 80 bed capacity and today it has grown into a 150-bed hospital with a private patient care wing. Another hospital launched in recent times is the Columbia Asia Medical Centre, which is part of an international hospital chain promoted by the US based investors.

Real estate activity is brisk in and around Hebbal. The Embassy Kirloskar Business Park has changed Hebbal Kempapura into a commercial hub. The Beary’s Lakeside Habitat, with its twin towers — Alpha and Omega — is a landmark residential building in Hebbal. It has 24 floors, with the 15 floor as the break floor connecting the twin blocks with a bridge. With Godrej Properties developing the Woodsman Estate, residential development in the area is thriving.

Esteem Mall, located near the flyover, opposite the lake, is a new addition to the list of Bangalore malls. Built by the Esteem Group, the mall has big brand clothing stores, provision, electronic and music retailers, adventure and travel goods, furniture, footwear, restaurants, ice-cream parlour.

Hebbal hosts companies such as AstraZeneca (pharmaceutical company), Integra Micro Software Services and MRO Tech. Along the Outer Ring Road (ORR) just after the Nagawara Lake, Embassy Manyata Business Park is one the largest technology and business parks in the city of Bangalore.

Global brands like Philips Software and IBM have moved in there. The Bharat Electronics Limited (BEL) has also built its corporate office opposite the Embassy Manyata Business Park.

Various government run organisations like Karnataka Agro Industries Corporation, Institute of Veterinary Biologicals, Mahatma Gandhi Polytechnic and office of Directorate of Biological Control are located around this region. Janatha Bazaar is a good place to shop. Blessed Alphonsa is the famous church in the Hebbal. Hebbal Station is the nearest local railway station. Areas under Hebbal include Hebbal, Anand Nagar and Geddalahalli.

DID YOU KNOW

* Agenda for Hebbal Development (AHEAD), is a unique body organised to elicit people's participation for drawing up an agenda for the development of Hebbal assembly constituency.

* Beary’s Lake Side Habitat is South India's tallest residential structure.

Hebbal Lake

It was one of the three lakes founded in 16th century by Kempe Gowda and spread over an area of 150 acres. The lake receives water from catchment areas which cover the residential areas of Yeshwantpur, Mathikere, Rajmahal Vilas Extension, BEL and HMT colonies.

Hundreds of people — farmers, fishing communities, cattle herders, washermen depended on the lake. Before 1984, the lake had a distinct seasonal cycle. It would get filled during the monsoon and invariably go dry in the summer.

At one time, Hebbal Lake was home to over 70 species of water birds including 40 from the Himalayan and Central Asian regions. However, sewage inflow from neighbouring localities had badly disturbed the ecological system and water hyacinth started choking the lake and its inhabitants. After years of misuse, the lake became polluted and was restored after removal of silt and weeds under the Indo-Norwegian Environment Programme at a cost of Rs 2.7 crore.

The lake was dried out when a luxury hotel group wanted to ‘develop’ the lake under public-private partnership. This move came under severe criticism from environmentalists and other nature lovers.

Flyover

The Hebbal flyover was built at a cost of Rs 65 crore. The 5.25-km flyover covers 20 acres of land, and has 19 spans and 25 segments, each weighing about 50 tonnes. This is the longest flyover in the country with five loops providing access to vehicles, and it has two carriageways with six lanes. This is the first flyover in the South to sport interchange at five levels, and also it is the first flyover in the City with vehicle-activated sensor signalling system and two bus bays.

The flyover leads to the international airport at Devanahalli, and there are points connecting the City to Yeshwantpur Outer Ring Road. A free right turn has been provided to the K R Puram Outer Ring Road from Yelahanka side. The flyover allows free movement of vehicles from Yeshwantpur to the City.

University of Agricultural Sciences

TThe University began in 1899 as an Experimental Agricultural Station on 30 acres of land donated by the Wodeyars. It was soon extended to about 202 acres which led to the foundation of the Mysore Agricultural College in 1946 affiliated to the Mysore University.

In 1958, the Veterinary College, also affiliated to Mysore University was established. The university came into existence on August 21, 1964 with operational jurisdiction over the entire state of Karnataka. In 2005, the veterinary and animal sciences faculty was bifurcated from the University.

Schools/Colleges

Atria Institute of Technology, University of Agricultural Sciences (UAS), SES English High School, Vidya Sagar Nursery School, Vidya Niketan School, Sindhi School, Presidency College, Kensri School.