Bangalore (Silicon Valley) Progressing or Digressing ?

Bangalore (Silicon Valley) progressing or degressing

A couple of years back I had gone to Bangalore on an official trip to participate in trials for selection which would enable me to participate in DGQA National Table Tennis Championship to be held in Kanpur, Uttar Pradesh.

I alighted from the bus at Majestic bus stand . To my amazement, I felt as though I am in Hot Chennai and not in Bangalore which is famous for its perennially pleasant weather on account of its being 3000 feet above sea level. It is for this very reason that local people as well as people from other states prefer to make Bangalore their home. But I felt very uncomfortable due to the exhausting heat in Bangalore. After reaching the hotel room, I immediately turned on the fan and only then did I feel any relief from existent heat.

India's third-most populous city, Bangalore is popularly known as Silicon Valley on account of the numerous IT firms and multinational companies housed there. Even developed countries like France, the USA and the UK have established their companies here because of its cozy weather as well as cooperative and knowledgeable work force.

Bangalore is known as a green city. But this epithet does not seem to suit it now as its green cover has dwindled drastically and it is getting warmer everyday to the consternation of the dwellers there. This situation is really abominable. In the 1800's, the average temperature of Bangalore city used to be 14-16 degrees. Today, it can even go up to 38 degrees on a given day. 

We need not look far to understand why this drastic situation happened. The truth is, the indiscriminate felling of life-giving trees for building technology parks, malls, multi-storeyed offices, residential complexes and apartments has in fact shrunk the city's green zone. 

The outsourcing and start-up boom has attracted a large number of IT professionals as well as management graduates of neighboring states like Kerala, Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh and northern states towards Bangalore city which has alarmingly added to the burgeoning population of Bangalore and consequently thrown the vehicular traffic out of gear. Of late, the city has become more of an eyesore. It has totally lost its past glory. Nowadays, every vehicle and human being seems to jostle for space resulting in utter chaos and confusion.

As far as transport is concerned, the number of public buses available is far fewer than required hence, perforce; more two-wheelers and cars ply on road. Metro rail is still in its first phase of implementation and carries only 16,000 passengers a day and a three decade plan for a commuter rail system- the cheaper solution so far, has been shelved. The result is an increase in private vehicles. The city, home to over 11 million people has almost an equal number of vehicles according to the latest statistics on Karnataka transport department site. This situation is not at all healthy.

Traffic jams therefore, are a common sight. In the near future, Bangalore is going to get a Rs. 2000 crore new steel fly-over to cover the distance between the airport and tech hub in seven minutes. This is really remarkable and heart-warming. I presume that It is really going to be a saving grace to the Garden city.

Let us hope that by concerted efforts of the concerned authorities, in the near future, Bangalore regains its past glory.

Thanks To my both daughters Malavika Menon and Shwetha for their editing work.

Traffic jams therefore, are a common sight. In the near future, Bangalore is going to get a Rs. 2000 crore new steel fly-over to cover the distance between the airport and tech hub in seven minutes. This is really remarkable and heart-warming. I presume that It is really going to be a saving grace to the Garden city.

Let us hope that by concerted efforts of the concerned authorities, in the near future, Bangalore regains its past glory.