Bangalore to get skyscrapers soon
Bangalore is widely known for its bungalow culture and does not have skyscrapers adorning its skyline. This, however is about to change as a lot of developers are planning projects to come up with skyscrapers in the city.
It is learnt that in the next couple of months, Golden Gate Properties, the south based builder will be initiating work on what is being touted at the city’s tallest building, Presidential Tower. It will be located in the western suburb of Yeshwantpur and will have a height of 161 metres.
The 1-million sqft residential development will top a list of seven other high-rise buildings above 100 metres that have come up in the last six years. Public Utility Building or Subhas Chandra Bose Tower on MG Road, with 25 floors and built 106 metres above ground level was Bangalore’s only skyscraper for the longest time.
To talk about the some of the highest buildings and their length in the city, In 2008, businessman Vijay Mallya’s office UB Tower, which overlooks Cubbon Park became the tallest building in the city at 128 metres above ground level. Two years later Brigade Enterprises piped Mallya’s UB Tower to come up with the World Trade Center that became the tallest building, with 32 floors. Last year, Mantri Developers’ residential development Mantri Pinnacle in south Bangalore, off Bannerghatta Road, at a height of 153 metres with 46 floors was by far the tallest building that Bangalore had seen.
Mumbai, on the other hand has over 50 buildings – both under construction and constructed – that are over 150 metres above ground level.
The high-rise growth of Bangalore’s has been restricted for various reasons, one of the major being the location of the airport within 10 kilometers of the central business district (CBD). The HAL airport, which still continues to operate, is the final authority to grant a no objection certificates (NOCs) on height limits to developments situated in a 20-kilometer radius around the airport, which more or less covers a major portion of the city’s commercial and IT hubs.
Promoter of Golden Gate Properties, Sanjay Raj says on this, “Areas like Yeshwantpur in west Bangalore and Bannerghatta Road in South Bangalore could emerge as high-rise clusters, just by being located far away from the restrictive height regulations that the CBD areas face.”
Sounding optimistic about the Yeshwantpur are of the city, Raj says that given the number of high-rise developments that have come up in west Bangalore and with many others under development, Yeshwantpur could well emerge as the Manhattan of Bangalore, in future.
Not all real estate analysts are convinced of that, however. Founder and chairman of a real estate consultancy firm, Asipac Group, Mr. Amit Bagaria says, ”High-rise residential buildings will only work in two situations – firstly, where the views are great and secondly when it is a premium/luxury building. Apartments with views of railway tracks or low-income housing are not going to find takers at fancy prices.”
Comparing the global culture of high-rise buildings, L J Hooker India’s CEO, Alexander Moore says, “If you look at the international scenario high rise buildings are generally restricted to CBD locations or perhaps coastal areas on a beachfront, where there is a clear logical advantage from the height.”
Source: The Times of India
Alexander Moore, Asipac Group, Bangalore, Bannerghatta Road, Brigade Enterprises, CBD, central business district, Cubbon park, developers. L J Hooker India, Golden Gate Properties, HAL Airport, High rise, Mantri Developers, Mantri Pinnacle, real estate consultancy, Residential development, Sanjay Raj, Skyscrapers, South Bangalore, UB Tower, Vijay Mallya, West Bangalore, world trade center, Yeshwantpur
