At
last, after a long time of speculations and wait Bangalore has been
declared by the Centre as A One city, the sixth city in the country
to be given this status. New Delhi, Mumbai, Kolkata, Chennai and
Hyderabad are the other A One cities in India.
Who
will be the beneficiary? The common man, Government employees, the
Industrialists, or the IT Professionals? What is the impact on the
people who thrive with their meager daily wages. Let us peep into
there a little more.
Practically
this would benefit scores of Government employees by way of enhancement
in their HRA rate. Bangalore, in the recent past, has been a favoured
destination for most high technology industries and has consequently
witnessed significant growth. It has evolved as a Cosmopolitan City
with a Global presence. To retain it’s position as a city
of the future, the Government has taken up many projects and initiatives.
One of them to build Brand Bangalore and develop the economy around
Bangalore’s balanced economic base and traditional Industry.
Another is putting in place an appropriate, comfortable, integrated
multi-model public transport system for the region, based on efficiency
and affordability.
An
important move in this direction would also be in developing Bangalore’s
physical and communication connectivity, commensurate with its role
as a global investment destination and transforming the peripheral
areas into Integrated Satellite Townships.
As a result, the city has become
virtually unreachable to the lower and middle class people. Once
a paradise for retired personnel, today Bangalore has earned a dubious
distinction as one of the most polluted cities in the country due
to its increased population and unmindful construction activities.
Compare to Hyderabad and Chennai, Bangalore has become an unaffordable
one due to its manifold increase in cost of living. The salubrious
weather, once Bangalore was famous for has also become a thing of
past
One
of the world’s fastest growing cities, a balanced growth can
be achieved in the city only if economic efficiency, cost effective
infrastructure and market forces are considered while chalking out
developmental programs for the city. Despite being a technological
hub, the lack of an inter national airport had deprived the city
so far of quick international travel connections. The Bangalore
International Airport, a new express way to the airport, new flyovers,
development of the metro-rail network, these are some major projects
that have been taken up in recent times with regard to the improvement
of infra structure in the city. It is believed that the city has
over five lakhs IT employees with a total spending power of Rs.
12,000 crores. It is this spurt in purchasing power that is driving
the high end retail trade. This has also triggered
investments in real estate in the city. This huge spending
power has made Bangalore a business hub that is highly conducive
for trade and commerce. With so much happening and the A One City
status being finally accorded to Bangalore, the question on everyone’s
mind is – will there be an increase in funding? Bangalore
is already being funded under the Mega City Project. The city is
witnessing unprecedented growth and is currently the most sought
after city, truly a city of future. And above all, it is going to
be a place suitable for a few elite group of Industrialists and
highly IT Professionals those who can only afford the offerings