Today I had a chance to visit the flat of one of my friends in Bangalore. After more than one hour journey from my residence I reached there. THe entire area is full of multi-storied flats. Most of the flats are about 19 to 20 storeys. Altogether, I am told, there are more than 2500 flats in this combine. That means about 10,000 people are staying here.
My friends’ flat is on the 17th floor. From the verandah of the flat I looked at the city. A wonderful sight. The entire city can be seen. A large number of high storeys buildings could be seen along with the greenery, the city have.
Bangalore has grown in a big way since the last 10 to 20 years. The entire skyline of Bangalore has changed. The old roads and many of the important key points of the city have vanished or changed. High profile office buildings and multi storied residential flats have come in hundreds.It has become a rich city. The roads are naturally crowded and it takes more than one hour even to move from one place to another.
I tried to remember the first time I came to Bangalore. It was in 1958, July first week. I was given telegraphic order to join at the Telecom training Centre at Bangalore for training before appointment in the P and T Department. I resigned my post as a teacher and started for Bangalore by bus from Tellicherry (Kerala). By the time I reached Bangalore, I had made friends with one school boy and his mother, who were going to visit the latter’s brother working at Bangalore. When we reached Bangalore, they requested me to locate the quarters of their relative who was in the army. It was the Canteen Department. We reached there by hiring a tonga (horse-riksha).It was night by that time. When I was leaving the place, the relative, who was the Manager of the Canteen Department, compelled me to stay there with the assurance that next day he will take me to the training class. I stayed there in the night and next day joined the training class and the relative found out an accommodation for me in a nearby lodge.
The city at that time was beautiful with a lot of gardens and planned roads. The climate was very good. Neither very hot nor very cold. It is said that many of the retired army officers settled at Bangalore because of the calm and beautiful climate.
Within the last 20 years, after the IT revolution has come in a big way, Bangalore has changed.I mentioned about the large number of skyscrapers which have been built in the last few years. The roads have become completey insufficient for the heavy traffic and the result is road-jam almost everywhere. Malls and big shops have been established. Many overbridges and fly-overs have been constructed. Work on Metro is going on. All these changes will make Bengaluru a real metro.
It also seems that the attitude of the people is also changing. The arrogance of the large cities is gradually coming to Bengaluru chnging the innocence of the a middle level town.
But still Bengaluru is a pleasant city with many gardens and nice people with their age old tradition culture .