Bangalore: Not a well-known name till the late 70s, Koramangala and HSR Layout which was close to Adugodi village, has now transformed into a huge residential and commercial hub, housing a large number of IT firms.
Just three kilometres from Koramangala, is the well-designed HSR layout. Divided into seven sectors, HSR Layout (officially called Kengal Hanumanthaiah Layout) is self-sustained with its shopping malls, parks and infrastructure. A favourite among techies, Koramangala has everything, from shopping complexes to the best hospitals and educational institutions. "I chose to live in Koramangala because it is centrally located. We have easy access to the best hospitals like St John's, Hosmat, Manipal, and even Narayana Hrudayalaya is not far off," says HT Sangliana, former member of Parliament.
Besides, he adds, reputed educational institutions are also close by. The major ones being the Christ institution, Jyothi Nivas College and St John's Medical College. "There are so many eateries. The Koramangala Club which is one of the best clubs in Bangalore, is also here. It is self-contained, with parks, an indoor stadium and a whole lot of other facilities for the residents," says Sangliana. Even passport office is close by. All these things make Koramangala the best locality to live in.
However, Arjun Award winning athlete Ashwini Nachappa feels commercialisation has reduced the lung space in the area. "It was a lovely residential area when I came here in 1992. It had a lot of open space and greenery. Now, there is no space to even park vehicles in front of our houses. Things have changed drastically," she says.
"Though there are pro-active resident welfare associations (RWAs), the best shopping complexes, hospitals and educational institutions, my concern is that it is losing green space. In the next five years, it will become more commercialised like the rest of Bangalore. The RWAs have to take up these issues," Aswhini adds.
But South Indian actress Nettoo, a resident of Koramangala, thinks that though traffic is heavy in front of malls like Forum and Oasis, the bylanes in Koramangala make way for smooth movement of traffic. "What makes Koramangala more likable are the bylanes.
The different blocks and BDA complexes provide for easy movement of traffic," she says.
She points out that the mix of culture makes the area unique. "The place is not only for youngsters. Many senior citizens have also made Koramangala their home. We have everything here so youngsters needn't go to Commercial Street or MG Road to have fun. I have been residing here for the last five to six years. But it is sad that there aren't many Kannadigas," says Neettoo.
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