LJ University

L.J. Institute of Engineering and

Technology
Civil Engineering Department

UNDER SUBJECT
BUILDING & TOWN PLANNING (017093302)

SEMESTER- III

A Report
On
BANGALORE - Development Case Study
SUBMITTED BY
CHISHTY HASSAN MOHAMMED
SALIMUDDIN
(22002170910007)

Faculty Advisor

Mr. Timir Chokshi Mr. Mosam Pandya

Assistant Professor HOD
Civil Engineering Civil Engineering
Department,LJIET, Department,LJIET,
LJU, Ahmedabad LJU, Ahmedabad
 INTRODUCTION TO CITY

INTRODUCTION: UNRAVELING BANGALORE'S URBAN

TAPESTRY

Nestled in the heart of southern India's Karnataka state lies Bangalore, a city whose
narrative intricately weaves together history, innovation, and urban evolution. From its
humble origins as a quaint cantonment during the British Raj to its meteoric rise as the
Silicon Valley of India, Bangalore's trajectory epitomizes the dynamic interplay between
tradition and modernity in the urban landscape.

HISTORICAL TAPESTRY: FROM GARDEN CITY TO TECH HUB

Bangalore's journey traces back to the early 16th century when it served as a stronghold for
local chieftains before catching the eye of Kempe Gowda, who founded it as a fortified
township in 1537. Under British colonial rule, Bangalore burgeoned into a verdant retreat,
earning the moniker "Garden City" for its lush greenery and salubrious climate. The
establishment of the Bangalore Cantonment in the early 19th century further fueled its
strategic importance, paving the way for urban planning initiatives that laid the groundwork
for its future development.

A CITY TRANSFORMED: THE TECHNOLOGICAL REVOLUTION

The latter half of the 20th century witnessed Bangalore's metamorphosis from a pensioner's
paradise to a pulsating metropolis. The liberalization of India's economy in the 1990s
catalyzed Bangalore's ascension as a global IT hub, attracting multinational corporations
and nurturing a vibrant ecosystem of startups and innovators. The city's skyline began to
sprout skyscrapers, its streets hummed with the buzz of technology, and its population
swelled with migrants drawn by the promise of opportunity.
URBAN QUANDARIES: NAVIGATING GROWTH PANGS

Yet, Bangalore's rapid growth has not been without its share of challenges. The city's
infrastructure strained under the weight of burgeoning population, leading to congestion on
roads, inadequate housing, and overstretched public services. As concrete crept over green
spaces and lakes dwindled amidst unchecked urbanization, questions of sustainability and
livability loomed large. In the midst of this urban churn, issues of equitable development,
environmental stewardship, and inclusive governance beckoned attention.

CHARTING A COURSE: THE QUEST FOR SUSTAINABLE URBAN

FUTURES

As Bangalore stands at the crossroads of development, the need for visionary town
planning and governance acquires paramount importance. Balancing the imperatives of
economic growth with the preservation of ecological integrity and social equity poses a
formidable challenge. Engaging stakeholders, harnessing technology for smart urban
solutions, and fostering a culture of participatory governance emerge as imperatives for
charting a sustainable trajectory for Bangalore's urban future.

SCOPE OF THE STUDY

In this case study, we embark on a journey to unravel the complex tapestry of Bangalore's
urban evolution. Drawing upon historical insights, empirical data, and stakeholder
perspectives, we endeavor to explore the multifaceted dimensions of development and
town planning in Bangalore. Through a critical lens, we seek to discern the patterns,
paradoxes, and possibilities that define Bangalore's urban landscape and envision pathways
towards a more resilient, inclusive, and sustainable city.
 HISTORY

EARLY AND MEDIEVAL HISTORY

The Begur Nageshwara Temple was built in Bangalore around c. 860, during the reign of
the Western Ganga dynasty.

Dodda Basavana Gudi

A discovery of Stone Age artefacts during the 2001 Census of India at Jalahalli, Sidhapura
and Jadigenahalli, all of which are located on Bangalore's outskirts today, suggest human
settlement around 4000 BCE. Around 1,000 BCE (during the Iron Age), burial grounds
were established at Koramangala and Chikkajala on the outskirts of Bangalore. Coins of
the Roman emperors Augustus, Tiberius, and Claudius found at Yeswanthpur and HAL
Airport indicate that the region was involved in trans-oceanic trade with the Romans and
other civilisations in 27 BCE.

The region of modern-day Bangalore was part of several successive South

Indian kingdoms. Between the fourth and tenth centuries, the region was ruled by
the Western Ganga dynasty of Karnataka, the first dynasty to set up effective control over
the region. According to Edgar Thurston, there were twenty-eight kings who ruled
Gangavadi from the start of the Christian era until its conquest by the Cholas. The Western
Gangas ruled the region initially as a sovereign power (350–550 CE), and later as
feudatories of the Chalukyas of Badami, followed by the Rashtrakutas until the tenth
century. The Begur Nageshwara Temple was commissioned around 860, during the reign of
the Western Ganga King Ereganga Nitimarga I, and extended by his successor Nitimarga
II. Around 1004, during the reign of Raja Raja Chola I, the Cholas defeated the Western
Gangas under the command of the crown prince Rajendra Chola I, and captured Bangalore.
During this period, the Bangalore region witnessed the migration of many groups—
warriors, administrators, traders, artisans, pastorals, cultivators, and religious personnel
from Tamil Nadu and other Kannada-speaking regions.[34] The Chokkanathaswamy
temple at Domlur, the Aigandapura complex near Hesaraghatta, Mukthi Natheshwara
Temple at Binnamangala, Choleshwara Temple at Begur, Someshwara Temple at Ulsoor,
date from the Chola era.

In 1117, the Hoysala king Vishnuvardhana defeated the Cholas in the Battle of Talakad in
south Karnataka, and extended its rule over the region. Vishnuvardhana expelled the Cholas
from all parts of the Mysore state. By the end of the 13th century, Bangalore became a
source of contention between two warring cousins, the Hoysala ruler Veera Ballala
III of Halebidu and Ramanatha, who administered from the Hoysala held territory in Tamil
Nadu. Veera Ballala III had appointed a civic head at Hudi (now within Bangalore
Municipal Corporation limits), thus promoting the village to the status of a town. After
Veera Ballala III's death in 1343, the next empire to rule the region was the Vijayanagara
Empire, which itself saw the rise of four dynasties, the Sangamas (1336–1485),
the Saluvas (1485–1491), the Tuluvas (1491–1565), and the Aravidu (1565–1646). During
the reign of the Vijayanagara Empire, Achyuta Deva Raya of the Tuluva dynasty raised
the Shivasamudra Dam across the Arkavati river at Hesaraghatta, whose reservoir is the
present city's supply of regular piped water.

Foundation and early modern history

Bangalore Fort in 1860 showing fortifications and barracks. The fort was originally built
by Kempe Gowda I as a mud fort in 1537.

Bangalore Palace, built in 1887 in Tudor architectural style was modelled on Windsor
Castle in England.

Modern Bangalore was begun in 1537 by the chieftain Kempe Gowda I, who aligned with
the Vijayanagara Empire under Emperor Achyuta Deva Raya to campaign against
Gangaraja (whom he defeated and expelled to Kanchi), and who built a mud-brick fort for
the people at the site that would become the central part of modern Bangalore. Kempe
Gowda was restricted by rules made by the Emperor, who feared the potential power of
Kempe Gowda and did not allow a stone fort. Kempe Gowda referred to the new town as
his "gandubhūmi" or "Land of Heroes”. Within the fort, the town was divided into smaller
divisions, each called a pētē (Kannada pronunciation: [peːteː]). The town had two main
streets—Chikkapētē Street and Doddapētē Street. Their intersection formed the Doddapētē
Square—the heart of Bangalore. Kempe Gowda I's During the Vijayanagara rule, many
saints and poets referred to Bangalore as "Devarāyanagara" and "Kalyānapura" or
"Kalyānapuri" ("Auspicious City").

After the fall of the Vijayanagara Empire in 1565 in the Battle of Talikota, Kempe Gowda I
declared independence. His successor, Kempe Gowda II, built four towers that marked
Bangalore's boundary. Then in 1638, a large Adil Shahi Bijapur army led by Ranadulla
Khan and accompanied by his second in command Shāhji Bhōnslē defeated Kempe Gowda
III, and Bangalore was given to Shāhji as a jagir (feudal estate). Around 1639, he ordered
the reconstruction of the destroyed city and the building of new lakes to solve the water
shortage in the region. In 1687, the Mughal general Kasim Khan, under orders
from Aurangzeb, defeated Ekoji I, son of Shāhji, and sold Bangalore to Chikkadevaraja
Wodeyar (1673–1704), the then ruler of the Kingdom of Mysore for three lakh rupees.
After the death of Krishnaraja Wodeyar II in 1759, Hyder Ali, Commander-in-Chief of the
Mysore Army, proclaimed himself the de facto ruler of the Kingdom of Mysore. Hyder Ali
is credited with building the Delhi and Mysore gates at the northern and southern ends of
the city in 1760. The kingdom later passed to Hyder Ali's son Tipu Sultan. Hyder and Tipu
directed the building of the Lal Bagh Botanical Gardens in 1760. Under them, Bangalore
developed into a commercial and military centre of strategic importance.

The Bangalore fort was captured by British forces under Lord Cornwallis on 21 March
1791 during the Third Anglo-Mysore War and formed a centre for British resistance against
Tipu Sultan. Following Tipu's death in the Fourth Anglo-Mysore War (1799), the British
returned administrative control of the Bangalore pētē to the Maharaja of Mysore and was
incorporated into the Princely State of Mysore, which existed as a nominally sovereign
entity of the British Raj. The old pētē developed in the dominions of the Maharaja of
Mysore. The Residency of Mysore State was first established in Mysore City in 1799 and
later shifted to Bangalore in 1804. It was abolished in 1843, only to be revived in 1881 at
Bangalore and closed down permanently in 1947, with Indian independence. The British
found Bangalore to be a pleasant and appropriate place to station their garrison and
therefore moved their cantonment to Bangalore from Seringapatam in 1809 near Ulsoor,
about 6 km (4 mi) northeast of the city. A town grew up around the cantonment, by
absorbing several villages in the area. The new centre had its own municipal and
administrative apparatus, though technically it was a British enclave within the territory of
the Wodeyar Kings of the Princely State of Mysore. Two important developments which
contributed to the rapid growth of the city, include the introduction of telegraph
connections to all major Indian cities in 1853 and a rail connection to Madras (now
Chennai), in 1864.

Later modern and contemporary history

A view of Bangalore Pete during the 1890s

A view of Bangalore Cantonment, c. 1895

Map of the city and environs, c. 1914

The Bangalore torpedo was invented in Bangalore in 1912.

Aerial view of UB City, a business district in Bangalore, 2019

In the 19th century, Bangalore essentially became a twin city, with the "pētē", whose
residents were predominantly Kannadigas and the cantonment created by the British.
Throughout the 19th century, the Cantonment gradually expanded and acquired a distinct
cultural and political salience as it was governed directly by the British and was known as
the Civil and Military Station of Bangalore. While it remained in the princely territory of
Mysore, Cantonment had a large military presence and a cosmopolitan civilian population
that came from outside the princely state of Mysore, including British and Anglo-
Indians army officers.

Bangalore was hit by a plague epidemic in 1898 that claimed nearly 3,500 lives. The crisis
caused by the outbreak catalysed the city's sanitation process. Telephone lines were laid to
help co-ordinate anti-plague operations. Regulations for building new houses with proper
sanitation facilities came into effect. A health officer was appointed and the city divided
into four wards for better co-ordination. Victoria Hospital was inaugurated in 1900 by Lord
Curzon, the then Governor-General of British India.New extensions
in Malleswaram and Basavanagudi were developed in the north and south of the pētē.In
1903, motor vehicles came to be introduced in Bangalore. In 1906, Bangalore became one
of the first cities in India to have electricity from hydro power, powered by
the hydroelectric plant situated in Shivanasamudra. The Indian Institute of Science was
established in 1909, which subsequently played a major role in developing the city as a
science research hub.In 1912, the Bangalore torpedo, an offensive explosive weapon
widely used in World War I and World War II, was devised in Bangalore by British army
officer Captain McClintock of the Madras Sappers and Miners.

Bangalore's reputation as the "Garden City of India" began in 1927 with the silver
jubilee celebrations of the rule of Krishnaraja Wodeyar IV. Several projects such as the
construction of parks, public buildings and hospitals were instituted to improve the
city.Bangalore played an important role during the Indian independence
movement. Mahatma Gandhi visited the city in 1927 and 1934 and addressed public
meetings here.In 1926, the labour unrest in Binny Mills due to demand by textile workers
for payment of bonus resulted in lathi charging and police firing, resulting in the death of
four workers, and several injuries. In July 1928, there were notable communal
disturbances in Bangalore, like when a Ganesh idol was removed from a school compound
in the Sultanpet area of Bangalore.In 1940, the first flight between Bangalore
and Bombay took off, which placed the city on India's urban map.

After India's independence in August 1947, Bangalore remained in the newly

carved Mysore State of which the Maharaja of Mysore was the Rajapramukh (appointed
governor).The "City Improvement Trust" was formed in 1945, and in 1949, the "City" and
the "Cantonment" merged to form the Bangalore City Corporation. The Government of
Karnataka later constituted the Bangalore Development Authority in 1976 to coordinate the
activities of these two bodies. Public sector employment and education provided
opportunities for Kannadigas from the rest of the state to migrate to the city. Bangalore
experienced rapid growth in the decades 1941–51 and 1971–81, which saw the arrival of
many immigrants from northern Karnataka. The Government of India set up the All India
Institute of Mental Health (AIIMH) in 1956. By 1961, Bangalore had become the sixth-
largest city in India, with a population of 1,207,000. In the following decades, Bangalore's
manufacturing base continued to expand with the establishment of private companies such
as MICO (Motor Industries Company), which set up its manufacturing plant in the city.

By the 1980s, urbanisation had spilled over the current boundaries, and in 1986,
the Bangalore Metropolitan Region Development Authority, was established to co-ordinate
the development of the entire region as a single unit. On 8 February 1981, a major fire
broke out at Venus Circus in Bangalore, where more than 92 people died, the majority of
them children.Bangalore experienced a growth in its real estate market in the
1980s and 1990s, spurred by capital investors from other parts of the country who
converted Bangalore's large plots and colonial bungalows into multi-storied apartments.In
1985, Texas Instruments became the first multinational corporation to set up base in
Bangalore. Other information technology companies followed suit and by the end of the
20th century, Bangalore had established itself as the Silicon Valley of India.Today,
Bangalore is India's third most populous city.During the 21st century, Bangalore has had
major terrorist attacks in 2008, 2010, and 2013.

GEOGRAPHY

The Hesaraghatta Lake in Bangalore.Bangalore lies in the southeast of the South

Indian state of Karnataka. It is in the heart of the Mysore Plateau (a region of the
larger Cretaceous Deccan Plateau) at an average elevation of 900 m (2,953 ft).It covers an
area of 741 km2 (286 sq mi).The majority of the city of Bangalore lies in the Bangalore
Urban district of Karnataka and the surrounding rural areas are a part of the Bangalore
Rural district. The Government of Karnataka has carved out the new district
of Ramanagara from the old Bangalore Rural district.

Bangalore's topography is generally flat, although the western parts of the city are hilly.
The highest point is Vidyaranyapura Doddabettahalli, 962 m (3,156 ft) above sea level,
situated to the northwest of the city. No major rivers run through the city, although
the Arkavathi and South Pennar cross paths at the Nandi Hills, 60 km (37 mi) to the
north. River Vrishabhavathi, a minor tributary of the Arkavathi, arises within the city at
Basavanagudi and flows through the city. The rivers Arkavathi and Vrishabhavathi together
carry much of Bangalore's sewage.A sewerage system, constructed in 1922, covers
215 km2 (83 sq mi) of the city and connects with five sewage treatment centres located in
the city's periphery.

In the 16th century, Kempe Gowda I constructed many lakes to meet the town's water
requirements. The Kempambudhi Kere, since overrun by modern development, was
prominent among those lakes. In the first half of the 20th century, the Nandi
Hills waterworks were commissioned by Sir Mirza Ismail (Diwan of Mysore, 1926–41
CE) to provide a water supply to the city. Kaveri River flows about 60 miles (100 km) from
the city of Bengaluru, and the river Kaveri provides around 80% of the city's water supply
and the remaining 20% is obtained from the Thippagondanahalli and Hesaraghatta
reservoirs of the Arkavathi river. Bangalore receives 800 million litres (210 million US
gallons) of water a day, more than any other Indian city, but Bangalore does face occasional
water shortages, especially during summer and in years with low rainfall.A random
sampling of the air quality index (AQI) of twenty stations within the city ranged from
76 to 314, suggesting heavy to severe air pollution around areas of high traffic.

Bangalore has a handful of freshwater lakes and water tanks, the largest of which are
Madivala tank, Hebbal Lake, Ulsoor Lake, Yediyur Lake and Sankey Tank. However, about
90% of Bangalore's lakes are polluted; the city government began revival and conservation
efforts in December 2020. Groundwater occurs in silty to sandy layers of
the alluvial sediments. The Peninsular Gneissic Complex (PGC) is the most dominant rock
unit in the area and includes granites, gneisses and migmatites, while the soils of Bangalore
consist of red laterite and red, fine loamy to clayey soils.

The city's vegetation is mostly large deciduous canopy and some coconut trees.Many trees
are frequently felled to pave way for infrastructure development. Though Bangalore has
been classified as a part of the seismic zone II (a stable zone), it has
experienced earthquakes of magnitude as high as 4.5 on the Richter scale.

Climate

Bangalore has a tropical savanna climate (Köppen climate classification Aw) with
distinct wet and dry seasons. Due to its high elevation, Bangalore usually enjoys a more
moderate climate throughout the year, although occasional heat waves can make summer
somewhat uncomfortable.The coolest month is January with an average low temperature of
15.1 °C (59.2 °F) and the hottest month is April with an average high of 34.1 °C
(93.4 °F). The highest temperature ever recorded in Bangalore is 41.8 °C (107 °F),
recorded 30 April 2024, corresponding with the strong El Niño in that year.The lowest ever
recorded is 7.8 °C (46 °F) in January 1884. Winter temperatures rarely drop below 14 °C
(57 °F), and summer temperatures seldom exceed 36 °C (97 °F). Bangalore receives
rainfall from both the northeast and the southwest monsoons, and the wettest months is
September, followed by October and August.The summer heat is moderated by fairly
frequent thunderstorms, which occasionally cause power outages and local flooding. Most
of the rainfall occurs during the late afternoon or evening and rain before noon is
infrequent. November 2015 (290.4 mm) was recorded as one of the wettest months in
Bangalore with heavy rains causing severe flooding in some areas, and closure of a number
of organisations for over a couple of days. The heaviest rainfall recorded in a 24-hour
period is 179 mm (7 in) recorded on 1 October 1997.In 2022, Bangalore faced a large
amount of rainfall, which was 368% more than the yearly average. Several areas were
flooded, and power supply was also cut off.

hideClimate data for Bangalore (1991–2020, extremes 1901–present)

Fe Ma Ap Ma Ju Au Se Oc No De Ye
Month Jan Jul
b r r y n g p t v c ar
37. 41. 41. 38. 31. 41
35. 33. 33. 33. 32. 33.
Record 32.8 9 8 1 1 1 .8
9 3 3 3 4 0
high °C (91. (10 (10 (10 (10 (8 (1
(96 (91 (91 (91 (90 (91
(°F) 0) 0.2 7.2 6.0 0.6 8.0 07
.6) .9) .9) .9) .3) .4)
) ) ) ) ) .2)
Mean 26. 29
30. 33. 34. 33. 29. 28. 28. 28. 28. 27.
daily 28.4 9 .8
9 4 1 1 7 3 1 6 5 4
maximu (83. (8 (8
(87 (92 (93 (91 (85 (82 (82 (83 (83 (81
m °C 1) 0.4 5.
.6) .1) .4) .6) .5) .9) .6) .5) .3) .3)
(°F) ) 6)
21. 24
24. 26. 28. 27. 25. 24. 24. 24. 24. 22.
Daily 22.3 7 .6
3 8 1 4 2 2 1 3 0 9
mean (72. (7 (7
(75 (80 (82 (81 (77 (75 (75 (75 (75 (73
°C (°F) 1) 1.1 6.
.7) .2) .6) .3) .4) .6) .4) .7) .2) .2)
) 3)
Mean 16. 19
17. 20. 22. 21. 20. 20. 20. 20. 19. 18.
daily 16.1 4 .4
6 2 1 8 6 1 0 0 8 3
minimu (61. (6 (6
(63 (68 (71 (71 (69 (68 (68 (68 (67 (64
m °C 0) 1.5 6.
.7) .4) .8) .2) .1) .2) .0) .0) .6) .9)
(°F) ) 9)
 7.
11. 14. 16. 16. 16. 14. 15. 13. 8.9
Record 7.8 9.4 9.6 8
1 4 7 7 1 4 0 2 (4
low °C (46. (48 (49 (4
(52 (57 (62 (62 (61 (57 (59 (55 8.0
(°F) 0) .9) .3) 6.
.0) .9) .1) .1) .0) .9) .0) .8) )
0)
1,
07
15.
Average 14. 61. 128 110 11 16 20 18 64. 7.
1.6 7.1 4
rainfall 7 7 .7 .3 6.4 2.7 8.3 6.4 5 8
(0.0 (0. (0.
mm (0. (2. (5. (4. (4. (6. (8. (7. (2. (4
6) 28) 61
(inches) 58) 43) 07) 34) 58) 41) 20) 34) 54) 2.
)
43
)
Average
10. 62
rainy 0.2 0.3 1.1 4.0 7.5 6.8 8.0 9.5 9.6 4.2 1.3
2 .7
days
Average
relative
humidit
y (%) (a 41 32 29 35 47 62 65 67 64 65 61 53 52
t
17:30 IS
T)
Average
12 13 17 19 19 19 19 19 18 17 15 17
dew 13
(54 (55 (63 (66 (66 (66 (66 (66 (64 (63 (5 (6
point °C (55)
) ) ) ) ) ) ) ) ) ) 9) 2)
(°F)
Mean 2,
monthly 262. 24 271 257 241 136 11 11 14 17 19 21 36
sunshin 3 7.6 .4 .0 .1 .8 1.8 4.3 3.6 3.1 0.2 1.7 0.
e hours 9
Average
ultravi 10 12 12 12 12 12 12 12 12 12 10 10 12
olet
index
Source 1: India Meteorological Department[105][106][107] Time and Date
(dewpoints, 2005–2015)[108]
Source 2: NOAA (sun: 1971–1990),[109] Tokyo Climate Center (mean
temperatures 1991–2020);[110] Weather Atlas[111]

March record high[112] April record high[113] May record high[114]

hideClimate data for Bangalore (HAL Airport) 1991–2020, extremes
1901–present
 Ja Fe Ma Ap Ma Ju Au Se Oc No De
Month Jul Year
n b r r y n g p t v c
Recor 32. 35. 36. 38. 38. 37. 33. 32. 33. 32. 31. 30.
38.3
d high 5 0 6 3 0 5 0 2 0 5 7 4
(100.
°C (90 (95 (97 (10 (10 (99 (91 (90 (91 (90 (89 (8
9)
(°F) .5) .0) .9) 0.9 0.4 .5) .4) .0) .4) .5) .1) 6.7
) ) )
Mean 26.
28. 30. 32. 33. 33. 29. 28. 28. 28. 28. 27.
daily 4 29.6
0 4 9 8 0 9 6 3 7 3 1
maxim (7 (85.3
(82 (86 (91 (92 (91 (85 (83 (82 (83 (82 (80
um °C 9.5 )
.4) .7) .2) .8) .4) .8) .5) .9) .7) .9) .8)
(°F) )
Mean 15.
15. 16. 18. 21. 21. 20. 19. 19. 19. 19. 17.
daily 6 18.7
0 4 9 2 3 3 8 7 6 3 7
minim (6 (65.7
(59 (61 (66 (70 (70 (68 (67 (67 (67 (66 (63
um °C 0.1 )
.0) .5) .0) .2) .3) .5) .6) .5) .3) .7) .9)
(°F) )
Recor 10. 11. 14. 16. 15. 16. 15. 15. 13. 10. 9.2
8.8 8.8
d low 0 7 6 7 6 1 0 6 7 5 (4
(47 (47.8
°C (50 (53 (58 (62 (60 (61 (59 (60 (56 (50 8.6
.8) )
(°F) .0) .1) .3) .1) .1) .0) .0) .1) .7) .9) )
Averag
15.
e 11. 59. 110 101 10 13 17 17 59. 953.
2.3 5.8 0
rainfal 2 8 .4 .8 1.1 3.6 6.4 7.3 0 7
(0. (0. (0.
l mm (0. (2. (4. (4. (3. (5. (6. (6. (2. (37.5
09) 23) 59
(inches 44) 35) 35) 01) 98) 26) 94) 98) 32) 5)
)
)
Averag
e rainy 0.2 0.4 0.8 3.5 6.6 5.8 7.6 9.0 8.9 9.3 4.3 1.1 57.5
days
Averag
e relati
ve
humid
41 31 28 35 46 62 65 67 63 65 61 54 52
ity (%)
(at
17:30 I
ST)
Source: India Meteorological Department
 DEMOGRAPHICS

Housing in Bangalore

Population growth
Year Pop. ±%
1941 406,760 —
1951 778,977 +91.5%
1961 1,207,000 +54.9%
1971 1,654,000 +37.0%
1981 2,922,000 +76.7%
1991 4,130,000 +41.3%
2001 5,101,000 +23.5%
2011 8,425,970 +65.2%
Source: Census of India

Sunset Over The City From Nagawara

statue of Shiva at Shivoham Shiva Temple

Bangalore is a megacity with a population of 8,443,675 in the city and 10,456,000 in the
urban agglomeration, up from 8.5 million at the 2011 census.It is the third most populous
city in India, the 18th most populous city in the world and the fifth most populous urban
agglomeration in India. With a growth rate of 38% during the decade, Bangalore was the
fastest-growing Indian metropolis after New Delhi between 1991 and 2001. Residents of
Bangalore are referred to as "Bangaloreans" in English, Bengaloorinavaru or
Bengaloorigaru in Kannada and Banglori in Hindi or Urdu.People from other states have
migrated to Bangalore, study, or work there as well.

Religion in Bangalore City

(2011)[122]
Religion Percent
Hinduism 78.87%
Islam 13.90%
Christianity 5.61%
Jainism 0.97%
Sikhism 0.15%
Buddhism 0.06%
Others 0.44%

According to the 2011 census of India, 79% of Bangalore's population is Hindu, a little less
than the national average.Muslims comprise 13.9% of the population, roughly the same as
their national average. Christians and Jains account for 5.4% and 1.0% of the population,
respectively, double that of their national averages. The city has a literacy rate of
90%. Roughly 10% of Bangalore's population lives in slums-a relatively low proportion
when compared to other cities in the developing world such
as Mumbai (50%) and Nairobi (60%).The 2008 National Crime Records Bureau statistics
indicate that Bangalore accounts for 8.5% of the total crimes reported from 35 major cities
in India which is an increase in the crime rate when compared to the number of crimes
fifteen years ago.

In the Ease of Living Index 2020 (published by the Ministry of Housing & Urban Affairs),
it was ranked the most livable Indian city with a population of over a million.

Bangalore has the same major urbanisation problems seen in many fast-growing cities in
developing countries: rapidly escalating social inequality, mass displacement and
dispossession, the proliferation of slum settlements, and epidemic public health crisis due
to severe water shortage and sewage problems in poor and working-class neighbourhoods.
Further information: Rashtrottahana Parishat
Languages

Languages of Bangalore (2011)

Kannada (42.05%)
Tamil (16.34%)
Telugu (13.73%)
Urdu (13.00%)
Hindi (4.64%)
Malayalam (3.16%)
Marathi (2.05%)
Others (5.03%)

The official language of Bangalore is Kannada, spoken by 42.05% of the population. The
second-largest language is Tamil, spoken by 16.34% of the population. 13.73%
speak Telugu, 13.00% Urdu, 4.64% Hindi, 3.16% Malayalam and 2.05% have Marathi as
their first language. Other major languages in the city
include Konkani, Marwari, Tulu, Odia and Gujarati. The Kannada language spoken in
Bangalore is a form called as 'Old Mysuru Kannada' which is also used in most of the
southern part of Karnataka. A vernacular dialect of this, known as Bangalore Kannada, is
spoken among the youth in Bangalore and the adjoining Mysore regions.[132] English is
extensively spoken and is the principal language of the professional and business class.

The major communities of Bangalore who share a long history in the city, other than
the Kannadigas, are the Telugus and Tamilians, who both migrated to Bangalore in search
of a better livelihood, and the Dakhanis. Already in the 16th century, Bangalore had few
Tamil or Telugu or speakers, who spoke Kannada for business. Telugu-speaking people
initially came to Bangalore on invitation by the Mysore royalty.

Other native communities are the Tuluvas and the Konkanis of coastal Karnataka, and
the Kodavas of the state's Kodagu district. The migrant communities
include Maharashtrians, Punjabis, Rajasthanis, Gujaratis, Tamilians, Telugus, Malayalis, O
dias, Sindhis, Biharis, Jharkhandis, and Bengalis. Bangalore once had a large Anglo-
Indian population, the second-largest after Calcutta. Today, there are around 10,000 Anglo-
Indians in Bangalore. Bangalorean Christians include Tamil Christians, Mangalorean
Catholics, Kannadiga Christians, Malayali Syrian Christians and Northeast Indian
Christians. Muslims form a very diverse population, consisting of Dakhini and Urdu-
speaking Muslims, Kutchi Memons, Labbay and Mappilas.
Other languages with sizeable numbers of speakers
include Konkani, Bengali, Marwari, Tulu, Odia, Gujarati, Kodagu, Punjabi, Lambadi, Sind
hi and Nepali.

ECONOMY

UB Tower Mercedes-
Benz R&D in Whitefield, Bangalore

Bangalore is one of the fastest-growing metropolises in India. Bangalore contributes 38%

of India's total IT exports. Its economy is primarily service oriented and
industrial, dominated by information technology, telecommunication, biotechnology, and
manufacturing of electronics, machinery, automobiles, food, etc. Major industrial areas
around Bangalore
are Adugodi, Bidadi, Bommanahalli, Bommasandra, Domlur, Hoodi, Whitefield, Doddaball
apura, Hoskote, Bashettihalli, Yelahanka, Electronic
City, Peenya, Krishnarajapuram, Bellandur, Narasapura, Rajajinagar, Mahadevapura etc.
[187][188] It is the fifth Indian city to host maximum numbers of Fortune Companies,
after Mumbai, Delhi, Kolkata and Chennai.
 World Trade Center
Bangalore at Rajajinagar.

The growth of IT has presented the city with unique challenges. Ideological clashes
sometimes occur between the city's IT moguls, who demand an improvement in the city's
infrastructure, and the state government, whose electorate is primarily from rural
Karnataka.] The encouragement of high-tech industry in Bangalore, for example, has not
favoured local employment development, but instead increased land values and forced out
small enterprises. The state has also resisted the massive investments required to reverse
the rapid decline in city transport, driving new and expanding businesses elsewhere in
India. Bangalore is a hub for Indian biotechnology-related industry and in 2005 was home
to around 47% of the 265 biotechnology companies in India, including Biocon, India's
largest biotechnology company, giving Bangalore the nickname of the "Biotech Capital of
India".Bangalore is also the country's fourth largest fast-moving consumer goods (FMCG)
market. Forbes considers Bangalore one of "The Next Decade's Fastest-Growing
Cities". The city is the third largest hub for high-net-worth individuals. There were a large
number of high-net-worth individuals with a ₹4.5 crore investment surplus in 2007. In the

Ease of Living Index 2020, it was ranked the most livable Indian city with a population of
over a million.

The city is widely regarded as the "Silicon Valley of India", as the largest IT hub of the
country. Infosys, Wipro, Mindtree, Mphasis, Flipkart, and Myntra are headquartered in
Bangalore. IT companies located in the city contributed 33% of India's ₹1,442 billion

(US$20 billion) IT exports in 2006–07. Bangalore's IT industry is divided into three

main clusters: Software Technology Parks of India (STPI); International Tech Park,
Bangalore (ITPB); and Electronic City. Most of the IT companies are located
in Bommanahalli, Domlur, Whitefield, Electronic City, Krishnarajapuram, Bellandur,
and Mahadevapura.
 TRANSPORT

The Kempegowda International Airport is located

in Devanahalli.

Bangalore is served by Kempegowda International Airport, located at Devanahalli, about

40 km (25 mi) from the city centre. Formerly Bangalore International Airport, the airport
started operations from 24 May 2008 and is privately managed by a consortium led by
the GVK Group. The city was earlier served by the HAL Airport at Vimanapura, a
residential locality in the eastern part of the city. The airport is the third-busiest in India
after Delhi and Mumbai in terms of passenger and airplane traffic. Taxis and air-
conditioned Volvo buses operated by BMTC connect the airport with the city.

Railways and Metro

Namma Metro (Green line)

As of 2022, a rapid transit system called the Namma Metro is being built in stages. Initially
opened with the 7 km (4.3 mi) stretch from Baiyappanahalli to MG Road in 2011, metro
lines totaling 42.30 km (26.28 mi) for the north–south and east–west lines were made
operational in June 2017. Phase 2 of the metro covering 72.1 km (44.8 mi) is under
construction and includes two new lines along with the extension of the existing north–
south and east–west lines. There are also plans to extend the north–south line to the airport,
covering a distance of 29.6 km (18.4 mi).

Bangalore is a divisional headquarters in the South Western Railway zone of the Indian
Railways. There are four major railway stations in the city: Krantiveera Sangolli Rayanna
Railway Station; Bangalore Cantonment railway station; Yeshwantapur
Junction, Krishnarajapuram railway station and newly inaugurated Sir M. Visvesvaraya
Terminus, with railway lines towards Jolarpettai in the east; Guntakal in the
north; Kadapa (only operational until Kolar) in the northeast; Tumkur in the
northwest; Hassan and Mangalore] in the west; Mysore in the southwest; and Salem in the
south. There is also a railway line from Baiyappanahalli to Vimanapura, no longer in use.
Though Bangalore has no commuter rail as of 2022, there have been demands for a
suburban rail service because of the large number of employees working in the IT corridor
areas of Whitefield, Outer Ring Road and Electronic City. The Rail Wheel Factory is Asia's
second-largest manufacturer of wheel and axle for railways and is headquartered in
Yelahanka, Bangalore.

Bus

BMTC's Vajra buses are a popular in the IT corridor. It

was introduced in 2005. BMTC is the first RTC to do so in India. Special Volvo buses to
airports are known as Vayu Vajra.

Buses operated by Bangalore Metropolitan Transport Corporation (BMTC) are a staple of

city public transport.[216] While commuters can buy tickets on boarding these buses, BMTC
also provides an option of a bus pass to frequent users. BMTC runs air-conditioned luxury
buses on major routes and operates shuttle services from various parts of the city
to Kempegowda International Airport. The Karnataka State Road Transport
Corporation operates 6,918 buses on 6,352 schedules, connecting Bangalore with other
parts of Karnataka and with neighbouring states. The main bus depots
that KSRTC maintains are the Kempegowda Bus Station, locally known as "Majestic bus
stand", where most of the buses going out of the city ply from. Some of the KSRTC buses
to Tamil Nadu, Telangana and Andhra Pradesh ply from Shantinagar Bus Station, Satellite
Bus Station at Mysore Road and Baiyappanahalli satellite bus station. BMTC and KSRTC
were the first operators in India to introduce Volvo city buses and intra-city coaches in
India. Three-wheeled, yellow and black or yellow and green auto-rickshaws, referred to
as autos, are popular for transport. They are metered and can accommodate up to three
passengers. Taxis are usually available via phone calls or online services; they are metered
and generally more expensive than auto-rickshaws.
Road

National Highway 275 (NH-275), running from

Bangalore to Mangalore.

Bangalore is well-connected with national highways with the rest of the country. The
highways are National Highway 44 (NH-44), National Highway 48 (NH-48) (also Asian
Highway 47 (AH-47)), National Highway 275 (NH-275), National Highway
75 (NH-75), National Highway 648 (NH-648) and National Highway 948 (NH-948), along
with state highways. An average of 1,750 vehicles are registered daily in
Bangalore Regional Transport Offices (RTOs). The total number of vehicles, as of 2020,
are around 8,500,000 vehicles, and the city's roads total 11,000 km (6,835 mi).

Bangalore currently has one expressway, the Bangalore–Mysore Expressway, operational

since March 2023, which is part of NH-275. In the coming years, the city will get more
expressways, resulting in enhanced connectivity and commute with the rest of the country.
They are as follows:

• Bangalore–Chennai Expressway: Under construction since August 2019, to be

completed by March 2024.

• Pune–Bangalore Expressway: Proposed, to be completed by 2028.

• Nagpur–Hyderabad–Bengaluru Expressway: Proposed, expected to be

completed by before 2030.
 CULTURE

Bangalore Karaga, one of the oldest and most important festivals in Bangalore

Indian Cartoon Gallery, Bangalore

Yakshagana – a theatre art of coastal Karnataka is often played in town hall.

Bangalore is known as the "Garden City of India" because of its greenery, broad streets,
and presence of many public parks, such as Lal Bagh and Cubbon Park. In May 2012,
guidebook publisher Lonely Planet ranked Bangalore third among the world's top ten cities
to visit.

Biannual flower shows are held at the Lal Bagh Botanical Gardens during the weeks of
India's Republic Day and Independence Day. Bangalore Karaga or "Karaga Shaktyotsava"
is one of Bangalore's oldest festivals and is dedicated to the Hindu goddess Draupadi. It is
celebrated annually by the Thigala community over a period of nine days in March or
April. The Someshwara Car festival, held annually in April, is a procession of the idol of
the Halasuru Someshwara Temple (Ulsoor) led by the Vokkaligas, a major landholding
community in southern Karnataka. Karnataka Rajyotsava is widely celebrated on
1 November and is a public holiday in the city, to mark the formation of Karnataka state on
1 November 1956. Other popular festivals in Bangalore are Ugadi, Ram Navami, Eid ul-
Fitr, Ganesh Chaturthi, St. Mary's feast, Dasara, Deepawali and Christmas.

Bangalore's social and economic diversity is reflected in its cuisine. Roadside vendors, tea
stalls, and South Indian, North Indian, Chinese and Western fast food are all
popular. Udupi restaurants are popular and serve predominantly vegetarian, regional
cuisine. Bangalore is also home to many vegan restaurants and vegan activism groups, and
has been named as India's most vegan-friendly city by PETA's Indian branch.

Art and literature

Compared to Delhi and Mumbai, Bangalore lacked a contemporary art scene until the
1990s, when several art galleries emerged, including the government-established National
Gallery of Modern Art. Bangalore's international art festival, Art Bangalore, was
established in 2010.

Kannada literature flourished in Bangalore even before Kempe Gowda laid the city's
foundations. During the 18th and 19th centuries, Kannada literature was enriched by
the Vachanas (a form of rhythmic writing) composed by the heads of
the Veerashaiva Mathas (monastery) in Bangalore. The headquarters of the Kannada
Sahitya Parishat, a nonprofit organisation that promotes the Kannada language, is located in
Bangalore. The city has its own literary festival, known as the "Bangalore Literature
Festival", inaugurated in 2012.
The Karnataka Chitrakala Parishath is an art gallery that showcases a collection of painting,
sculptures, and various other forms of art. The Indian Cartoon Gallery is located in the
heart of Bangalore, dedicated to the art of cartooning, and is the first of its kind in India.
The gallery conducts fresh cartoon exhibitions of various professional as well as amateur
cartoonists every month. The gallery has been organised by the Indian Institute of
Cartoonists based in Bangalore that serves to promote and preserve the work of eminent
cartoonists in India. The institute has organised more than one hundred exhibitions of
cartoons.

Theatre, music, and dance

Bangalore is home to the Kannada film industry, which produces about 200 Kannada
feature films each year. Bangalore also has an active theatre culture; popular theatres
include Ravindra Kalakshetra and the Ranga Shankara. The city has an active English- and
foreign-language theatre scene; popular theatres include Ranga Shankara and Chowdiah
Memorial Hall. Kannada theatre is popular in Bangalore and consists mostly of political
satire and light comedy. Plays are organised mostly by community organisations, but some
by amateur groups. Drama companies touring India under the auspices of the British
Council and Max Müller Bhavan also stage performances in the city frequently. The
Alliance Française de Bangalore also hosts numerous plays throughout the year.

Bangalore is also a major centre of Indian classical music and dance. The cultural scene
features a diverse set of music concerts, dance performances and plays. Performances
of Carnatic (South Indian) and Hindustani (North Indian) classical music, and dance forms
like Bharat Natyam, Kuchipudi, Kathakali, Kathak, and Odissi are very popular.
Yakshagana, a theatre art indigenous to coastal Karnataka is often played in town halls. The
two main music seasons in Bangalore are April–May during the Ram Navami festival, and
September–October during the Dusshera festival, when music activities by cultural
organisations are at their peak. Though both classical and contemporary music are played
in Bangalore, rock music dominates the music of urban Bangalore; Bangalore has its own
subgenre of rock, "Bangalore Rock", an amalgamation of classic rock, hard rock and heavy
metal, and some jazz and blues. Notable bands from Bangalore include Raghu Dixit
Project, Kryptos, Inner Sanctum, Agam, All the fat children, and Swaratma. Bangalore is
sometimes called as the "Pub Capital of India" and the "Rock/Metal Capital of India"
because of its underground music scene.
 EDUCATION

Indian Institute of Science – one of the premier institutes of science and engineering in
India

Indian Institute of Management Bangalore, one of the premier management institutes in

India

Schools

Main article: List of schools in Bangalore

Bangalore has a literacy rate of around 88%, according to the 2011 national census. Until
the early 19th century, education in Bangalore was mainly run by religious leaders and
restricted to students of that religion. The western system of education was introduced
during the rule of Mummadi Krishnaraja Wodeyar. In 1832, the British Wesleyan Mission
established the first English school, the Wesleyan Canarese School. The fathers of the Paris
Foreign Missions established the St. Joseph's European School in 1858. The Bangalore
High School was started by the Mysore government in 1858 and the Bishop Cotton Boys'
School was started in 1865. In 1945 when World War II came to an end, King George
Royal Indian Military Colleges was started at Bangalore by King George VI; the school is
popularly known as Bangalore Military School.
Primary, middle school and secondary education in Bangalore is offered by various schools
which are affiliated to one of the government or government recognised private boards of
education, such as the Secondary School Leaving Certificate (SSLC), Central Board of
Secondary Education (CBSE), Council for the Indian School Certificate
Examinations (CISCE), International Baccalaureate (IB), International General Certificate
of Secondary Education (IGCSE) and National Institute of Open
Schooling (NIOS). Schools in Bangalore are either government run or are private (both
aided and un-aided by the government). Bangalore has a significant number of international
schools due to large number of expats and people employed in the IT sector. After
completing their secondary education, students either attend a pre-university course or
continue an equivalent high school course in one of three streams –
arts, commerce or science – in various combinations. Alternatively, students may enroll in
diploma courses. Upon completing the required coursework, students enroll in general or
professional degrees in universities through lateral entry.

Universities

Main article: List of institutions of higher education in Bangalore

National Law School of India University, a premier law

university.

Established in 1858, the Central College of Bangalore is the city's oldest college. It was
affiliated originally with University of Mysore and subsequently with Bangalore
University. In 1882 priests from the Paris Foreign Missions Society established St. Joseph's
College. Bangalore University was established in 1886; it is affiliated with over
500 colleges and has a total student enrolment of over 300,000. The university has two
campuses within Bangalore – Jnanabharathi and Central College. University Visvesvaraya
College of Engineering was established in 1917 by M. Visvesvaraya and is affiliated with
many private engineering colleges. Among the prominent research institutes in Bangalore
are the Indian Institute of Science, Jawaharlal Nehru Centre for Advanced Scientific
Research, National Centre for Biological Sciences, National Institute of Mental Health and
Neurosciences and the National Institute of Advanced Studies. Some private institutions in
Bangalore include Symbiosis International University, SVKM's NMIMS, CMR
University, Christ University, Jain University, PES University, RV University, Dayananda
Sagar University and Ramaiah University of Applied Sciences. Private medical colleges
include St. John's Medical College, M. S. Ramaiah Medical College, Kempegowda
Institute of Medical Sciences, and Vydehi Institute of Medical Sciences and Research
Centre.

MEDIA

The first printing press in Bangalore was established in 1840 in Kannada by

the Wesleyan Christian Mission. In 1859, the bi-weekly Bangalore Herald became the first
English newspaper to be published in Bangalore, and in 1860, the Mysore Vrittanta
Bodhini became the first Kannada newspaper to be circulated in Bangalore. Vijaya
Karnataka and The Times of India are the most widely circulated newspapers in Kannada
and English, respectively, closely followed by the Prajavani and Deccan Herald – both
owned by the Printers (Mysore) Limited, the largest print media house in Karnataka. Other
circulated newspapers
include Vijayvani, Vishwavani, Kannadaprabha, Sanjevani, Bangalore Mirror, Udayavani,
and local sites like Explocity that provide localised news updates.

All India Radio, the Indian national state radio service, started broadcasting from its
Bangalore station on 2 November 1955. All broadcasts were AM until 2001, when Radio
City became the first private channel in India to start transmitting FM radio from
Bangalore; a number of other FM channels have been initiated since. The city probably has
India's oldest amateur (ham) radio club – the Bangalore Amateur Radio Club (VU2ARC),
established in 1959.

Bangalore got its first television network when Doordarshan established a relay centre on 1
November 1981. A production centre was established in the Doordarshan's Bangalore
office in 1983, thereby allowing the introduction of a news program in Kannada on 19
November 1983. Doordarshan also launched a Kannada satellite channel on 15 August
1991, now named DD Chandana. Star TV was the first Bangalorean private satellite
channel, starting in September 1991. Direct To Home (DTH) services also became
available in Bangalore from around 2007.

The first Internet service provider in Bangalore was STPI, which started offering internet
services in early 1990s. This Internet service was, however, restricted to corporates
until VSNL started offering dial-up internet services to the general public at the end of
1995. Bangalore has the largest number of broadband Internet connections in India.

Namma Wifi is a free municipal wireless network in Bangalore, the first free WiFi in India.
It began operations on 24 January 2014. Service is available at M.G. Road, Brigade Road,
and other locations. The service is operated by D-VoiS and is paid for by the Karnataka
state government. Bangalore was the first city in India to have access to 4G mobile internet
services.

SPORTS

The Chinnaswamy Stadium during India vs Pakistan test match in 2007

Aerial view of Sree Kanteerava Stadium

Cricket is the most popular sport in the city. Bangalore's many parks and gardens allow for
impromptu games. Many national cricketers have come from Bangalore, including former
national captains Rahul Dravid and Anil Kumble. Some other notable Bangaloreans who
have represented India include Gundappa Viswanath, Syed Kirmani, E. A. S. Prasanna, B.
S. Chandrasekhar, Roger Binny, Venkatesh Prasad, Sunil Joshi, Robin Uthappa, Vinay
Kumar, KL Rahul, Karun Nair, Mayank Agarwal, Brijesh Patel and Stuart Binny.
Bangalore's international cricket stadium is the M. Chinnaswamy Stadium, which has
a seating capacity of 40,000 and has hosted matches during the 1987 Cricket World
Cup, 1996 Cricket World Cup, 2011 Cricket World Cup and the 2023 Cricket World Cup.
The Chinnaswamy Stadium is the home of India's National Cricket Academy, Karnataka
State Cricket Association and the Indian Premier League (IPL) franchise Royal Challengers
Bangalore.

Association football also has a significant following in Bangalore and has produced several
notable players. The city is home to Indian Super League (ISL)'s Bengaluru FC. The other
clubs of the city include FC Bengaluru United, Ozone FC and South United FC of I-League
2nd Division. It hosted some games of the 2014 Unity World Cup.

The city hosts the Women's Tennis Association (WTA) Bangalore Open tournament
annually. Beginning September 2008, Bangalore has also been hosting the ATP tournament
annually.

Bangalore is home to the Bangalore rugby football club (BRFC). The city also has a
number of elite clubs, like Century Club, The Bangalore Golf Club, the Bowring Institute
and the exclusive Bangalore Club, whose previous members include Winston Churchill and
the Maharaja of Mysore.

India's Davis Cup team members Mahesh Bhupathi and Rohan Bopanna reside in
Bangalore. Other sportspeople from Bangalore include national swimming champion Nisha
Millet, world snooker champion Pankaj Advani and former All England Open badminton
champion Prakash Padukone.

Bangalore's Kanteerava Indoor Stadium hosted the SABA Championship in 2015 and
2016. India's national basketball team won the gold medal on both occasions. Bangalore is
home to the Bengaluru Beast—the 2017 vice-champion of India's top professional
basketball division, the UBA Pro Basketball League.