The revival of the Peripheral Ring Road (PRR) project is an indication of more commercial belts and development around the city over the coming few years. The PRR was originally planned by the Bangalore Development Authority (BDA) to ease pressure on the Outer Ring Road (ORR). The heavy vehicular traffic such as trucks, passing through the city on their way to other States in the south, can use this road rather than the outer fringes of the core city localities. Also, those moving around the city from one suburb to another can use this road, and avoid the ORR and other arterial roads within the city. A considerable number of vehicles using the core city roads will thus be off them, easing the traffic condition.
The PRR will also translate to more land parcels – both commercial and residential – being opened up for development. As witnessed in the past, all it takes for a locality to turn into a prime commercial and residential belt in Bangalore is a wide road connecting it to a core city belt. Many of the extensions that are holding promise now such as the Devanahalli belt, Hennur Road and Hoskote belt will get a boost with this project augmenting the vital connectivity factor.
Bangalore, that was once an agglomeration of small hamlets has changed into a regional commercial nerve centre, thanks to the connectivity that projects such as the widening of arterial roads, the ORR and the recent flyover projects brought about. With each of these projects, more potential commercial belts opened up for development. With a space crunch in the established IT belts in the southern and eastern parts of the city, given the augmented connectivity, more localities found favour as IT hotspots. The ORR turned into a micro market hosting significant IT development, especially along the Hebbal-Marathahalli-Sarjapur Road belt.
The next phase in the course of the city’s growth seems to be in integrated development with the concept of walk-to-work promising to catch on. Integrated developments that host office spaces, malls, hospitality, healthcare, education and entertainment need large land parcels. It is more feasible on the outskirts for both developers and end-users. The land cost being relatively lower here at this point in time makes it possible for developers to take advantage of the PRR connectivity and plan such developments.
In the coming years, cost of owning real estate in the present core city areas will be even higher. Also, land for sprawling developments will not be available easily. Such large developments will become feasible in localities that are inaccessible now with inadequate connectivity. For, end-users, entrepreneurs and investors alike, the PRR is a project to track closely.
