The Hindu : Elegant bungalows make way for towering complexes

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Wednesday, Dec 31, 2003

Southern States

Southern States - Karnataka-Bangalore

Elegant bungalows make way for towering complexes

By Divya Sreedharan

Bangalore Dec. 30. They go around old bungalows, especially those locked up, in the hope that such buildings will be up for sale.

When they spot the owners of such property, these persuasive realtors make tempting offers.

This is what happened on Viviani Road, Cox Town.

A scooterist, with a pillion, drew up in front of a bungalow.

The pillion asked two persons standing near the gate if the house was for sale.

"I was told the owners plan to go abroad", he said. He then rang the doorbell but was told the owner was not there.

When the onlookers questioned him, the man claimed that he worked in the real estate field. "My office is on Mosque Road, I work with big builders. I want to know if this property can be developed," he quipped before leaving the spot.

This particular bungalow is one of the few that remain in Bangalore East. In the past two months, at least three old buildings in the area have been razed.

Yet, this phenomenon happens throughout the city and real estate agents use the neighbourhood grapevine to acquire old properties.

As bungalow owners find it impossible to maintain the premises, they sell them. And since these bungalows stand on plots measuring 80 ft. x100ft. builders make hefty profits on the 40-50 flats that they build on such sites.

Pratibha, convenor of the Indian National Trust for Art and Cultural Heritage (INTACH), said there must be a law to preserve old buildings.

The trust, which worked to restore some old government buildings, could not do anything about private property, she said.

"Long ago, we had sent a proposal to the Urban Development Department, about such a law. It now lies in cold storage", she told The Hindu.

INTACH, she said, wanted some old buildings, "...not all, just those connected to the history of the city; those with unique architecture and heritage value," to be preserved. But when that would happen, she did not know.

Right now, the "oldies" are disappearing even before one says bungalow. A heritage buff for example points out that half the buildings T.P. Issar, former Chief Secretary, featured in the first edition of his Bangalore - The City Beautiful, no longer exist.

On Mosque Road for instance, one bungalow has 1923 inscribed on it, another dates back to 1950, and a third looks older. Owners of all these properties live abroad.

These buildings will probably disappear before the end of 2004.

Printer friendly page
Send this article to Friends by E-Mail

Southern States

News Update

Stories in this Section

Soil testing begins for Metro Rail

Site for scientific landfills ready

Economic policies of NDA Govt. draw flak

Uniform only after councillors approve: Mayor

1,500 doctors to attend `Arogyamela'

Elegant bungalows make way for towering complexes