Change is constant on this road, perhaps more than any other road in the City. Those who have seen this road just a decade ago will find it difficult to believe the way it has evolved. It used to be a quite, nondescript road with a couple of bungalows stretching as a curve from Brigade Road on one end and Richmond Road on the other. Over the last few years it has acquired a sheen.

The transformation of this road began in 1993 when the Hospital for Orthopaedics, Sports Medicine, Arthritis, Accident - Trauma, popularly known by its acronym Hosmat was set up. This was followed by the K Raheja-promoted Shoppers' Stop, a national retail chain which entered the City in 1995 with a 35,000 sq ft outlet on Magrath Road.

Landmarks

From the Brigade end, there is the multi-storeyed HM Towers with its glassy facade. In September 2004, BMP razed the glassy facade of this building for what it termed as “deviation from the building norms.” But it was later restored to its former glory.

There are also the Sullivan Grounds for the Hockey Tournaments like the Centenary Shield , Fr Eric Vaz Memorial, Fr Mervyn Coelho Trophy, Clarke's on this road. Today it serves as the Karnataka State Police Sports Complex. The Police Officer’s Mess is next to it.

The Grand Magrath Hotel on this road has a rating of three star. Ballal Residency is another economy hotel on this road. Cosmo Village is known for its Thai, Mexican and fusion food.

Shopping zone

Magrath Road is home to one of the most popular hang-outs in Bangalore - the Garuda Mall. With ‘Shop-o-tainment’ as its tagline, Garuda Mall, built at a cost of Rs 90 crore has entertainment, shopping joints and a five screen Inox theatre. It was inaugurated in July 2005. The Garuda Mall site was initially conceptualised as a multi-storeyed parking lot by the Bangalore Mahanagara Palike, but later the mall was set up under a joint development project.

At the junction of Magrath Road and Primrose Road stands the Mar Thoma Church, where services are conducted in Malayalam and English. The Mar Thoma Opportunity School for mentally challenged children was born here before being shifted to Krishnarajapuram area.