From local to global

But the borrowed ‘bubble image’ that the City rides piggy-back on helps it hold on to its ‘Global City’ tag.

Despite its skewed development, rickety infrastructure and acute poverty in many areas co-existing uneasily with unrestrained growth in some other representing the spatial disparity in one of India’s fastest growing cities, the globalising Bangalore is becoming home to increasing numbers of foreigners year after year.

Bangalore best Indian city: Survey

Bangalore, according to a recent worldwide Mercer survey, has been voted ahead of established metros such as Mumbai and Delhi as the best Indian City in terms of quality of living for expatriates.

The Worldwide Quality of Living Survey 2010 for 221 cities the world over voted Bangalore the best among Indian cities. The survey had also compiled an Eco-City Ranking 2010, based on the criteria like water availability and potability, waste removal, sewage, air pollution and traffic congestion in the cities.

Not surprising, all Indian cities fared badly in this index, but even at the end of the list rankings, Bangalore managed to remain ahead of other Indian cities. Another survey by Morgan Stanley earlier this year, again voted Bangalore as the most vibrant Indian city, followed by Mysore.

But, Bangalore struggles with the dichotomy of the IT city that has arrived and that of an expanding city with depleting resources like water and electricity and an erratic transport system.

Chaos on roads

Most overseas visitors find it difficult to cope with the confusion and chaos that reign on Bangalore roads. Once outsiders learn to handle this with the same frustration and weary resignation that the locals do, things become much easier. Then, Bangalore even begins to grow on them.

Sharan Dhanoa, an American, says she fell in love with the city’s darker side that had haunted her before she landed here. Dhanoa, who was in India for an internship, is returning to the US to complete her graduation in International Law.

“We can make friends with most people in this city and also trust them. Unlike other global cities, Bangalore manages to stay busy and yet make time for everybody,” Dhanoa says. “I will come back. Hopefully, I find a job here,” she adds.

Lack of nightlife, a letdown

Its ‘Pub City’ tag notwithstanding, the city’s lack of nightlife puts off a lot of them. A city that has to shut down at 11.30 pm and actually shuts down at 10.45 pm in anticipation of that deadline simply perplexes most foreigners.

An American who asked directions to the McDonald’s on Brigade Road, was bewildered when he was told that it could already be closed. It was 11 pm and the city was getting ready to tuck itself in bed.

Lowered expectations help

Yet, the compulsions of global commerce draw more people than ever to the city. If not consulates, then opening trade offices have become increasingly common. There too, understanding the Indian psyche is not exactly easy.

Danish Trade Commissioner Ricki Larsen has an interesting take that has to do with attitudes. “We have to accept that everything cannot be 100 per cent efficient.

When we first came here (after a posting in Croatia), we thought that things can run very smoothly with the right management. But we accepted that 80 per cent is all right. We need to adjust,” he says.

The other thing he says is that Indians are stratified and not a whole lot have ambitions to rise above their selves. Danes, he says, are just not accepting in that sense. “It took Europe 500 years or 800 years to figure out modernity. India has done it in 30 …it’s very fast and misses some things. The frame of reference is absolutely different,” Larsen says.

That English is spoken widely is a major plus for the City. “Most people here speak English and even skilled-workers and helpers understand what we want...” Justin Petran-Costa from US says.

Ricki Larsen, Trade Commissioner, Denmark

“You have so-called green areas but they’re all covered with plastic because there are no bins... It’s hard to compare Bangalore with cities like Shanghai and what they have.” 

Friedrich Rahn, Deputy Consul General, Germany

“ I feel very sad about how many trees were cut down for the Metro. They will take 100 to 200 years to grow to that size again.” 

Helen Sharrock, Stonehill International School

“ Any major city has traffic issues. Everybody has them... You have to step back when you’re frustrated and ask yourself: Haven’t I seen this before somewhere else in the world?”