Drawing benefits from neighbours

One of the characteristics of Bengaluru City is that it is made up of several small localities. Each of these is steeped in history and culture, forming an integral part of the fabric of the City. While some of these localities have, over the years, seen massive growth in terms of infrastructure and residential development, those surrounding it enjoyed the overflow of development. Vyalikaval is one such location.

Surrounded by prominent localities such as the upscale Palace Orchards, Guttahalli, as well as Kodandarampura and Sankey Road, Vyalikaval is centrally located, yet a relatively peaceful residential area.

Approximately five km away from the Kempegowda Bus Terminus and Shivajinagar Bus Stop, it is extremely well connected to most parts of the City.

Compared with South Bengaluru, it is closer to the International Airport at about a distance of 30 km.

“Vyalikaval is located amidst the prime and luxury residential locations of Bengaluru, such as Sankey Road, Palace Orchards and Malleswaram,” says Trivita Roy, associate director — research & real estate intelligence service, JLL India. “However, this locality is largely made up of middle-income households. It is mostly categorised by government allocated housing. As it is located close to plush residential locations, Vyalikaval is witnessing increased interest for residential development.”

How it has grown
Examining the growth of Vyalikaval, Suresh Hari, secretary, CREDAI-Bengaluru says, “It’s part of the area bordering Malleswaram and Sadashivnagar. Being one of the oldest areas to develop, it has come close to a saturation point, though there is still potential.

The area has grown to be a residential one primarily and it enjoys the advantage of being placed next to the premium Sadashivnagar and mixed-strata Malleswaram neighbourhoods.”

He goes on to the say that with one part of Vyalikaval being bordered by the famous Sankey Tank, the area has been given a facelift and this infrastructural element is something that is being enjoyed by the residents of all three areas. In terms of infrastructure, Vyalikaval fares pretty well. Trivita speaks of it being well-connected to the heart of the City by the Bengaluru–Shivamogga Road. It is also well connected to the Airport via the Bellary Road. The Malleswaram Railway Station is a few kilometres away from Vyalikaval. The location has good schools, hospitals, malls and shopping complexes in the vicinity, making the area rather self-sufficient.

Schools like Vyalikaval Educational Society, Stella Maris School, Kendriya Vidyalaya, Malleswaram, Sri Chaitanya Techno School, and hospitals like Columbia Asia Hospital, Fortis Hospital and Manipal Northside Hospital comprise the social infrastructure here. When it comes to entertainment and leisure, malls like Orion Mall, Mantri Square and Sigma Central are in close proximity.

“The landmark Chowdiah Memorial Hall is responsible for drawing a huge footfall in the area, from across the City. Affordable shopping is an added advantage in this area. There are several temples and places of worship is in this area and its historical importance cannot be denied,” adds Suresh.

Yay or nay
Real estate experts say that what Vyalikaval has going for it is the fact that it is well-connected to the centre of the City. Trivita believes that prices are relatively lower compared with those of surrounding localities; that access to good quality social infrastructure such as schools, hospitals and malls are aplenty. Going forward, she foresees good appreciation in Vyalikaval and HBCS Layout.

Suresh opines that location is the primary benefit of being in Vyalikaval. The benefit of staying here offsets the small issues that one might face, such as finding quality education, medical help and even forms of entertainment, places of worship and more. The benefit of the infrastructure of the area and its surroundings are worth considering while analysing the merits of the area.

The negatives of the area, if one were to examine them, would be the relatively low amount of land left for development, especially of the large-scale variety. Considering that the area is by and large saturated, finding accommodation that matches your requirements is also problematic. Of course, it also suffers from other problems that are intrinsic to Bengaluru life — traffic bottlenecks, intermittent water supply in some areas, improper drainage systems during rains and the like.

Despite these drawbacks, Vyalikaval continues to be high on the demand charts for the area. Pricing is almost never a deterrent for investments. Here is a look at the average pricing in the locality. Prices for two-BHK or three-BHK homes range from Rs 2,800 - Rs 8000 per sq ft, depending on the location and quality of the apartment. Being a mid-segment area amidst prominent luxury residential locations, Vyalikaval is likely to witness good appreciation of property in short to medium terms. Investments in this area are the safest, since it is in the CBD area and will keep appreciating.

Vyalikaval enjoys being close to premium realty hubs, yet retaining an identity of its own. It is an area that makes a sound investment and which will appreciate in the long run. A right size of investment will yield superlative gains.

Resident speak
‘The other side of development...’
I have been living in this area for five years now and our family has its offices as well as residences close to Vyalikaval.
I would say that the primary benefits of living in this area is that there is still a lot of green cover available.
Sankey Tank is especially well maintained and the area is quite self-sufficient. Commercially, there are a number of restaurants that have opened doors. This has been known to cause trouble with residents, especially late at night.
Development has happened in such a way that footpaths that were once present are no longer around, making it difficult for pedestrians to walk about. There are also constant traffic jams as seen in other parts of the City.
Akash Parekh

Some ready-to-move-in projects
*Platinum Picassa - Platinum Projects
*DKR Shree Hari Residency - DKR Infra Projects