Electronics City

Electronic City is an information technology hub in Bangalore, India, located in Anekal taluk. It is one of India's largest electronic/IT industrial parks, spread over 800 acres (3.2 km²) in Konappana Agrahara and Doddathogur villages.

Electronic City was established by KEONICS (Karnataka State Electronics Development Corporation), and consists of four zones called ''phases'' – Phase I, Phase II, Phase III and Phase IV. There are approximately 200 IT/ITES company campuses located in Electronic City, including main campuses of Infosys, Wipro, TCS, HCL, Tech Mahindra and Biocon.

History

Electronic City was the brainchild of R. K. Baliga, the first Chairman and Managing Director of Keonics, Karnataka Electronic. He dreamt of making Bangalore the Silicon Valley of India when he developed the concept of Electronic City. In 1978, Keonics established Electronic City on 332 acres of land in Konappana Agrahara and Doddathogur villages. The liberalisation of the Indian economy in the early 1990s by the then Indian Prime Minister P.V. Narasimha Rao and then Indian Finance Minister Dr. Manmohan Singh helped Electronic City to become what it is today — the outsourcing capital of the world.

In 1997, the maintenance and upkeep of Electronic City was handed over by Keonics to ELCIA, the Electronic City Industries Association, with representatives from units in the enclave, for effective local governance and management. Security is provided by ELCIA, who have deployed around 500 security officials and also installed CCTV cameras on strategic locations. On 18 March 2013, a notification by the Urban Development Department has brought Electronic City Phases I, II, III under the E-City Industrial Township Area. There are many famous educational institutes situated in Electronic City, IIIT Bangalore, Symbiosis Institute of Business Management, Bengaluru, Welingkar Institute Of Management Bangalore, Xavier Institute of Management and Entrepreneurship, IFIM are some of them. Manufacturing companies like the Titan Industries, Tata Power, Tata Solar, Timken, 3M, FANUC India, Tessolve, Hical, Amphenol, Interplex, Flextronics, Continental, Yokogawa, Dalmia Bharat, Bhavani Industries, Synthesis Winding Technologies, Tejas Networks, Tescom, Teknic, Momentive, Moog, Arvind Mills, BHEL and the recently developed Biotechnology park BIRAC, Syngene, too add to the diversity of Electronics City - making it a truly inclusive Industrial Township.

Connectivity and transport

Electronic City has developed infrastructure in terms of connectivity to other important localities of Bangalore city.However services are few. The Distance by road from Electronics City Phase 1 to Kempegowda Airport is 56 kms . In peak traffic , this takes 3.5 hrs to cover. Kormangala is 10 kms away & it takes 40 mins to reach by the Hosur Road. M.G. Road or Central Bengaluru is 20 kms away & takes 1hr 20 mins to reach. Traveling from and to Electronic City is inconvenient . Electronic City is 20 kms from Hosur , Tamil Nadu & is typically not considered to be a part of Bengaluru by local Bengalureans .

Hosur Road

Electronic City is on Hosur Road which is a major arterial highway of Bangalore city. Many BMTC buses and interstate buses use this route.Bus services though present , are few . One has to travel to the main Hosur road , to avail of a wider range of bus services. Traveling by Bus , is the slowest mode of transport & poses great inconvenience to the commuter. To reach M.G. road by bus , the commute time is 1.5 hrs

Elevated Expressway

The four-lane mixed corridor elevated highway from Silk Board junction to Electronic City was opened on 22 January 2010. The 9.985 km long expressway is one of the longest elevated national highways in the country. This elevated stretch helps a commuter reach Electronic City from Silk Board is 30 minutes. Safe speed on the flyover , is 80 kms in some stretches & 40 kms & 60 kms in some strteches . There are no traffic cameras on the flyover , and Lane cutting & rash driving is common. Once in a while , a major accident happens & people die. It is advisable to drive very carefully on the flyover and keep to the left of the lane. In rainy season , the rain spray driven by forceful cross winds , poses a serious hazard to driving .

NICE Road

The NICE road connects Electronic City to other key areas in the west of Bengaluru city like Bannerghatta Road, Mysore Road, Kanakapura Road and Tumkur Road. This is a 63 km 6-lane access controlled tollway.

Metro rail

Electronic City comes under the Namma Metro Yellow Line (R V Road - Bommasandra line). The project is ongoing for many years & there is no set completion date. The project may complete by 2026

Suburban rail

The Heelalige railway station, about 4 km from Electronic City Phase 2, has become part of the Bengaluru Suburban Rail (Bengaluru Commuter Rail) system. The South Western Railways has introduced a fleet of Diesel Multiple Units (DMUs) on this route. The nearest railway stations are Heelalige, which is 6 km from Electronic City, or Karmelaram railway station which is 14 km away.
The commuter , has to spend heavily on rickshaws or cabs to reach the railway station. Most rickshaws in Electronic City do not charge by the meter . They quote their own fares and the commuter has to bargain. The cost of transport / conveyance to the railway stations is very high.

Airways

Kempegowda International Airport is located 56 km away from Electronic City. The proposed Hosur Airport in Belagondapalli on Thally Road, an UDAN project, will be 28 km away. Helicopter taxi service to Kempegowda International Airport was launched in March 2018 but is no longer operational . The commute time during night hours of 12 am to 6 am to the airport is 1.5 hrs. During peak traffic , it takes 3 to 3.5 hrs to reach the airport. The Average cab fare to the Airport , by Ola , Uber cabs is Rs.1200. There is a bus
Service from Electronics City Phase 1 to the Airport. It starts near the Ottera Hotel. The one way ticket price is Rs 320 & the commute time in normal non peak traffic hours is 2 hrs . In peak traffic , it may take upto 4 hrs to reach the Airport.

References

External links

Electronic City Bangalore

{{Neighbourhoods of Bangalore

1978 establishments in Karnataka
Information technology industry of Bangalore
Industrial parks in India
Business parks of India
Neighbourhoods in Bangalore
High-technology business districts in India