Just a thread to discuss the various happening in the city with regards to economic growth and real estate prices etc.

Godrej Prop in Rs2,000 crore Bangalore plan



Bangalore: After Mumbai and Pune, Godrej Properties is betting big on the Bangalore real estate market.


Godrej Industries’ real estate arm has lined up Rs 2,000 crore of investments for developing five projects over 30 million square feet (sft) in Bangalore.

These projects will be a mix of residential and commercial ventures and would be developed in partnership with other investors. The company has already launched its 2 million sft residential project — Woodsman Estate — and will soon start its second one, which is joint venture with late actor Feroze Khan and his son Fardeen Khan for gated villas.

“Property development is a major focus area for us. We are also betting big on affordable housing costing less than Rs 20 lakh,” said Adi Godrej, chairman of the Godrej group, who was in Bangalore on Friday to attend a brand summit organised by CII.
The firm, which operates on a JV model with land owners, recently signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) to develop 50 acres of land in North Bangalore. Godrej, however, did not share details of the project. The company is also developing a project with actor Sanjay Khan’s Skystar group.

It has signed another JV with its agri-business arm — Godrej Agrovet — to develop over 10 million sft over 100 acres. “We are looking at shifting our poultry breeding farm some 90 km outside the city for bio safety reasons and use the land for residential venture,” said Godrej.

The firm has inked a deal with a local developer in Ahemdabad to develop a township project comprising of 40 million sft within municipal limits. The firm has begun spadework for properties in Mumbai, Pune, Calcutta, Kochi and Chandigarh.

Godrej Properties hit the capital market with a Rs 500 crore offer in December. Talking about the second round of fund-raising, Godrej said, “We have a strong capital position. But we have to raise more debt. In the next 2-3 years, we are also looking to raise more equity.”

The firm plans to tie up with microfinance institutions for financing affordable housing.

http://www.dnaindia.com/money/report_godrej-prop-in-rs2000-crore-bangalore-plan_1350170

Luxe Worldwide Hotels signs agreement with Mark Boulevard Hotel Bangalore

By TBM Staff | Mumbai
Luxe Worldwide Hotels has signed an agreement with Mark Boulevard Hotel Bangalore for sales and marketing representation. As per the company release, the Mark Boulevard Bangalore is the first property in India to join the Luxe Worldwide Hotels collection of independently owned hotels located around the globe.

The Mark Boulevard Bangalore Hotel is a boutique business hotel. It has 76 rooms including 15 extra-large club rooms. Meeting facilities include a board room and banquet halls that can accommodate from six to125 guests, making it ideal for small meetings.

Luxe Worldwide Hotels also operates a regional office in Mumbai to promote Luxe Worldwide Hotels’ member hotels to India’s burgeoning travel audience. As well as work to develop new membership and branding opportunities for hotels within the country.

http://www.travelbizmonitor.com/luxe-worldwide-hotels-signs-agreement-with-mark-boulevard-hotel-bangalore-9698

Reliance Footprint expands in Bangalore

After launching stores in Chennai, Hyderabad, Kochi, Noida, Ludhiana, Mangalore, Mumbai, Jaipur, Jullunder, Vizag, Nasikh, Ahmedabad, Vadodara and two stores in Bangalore, Reliance Footprint, the footwear specialty store from Reliance Retail, has launched its third store in Bangalore at Mantri Square mall.

With the launch of this store, which is spread over an area of 4,500 square feet, Reliance Footprint has reached the 18-store-mark. The store is set to offer a wide range of footwear, handbags, baggages and accessories.

Gopalakrishnan Sankar, chief executive, Reliance Footprint, said, “Our third Reliance Footprint store in Malleshwaram is testimony that our products and services have been appreciated by our customers as we offer unmatched choice at unbeatable price. The customers will be surely delighted with the international standards of service, product range, quality and shopping experience.”

The specialty store offers a range of over 20,000 products catering to the entire family’s needs. An inaugural offer of upto 60 per cent discount is being offered to the customers on their purchases at Reliance Footprint during the launch period.

Its stores offer over 50 international, national and Reliance brands including Buckaroo, Franco Leone, Ganuchi, Hush Puppies, ID, Lee Cooper, Mancini, Pavers, Moss Dunes, Provogue, Red Tape, Samsonite, Woodland for men, Catwalk, Custini, Hi Attitude, Inc 5, Luciano, Piccadilly, Rocia, Tosca, towlips, Viviana for women, and Hi Attitude, Levis, Lilliput, Mardi Gras, Spiderman for Kids. The sportswear brands available in its MBOs include Adidas, Admiral, Fila, Lotto, Monza, Nike, Puma, Reebok.

Apart from footwear, Reliance Footprint also houses an array of accessories from brands such as Bonjour, Celestial Horse, Helios, Hunt, Just Jane, Kara, Murcia, Jute shop. In the comfort & home-wear section, customers can choose brands like Dr Scholls, Adda, Frisbee, Tendersole where as its PL of premium range include Mancini, Tosca & Viviana.

http://www.indiaretailing.com/news.aspx?topic=1&Id=4549

Reliance Footprint expands in Bangalore

After launching stores in Chennai, Hyderabad, Kochi, Noida, Ludhiana, Mangalore, Mumbai, Jaipur, Jullunder, Vizag, Nasikh, Ahmedabad, Vadodara and two stores in Bangalore, Reliance Footprint, the footwear specialty store from Reliance Retail, has launched its third store in Bangalore at Mantri Square mall.

With the launch of this store, which is spread over an area of 4,500 square feet, Reliance Footprint has reached the 18-store-mark. The store is set to offer a wide range of footwear, handbags, baggages and accessories.

Gopalakrishnan Sankar, chief executive, Reliance Footprint, said, “Our third Reliance Footprint store in Malleshwaram is testimony that our products and services have been appreciated by our customers as we offer unmatched choice at unbeatable price. The customers will be surely delighted with the international standards of service, product range, quality and shopping experience.”

The specialty store offers a range of over 20,000 products catering to the entire family’s needs. An inaugural offer of upto 60 per cent discount is being offered to the customers on their purchases at Reliance Footprint during the launch period.

Its stores offer over 50 international, national and Reliance brands including Buckaroo, Franco Leone, Ganuchi, Hush Puppies, ID, Lee Cooper, Mancini, Pavers, Moss Dunes, Provogue, Red Tape, Samsonite, Woodland for men, Catwalk, Custini, Hi Attitude, Inc 5, Luciano, Piccadilly, Rocia, Tosca, towlips, Viviana for women, and Hi Attitude, Levis, Lilliput, Mardi Gras, Spiderman for Kids. The sportswear brands available in its MBOs include Adidas, Admiral, Fila, Lotto, Monza, Nike, Puma, Reebok.

Apart from footwear, Reliance Footprint also houses an array of accessories from brands such as Bonjour, Celestial Horse, Helios, Hunt, Just Jane, Kara, Murcia, Jute shop. In the comfort & home-wear section, customers can choose brands like Dr Scholls, Adda, Frisbee, Tendersole where as its PL of premium range include Mancini, Tosca & Viviana.

Source (http://www.indiaretailing.com/news.aspx?topic=1&Id=4549)

Ichi nice thread,Kindly follow the above posting procedure looks appealing.

Reliance Footprint expands in Bangalore



Source (http://www.indiaretailing.com/news.aspx?topic=1&Id=4549)

Ichi nice thread,Kindly follow the above posting procedure looks appealing.

sure dude. no issues. will do so.

Bangalore Tops India's Hottest IT Destinations

Bengaluru

Bengaluru's ten-fold growth in quick time can be traced back to the IT boom over the past few years, despite the criticism of the city over its creaking infrastructure and unbridled growth.

The city's main activity is information technology and information technology-enabled services. Being the leading contributor to India's IT industry, it has been dubbed the Silicon Valley of India.

Home to many software majors like Infosys and Wipro, Bengaluru accounts for almost 34 per cent of India's total IT exports.

A recent study also revealed that the rupee millionaire club in Karnataka's capital is the largest in India.

Bengaluru also boasts of having the largest number of households with an annual income of Rs 10 lakh (Rs 1 million) or more.

http://business.rediff.com/slide-show/2010/mar/05/slide-show-1-tech-indias-hottest-it-destinations.htm#contentTop

Vision Express opens in Mantri Square Mall

Having embarked on the retail journey in December 2008, Vision Express, the JV between Reliance Retail and Pearl Europe Group, has launched a store spread over 1,147 square feet at Mantri Square Mall, Bangalore.

The newly launched store is the ninth in the city and 45th in India. “The launch of this Vision Express outlet reflects the core retail philosophy of the brand in its commitment to present an international and superior shopping experience within easy reach of the customers. We are delighted to extend the Vision Express shopping experience to the mall oriented customer segment through our store at Mantri Mall, our first store in the region situated within a mall. To open this store in a new and great environment demonstrates our dedication towards catering to the evolving customer needs and behaviour,” said Guillame Brouwet, CEO, Vision Express.

The opening of this outlet is in sync with the brand’s inclusive retail strategy aimed at bringing the best eye-wear retail experience within easy reach of various customers and reiterates the reputation of Vision Express as one of the fastest growing eye-wear retail chains in the country. The brand has been opening optical stores across the country including Hyderabad, Pune, Vishakapatnam, Vijaywada, Thane, Vadodara, Delhi, Faridabad, Gurgaon, Ghaziabad, Amritsar, Jalandhar, Ludhiana, Bangalore, Chennai, Mysore, Mangalore and Ahmedabad covering total retail space of around 42-43,000 square feet.

http://www.indiaretailing.com/news.aspx?topic=1&Id=4555

PPD Opens Offices in Manila, Philippines, and Bangalore, India


Expands Drug Development Services in Growing Asian Market

WILMINGTON, N.C., Feb 18, 2010 (BUSINESS WIRE) -- PPD, Inc. (PPDI 21.52, -0.03, -0.14%) today announced the opening of offices in Manila, Philippines, and Bangalore, India, expanding its Phase II-IV clinical development services in response to growing client demand in Asia Pacific. PPD will provide clinical management services in key therapeutic areas from both locations.

The offices strengthen PPD's full range of drug discovery and development services and continue to position the company to capitalize on the tremendous growth of the outsourcing market in Asia Pacific. PPD recently expanded in this region through its acquisitions of Excel, the market leader and one of the largest contract research organizations in China, and BioDuro, a drug discovery outsourcing company.

"With 90 million people living in the Philippines and more than 20 million in Manila, there is enthusiasm for local expansion and involvement in clinical trials," said Lesley Gerrard, director of clinical management in PPD's Melbourne, Australia, office. "The recent opening of the Manila office demonstrates PPD's commitment to the growth and development of emerging markets in Southeast Asia and to further exploration of the opportunities that exist within this region."

Denzel Benjamin, director of clinical management in PPD's Bangalore office, added, "India is expected to conduct nearly five percent of global trials by 2010, and the opening of our Bangalore office advances our plans for expansion in India. This office provides us easy access to all of our sites across south India, which means cost savings for our clients and greater efficiencies for PPD."

The Manila office is located at Units 8 and 9, Alpha Building, UP-AyalaLand TechnoHub, Commonwealth Ave., Quezon City, Philippines 1121. The Bangalore office is at Pine Valley, Stylus Office, Embassy Golf-Links Business Park, Bangalore, India, 560071. For more information about PPD services provided from Manila, call +632 332 9818 and from Bangalore, call +91 80 4176 4567.

PPD is a leading global contract research organization, celebrating 25 years of advancing drug development. We provide discovery, development and post-approval services as well as compound partnering programs. Our clients and partners include pharmaceutical, biotechnology, medical device, academic and government organizations. With offices in 40 countries and more than 10,500 professionals worldwide, PPD applies innovative technologies, therapeutic expertise and a commitment to quality to help its clients and partners maximize returns on their R&D investments and accelerate the delivery of safe and effective therapeutics to patients. For more information, visit our Web site at http://www.ppdi.com.

Except for historical information, all of the statements, expectations and assumptions contained in this news release, including expectations and assumptions about the opening of our new offices and globalization strategy, are forward-looking statements that involve a number of risks and uncertainties. Although PPD attempts to be accurate in making these forward-looking statements, it is possible that future circumstances might differ from the assumptions on which such statements are based. In addition, other important factors which could cause results to differ materially include the following: risks associated with geographic expansion; success in sales growth; loss of large contracts; increased cancellation rates; economic conditions and outsourcing trends in the pharmaceutical, biotechnology, medical device, academic and government industry segments; competition within the outsourcing industry; the ability to attract and retain key personnel; risks associated with and dependence on collaborative relationships; risks associated with the development and commercialization of drugs, including earnings dilution and obtaining regulatory approval; risks associated with acquisitions and investments, such as integration and impairments; rapid technological advances that make our products and services less competitive; risks that we may not continue our dividend policy; and the other risk factors set forth from time to time in the SEC filings for PPD, copies of which are available free of charge upon request from the PPD investor relations department.

http://www.marketwatch.com/story/ppd-opens-offices-in-manila-philippines-and-bangalore-india-2010-02-18?reflink=MW_news_stmp

Farmville maker Zynga sets up office in Bangalore

Bangalore: Zynga Game Network Inc., the maker of popular games such as Farmville and Mafia Wars, has set up its first office outside the US in Bangalore to support its fast increasing user base.

The two-and-a-half-year-old San Francisco-based technology company prides itself with as many as 235 million monthly active gamers globally.

Graphic: Yogesh Kumar/Mint
“We expect the user base to double in a year,” chief technology officer Cadir Lee said on Wednesday at a meeting to announce the Bangalore centre.
Zynga has about 20 games hosted across social networking web sites such as Facebook and Apple Inc.’s iPhone.

“We will hire 100 engineers and computer scientists over the next year in Bangalore,” said Shan Kadavil, country manager of Zynga’s Indian arm. The India staff will build back-end infrastructure and store data. The company also plans to set up a game studio in Bangalore that will develop games from scratch.

Kadavil says the company choose Bangalore due to its high-quality talent and a growing online population.

“Five years back (gaming) companies came to India because of cost (advantage) followed by talent (availability), but now they come because of talent available at good cost,” said Manoj Dawane, chief executive of People Infocom Pvt. Ltd, a mobile gaming and Internet company.

Online social games are a throw back to the card and board games of yesteryears where multiple players play as a means of social interaction, as opposed to console or video games that test players’ reflexes and hand-eye coordination.

This industry is about two years old and grew on the back of social networking sites such as Facebook, which opened its portals to application developers in 2007.

Zynga, which has funding from venture capital investors such as Kleiner Perkins Caufield and Byers, declined to reveal its revenue but said it has broken even from the first year itself, with users paying to buy virtual cows and tractors.

http://www.livemint.com/2010/02/17234718/Farmville-maker-Zynga-sets-up.html

Peenya could be autonomous area

Bangalore : If you're not willing to pay taxes, manage your affairs -- that's the government's plan for Asia's largest industrial area. Peenya Industrial Estate could soon be a special zone and out of municipal jurisdiction.

Though there's been a long-pending demand for an autonomous Peenya Industrial Township Authority, the proposal was kept on the back burner. It got a fresh lease of life recently after the Peenya Industries Association and BBMP clashed over property tax rates.

Earlier, this area was divided into two categories -- some came under old BMP limits while the other was with the erstwhile Dasarahalli CMC. With Greater Bangalore, the entire industrial area is under BBMP.

As per SAS 2009, the area comes under Zone D. Properties under BMP now pay 20% less tax, while those under CMC, that used to pay a pittance earlier, have to shell out more now.

Recently, industrialists met BBMP commissioner S Subramanya and sought some relief. However, the authorities ruled out having a separate taxation system for the industrial area alone.

"It's not possible to take a decision on revising property tax keeping only Peenya in mind. It's advisable to create a special zone for Peenya, keep it out of BBMP jurisdiction so that the association collects its own taxes and carries out civic works. If the government agrees, a draft notification will be submitted on this,'' BBMP commissioner wrote to the government on March 2.

The association has also cited recession as a major reason for low productivity of their units and hence inability to pay high property tax.

"The development cost and pressure are huge. Chemical effluents are let into drains. Roads need timely upgradation due to movement of heavy vehicles. Waste generation is high. The association demands international standards, but is not ready to pay taxes. The tax from that vast area is minimal and the municipal body cannot bear the costs. It's better the association manages its own affairs,'' explained urban development department officials.

PIA is pushing for autonomous status. According to association president M D Prabhu, a study is being done on the Gujarat model which has a special industrial zone. "The demand for a notified area has been long pending and only now, it's gathered momentum. Though government will be part of the zone, administration will done by industrialists who understand the needs. There's been a steep increase in property tax in some portions and we are negotiating with the BBMP,'' Prabhu said.


TOI (http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/bangalore/Peenya-could-be-autonomous-area/articleshow/4331606.cms)

Quite an old news but important one too.

Not many are aware of the real economy of Bangalore that is its Mechanical hub-Peenya Industrial estate which is the Asia's biggest.

Ichi you may look into this aspect to get the breakdown of Bangalore economy/sector wise.

Life just got costly for Bangalore residents. Vat69? no change

Bangalore: Drown your sorrowsin liquor, because it will be the only thing for which you need not shell out more. Thanks to the state budget presented here today, living in Bangalore will become more expensive from April 1.

The state government proposed a 1% increase in the value added tax (VAT) to 13.5% from the current 12.5% and to 5% from 4%. The increased VAT will be effective from April 1. However, for declared goods such as iron and steel, oil seeds and cotton, the 4% VAT will continue. Food prices are also likely to increase due to the hike in VAT and high transportation costs, say taxation experts.

The cost of living in Bangalore and other places in Karnataka will also increase, says Sanjay Dhariwal, partner of Dhariwal and Shreenivas and state taxes committee member at FKCCI and BCIC. For the common man, prices of all commodities, including toothpaste, will see a steep rise.

The increase in prices of essential commodities will have a ripple effect on other items too. The VAT on television, refrigerators and other luxury items will increase to 15% from 12.5%. Similar is the case with stationery items. The VAT on such items has been increased to 5% from 4%.

The budget has not done any good to the housing sector despite the proposed 1.5% reduction in stamp duty, says Dhariwal. Cement, ceramics, sanitary items and other construction materials will cost more. VAT on raw materials used for construction, such as sand and jelly stones, has been increased by 1%.

Furthermore smokers should, henceforth, think twice before lighting up because the state government has also increased the cost of tobacco from 12.5% to 15%. However, it has not touched the cost of liquor. Analysing this, Dhariwal said that this could be because liquor is consumed in large quantities and the government is earning sufficient revenue through it.

Driving on roads will also become expensive as the increase in lifetime tax will increase the VAT on motor vehicles from 12% to 13%. This has come as a shock, considering that the central government had already increased the cost of high-end cars. Adding to this, state taxes committee chairman in the BCIC, S Venkataramani, said that while the state government has allocated Rs18,000 crore for improving the city’s infrastructure, it stands to earn an additional revenue of Rs260 crore through motor vehicle taxes. It will, however, not stop people from buying vehicles. Adding to this, he pointed out that the cost of petrol and diesel has not been increased under VAT.

Luxury holidays will now become expensive as the government has increased the luxury tax from 6% to 8% for hotel room rents ranging between Rs1,000 and Rs2,000, and from 10% to 12% for rooms with a daily rent of over Rs2,000. This will severely affect tourists visiting the state, which seeks to be promoted as a tourism hub, said Vishnu Bharath, chartered accountant and former chairman of the FKCCI taxation committee.

The government will now collect an entry tax of 1% on sugar from factories, instead of distributors. The cost of sugar will only escalate due to VAT and fuel charges.

The increase in levy on fast-moving consumer goods by 1% will affect the common man to the hilt. You will have to pay more for FMCG products, packaged food, toiletry, housing, electrical goods, eat-out trips, software and hardware products, and tobacco.

http://www.dnaindia.com/bangalore/report_life-just-got-costly-for-bangalore-residents-vat69-no-change_1355849

Wipro seeks 50 acres near Bangalore airport for IT park


Global software major Wipro has applied for 50 acres of land near the Bangalore international airport for setting up an IT park, an official said on Friday.
"Wipro has applied for 50 acres of land in the new industrial belt coming up near the new airport. The state high-level committee will consider it soon," state principal industry secretary V.P. Baligar told reporters here.

When allotted, the proposed park will be the third location of the IT bellwether in India's tech hub. The company's main software development centre is located in the Electronics City on Hosur road, about 35 km from Bangalore and another on Sarjapur road in the southern suburb, which is its corporate headquarters.

In a related development, a technical team of Hero Honda Motors Ltd has inspected three sites in Hubli-Dharwad industrial belt in north Karnataka to set up a two-wheeler plant at an estimated cost of Rs.20 billion (Rs.2,000 crore).

"We have shown two sites near Hubli and another near Dharwad adjacent to Tata Motors bus plant. The company is looking for about 100 acres to set up the two-wheeler plant and another 200 acres for ancillary units and a township," Baligar said on the margins of a conclave on small and medium enterprises (SMEs), organised by the Confederation of Indian Industry (CII).

Hubli-Dharwad is about 420 km from Bangalore.

The world's largest motorcycle firm evinced keen interest to locate its first southern plant in Karnataka when its top officials met state's large and medium industries minister Murugesh Nirani in New Delhi last week at a road-show held for the Global Investors' Meet to be held in Bangalore June first week.


http://economictimes.indiatimes.com/infotech/ites/Wipro-seeks-50-acres-near-Bangalore-airport-for-IT-park/articleshow/5540069.cms

K'taka mulls global financial district in Bangalore

Karnataka government’s plan to set up a global financial district in Devanahalli has met with enthusiasm from the banking and finance community in the preliminary meeting. The district is being envisioned as a hub for financial institutions to cater to industrial banking and finance.

“We are looking at a public private partnership (PPP) or joint venture (JV) model for the district. We will provide the land and the companies would bear the infrastructure cost,” state minister for large and medium industries Murugesh Nirani said.

He said the government had identified 200 acres of land near Bangalore International Airport at Devanahalli for the proposed district.

At a preliminary discussion organised by the government last week, senior officials from 45 banks, insurance companies and mutual funds attended and expressed their willingness to set up their offices there, Nirani told reporters.

He said the global financial district would enable industries to access finance for their projects in the state at one place as all the banks and financial institutions would be available.

With big ticket investments from companies like Arcelor Mittal, Hero Honda and Wipro expected to come into the state in the next couple of years, the Karnataka Industrial Area Development Board (KIADB) is looking to acquire around 50,000 acres to be allotted for industrial purpose. Of this, around 12,000 acres has already been acquired, he said.

“Depending on the area, we are acquiring land at prices ranging from Rs 5 lakh to Rs 1.5 crore per acre,” said Nirani. He added around 5,000 acres of the 50,000 acres the state is looking to acquire could fall under the fertile land category which could be de-notified.

“If more than 20 per cent of a piece of land is found to be fertile, we will go ahead and acquire the land (for industrial purpose) only if we get approval of over 80 per cent of farmers,” said Nirani.

The state government in the recent past cleared major projects including the 6 mtpa integrated steel plant, pig iron, pellets and 750 Mw captive power generation by Arcelor Mittal for a proposed investment of Rs 30,000 crore and by Posco India, which intends to invest Rs 32,336 crore in its 6 mtpa finex steel plant. Other major investments are by Zuari Fertlizers & Chemicals, Relogistics Infrastructure and, Mangalore Refinery and Petrochemicals.

He also said that micro, small and medium enterprises (MSME) was a priority for the state. For this, the Laghu Udyog Bharathi (LUB) — Karnataka, K and D Communication, Ministry of MSME and National Small Industries Corporation are organising the India Manufacturing Show 2010 (IMS 2010) from October 9-12 at the Bangalore International Exhibition Centre, Bangalore.

The expo is expected to see participation of over 1,000 exhibitors.

http://www.business-standard.com/india/news/k/taka-mullsglobal-financial-district/388146/

Bosch shuts down Bangalore unit; loses Maruti order

Bangalore: Bosch, one of the country’s largest auto component manufacturers and a subsidiary of Germany-based auto component giant Robert Bosch, declared a lockout at its Naganathpura production plant near Bangalore.

The company has shut operations after the workmen resorted to a flash strike and assaulted an officer over wage revision. The immediate impact of the lockout is on a Rs 30-crore order from Maruti Suzuki, which the company has lost while orders from OEMs like Tata, Hyundai, Ford and M&M are also under threat.

“The company has decided to shut down considering the safety of employees, machinery and other installations,” said N Umesh, vice president of Bosch’s Naganathapura plant.

The impact of the lock out could also affect the company's main auto component manufacturing plant in the same city at Adugodi. Umesh said workers are in a `go slow' mode in Adugodi plant too since February 12. Wage negotiations are on at the Adugodi plant, that employs about 4,500 workers. It manufactures common rail injection system, fuel injection pump, power tools and elements for auto industry. Vaishali Jajoo, an analyst attached to Mumbai-based broking from Angel Securities told FE that she did not expect the lock out to continue for a longer time. "The company may incur losses of Rs 1-Rs 1.5 crore per day if they continue with the lock out," she warned. Moreover the company may not have sufficient inventory as they have already resorted to production cuts last year due to recession. The Naganathapura plant was set up in 1989 and since then it has witnessed four strikes, but however this is the first time the company has decided to go in for a lock-out. Industry watchers feel that the lock-out may lead to governmental intervention as Bosch is one of the oldest companies in Bangalore. It was was earlier called Mico Bosch. Already the matter has been escalated to the labour commissioner's office. Bosch Ltd has five auto component manufacturing units in India. Other than the two in Bangalore, it has one each in Goa, Jaipur and Nagpur. The company's roll call includes more than 10,000 employees. The Naganathapura plant was prey to employee agitation for the past one month.

The company manufactures starters, generators, spark plugs and alternators at its Naganathapura plant for OEMs and the aftermarket sector. The plant has 900 employees including 715 workers serving at the shop...

http://www.financialexpress.com/news/Bosch-shuts-down-Bangalore-unit--loses-Maruti-order/588906/

Bosch's Bangalore plant strike ends

BANGALORE: The four-day lockout at Bosch's Naganathapura plant in Bangalore has been called off after the management and workers reached a settlement. Work will resume on Saturday. On Tuesday, the company had declared a lockout at its Naganathpura plant after union workers demanded wages be increased by Rs 15,000.

Bosch says this had resulted in a total loss to the company of Rs 4 crore per day while its customers were losing approximately Rs 1,000 crore per month. Some of Bosch's clients include Maruti Suzuki, Hyundai, M&M, Ashok Leyland some of whom rely completely on Bosch for auto components. Bosch says there have been no major cancellations so far.

The factory at Naganathapura produces parts such as starter motors and spark plugs for carmakers.

http://www.bloombergutv.com/industry-news/other-industry-news/46898/bosch-s-bangalore-plant-strike-ends.html

GE Healthcare ups India focus with CT facility

GE Healthcare, the $17-billion division of General Electric Company, today announced the expansion of its Bangalore manufacturing operations to enable more customised products for local use. It also rolled out its first computer tomography (CT) system manufactured in India.

The CT system manufacturing facility has a yearly capacity of 40 units. The systems cost about $200,000 (Rs 90 lakh) if assembled here, a cost advantage of 10 per cent. With more indigenisation expected, costs may be brought down further, said the company.

It said it’d be augmenting its network to tap opportunities in tier-II and tier-III towns. And, may even tie up with companies that sell healthcare products and have a distribution network, to reach healthcare practitioners in these places. Many hospitals and diagnostic centres are coming up in these towns and looking for affordable and reliable systems.

Today, with medical imaging equipment, like CT and MRI systems and nuclear medicine being imported, waiting periods are long. GE Healthcare’s efforts to produce more high-end products locally is aimed at making many of these more affordable for practitioners, especially those who need such technologies in tier-II and III towns.

“In the past we designed, developed and manufactured ultrasound, ECG, x-ray systems and many sub-systems in India. We are making in India products conceived locally and that speak to local needs, while giving solutions that can be taken to other emerging markets,” said John Dineen, President and CEO, GE Healthcare.

The company set up its first manufacturing plant in the country in 1991. It signalled an aggressive approach by announcing plans to manufacture GoldSeal HiSpeed CT/e single and dual slice systems exclusively in India for both domestic and exports worldwide. The manufacturing plant in Bangalore has capacity to produce upto 300 HiSpeed CT/e units in one year with an option to increase capacity further.

“Globally, we are seeing a major shift from a ‘what we can offer’ to a ‘what can I offer you’ syndrome and I believe that has a lasting impact on customers – the whole idea is to understand the needs of the market. We aim to make healthcare more accessible through solutions developed or manufactured locally meeting local needs,” said V Raja, President & CEO, GE Healthcare South Asia

http://www.business-standard.com/india/news/ge-healthcare-ups-india-focusct-facility/388103/

Office space: Oracle, Brigade call off deal

BANGALORE: Oracle India, which was in talks with Bangalore-based Brigade Group for 1.2-million sqft commercial space in its Brigade Gateway

project, has called off the deal. The IT major was planning to take office space in Brigade Northstar, a 30-floor tower complex within Brigade Gateway, to consolidate its multiple leased spaces in Bangalore.

Oracle told its employees in an email communication: “As you know, Oracle Real Estate has been examining the Brigade Northstar facility, as part of our strategy to consolidate our multiple leased spaces in Bangalore. This is to inform you that Oracle has decided not to pursue this location.” Oracle had planned to transfer 8,000 employees to the Northstar facility.

Had the agreement been successful, it could have been one of the biggest commercial space deals in Bangalore and could have made Brigade richer by Rs 600 crore. Oracle was in talks with Brigade for almost six months but the differences over in the prices quoted by the two led to the collapse of the deal. Oracle and Brigade Group refused to comment on the issue.

Oracle was looking to move its first team to the new location approximately 12 months from November 2009. The company was planning to centralise its common operations and administrative functions.

In an earlier email communication to its employees, Oracle had said the new location was expected to fulfill the space requirements of many lines of business and would have accommodated approximately 50% of Oracle’s Bangalore staff. The rest were expected to occupy Oracle Technology Park and a few other locations.

Northstar is a part of Brigade Group’s 40-acre township called Brigade Gateway and includes apartments, Sheraton Hotel, malls and Columbia Asia Hospital.

http://economictimes.indiatimes.com/markets/real-estate/news-/Office-space-Oracle-Brigade-call-off-deal/articleshow/5688261.cms

Hotel industry picking up as IT sector bounces back: Royal Orchid

Could you just tell us the kind of occupancies you are seeing in the cities you are in and what increase have you seen in the average room rates by city?

Actually we have seen that Bangalore started off the first half year very slow, occupancies where hovering around 15% but now we have seen in the last two quarters (last quarter and this quarter) occupancies going up to about 65% to in some cases 70% also in some of the hotels. In Whitefield, our hotel is doing over 70% and this month is going about 80%-85% occupancy so things are picking up. There is an overall revival in the IT sector which is going to be having a very positive impact on all our five Bangalore hotels.

So I see that Bangalore hotels would definitely perform much better than what they did in the past. Looking at Pune also I find that Pune hotels are doing very well now again with IT bouncing back of course our hotels they are very well positioned, very centrally located and we are the market leaders there so both the hotels are doing exceedingly well yes the rates have come down because of the increased supply but correspondingly occupancies have also gone up.

How many new rooms are being added in Bangalore and in Pune and if any other city and what would that due to the occupancy levels you are seeing currently and what would that do to the average room rates so perhaps if you can give us a number for Bangalore, Pune how many new rooms are coming on stream in the next 6 to 12 months and how much could the occupancy fall by or the average rooms fall by once these rooms get operational?

Actually you cannot go city by city, you will go area by area because cities are very large now, for example, in Bangalore there is supply coming in Yeshwantpur where there is a Taj Hotel coming up, there is Sheraton Hotel coming up and there is a Mövenpick coming up all three in one area which is Yeshwantpur. Now if that hotel come up they don’t impact any of our hotels, they will probably be slugging it out amongst themselves they increase their capacities about 600 to 700 to rooms in that area which have not serviced at all. So I think area wise if you really look at it Bangalore in the centre of town there is a JW Marriott likely to open otherwise there not very much supply coming up within the city.

Yes, Whitefield a number of hotels are opening up in Whitefield but of course we are catering to the long stay guest in Whitefield so we have established a niche for ourselves the other hotels are coming up are in the mid market and the upper scale so there is going to be increase competition there. So we change our strategy depending on what is going to be happen in the market so I think in that way we are pretty much okay as far as Bangalore is concerned.

As far as Pune is concerned, yes we have lower down the rates particularly as strategy because we are expecting about three or four hotels like the Grand Hyatt is going to open and may be a four point Sheraton opening very close to our hotel but there our rates are now very competitive we are very well established in the market so we hope that we will maintain our occupancies in the coming year because we have anticipated what kind of rates they will offer so we have adjusted our ARRs accordingly and I think we are pretty well placed in that market also.

Given that it’s a high capital intensive business and there is a locality element to it what is your sense that you can give investors out there about your margin performance this financial year in the light of the fact that business is seeing a pick up as you just pointed out in overall occupancy and rates?

Yes, in the past one year things were very bad because what happens is that whatever you get by way of room rent well 80%-85% of that comes to the bottom line so I expect that example the last year was rates and room revenue was very much down, F&B was quite okay but only 15% of the F&B revenue flows down to the bottom line wherein case of room 85% flows down to the bottom line so this coming year we expect that there will be a substantial increase of 20% to 25% in the overall room rates so that should flow down to the bottom line.

In Bangalore how many hotel rooms as we speak currently and how many new are being added in 6 to 12 months so it gives us a perspective 10,000 hotel rooms, 4000 more coming up in the entire city. In Pune also if you can tell us how many hotel rooms are there and how many new are being added in the next 6 to 12 months?

In Bangalore, I can say that there will be about at the moment about in the category of four and five star hotels there will be about 3500 rooms at the moment and I think another 1000 rooms are being added if you count four or five hotels that are coming up now so maximum hotels which we don’t know about that also may be another 1500 rooms will get added. We are not very worried about capacity addition that’s one question which I like to answer is that our overall size of the market is very very small but what if the business is moving economies we will definitely be able to fill up our rooms because what is 3500 or 4000 rooms for a city like Bangalore when you have 10 times that capacity in other cities.

.indiatimes.com/news/news-by-industry/services/hotels-/-restaurants/Hotel-industry-picking-up-as-IT-sector-bounces-back-Royal-Orchid/articleshow/5693791.cms

Ashok Kheny to develop entertainment city near Bangalore

BANGALORE: Newly turned producer and infrastructure czar Ashok Kheny today announced that he plans to develop an entertainment city with 20 studios with an investment of Rs 10 billion on a 300 acre land in Sompura near Bangalore.

“There are plans to set up eight studios dedicated for cinema, eight for producing television content, two blue-screens or special effects studios, and two for producing advertisements. The entertainment city will have modern processing labs, animation studio, sound studio, computerized lighting and special effects studio,” said Kheny.

Kheny was speaking during the launch of Prem Kaa Game, a debut Bollywood film by his entertainment company AKK Entertainment. The film stars Arbaaz Khan in the lead male role and introduces Bangalore girl Madhuri Bhattacharya as his co-star. Others among the cast of include Malaika Arora Khan, Tara Sharma, Johny Lever and Rubi Chakravarty.

Kheny who has plans to feature the film across 500-plus screens in India starting this Friday, revealed, “Prem Kaa Game is the second venture of AKK Entertainment, after the successful launch of Sonu Nigaam’s first Kannada solo album last year.”

Bangalore already has a film city project, the first phase of which was launched by The Innovative Group (Innovative), Innovative Film City (IFC), about 2 years ago. The IFC complex is spread over 54 acres of land. The first phase has cost Innovative a shade less than Rs 1 billion. The overall project would entail investments of about Rs 5 billion.

http://www.indiantelevision.com/aac/y2k10/aac150.php

Goldman Sachs To Shore Up Presence In Bangalore

The global marquee firm is close to a long-term office space lease deal with Prestige Estates in the city’s IT suburb.

Goldman Sachs is in advanced discussions with southern real estate developer Prestige Estates for long-term leasing of half-a-million (five lakh) sq ft of office space as the global financial behemoth strengthens back-end operations catering to its worldwide businesses out of Bangalore.

Multiple sources from banking and real estate circles told VCCircle that a large office space deal was in the offing between Goldman Sachs and Prestige at the latter's Shantiniketan project located in Bangalore's IT surburb of Whitefield.

This will be one of the biggest office space deals in India in recent months even as the economy recovers from the post-Lehman crisis. One source directly familiar with the development said, Goldman may be striking a lease deal at Rs 28-30 per sq ft as part of a long-term agreement, believed to be for 15 years renewable at the end of every five years.

While this translates into an annual rental payout of $4-5 million, the significant development is Goldman Sachs’ unfolding plans for Bangalore. The move probably suggests that Goldman is making the city a larger back office hub hiring more people in the process.

The new office space can accommodate up to 5000 employees even though it is not clear whether the fresh lease talks is purely for expansion purpose or if the existing 3,000 employees in Bangalore will be shifted to the new location.

A query sent today by VCCircle to Prestige Estates chairman Irfan Razack did not elicit a response at the time of posting this article. When VCCircle contacted Razack a few weeks back, querying on the lease deal with Goldman Sachs, he had said, “it is not true.” An email sent to Goldman Sachs remained unanswered till the time of writing this article.

Bangalore is already Goldman’s third largest location after Salt Lake City and Singapore.
Goldman Sachs Vice Chairman and Asia Pacific head Michael Evans was recently quoted by The Economic Times as saying that Bangalore has been a great success story for the firm. Goldman has over 3,000 employees now and rapidly moving towards 4,000, the report had said.

The city’s human talent, knowledge capital and Goldman’s own philosophy of investing in people have combined well in developing Bangalore as a critical hub for the Wall Street’s marquee firm.
For Prestige, which has filed its DRHP for a possible initial public offering (IPO), a potential deal with Goldman will be a big catch with long-term rental income. Till now, Goldman has been anchored at Embassy Golf Links, promoted by another real estate major Embassy Group.

More recently, software giant Oracle’s move to buy one million sqft of office space from Brigade Enterprises in another Bangalore neighbourhood was called off. This deal, if it had been clinched, would have marked the largest single office space transaction in India in recent times.

http://www.vccircle.com/500/news/goldman-sachs-to-shore-up-presence-in-bangalore

Kalido Sets Up Base in India

Kalido, the leading independent provider of enterprise data governance solutions, today formally announced its arrival in India, by launching its new facility and expansion of its India R&D operations in Bangalore. Kalido’s Bangalore office now houses more than 25 full-time employees, including resources for product development, verification, maintenance and support. Headquartered in Burlington, Massachusetts, with offices in the US, London and India, Kalido continues to deliver value for customers around the world.

Nigel Turner, Vice President of products and services at Kalido, who was in India for the occasion said “Our Indian team has been indispensable enabling us to more quickly develop, deliver and support new versions of our product. By closely integrating the Bangalore office with our development centers in London and Boston, we are able to not only meet customer and market demands, but also to ensure that our software remains of the highest quality.” Kalido’s continued momentum in data governance has required it to significantly expand its Bangalore-based operations in order to keep up with increasing demand.

Ashish Vikram, General Manager, Kalido India said, “We have been able to build a highly productive engineering team in Bangalore that has enabled Kalido to deliver high quality software to its customers”. He further added “In today’s business environment both the quality of corporate data and the speed with which this data can be converted into actionable information has become increasingly important to our customers thereby increasing the relevance of Kalido’s solutions to them. I look forward to continued contributions from the Bangalore office towards retaining Kalido’s position as the data governance leader.”

http://www.webnewswire.com/node/521493

How Indian cities fared in the downturn

http://www.livemint.com/images/8627F43E-3BBB-46A7-9B5B-03B69C1F7805ArtVPF.gif

Bangalore had also been badly hit by the crisis, with year-on-year credit growth at end-September 2009 down to 9% from the 27.1% growth it had posted during the previous 12 months.

http://www.livemint.com/2010/03/09211743/How-Indian-cities-fared-in-the.html

Goldman Sachs is in advanced stage of discussions to invest around US $ 200 million in Bangalore-based real estate player Century Group. The real estate fund of Goldman Sachs would invest into a special purpose vehicle (SPV) for commercially developing over 300 acre near Yelahanka in north Bangalore, which is in proximity to the International airport. Goldman Sachs, which has committed investments worth over $ 2 billion in India, has identified real estate and infrastructure as the key sectors for investment

Alvogen expands its operations in India

Alvogen Inc. ("Alvogen"), the US-based generic pharmaceuticals company, today announced that it has expanded its operations in India, by establishing own clinical research organization ("CRO") and an API sourcing office in Bangalore. The CRO will specialize in the management of clinical trials and offer a complete range of clinical research services to Alvogen and third parties. The sourcing office will play a central role in further strengthening Alvogen's relationships with Indian suppliers for raw materials.

A world class team, with a proven track record, will lead Alvogen's operations in India. Dr. Saral Thangam MD, PhD, is the Managing Director of the new CRO and holds more than 15 years of experience in clinical trials. Prior to joining Alvogen, she was the Managing Director of Lotus Labs ("Lotus") in India from 2006-2010. Sudhir Pai and Fjalar Kristjansson have also joined Alvogen´s CRO, to support Group´s expansion in India. Pai is the co-founder and former Managing Director of Lotus and was recognized as the Entrepreneur of the Year in 2005, by industry magazine Biospectrum. Kristjansson holds a doctorate in Pharmaceutical Chemistry with more than 30 years of experience in life sciences.

The CRO will be managed by Alvogen´s subsidariary Norwich Pharmaceuticals under the name Norwich Clinical Services. The company will offer a complete range of clinical research capabilities, including Phase I - IV trials, bio-analytical studies and pharmacovigilance monitoring. The CRO will employ around 100 people, within its first year of operation. The Group´s sourcing office operates under the Alvogen name.

Commenting on today´s announcement, Robert Wessman, Executive Chairman of Alvogen said:

This strategic move provides us with valuable CRO capabilities in India, at the same time as it supports our fast growing third party business. Our goal is to build a world-class CRO in India that can enhance our global R&D work. After years of experience with the Indian team in creating and growing Lotus, we look forward to expand our new business in India."

http://www.indiaprwire.com/pressrelease/medical/2010042849215.htm

Industrial Finance Corporation of India plans to invest Rs. 1,000 crore to set a base in the proposed global financial district near Devanahalli on city outskirts, Karnataka Minister for Large and Medium Industries Murugesh R. Nirani said on Wednesday.

IFCI’s facility would come up on 50 acres of the total 150-acre district, where more than a dozen banks, including global ones, have evinced interest to set up operations, besides insurance firms, financial institutions and stock market operators, he told reporters here.

The banks include State Bank of India, Punjab National Bank and Bank of India, he said.

Commerce and Industry Secretary V. P. Baligar said for creating a land bank for industrialisation, the Government has already notified nearly 54,000 acres of land, while another 38,000 acres had been identified.

Mr. Baligar said seven new industrial estates would be established in the state under public—private—partnership model, and each of these had attracted three private bidders who responded by way of expression of interest.

“The Government would issue expression of interest to form another 12 industrial estates under PPP”, he said.

He also said hearing would be held next week on the issue of new mining leases pertaining to 300 hectares.

Existing and new mines can support about 50 million tonnes of steel—making per annum in the state.

Mr. Baligar also said there was a proposal to desilt the Tungabhadra River to provide water to some of the industries, as also to create check—dams downstream.

He said at the global investors’ meet being organised by the State Government in June, Rs. One lakh crore worth of PPP projects in infrastructure sector would be available for investors.

Source: http://beta.thehindu.com/news/states/karnataka/article413858.ece

IFCI to invest Rs 1,000 cr in Bangalore Financial Dist

Industrial Finance Corporation of India plans to invest Rs 1,000 crore to set up a base in the proposed global financial district here, state Minister for Large and Medium Industries Murugesh R Nirani said today.

IFCI's facility would come up on 50 acres, where more than a dozen banks, including global ones, have evinced interest to set up operations, besides insurance firms, financial institutions and stock market operators, he told reporters here.

The banks include the State Bank of India, Punjab National Bank and Bank of India, he said.

Commerce and Industry Secretary V P Baligar said, for creating a land bank for industrialisation, the Government has already notified nearly 54,000 acres, while another 38,000 acres had been identified.

Baligar said seven new industrial estates would be established in the state under public-private-partnership model, and each of these had attracted three private bidders who responded by way of expression of interest.

"The Government would issue expression of interest to form another 12 industrial estates under PPP," he said.

He also said hearing would be held next week on the issue of new mining leases pertaining to 300 hectares.

Existing and new mines can support about 50 million tonnes of steel-making per annum in the state.

He said at the global investors' meet being organised by the State Government in June, Rs one lakh crore worth of PPP projects in infrastructure sector would be available for investors.

http://www.business-standard.com/india/news/ifci-to-invest-rs-1000-cr-in-bangalore-financial-dist/92722/on

Industrial Finance Corporation of India plans to invest Rs. 1,000 crore to set a base in the proposed global financial district near Devanahalli on city outskirts, Karnataka Minister for Large and Medium Industries Murugesh R. Nirani said on Wednesday.

IFCI’s facility would come up on 50 acres of the total 150-acre district, where more than a dozen banks, including global ones, have evinced interest to set up operations, besides insurance firms, financial institutions and stock market operators, he told reporters here.

The banks include State Bank of India, Punjab National Bank and Bank of India, he said.

Commerce and Industry Secretary V. P. Baligar said for creating a land bank for industrialisation, the Government has already notified nearly 54,000 acres of land, while another 38,000 acres had been identified.

Mr. Baligar said seven new industrial estates would be established in the state under public—private—partnership model, and each of these had attracted three private bidders who responded by way of expression of interest.

“The Government would issue expression of interest to form another 12 industrial estates under PPP”, he said.

He also said hearing would be held next week on the issue of new mining leases pertaining to 300 hectares.

Existing and new mines can support about 50 million tonnes of steel—making per annum in the state.

Mr. Baligar also said there was a proposal to desilt the Tungabhadra River to provide water to some of the industries, as also to create check—dams downstream.

He said at the global investors’ meet being organised by the State Government in June, Rs. One lakh crore worth of PPP projects in infrastructure sector would be available for investors.
source:http://beta.thehindu.com/news/states/karnataka/article413858.ece

Bangalore, May 24, DHNS:

The State High Level Clearance Committee headed by Chief Minister B S Yeddyurappa, on Monday, cleared 60 project proposals driving in total investment of Rs 58,517 cr to the State.

The projects include two software development centres by the Infosys Technologies in Bangalore and a currency note paper manufacturing unit by the RBI in Mysore. Minister for Industries Murugesh Nirani, briefing the media after the meeting, said the projects had potential to create 3,07,205 jobs. The project promoters would sign memorandum of understanding with the government during the global investors’ meet scheduled for June 3 and 4. The companies have time of two years to make their projects operational.

The Infosys Technologies would set up a software development centre in 365 acres on Sarjapura Road at a cost of Rs 2,250 crore. The centre would generate 18,000 jobs. The software company would set up one more centre at the Devanahall Industrial Area at a cost of Rs 710 crore. Nestle India Limited is coming up with a unit producing instant noodles and mixed condiments in an area of 350 acres in Mysore with the total investment is Rs 349.23 crore.

The RBI would set up a currency note paper manufacturing unit in Mysore at a cost of Rs 694.94 crore and provide employment for 350. The committee had cleared 14 power projects with total capacity of around 6,000 MW. Of the 14, four each are thermal and gas based projects. Another six projects will generate power through non-conventional methods.

Nirani said there would not be shortage of power for the projects coming up. Many mega projects would come up with captive power generation units. They would generate power more than they required. The Water Resources Department would assess the requirement of water for each project and make necessary arrangements to fulfill the need.

The minister said that preparations for the global investors’ meet was on in full swing. The government had made arrangements for 3,000 investors assemble at the place. Industrialists Laxmi Mittal, Kumara mangalam Birla, Azim Premji, Sajjan Jindal, Vijay Mallya, Krish Gopalakrishna, Devi Prasad Shetty would attend the inauguration of the meet.
source:http://www.deccanherald.com/content/71381/60-projects-worth-rs-58517.html

Bangalore: US carmaker General Motors (GM) will expand the workforce at its Indian technical centre. Karl Slym, president of GM India, on Friday said the company will recruit around 500 people for its technical centre in Bangalore. Currently, the company employs around 1,600 people at its Bangalore technical centre, which is engaged in vehicle and powertrain development, design and R&D activities.

“We will increase our headcount to over 2,000 people at our Bangalore technical centre by the end of this year,” he said on the sidelines of Global Investors Meet (GIM) hosted by the Karnataka government in Bangalore. The hiring will be for vehicle engineering, powertrain engineering, design and R&D sections in the technical centre.

At the end of the first quarter, Slym said the company has signed $500 million worth of contracts with its component suppliers in India. GM is sourcing components from Indian suppliers for its global operations spread across 200 countries. He also said General Motors would develop electric cars for the Indian market on its own, now that Reva Electric Car Company has parted ways with it. The company’s technical centre in Bangalore will also take part in developing electric vehicle along with the company’s global R&D network headquartered in Detroit.

“I would like to say that you will start to see opportunities for sale of electric vehicles or at least demonstration in India next year,” Slym said. He said this electric vehicle would be a ‘pure’ GM car. Asked if GM plans to launch a car to directly compete with Tata Nano, Slym said, “It’s true that we are looking at (launching) cars in various different segments.” Slym also added that GM is trying to look at something which is not necessarily from the viewpoint of prices but focused on the “value side of it”, adding, he does not rule out launching a car in “the lower segment” other than its newly launche dmodel Beat. .

Three years ago, the company told that it would increase its component sourcing from India to $1 billion by 2010. But due to economic recession primarily in the US and European markets, the company could not achieve the target, said P Balendran, vice president of GM India.


Source (http://www.financialexpress.com/news/GM-to-expand-workforce-at-Bangalore-tech-facility/629609/)

Bangalore, Jun 6: The Confederation of Indian Industry (CII), in partnership with the state government will hold a two-day national-level innovation summit here from June 17.



S Gopalakrishnan, chief executive officer and managing director of Infosys Technologies, and chairman, CII-Southern region, said that the city was an appropriate location as 60 per cent of the research and development professionals of the country are here. The conference will provide a platform for “new innovation models”, like those from the open source domain, he said. The conference will also showcase innovation from other fields such as sports and arts,” he added.



In the field of industrial research India is on par with China, while in academic research India has long way to go, said Gopalakrishnan. Further, he observed that the global economic downturn has proved beneficial to emerging economies like India where lacalization has an interesting role localisation is needed, he said.



Students participating in the sixth edition of the summit will be offered a subsidy and a competition for students will be a highlight of the event, he said.

Source (http://www.daijiworld.com/news/news_disp.asp?n_id=78689&n_tit=Bangalore%3A+Innovation+Summit+in+City+from+June+17+)

The 10th edition of Bangalore India Bio 2010, India's premier biotechnology event concluded on a positive note, according to the organizers.

The key highlights of the three-day event held between June 2 and 5, 2010 included the multi-track conference comprising 25 sessions attended by 738 delegates from across the globe. There were 21 podium presentations and over 135 international and national speakers. There were 5,000 business visitors who attended the event.

The Bio-Partnering initiative received 705 business meetings with 355 delegates attending this session only. The participation from 23 countries included Germany, Europe, Canada, UK, USA, Australia, South America and South East Asia.

The Exhibition attracted 154 National and International organizations to show case their innovation. The Bio – Excellence award instituted by the department of IT-BT & ST, Govt. of Karnataka were given to Biocon for excellence in the Healthcare sector, Metahelix Life Sciences for excellence in the Agri-biotech sector, Advanced Enzymes in the Industrial Biotech sector and Jubiliant Biosys in the Biotech Services sector.

The poster session attracted 68 Young Researchers who presented their innovation. For the first time the department of IT-BT & ST, Govt. of Karnataka gave a Laptop, a Notebook and a blackberry to the winner of Best Poster, 1st runner-up and the second runner-up respectively. The winners were Soumik Siddhanta from JNCASR, Dr Vasudheva Reddy Akepati from Weizmann Institute if Science, Israel (first runner-up) and Dr Shivaraj S M from TERI University, New Delhi (second runner-up).

For the Bio-Quiz, which was introduced for this edition had 64 colleges across Karnataka and 128 students participated.

Bangalore Bio event is annually organized by the Department of Information Technology, Biotechnology and Science & Technology, Government of Karnataka, Vision Group on Biotechnology and MM Activ Sci-Tech Communications. This year’s theme was ‘Biotech for a better tomorrow’.

According to Ashok Kumar C Manoli, Karnataka Principal Secretary for information technology, biotechnology and Science & Technology this year event was one of the best editions because it played a definitive role in attracting attention for partnerships.

The event has further reiterated that Karnataka and India are the Biotech hubs for domestic and global organizations. With the response that Bangalore INDIA Bio 2010 received, it is only obvious that the event is here to stay and will be a greater success in 2011, he added.

According to Kiran Mazumdar Shaw, chairperson, Karnataka’s Vision Group on Biotechnology & CMD Biocon, the 10th edition was a successful business event and it has truly evolved into a B2B platform.

“We will continue to support the event which has evolved from Bangalore Bio to Bangalore INDIA Bio. We will work towards getting more participants from China, as we want India and China to work together rather than competing with each other”, said Dr. Vijay Chandru - Chairman and CEO, Strand Life Sciences and President, ABLE.

Source (http://www.pharmabiz.com/article/detnews.asp?articleid=55824&sectionid=)

EADS to shift some Eurofighter development projects to India


BERLIN: European Aeronautic Defence and Space Company NV (EADS) would transfer some of the development projects of its advanced fourth generation Eurofighter Typhoon or other military aircraft to India soon, a top company official said on Thursday.

"We will transfer some of our development projects, which we have in Europe for Eurofighter or other military aircraft to India, where we have set up a military research and development (R&D) centre in Bangalore," EADS chief executive (defence & security) Stefan Zoller told IANS here.

The Netherlands-based European aerospace corporation was created in 2000 by merging Aerospatiale Matra of France, DaimlerChrysler Aerospace AG (DASA) of Germany (excluding the MTU engine business) and Construcciones Aeronauticas SA (CASA) of Spain.

Asserting that the consortium's R&D activities were independent of its bid for the 126 medium multirole combat aircraft (MMRCA) for the Indian Air Force (IAF), Zoller said leveraging the high-skilled Indian talent and the potential of the emerging Indian aerospace industry would lead to developing new technologies and creation of jobs.

"If we win the IAF order, the development of newer versions of Typhoon for India and global market will result in creation of about 20,000 direct jobs, as the bid involves the winner re-investing 50 percent of the deal in India's defence manufacturing industry," Zoller said at the 100th Berlin international air show.

Besides Eurofighter, the US-based Lockheed Martin F-16s and Boeing's F/A-18IN Super Hornet, French D'Assault's Rafale, Swiss SAAB's Gripen and Russian MiG-35 are the other five contenders for the IAF order, estimated to be $10-12 billion.

The IAF plans to acquire 18 of these in ready-to-fly condition, with the remaining 118 being manufactured by the Indian defence behemoth Hindustan Aeronautics Ltd (HAL) under technology transfer and licensed production, to replace its ageing Russian MiG-21 fleet and enhance its strike capability.

"We will transfer 60 percent of the Eurofighter technology to India if Typhoon wins the bid. Our long-term strategy is to partner with the Indian aerospace industry for our global market, as we consider the Indian talent and resources as an ideal source for knowhow and to develop newer technologies," Zoller said.

The consortium is keen on building a centre of competence and a centre of excellence in Bangalore through its Indian subsidiary to design and develop next-generation products and solutions to its European and global markets.

"We also want to establish a division of our defence and security wing in India independent of the IAF order for Typhoon not to duplicate what we are doing in Europe but replicate its business model to leverage the potential of the Indian aerospace industry through joint ventures and offset projects," Zoller added

http://economictimes.indiatimes.com/news/politics/nation/EADS-to-shift-some-Eurofighter-development-projects-to-India/articleshow/6031803.cms

Jun 18, 2010 (M2 EQUITYBITES via COMTEX) --

Automotive safety systems supplier Autoliv Inc (NYSE: ALV | PowerRating)(STO:ALIVSDB) announced Friday the opening of the company's new engineering and production facility in Bangalore, India.

This new facility will be the company's first safety centre and a new airbag and seatbelt assembly unit, said the company.

The company stated the new Bangalore plant will support all vehicle manufacturers in India with testing and product development in an effort to improve safety for small cars.

According to the company, this facility is its ninth technical centre and one of three specialising in small car safety. It is also the second plant for airbag production in India.

In addition, the company said that its sales in India are expected to improve by 36% this year to over USD100m. Major customers include Maruti-Suzuki, Mahindra, Tata, Toyota, Hyundai, Fiat, Ford, GM and Nissan.


Source (http://www.tradingmarkets.com/news/stock-alert/alv_autoliv-inc-opens-new-plant-in-bangalore-india-992504.html)

NEW DELHI: German auto major Daimler Group firm Mercedes-Benz today said it will hire about 250 engineers for its research and development centre in Bangalore during this year to support its global facility.
"We have a R&D centre in Bangalore, which is working in association with our global development centre in Germany... We will enhance the strength of the Bangalore unit to 650 engineers by the end of this year," Mercedes-Benz India General Manager (Product Homologation) Prakash Vermali told reporters on the sidelines of a SIAM summit here.

At present, the R&D centre employs about 400 people, he added.

The facility is dedicated to passenger cars only, and it currently works in conjunction with Daimler's German unit in many areas, including development of powertrains, Vermali said.

The expansion of the centre is being carried out as part of Daimler's overall strategy to focus on the Asian market, especially India and China, he added.

On introduction of new technologies, Daimler Manager (Emission) Michael Anger said the company has introduced a diesel filter in Europe to reduce emission of harmful particles from its cars.

"We are considering to introduce this filter in India. It will substantially minimise the emission of ... harmful particles from a diesel car. The issue is availability of clean fuel, without which the technology will not work," he added.

Source (http://economictimes.indiatimes.com/news/news-by-industry/jobs/Mercedes-Benz-to-hire-250-engineers-for-Bangalore-RD-centre/articleshow/6102172.cms)

Our Bureau

Hyderabad June 29

GE Healthcare, a medical technologies and services company, will be investing $50 million to set up a facility in Bangalore for design and manufacture of modern PET/CT molecular imaging (OOTC:MLRIQ) systems used for early detection of cancer, heart diseases and brain disorders.

The company is also partnering with Varian Medical Systems (NYSE:VAR) , a California-based company engaged in manufacturer of medical devices for treating cancer, and Hyderabad-based Krishna Institute of Medical Sciences (OOTC:MCLS) (KIMS), to set up 10 oncology centres across the country with an investment of Rs 200 crore.

Ms Terri S. Bresenham, Vice-President, Molecular Imaging, GE (NYSE:GE) Healthcare, said the Bangalore facility is likely to be set up in the next two to three years.

“The idea behind setting up the facility in India is that these medical equipment will cost about 30-40 per cent cheaper,” she told presspersons here on Tuesday.

“It is a high-end product. What we wish to do is design a product with the same capability but at a cheaper cost so that cancer detection and treatment becomes more affordable in India. We will be considering exporting some of the units we manufacture at the Bangalore facility to neighbouring markets,” Mr V. Raja, President and CEO, GE Healthcare, South Asia and Managing Director, Wipro GE Healthcare, said.

3-way alliance

On the three-way partnership, he said the project will be chiefly spearheaded by KIMS, with technology and financial support from the two other partners. The plan is to set up initially 10 ‘See and Treat' oncology centres in the next two to three years, the first to come up at Vijayawada in Andhra Pradesh in the next three months. The other locations identified for these centres, which will provide diagnostic services at relatively cheaper costs, include Bhubaneshwar, Thrissur (Kerala), Pune, Nagpur, Raipur, Indore, Patna and Coimbatore.

The network of centres will have one advanced GE PET/CT molecular imaging system each for detecting the disease at the earliest and three centrally located cyclotrons to produce bio-markets for disease detection. Several of these centres will be equipped with radiotherapy and radio-surgery technology from Varian.

“The idea is to cut costs. For example, we will set up only three cyclotrons for 10 centres and will depend on logistics planning to transfer the isotope,” according to Dr B. Bhaskar Rao, Managing Director of KIMS.

Source (http://newsystocks.com/news/3571622)

By Staff Reporter Published: June 30 2010

According to a report by the retail estate research firm, Cushman & Wakefield, Bangalore is the top real estate destination for commercial and industrial sectors. The real estate market in Bangalore is all set to boom once again!


Real estate was the worst hit due to global economic recession, but now slowly things are getting back to normal. With India's economic recovery well under way, the real estate market is also beginning to stabilize. According to a report by the retail estate research firm, Cushman & Wakefield, Bangalore is the top real estate destination for commercial and industrial sectors. It has become third preference for residential and hospitality sectors in India for real estate investment. The report reinforces the result by adding that Bangalore may witness the demand of 34 million sq. ft. for office space in the next three years.

The realty sector is anticipated to grow at the rate of 30 percent annually over the next decade, which will attract foreign investment worth $30 billion, with a number of IT parks and residential townships being constructed across the city, real estate agents feel that this is the right time to invest as the prices aren’t too high.

The report suggests a revival of demand in commercial real estate by corporates and multinationals. “Market is improving as of now because of these developments happening because of the booming IT sector, so this is the right time to invest and to buy. Even the IT and ITes industries are considering expansion plans and evaluating opportunities available in Bangalore property market,” Said Anil Muthanna, a real estate agent.

The population of Bangalore has increased by 35% in last seven years and is estimated to near 10 million in next two years. Due to the large scale migration and with more and more people job seekers coming to Bangalore; this has opened avenues for many real estate developers to build residential and commercial properties across the city.

“The biggest positive outcome of the slowdown is the sobering down of price levels. The market is tilting to becoming more buyer friendly. There was a point of time when you just couldn’t think of owning a luxurious two bedroom apartment in Bangalore but the prices have sobered down, but there is a good chance that prices will resurrect and hit the roof again,” Explains Anil.

Properties priced between Rs 40 lakh and Rs 60 lakh are doing extremely well. And despite a 10% revision in price most of the builders are seeing good sales. In fact, all the property developers have commenced with their plans of expansion in Bangalore for growing residential and commercial needs.

Prices had hit rock bottom last year due to slackening demand of property but according to sources it will not reduce any further now as these segments hold huge potential. Real estate builders are now developing projects for both high-end and upper middle class segments. The property market of Bangalore is expected to be vibrant by the end of this year by most of the real estate developers.

Source (http://www.mybangalore.com/article/0610/bangalores-realty-sector-booming-bigtime.html)

City a campus for overseas docs
Jayashree Nandi, TNN, Sep 23, 2010, 12.03am IST
BANGALORE: Fidan will soon be the only glaucoma specialist in Azerbaijan. She is one of the many international ophthalmologists who has come to Bangalore for a short-term course in glaucoma. The reason for choosing India? The huge number of patients and the variety of diseases that they can see. Other reasons are, of course, that the few institutions that offer these short-term courses are in India.

At Narayana Nethralaya, senior ophthalmologists from almost all parts of the world, including small countries like East Timor, Papua New Guinea, Romania and Vietnam, attend these courses here. In fact, the doctor from Papua New Guinea was the only ophthalmologist in that country. Presently, there are four international students at the hospital from Azerbaijan, Mexico and two from Germany. They have all come to improve their skills in a particular stream of ophthalmology.

Juan from Mexico, for instance, is studying issues with the cornea and corneal diseases like keratoconus. "The number of patients we see is far less than in Mexico, but the condition of infectious eye diseases is almost the same because of the high population," he said.

VAST EXPERIENCE

According to German doctors, the huge volume of patients and the experience of Indian doctors pulls them to India. "I do maybe one mature cataract case in a year, but here doctors do two or three per day. The difference is huge. This could be because of early access to medical care, early diagnosis and affordability in Europe," he explained. He and his wife, also an ophthalmologist, have come to Nethralaya to explore and learn from the variety of cases that Indian doctors deal with.

According to Dr Mathew Kurian K, medical superintendent and consultant, cataract and refractive lens surgery and medical retina director, Phaco Academy, Narayana Nethralaya, the number of international students has increased a lot in the past couple of years. "We have almost covered the whole map, with students coming both from big and small countries to develop expertise in their areas of weakness. The courses are customized for them and we have a special wet laboratory in the centre, where they can practice surgery," he said.

LANGUAGE NO ISSUE

Interest is also high in India because almost all the doctors speak English. "Language is never a problem here. All doctors and nurses speak English so it's much easier for us to understand and learn," added Dr Juan. In China, for instance, though there are around 28,000 ophthalmologists, only 500 to 600 perform phaco surgeries. But most of them speak only Chinese, so studying there is not as comfortable.

"Here, doctors are also more open to sharing their experiences however senior they are, that obviously helps us a lot," added Fidan from Azerbaijan. The doctors usually come for two to three months and are put up at the hostel adjoining the hospital. They need registration with the Karnataka Medical Council before starting their course, which is facilitated by the hospital. Visa and travel arrangements are made by the doctors themselves, who usually come on short-term visa.

India also has the largest number of diabetes cases and all ophthalmological problems can be handled by doctors here. "One of the main reasons for international doctors coming here is that India has kept on par with the latest technology. It has been the biggest turnaround. Earlier, we had volume of cases but no technology. The other reasons are that they like our culture and find South India safer than other parts of India. Bangalore is far more cosmopolitan and foreigner-friendly," said vice-chairman, Narayana Nethralaya, Dr Rohit Shetty.

According to the international doctors, they found out about the courses from the internet and word-of-mouth. The international fellows on the waiting list are from UK, US, Italy, Yemen, Austria and Israel. A very high number of fellows come from Indonesia, Romania and Vietnam.


Read more: City a campus for overseas docs - The Times of India http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/bangalore/City-a-campus-for-overseas-docs/articleshow/6609561.cms#ixzz10KMv9mLN

Bangalore - Medical knowledge capital of Asia. Or is it Delhi AIIMS??

Residential component at $66.5bn of realty pie
TNN, Sep 25, 2010, 04.42am IST
MUMBAI: A Real Estate Intelligence Service ( REIS) report prepared by Jones Lang LaSalle Meghraj says the total market value of under-construction projects in India has crossed the $100-billion mark.

The market value and costs of development have been estimated at prevalent property prices and costs of construction, considering the variance in asset classes and geographical locations, it added.

The residential component contributes 66% ($66.5 billion) of this $ 101.3 billion, while the rest is contributed to by commercial office and retail space combined. The premium segment comprises only 4% of the saleable area being developed, but to 24% of the market value. "While NCR- Delhi leads in terms of volume of residential properties being developed, Mumbai contributes a larger share to the market value," it said.

On the other hand, the market value of commercial office and retail under construction has remained range-bound during 2006-2010 due to the effect of an increase in construction activity offset by a fall in capital values. "However, the contribution of residential has amplified due to a confluence of increase in construction activity and rapid recovery of property prices," the report said.

The market value of commercial (office and retail) real estate under construction is $34.8 billion and commercial office space under development contributes to 74% of the estimated market value being developed in the commercial sector.

"As of 2Q10, Tier-I cities of Mumbai, NCR-Delhi and Bangalore contsribute to 70% of the market value of under-construction commercial office space, while Tier II cities of Chennai, Pune, Hyderabad and Kolkata contribute to 21% of the pie. Other investment grade developments in Tier III cities contribute to a mere 9% of the pan-India market value being developed in India today."

According to the report, since 2007-08, a total foreign direct investment of $7.82 billion (over Rs 35,000 crore) has been put into housing and real estate in India. http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/Residential-component-at-665bn-of-realty-pie/articleshow/6623592.cms

Retail space demand rises in India

Demand in retail space escalates in NCR, Mumbai and Bengaluru

According to Cushman & Wakefield Research, retail market size in India will approximately be $600 billion in 2010. The organized retail market in the country will account for $50 billion depending on private final consumption expenditure. Additionally, NCR, Mumbai and Bengaluru are anticipated to account for about 37% of the total demand in India.

The report adds that the retail space will reach 55 million sq. ft in all; top seven cities of the country will witness approximately 53%.

The highest cumulative demand is likely to be seen in Bengaluru for mall space at approximately 7.7 million sq. ft by the year 2014. Next is Mumbai with demand escalating to around 6.5 million sq. ft.

At present, there are over 200 malls spread across India. The total retail space amounting for this is approximately 56 million sq. ft. 30% of the mall supply in the country will be accounted from NCR itself.

The overall mall supply likely to take place is around 93 million sq. ft. NCR. Over the next 5 years, Pune (located closely in Mumbai) will see the highest demand-supply gap. In the retail segments, the Apparels and Fashion Accessories category is expected to bring to highest share of retail space. This will be followed by the Food and Grocery segment. In the long run, these categories will make up for almost 49% of the total retail space.

The retail segment is likely to witness further growth and development in the country with major brands mushrooming in cities like Bangalore, Mumbai and Delhi.

Source (http://www.retail-digital.com/tags/cushman-wakefield-research/retail-space-demand-rises-india)

Demand for commercial space rising in Bangalore

The city emerges as a clear preference for sectors such as office and retail, while hospitality comes a close third.

http://www.thehindubusinessline.com/iw/2010/10/24/stories/2010102450361100.htm
http://www.thehindubusinessline.com/iw/2010/10/24/images/2010102450361101.jpg
Outer Ring Roadremains the most attractive IT/ITeS growth corridor.

Anjana Chandramouly

Bangalore will soon overcome the slowdown of the last two years in the commercial real-estate segment , when demand for office space had dipped severely.

With the IT/ITeS sector back on the path of recovery now, the city is again emerging as a preferred destination for multinational companies wanting to set foot in India or expand their existing operations . Demand for office space in the country's IT capital is expected to gather pace in the next few years.

According to a recent Cushman & Wakefield report, the city emerges as a clear preference for sectors such as office and retail, while being a close third in hospitality.

“The expected recovery in the IT/ITeS sector would have a positive effect on the demand in Bangalore, the preferred location for many IT/ITeS companies. It is expected to see the highest demand for office space within 2010-2014 of approximately 42 million sq ft,” it says.

On the other hand, demand for retail space is also expected to be the highest in Bangalore with approximately 7.6 million sq.ft, while demand in the hospitality sector is expected to be 9.8 million room nights and in residential, it is expected to be approximately 2.3 lakh units over 2010-14.

Demand to exceed supply

Mr Manish Aggarwal, Executive Director - Investment Services, Cushman & Wakefield India, explains that the overall demand for commercial office space is subdued in comparison with the supply, which is estimated to be approximately 400 million sq.ft during 2010-14, “implying caution and the need for quality supply at the right prices”.

However, Bangalore, which holds the largest share of the demand pie, will be the only city where the demand would exceed supply over the next five years, he says. “This is essentially because requirements of IT companies are much larger than most other sectors and the city, for long, has been the preferred IT destination.”

Though the city is facing a scenario of oversupply now, good deals are taking place, says Mr Vineet K. Singh, Business Head, 99acres.com. According to him, about 10 million sq.ft of ready-to-move-in office space is currently available in the city, and more supply is expected in the immediate future. But in the medium-term perspective, “we expect a robust demand because India's growth story is still intact,” he says.

Mr Ram Chandani, Deputy Managing Director - South India, CB Richard Ellis (CBRE) India, points to an increase in demand from end-user occupiers and also absorption in the city's central business district (CBD) area. The supply has been very limited, he explains, adding that “whatever has come in has been occupied in the CBD”.

ORR bustling with action

The one location that is still seeing a lot activity is the Outer Ring Road (ORR), which accounts for almost 25 per cent of the city's total IT space, 75 per cent of its total operational IT/ITeS SEZ space and 95 per cent of office space occupied by IT/ITes companies.

According to Mr Chandani, there is a lot of supply of SEZs and non-SEZs on the ORR. About 8 lakh sq.ft of non-SEZ space has been pre-committed by several multinationals on the ORR, he says. Besides, there are four large SEZs also, where space has been already committed.

“There is no new space for corporates who are looking for expansion or consolidation and want to be only on the ORR because of the available social infrastructure,” he adds.

In the inaugural (September) edition of its IT/ITeS Growth Corridor Series, which focuses on Bangalore's ORR spanning from Hebbal to Silk Board Junction, Vestian Global Workplace Services, a real-estate services firm, says that the ORR has 18.6 million sq.ft of operational Grade A office space, 3.3 million sq.ft under construction and 28 million sq.ft planned Grade-A office space.

“As of H1 2010, vacancy level is only 5 per cent (1 million sq.ft) and it is expected to drop further by end of 2010,” it adds.

“The ORR will to continue to remain an attractive IT/ITeS growth corridor of Bangalore and improve further with planned completion of numerous flyovers/underpasses between Hebbal and Silk-Board Junction by end-2011. This will be further enhanced through the upcoming business and social infrastructure,” says Mr Shrinivas Rao, CEO, Vestian Global Workplace Services.

According to him, a few factors that make the ORR one of the most attractive IT growth corridors of Bangalore are the availability of large land parcels, and proximity to established IT talent pool and residential hubs when compared with other peripheral locations of Bangalore.

“Ongoing infrastructure works aimed to transform the ORR into a signal-free corridor and the upcoming hotel and retail projects will further enhance connectivity and support infrastructure in this micro market.”

However, Mr Rao also feels that the growth of the ORR may slow down due to the shift in focus towards Bangalore North for upcoming developments. North Bangalore is seeing a lot of surge in real-estate activity after the international airport was shifted to Devenahalli.

Quite a few SEZs have been planned in this region, and since infrastructure is picking up, real-estate analysts feel that the region will also pick up in the coming years. “Once the residential market picks up there, commercial activities will follow,” says Mr Chandani of CBRE.

Apart from North Bangalore, one micro-market that will also see a surge in office space development is Whitefield, he adds.

Due to non-availability of space in the CBD and non-CBD areas, this will see a lot of growth in the next few quarters, he explains. At a lease/rental rate of Rs 26-30 per sq.ft, the cost for an end-user is cheapest at Whitefield, with social infrastructure in place. There is ample land still available to cater to future growth.
whitefield scored over el-city when airport shifted north...

New Geographer
The World's Fastest-Growing Cities
Joel Kotkin, 10.07.10, 06:00 PM EDT
The urban powerhouses of the next decade aren't behemoths like New York or Mumbai, but smaller cities like Chongqing, China; Santiago, Chile; and Austin, Texas.

http://www.forbes.com/2010/10/07/cities-china-chicago-opinions-columnists-joel-kotkin.html

The evolution of cities is a protean process--and never more so than now. With over 50% of people living in metropolitan areas there have never been so many rapidly rising urban areas--or so many declining ones.

Our list of the cities of the future does not focus on established global centers like New York, London, Paris, Hong Kong or Tokyo , which have dominated urban rankings for a generation. We have also passed over cities that have achieved prominence in the past 20 years such as Seoul, Shanghai, Singapore, Beijing, Delhi, Sydney, Toronto, Houston and Dallas-Fort Worth.

Nor does our list include the massive, largely dysfunctional megacities--Mumbai, Mexico City, Dhaka, Bangladesh--that are among planet's most populous today. Bigger often does not mean better.


Instead, our list focuses on emerging powerhouses like Chongqing, China, (population: 9 million), which Christina Larson in Foreign Policy recently described as "the biggest city you never heard of."

Chongqing sits in the world's most important new region for important cities: interior China. These interior Chinese cities, notes architect Adam Mayer, offer a healthy alternative to coastal megacities such as Shanghai, Hong Kong, Shenzen and Guangzhou, which suffer from congestion, high prices and increasingly wide class disparities. China's bold urban diversification strategy hinges both on forging new transportation links and nurturing businesses in these interior cities. For example, in Chengdu, capital of the Sichuan province, new plane, road and rail connections are tying the city to both coastal China and the rest of the world. And the city is abuzz with new construction, including an increasing concentration of high-tech firms such as Dell ( DELL - news - people ) and Cisco ( CSCO - news - people ).

India, although not by plan, also is experiencing a boom in once relatively obscure cities. Its rising urban centers include Bangalore (home of Infosys and Wipro ( WIT - news - people )), Ahmedabad (whose per-capita incomes are twice that of the rest of India) and Chennai (which has created 100,000 jobs this year). Many of India's key industries--auto manufacturing, software and entertainment--are establishing themselves in these cities.


http://www.forbes.com/2010/10/07/cities-china-chicago-opinions-columnists-joel-kotkin_slide_16.html
3. Ahmedabad ( where 7 days of a week are dry days :lol:)
10. Chennai (no comments :runaway: )
15. Bangalore
http://images.forbes.com/media/2010/10/07/1007_bangalore-india_485x340.jpg
Bangalore, India

Many big players in tech and services--Goldman Sachs, Cisco, HP as well as India-based giants like Tata--have located operations in Bangalore. But the city also boasts home-grown tech giants Infosys and Wipro, which each have over 60,000 employees worldwide. Since 1985 Bangalore's population has more than doubled to over 7 million and is projected by the U.N. to reach 9.5 million by 2025. In the future, maintaining Bangalore's advantage over smaller, less congested cities could prove a challenge.

Not sure the slideshow is in order or random

Aerospace, defence firms make beeline for SEZ
Mahesh Kulkarni | 2010-10-25 00:20:00


Even as the approval from the Board of Approval is yet to come for the development of the aerospace special economic zone (SEZ) near the Bangalore international airport, the Karnataka government has already attracted aviation and defence majors to set up shop there. The government is moving forward to materialise the aerospace SEZ, which will be the second such SEZ in the state.

Companies like Amada of Japan, Dynamatics Technologies, BEML Ltd, Hindustan Aeronautics Limited have acquired land at the Aerospace SEZ. The Karnataka Industrial Area Development Board (KIADB) has acquired 1,000 acres for the SEZ. About 55 per cent of the land will be allotted to companies for setting up factories.

Units in the SEZ will cater to domestic demand as well as the export market. The park will include aviation MRO (maintenance, repair and overhaul) activities too. This would be the second aerospace SEZ after Quest’s aerospace SEZ in Belgaum district, which is already functional. In addition to these two, Mahindra & Mahindra is also planning its own aerospace SEZ in Bangalore.

According to V P Baligar, principal secretary, department of commerce and industries, the KIADB has so far allotted 100 acres to HAL, 35 acres to Dynamatics Technologies, 25 acres to BEML Ltd and eight acres to Amada to set up their manufacturing facilities. These companies have paid 20 per cent of the land value to KIADB towards the land acquisition.

BEML, the public sector undertaking under the ministry of defence, and a maker of rail, metro coaches and construction equipment, is setting up a manufacturing plant at the aerospace SEZ at an investment of Rs 316 crore. It plans to manufacture a wide range of aerospace components to make use of the opportunities available under the defence-offset business. The products be manufactured at this plant include aircraft components, assemblies and MRO activities related to aerospace applications.

The company has set up an Aerospace Manufacturing Division (AMD), to explore opportunities in the sector. It would provide jobs to 235 persons at this plant.

HAL plans to establish a unit for manufacture of TPE 331 engine and engine components, ring rolling, fan cases, welded structural assemblies, maintenance, repair and overhaul of civil aircraft, engines and manufacture of helicopters. The total investment from HAL would be Rs 2,100 crore and create 1,631 jobs.

Dynamatic Technologies has entered into a partnership with Spirit AeroSystems Europe Ltd to manufacture wing flap track beams for Airbus A320-family aircraft. The company is looking to invest Rs 465 crore to set up an aerospace components unit. It would be creating jobs for 2,100 persons at the plant.

Amada (India) Pvt Ltd has proposed to invest Rs 44 crore to set up a technology centre. Other small companies that would be setting up facility at the Aerospace SEZ includes AIMIL Ltd for components, Ayyappa CNC Pvt Ltd for aerospace components, Centum Electronics Ltd, Dynatech Tools and Devices, Priyaraj Electronics Ltd, Sunshine Aerospace Pvt Ltd, Universal Electro Magnetic Cores and Yamini Automation Pvt Ltd.

In June this year, the state government had signed MoUs with these companies to set up facilities at the aerospace

SEZ for a combined investment of Rs 2,936 crore. The government expects to attract more companies to the aerospace SEZ once the Centre’s approval comes through. It is estimated that each acre of land at the SEZ would see an investment of Rs 5-10 crore. This would translate into investments of about Rs 10,000 crore at the Aerospace SEZ, Baligar said.

The aero and defence-related offset business is expected to exceed $15 billion in the next 10 years.

Sify (http://sify.com/finance/aerospace-defence-firms-make-beeline-for-sez-news-news-kkzauuaifad.html)

...
10. Chennai (no comments :runaway: )
...

As long as you don't pass random comments on this, you don't need to run away. :lol:

[QUOTE=gentem;64151665]City a campus for overseas docs
Jayashree Nandi, TNN, Sep 23, 2010, 12.03am IST


Bangalore - Medical knowledge capital of Asia. QUOTE]


Medical Knowledge capital of Asia...BAKWAS. This is not correct. This TOI has none other job than giving all wrong news. What about AIIMS, JIPMER - Pondicherry, CMC-Vellore, MMC etc. Out of top 25 medical colelges most are from Delhi, Mumbai & TN.

http://indiatoday.intoday.in/site/Photo/3309/3/photo10/India/best-medical-colleges-in-india,-2010.html

10. Chennai (no comments )

No one is inviting you to chennai to run away...

Hey, these guys have too much superiority complex without nothing...They think they are a city next to new york or tokyo...(No power, no proper infra, no political stability, No 1 corrupt state of India )

See the basis of which he is assessing...Ahmedabad - dry 7 days a week. Is this have any relevance with development of a city and creation of job. May be then Dubai, Abudhabi etc must not develop at all...same way Singapore has more r less same weather condition of Chennai as I lived there.....

During Economic crisis ..people know which was the city which got hit the most...

City a campus for overseas docs
Jayashree Nandi, TNN, Sep 23, 2010, 12.03am IST


Bangalore - Medical knowledge capital of Asia. QUOTE]


Medical Knowledge capital of Asia...BAKWAS. This is not correct. This TOI has none other job than giving all wrong news. What about AIIMS, JIPMER - Pondicherry, CMC-Vellore, MMC etc. Out of top 25 medical colelges most are from Delhi, Mumbai & TN.

http://indiatoday.intoday.in/site/Photo/3309/3/photo10/India/best-medical-colleges-in-india,-2010.html
Good link u gave... 2 in kataka in top 10 med colleges.. st. johns and kasturba manipal. bmc and ramiah in top 25 :banana:
bonus:
*1/3 cardiac surgeries of whole india done in blore
* nimhans elevated recently to aiims level by central govt...

not just medical knowledge, blore is all knowledge capital of asia, not just india. the soft power ;)

No one is inviting you to chennai to run away...
actually i did not run away from chennai, instead i ran away from commenting on chennai :runaway: coz many chen ppl guard this blore forum...

Dubai no alcohol ban is there, do some homework before posting random :bash:

As long as you don't pass random comments on this, you don't need to run away.

10. Chennai (no comments )

No one is inviting you to chennai to run away...

Hey, these guys have too much superiority complex without nothing...They think they are a city next to new york or tokyo...(No power, no proper infra, no political stability, No 1 corrupt state of India )

See the basis of which he is assessing...Ahmedabad - dry 7 days a week. Is this have any relevance with development of a city and creation of job. May be then Dubai, Abudhabi etc must not develop at all...same way Singapore has more r less same weather condition of Chennai as I lived there.....

During Economic crisis ..people know which was the city which got hit the most...


When someone can never be objective, that someone has to be ignored, guys.

When someone can never be objective, that someone has to be ignored, guys.

For me, every city in India looks like a urban hell (as said in India Today). Because a city in India has highest per capita income, or has the higest folks earning more than 10L per annum, doesnt make any difference. Its going to be a total collapse one day where things are totally out of the government's control and all the so called politicians might run away to other countries with the money they looted, causing a revolution.

Though my job mandates me to stay in a city, now-a-days my heart yearns for the calm and peaceful life that a small town or a village gives. Bumper to bumper traffic, lack of proper roads, water scarcity, power problems, corruption, people running behind money like a dog, are making me sick day by day. Of course no one can deny that at least one of it is not in their city. Because of all these so called globalization or economic boom, can anyone say that the happiness or satisfaction quotient of Indian population has increased than it was 15 years ago?? I dont think so...... We blame the way US works for all the crisis or recession...but we, India, blindly copy them in the way we live, work and play...but with our poor infrastructure :)

MUMBAI: Billionaire Vijay Mallya , owner of the world’s second-largest liquor company, is razing his ancestral home in Bangalore to build $4 million apartments as the number of people rich enough to afford them grows.

United Breweries Holdings , which owns controlling stakes in Mallya’s liquor, beer and airline units, and Prestige Estates Projects are jointly developing the 4.5 acre (1.8 hectare) plot in the technology hub, home to Google Inc., Microsoft Corp. and Infosys Technologies Ltd. Construction will start in December, Irfan Razack, chairman of Prestige, said on Wednesday after the developer’s shares debuted.

Demand for luxury apartments in India is rising as the biggest rally in stocks in 18 years in 2009 boosted the ranks of the affluent in the thirdfastest growing major economy.

Mukesh Ambani, India’s richest individual , will move into a 27-storey skyscraper in south Mumbai that cost $2 billion to build and is the world’s most expensive home, according to Forbes Magazine. “There is now considerable demand for high-end apartments in Bangalore, and it is led by the senior management class, corporate houses, non-resident Indian businessmen and high-networth individuals,” said Anuj Puri, Mumbai-based chairman of Jones Lang LaSalle Meghraj, the local unit of the world’s second-largest commercial property broker .

The combined net worth of the nation’s 100 wealthiest people climbed to an all-time high of $300 billion this year, equivalent to a quarter of the country’s gross domestic product, according to Forbes. India’s wealthy may almost double their assets to $6.4 trillion over the next five years as economic growth swells their ranks, Credit Suisse Group AG said in its global wealth report.


http://economictimes.indiatimes.com/markets/real-estate/news-/Vijay-Mallya-offers-4-mn-apartments-in-Bangalore/articleshow/6833951.cms

Dubai emerges from economic downtown as world's fastest growing office market on a per capita basis


UAE, 5th October 2010 - Dubai has experienced the greatest growth in occupied office space of any major city in the world on a per capita basis over the past two and a half years, according to the latest research from Jones Lang LaSalle, the world's leading real estate advisory firm.

The new research, which compared data on 25 major global cities, reveals that Dubai is the fastest growing office market in the world on a per capita basis, with the total area of occupied Grade A quality office space increasing by 2.8 sq ft per capita since the beginning of 2008. While other markets have grown by much more in absolute numbers, these are far larger mega cities, hence Dubai score highest in terms of net absorption (the change in occupied office space) per capita.



International comparisons are notoriously difficult, given the different geographical coverage and definitions adopted in different real estate markets globally. The total occupied stock of offices in those areas of Dubai monitored by Jones Lang LaSalle is estimated to have increased by around 42% since January 2008. This places Dubai in fifth place globally when assessed against the pace of growth of other office markets monitored by Jones Lang LaSalle. The fastest growing cities globally on this measure have been the mega cities of Delhi (61%), Mumbai (58%) Beijing (56%) and Bangalore (43%), which have all experienced strong net absorption as their stock of international quality office space has expanded rapidly from a previous low base. Outside of the BRIC economies, Dubai has been the fastest growing city globally in percentage terms (calculated as the change in occupied office stock between January 2008 and July 2010, divided by the total occupied stock in January 2008).
http://images.zawya.com/images/features/hs-101005_img1.jpg
http://images.zawya.com/images/features/hs-101005_img2.jpg
http://images.zawya.com/images/features/hs-101005_img3.jpg
Commenting on these findings, Blair Hagkull, Chairman of Jones Lang LaSalle MENA, stated: http://www.zawya.com/story.cfm/sidZAWYA20101005071456/Dubai%20emerges%20from%20economic%20downtown%20as%20world%27s%20fastest%20growing%20office%20market%20on%20a%20per%20capita%20basis
bangalore among top 5 global megacities :) Delhi zooming on metro train. Mumbai lot vacant, supply higher than demand, highest vacant office stock in india :lol:

With the economy on the revival path, the IT hub of Bangalore is getting ready for the next wave of expansion, with global technology companies ramping up India operations.

A promising outlook for the Indian economy and increasing business demand have prompted networking major Cisco to look at diversifying into 30 new businesses including portable video, high-end video conferencing, and smart power grids for cities. With business looking up for Cisco, it is keen to expand its operations in India, primarily Bangalore, which is the company's second global headquarters after San Jose in the US. Currently, the company employs 6,000 people in India, including R&D, sales, and business support staff.

Mr Prasad H.R., Director-Facilities, Cisco India, said: “Globally, demand has revived with the rapid growth of and advances in networking, which in turn drives demand for advanced switches and routers. Cisco considers India a strategic growth region, and has significant business presence in India. Cisco is committed to continuing investment in our Bangalore facilities. Currently, we are occupying 1.4 million sq ft and plan to expand the facility to 2 million sq ft.”

Setting up bases

Realty analysts say that companies such as HP, Juniper Networks, Cap Gemini and Nokia are eyeing more space in the city. According to the IT/ITeS Growth Corridor report by real estate services firm Vestian Global Workplace Services, Nokia Technologies has leased 1.26 lakh sq ft, while Brocade and Akamai Technologies have taken up 90,000 sq ft and 60,000 sq ft space respectively on the Outer Ring Road (ORR).

It is not only the special economic zones and periphery that will see expansion. The central business district (CBD) is also seeing some action. For instance, virtual computing solutions provider Citrix recently opened its single largest development centre in the world, as it moved into its new facility in the heart of the city.

According to Mr Mark Templeton, CEO of Citrix, the 1.2-lakh-sq-ft R&D facility (which has the capacity for 1,500 people) will initially house 500 professionals and the company plans to ramp it up by 100 per cent in the next couple of years.

source: http://www.thehindubusinessline.com/2010/10/29/stories/2010102952410400.htm

Intelligent Energy, the global clean power systems company, has today announced the establishment of Intelligent Energy India Private Ltd. as its Bangalore, India based business liaison office. Intelligent Energy is now actively seeking partners to deploy its clean hydrogen fuel cell power systems and hydrogen generation technologies in the backup power, automotive and defence markets

Full article:http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20101102006093/en/Intelligent-Energy-%E2%80%9CStealth-Mode%E2%80%9D-India

Wikipedia with an aim to expand its presence in India and to increase number of articles in different Indian languages is finally turning its attention to India. The Wikimedia Foundation (WMF) is expected to set up a small office in the country within the next six months. This office is likely to extend support to its existing setup in Bangalore.

Full article :http://topinews.com/mainstream/2010/11/02/wikipedia-to-open-office-in-india-a-significant-shift/44609/

^^ That's interesting. Because, Jimmy Wales once visited my college in 2009 for a guest lecture. He mentioned that they were a small group, 22 employees, and that he would like to keep it that way.

Banks will now lend only 80% of home price
TNN, Nov 3, 2010, 01.10am IST
MUMBAI: While most banks are in a wait-and-watch mode on their lending and deposit rates after the Reserve Bank of India's decision on Tuesday to hike key policy rates--repo and reverse repo--by a modest 25 basis points (100 basis points=1%), it is certain that from now on, anyone applying for a housing loan from a bank will have to pay a margin money of at least 20% of the value of the property. This in effect means that you will have to shell out more from your own savings to buy that house you have been eyeing for a while. Earlier, this margin money varied between 10% and 15 %.

That's not all. The RBI also increased the risk weightage of loans above Rs 75 lakh taken for buying property, which could increase the interest rates on loans for high-cost properties. This is being seen as a pre-emptive measure to rein in the possibility of the creation of an asset bubble and a sign that there could be overheating in the property market.


Read more: Banks will now lend only 80% of home price - The Times of India http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/business/india-business/Banks-will-now-lend-only-80-of-home-price/articleshow/6862052.cms#ixzz14CcbL1pF

20% is too steep dor home loan. 20 % may be ok for car loan, but 15% should be the limit for home loans. while car value depreciates, a home appreciates

State mulls greater Peenya Industrial Estate

BS Reporter | 2010-11-04 01:20:00

State to develop Greater Peenya industrial estate near Bangalore

Karnataka plans to expand the Peenya Industrial Estate on the outskirts of Bangalore to accommodate new industrial units. The government plans to develop the area as the Greater Peenya industrial estate, a senior government official said.

"The government has been getting a lot of request from small and medium companies for creating new industrial estates in and around Bangalore. The government has already notified land adjacent to the Peenya industrial estate for development of Greater Peenya," V P Baligar said.

Addressing members of Federation of Karnataka Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FKCCI), here, he said the government has notified 200 acres at Nelamangala for developing Greater Peenya industrial estate. Of this, already a final notification has been issued for 135 acres, he said.

In addition to this, the government is also acquiring 600 acres at Doddaballapur, 3,000 acres near the international airport for developing new industrial townships.

The government has also received an encouraging response from industries for aerospace, software and hardware parks near the international airport, he said.

Apart from Bangalore, the government has also acquired 3,000 acres at Yadgir for developing industrial township. "We want to develop a pharma park in this place. Already the government has cleared applications from seven to eight pharma companies for setting up their facilities here. The government will create common infrastructure like effluent treatment plant and provide land for the companies," Baligar said.

He said, for the first time, the government is promoting "walk to work" concept in the state. This means, the new industrial townships will be developed including residential colonies for workers, he explained.

Land has been identified for development of new industrial townships in other places like Hoskote, Gauribidanur, Bagepalli, Kolar, Harohalli and Bidar, he said.

The state government is also planning to acquire another 800 acres for the expansion of Mangalore Special Economic Zone in Mangalore, he added.

BUSINESS_STANDARD (http://sify.com/finance/state-mulls-greater-peenya-industrial-estate-news-news-klebuniigje.html)

Brigade edges out MG Road

Sheen Off Blores High Street,Rentals Stagnate

TIMES NEWS NETWORK

Bangalore: Retail rentals in Bangalore's MG Road have fallen flat at Rs 180 per sft (monthly ) with the Metro construction adding to the logjam and Brigade Road moving up in the pecking order as a favourable location.The league table drawn by real estate consultants Cushman & Wakefield in a survey -- Main Streets Across the World 2010 -- provides a global barometer of the retail sector,tracking rents in the world's top 269 shopping locations across 59 countries.
While New Delhi's Khan market moved up three slots to become the 21st most expensive retail high street in the world topped by New York's Fifth Avenue at $1,850 sft per year.This was followed by Hong Kong's Causeway and Ginza in Tokyo took the third position overtaking London,Paris and Milan in the 2010 survey.
As consumer confidence is back with gusto,rental value in Delhi's Khan Market saw a 15.8% jump at Rs 1,100 per sft (monthly) as of June 2010 compared to the corresponding period last year.However,other retail high street destinations in New Delhi/ NCR did not see the same fervour and locations like Greater Kailash I (-10 %) and South Extension (-12 %) continued to see a downward trend.
On the flip side,rentals on Bangalore's MG Road have stagnated despite lack of supply,feels the executive director of Cushman&Wakefield India Kaustuv Roy."The perception of main street is changing.Transaction activity on MG Road is not much.Brigade Road is seen as a better location with more options to choose from.It will at least take two quarters before we can see a recovery in rentals."
Brigade Road has seen a 6.70% appreciation in rentals at Rs 400/sft (monthly) as of June 2010 over the corresponding period last year.On the positive side,New Delhi's Khan market moved up three slots to become the 21st most expensive retail high street in the world topped by New York's Fifth Avenue at $1,850 sft per year.

http://lite.epaper.timesofindia.com/Repository/TOIBG/2010/09/25/25/Img/Pc0251200.jpg

http://lite.epaper.timesofindia.com/getpage.aspx?edlabel=TOIBG&pubLabel=TOI&pageid=25&mydateHid=25-09-2010

Indira Nagar 100 ft road prices will increase as soon as metro starts. Or at least after metro construction blocking CMH road end.

Commercial street not mentioned??

Brigade Road 400
MG Road 180
100ft road Indiranagar 125

Highest by city:
Delhi 1100
Mumbai 665
Bangalore 400
Pune 250
Kolkata 245
Ahmedabad 130
Hyderabad 125
Chennai 125



reposting..

The Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) has opened an office in the central business district of Bangalore, India. The new office will enable IEEE to support engineering and technical professionals in the country through a variety of educational and certification programmes. The Bangalore office will also allow IEEE to reach local representatives from academia, government and industry and explore additional business opportunities in the region. Planned activities include continuing education, biometrics certification and software development certificate programmes, and professional accreditation and standards activities, including educating local corporations about the role of IEEE standards development and implementation.

Source:http://www.telecompaper.com/news/article.aspx?cid=765469

Brigade edges out MG Road

Sheen Off Blores High Street,Rentals Stagnate

TIMES NEWS NETWORK



Indira Nagar 100 ft road prices will increase as soon as metro starts. Or at least after metro construction blocking CMH road end.

Commercial street not mentioned??

Brigade Road 400
MG Road 180
100ft road Indiranagar 125

Highest by city:
Delhi 1100
Mumbai 665
Bangalore 400
Pune 250
Kolkata 245
Ahmedabad 130
Hyderabad 125
Chennai 125



reposting..

Delhi's highest is 1500.

Delhi's highest is 1500.

that is print mistake that too last year even comma missing. that is 500, notice -10% to 450..

brigade should increase after metro this december

NEWDELHI: To showcase India's robust economic growth and boost its business globally, the International Trade Promotion Organisation (ITPO) is set to expand the exhibition and convention centres across the country including the facilities in Bangalore and Chennai.

Subas Pani, chairman and managing director of ITPO, that conducts the India International Trade Fair, said this on the sidelines of a press conference to announce the 30th edition of the India International Trade Fair to be inaugurated by Commerce and Industry Minister Anand Sharma on November 14.

Pani said the ITPO is looking at developing an expo centre in Bangalore at a cost of Rs100 crore. Also, it has embarked on ambitious expansion plans of transforming Chennai Trade Centre, Nandambakkam into the largest expo centre in South East Asia at a cost of Rs100 crore.

Asked about the Bangalore centre, Pani said ITPO has shortlisted two architectural firms. "We would freeze the concept plan about the convention centre with a capacity of 5,000 people soon. We also have plans for an additional exhibition hall of about 5,000 square metres there."

"At the Chennai convention centre, we have one multipurpose hall and two additional halls. We will be adding at least two more big halls. We are planning to add about 10,000 square metres. Our effort is to double the exhibition area as well. We are getting an additional 10 acres of land from the Tamil Nadu government," Pani told Express.

Pani said Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M Karunanidhi had pledged to expand the Chennai convention centre in the last state budget. "There is more land adjacent to the Chennai convention centre held by the Government of India. If we can pursue it, we can achieve our long time objective of the largest trade exhibition and convention centre in South East Asia. We are working towards that. We are finalising the masterplan in a couple of months. We expect the work to be completed in less than two years time," ITPO chief said.

ITPO is also examining the proposals of state government like Orissa and Maharashtra for creating similar infrastructure. Asked about the declining participation of foreign participation in the India International Trade Fair during the last few years, Pani attributed it to the impact of global financial crisis. "Many countries are yet to emerge out of the global crisis. But the area allocated for foreign participation has been fully utilised," Pani said, adding that 7000 exhibitors from abroad, including new countries Japan and Uganda will take part in the trade fair.

However out of the 23 participating countries, no country has been declared a partner country this year. Estimating one million footfalls, Pani said Maharashtra is the partner state, while Rajasthan and Chattisgarh get status of focus states at the fair this year.

source :http://expressbuzz.com/cities/bangalore/bangalore-to-get-rs-100-crore-expo-centre/222162.html

Bangalore city in growth mode
Submitted by admin on October 14, 2010 – 12:05 pm

Bangalore

The city has regained its perch as a preferred destination for office and retail space, according to a Cushman & Wakefield report. Bangalore is expected to see highest cumulative demand of 42.1 million sft during 2010-14, followed by Mumbai at 37.5 million sft and NCR at 32 million sft, said the India Real Estate Investment report 2010 titled, ‘Riding the Wave-Re-emergence of Indian Realty Sector’ released on Wednesday. It also said, with the IT/IteS sector back on track, the city will see a surge in office space.
http://content.magicbricks.com/wp-content/themes/arthemia-premium/scripts/timthumb.php?src=/wp-content/uploads/2010/10/garden-city-150x150.jpg&w=150&h=150&zc=1&q=100
“Bangalore continues to be foremost in the office real estate sector and hold the largest share of the demand pie. It will be the only city where the demand would exceed the supply over the next five years. This is essentially because requirements of IT companies are much larger,’’ said Cushman & Wakefield India’s executive director (investment services) Manish Aggarwal.

The pan India office space demand in the period under review is estimated to be 240 million sft of which the top three cities (Bengaluru, NCR and Mumbai) comprise 46% of the total demand. The demand for retail sector is also expected to be the highest in Bangalore with approximately 7.6 million sft. However, the city ranks third in the hospitality sector and demand for room-nights is expected to be 9.8 million during the period.

The demand for retail space across the country is estimated to be 55 million sft and. NCR, Mumbai and Bengaluru are expected to account for about 37% of the total demand. Bengaluru is likely to witness the highest cumulative demand for mall space at approximately 7.7 million sq.ft by 2014, closely followed by Mumbai with demand anticipated at 6.5 million sq.ft.

http://content.magicbricks.com/bangalore-city-in-growth-mode

The report says growth in IT and ITeS sector would be the main reason for the spurt in demand in the city's real estate sector. "Despite inadequate infrastructure, IT companies still considered Bangalore a better bet than other cities," the report said. http://findarticles.com/p/news-articles/dna-daily-news-analysis-mumbai/mi_8111/is_20101009/bangalore-emerge-office-space-hotspot/ai_n55496212/
october 2010 report

I thought "Knowledge City" would mean more educational and research institutions of repute. How exactly does the technology cluster contribute to R&D, or education, does anyone know ?

PS: I am sleepy and tired, I did not Google the Technology Cluster.

lol R&D is Bangalore's strong suit...no other city comes close.

Bangalore R&D offshoring hub for 50 percent MNCs
(http://www.siliconindia.com/shownews/Bangalore_RD_offshoring_hub_for_50_percent_MNCs-nid-58075.html)

Bangalore: Bangalore leads for R&D offshoring by MNCs, both for captive units and outsourced product development. About 50 percent of 780 MNC R&D centers are based in Bangalore, according to the research firm, Zinnov Management Consulting.

"The R&D and innovation ecosystem is well developed here," says C S Chandramouli, Director at Zinnov. A number of semiconductor design firms are today based in Bangalore. "Many low-cost chips are now being developed by Bangalore R&D teams. We are also home to many start-ups who are actively filing patents," says Chandramouli.

About 50 percent of 780 MNC R&D centers are based in Bangalore, according to the research firm, Zinnov Management Consulting.

Being a talent pool, Bangalore becomes the focus of global players for their research and technology units. Sectors which have set up software arms in Bangalore include Boeing, Rolls Royce, BaE, Honeywell, Pratt and Whitney and others. Also, the market observers say that the best access to engineering talents stand in Bangalore.

T Parabrahman, Chairman of CII, Karnataka, said the city has access to the best engineering talent due to the growing number of engineering colleges in the city. "This has helped us become a hub for innovation in machine tools, cutting tools, garment and IT industry," he said, and further added,"With expertise in the core sciences and IISc, our defence industry and related research is also progressing well."

In Bangalore, the Bosch has developed electronic control units (ECU) for diesel and gasoline fuel injection systems for low-price vehicles. These ECUs integrate all the required functions of an engine control into a single unit/compact chipset.

S Sadagopan, Founder of IIIT, Bangalore says the city has many incubation centres in higher educational institutions. These centres are also working with major IT companies for global products. "Universities file for few patents, around 10 per year. But the R&D centers file around several dozen a year," said Sadagopan.

CII inks MoU with Wolverhampton City Council for Aerospace sector cooperation

Tuesday, 16 November 2010
Bangalore: Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) and Wolverhampton City Council have signed a Memorandum of Understanding for cooperation in the aerospace sector in addition to assisting each other in the promotion and development of business opportunities and overseas investment, between India and UK.

"Wolverhampton has a 1000 year manufacturing history," said Simon Warren, Chief Executive, Wolverhampton City Council, who is leading the delegation to Bangalore. The delegation identified Bangalore as a city that has similar sectors and business interests.

Wolverhampton hosts four major tier one suppliers to aerospace - Goodrich, Moog, HS-Marston & Timken - manufacturing products, ranging from heat transfer and fluid management to fly-by wire actuation systems and anti-friction bearings. The Tier ones supported by a 200 strong supply chain. The Aerospace sector in particular, plays a major part in Wolverhampton’s economy – and has the largest cluster of aerospace 1st tier suppliers in the West Midlands.

Aroon Raman, Chairman, CII Karnataka State Council said that though there are many companies involved in precision manufacturing with excellent quality standards, a good number of them still lack domain knowledge in aerospace.

Professor Richard Hall, Associate Dean and Professor of Engineering Design & Simulation at the University of Wolverhampton said that a research and technology center could be set up in Bangalore, where trainers could specify what exactly the OEMs need. This could lead to a top-down driven acquisition of domain knowledge.

The University of Wolverhampton has delivered collaborative R&D and skilled graduates to aerospace companies within the Midland, including Rolls-Royce and BAE Systems.

The delegation aims to promote Wolverhampton City as a place for investment and explore the R&D capacity, graduate access, training, skill and CPD opportunities available.

"We are not really looking only at inward investment, but long term collaboration," said Jay Patel, Head of Economic Development, Wolverhampton City Council.

Simon Warren said that they were looking at bringing the SC21 programme, a specialist business support from the Manufacturing Advisory Service, to India.

In the coming days the delegation will be visiting and meeting officials from companies like Hindustan Aeronautics Limited, National Aerospace Laboratories, Dynamatic and other advanced engineering businesses. The delegation will also host business events specifically targeted at the aerospace sector and the supply chain companies.

Source (http://machinist.in/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=2862&Itemid=2)

Notified areas will be excluded from local bodies and planning panel jurisdiction

3 City hubs may get Industrial Township Authority tag

Vijesh Kamath Bangalore, Nov 15, DHNS

The State government is contemplating providing ''Industrial Township Authority'' status to three industrial hubs in Bangalore including Electronic City, after the completion of the population census next year.

Peenya Industrial Area and Bommasandra are the other two hubs shortlisted for the special status and autonomy.

Industrial associations of these zones have long been seeking township authority tag. The legislation paving way for setting up industrial township authority was passed in 2002 by making amendments to the Karnataka Municipalities Act. However, successive governments had put enactment of its provision on the backburner citing various reasons.

The Urban Development Department (UDD) now plans to clear the hurdles for setting up the township authorities once the statistical details of census -2011 are published. The census work is scheduled to be completed by next February-end.

The census data will provide us the necessary inputs for a fresh evaluation of industrial zones. We plan to carve out the extent of the proposed industrial township authorities soon after the evaluation, sources in the department told Deccan Herald.

Bangalore’s flagship IT hub - Electronic City is likely to get the tag first as an industrial township authority, the sources said.

As mandated by the 74th amendment to the Constitution, once given township authority status, the notified area will be excluded from the jurisdiction of local bodies and planning panels.

Administration will be done by industrialists and the authority will also have full administrative powers, including collection of property tax and regulation and construction of buildings.

At present, Electronic City has been kept out of the jurisdiction of the Bruhat Bangalore Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) and falls under Doddathoguru and Konappana Agrahara Gram Panchayats. The hub is maintained by the Electronics City Industries’ Association.

“The State government has been in correspondence with us. They have sought several clarifications which we have provided to them,” ECIA Col Mohan Chandran said.

Last year, the BBMP placed a proposal before the government to bring Electronic City under its jurisdiction, but it did not materialise. ECIA had sought a township tag instead.

Notifying Asia’s largest industrial zone, Peenya Industrial Area, as an authority would mean that 40 sq kms would come out of the BBMP jurisdiction.

It would translate to at least five BBMP wards ceasing to exist. The elected representatives will however be accommodated as members of the authority, UDD sources said.

Initially, the government will nominate five industrialists to the authority. Subsequently, industrialists will elect their representatives. Besides, three members each from department of industries, town planning and urban development will be nominated to the body, the sources added.

DHNS (http://www.deccanherald.com/content/113153/3-city-hubs-may-get.html)

There are also plans to make Greater Peenya Industrial area--That would make it damn big-- :eek:

http://www.thehindubusinessline.com/2010/11/14/images/2010111451290301.jpg
http://www.thehindubusinessline.com/2010/11/14/stories/2010111451290300.htm

now u know why no IT in mumbai.. it is costlier than SF :lol: where does bangalore stand in costliest office space list?

I agree Blore developed into a IT hub in India because of having early advantages with science institutions and central knowledge based labs along with salubrius climate attracting talent across the country and credit goes partially to karnataka govt's friendly policies and Local people . Blore is a pride of India because its more or less completely developed by Indians after independence unlike the erst while 4 metros. That doesnt make it first world city anyday it is still a 3rd world city and no where compared to any 2nd world cities also.

In India Delhi, Mumbai , Blore, Chennai, Kolkata, Hyderabad, Pune and Ahmedabad are primary growth centers but all of them 3rd world and cannot be compared to most chineese or even south american cities
.
Mumbai and Delhi are too expensive to acquire 40million sq feet of office space, thats why Gurgaon/Noida and Pune emerged over there, Dont feel elated Delhi and Mumbai still attracts most of the FDI and indian investments outside of IT.

In IT, I feel Hyderabad and Pune has same potential as Bangalore because of cosmopolitanism and able to retain talent.
Hyderabad was attracting Google, Microsoft, and Facebook despite of being no 3 or 4 in terms of total exports. Chennai and Ahmedabad are growing on its own strengths,

I can speak of chennai more because I have been following Chennai, In IT, Chenai manages to export about half of blore in it exports. 5 years back Chennai did not figure in MNC Service companies such as HP and IBM whereas they were really big in Blore now they have moved here and hiring big time as well we have amazon, ebay, yahoo (paypal) and few product companies. Blore is like silicon valley but In US, Boston, Seattle, Virginia are also big tech centers besides reasonable techie presence all major cities. Similarly Indian IT is evolved and established so when folks think of expanding in India they think of Blore, Hyd, Pune, Noida and Chennai in the list of cities to expand choose based on many parameters and expand outside.
At the end of the day the growth in India is still spreading only metros and needs to boil down to tier II, tier III and more to move us from 3rd world to 1st worldI agree

Chennai forummers are passionate and come into discussions here but please dont write crap like treating Chennai as some non performing place. Another question, why so much hatred against chennai?

I agree Blore developed into a IT hub in India because of having early advantages with science institutions and central knowledge based labs along with salubrius climate attracting talent across the country and credit goes partially to karnataka govt's friendly policies and Local people . Blore is a pride of India because its more or less completely developed by Indians after independence unlike the erst while 4 metros. That doesnt make it first world city anyday it is still a 3rd world city and no where compared to any 2nd world cities also.

In India Delhi, Mumbai , Blore, Chennai, Kolkata, Hyderabad, Pune and Ahmedabad are primary growth centers but all of them 3rd world and cannot be compared to most chineese or even south american cities
.
Mumbai and Delhi are too expensive to acquire 40million sq feet of office space, thats why Gurgaon/Noida and Pune emerged over there, Dont feel elated Delhi and Mumbai still attracts most of the FDI and indian investments outside of IT.

In IT, I feel Hyderabad and Pune has same potential as Bangalore because of cosmopolitanism and able to retain talent.
Hyderabad was attracting Google, Microsoft, and Facebook despite of being no 3 or 4 in terms of total exports. Chennai and Ahmedabad are growing on its own strengths,

I can speak of chennai more because I have been following Chennai, In IT, Chenai manages to export about half of blore in it exports. 5 years back Chennai did not figure in MNC Service companies such as HP and IBM whereas they were really big in Blore now they have moved here and hiring big time as well we have amazon, ebay, yahoo (paypal) and few product companies. Blore is like silicon valley but In US, Boston, Seattle, Virginia are also big tech centers besides reasonable techie presence all major cities. Similarly Indian IT is evolved and established so when folks think of expanding in India they think of Blore, Hyd, Pune, Noida and Chennai in the list of cities to expand choose based on many parameters and expand outside.
At the end of the day the growth in India is still spreading only metros and needs to boil down to tier II, tier III and more to move us from 3rd world to 1st worldI agree

Chennai forummers are passionate and come into discussions here but please dont write crap like treating Chennai as some non performing place. Another question, why so much hatred against chennai?

then please ask ur chennai friends not to make false comments on cities outside tn

ELEVATED ROADS CREATE NEW RESIDENTIAL CATCHMENTS
The elevated Tumkur Road and Hosur Road projects have created new residential catchments along their routes, says Leena Mudbidri


That improved infrastructure is often the harbinger of development is eloquently visible in two such road projects in the city. Two major elevated road projects have also created new residential neighbourhoods in the suburbs. In Bangalore south, the 10 km elevated Hosur Road expressway connecting Central Silk Board Junction to Electronics City has reduced travel time to just 10 minutes. In Bangalore north, the elevated Tumkur Road project connecting Yeshwantpur to Nelamangala which will soon be operational from this month will cut down commuting time to a mere 20 minutes.
Elevated Hosur Road to Electronics City
Since being operational from January 2010, the 10 km four-lane elevated road from Silk Board Junction to Electronics City in south Bangalore has helped bridge the tedious commute especially for IT employees, bringing down the travel time from 30 minutes along the ground level road to 10 minutes on the elevated stretch.
According to a senior National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) official, this premier road project has decongested the route along the Hosur Road which is the entry and exit point to Tamil Nadu. Heavy traffic which was a bane for commuters now flows freely on the ground level sixlane road.
To cater to the burgeoning need of the IT industry, the Master Plan 2015 has expanded the hi-tech corridor to include south, east and west parts of Bangalore. In south Bangalore, the hi-tech zone will now include the Outer Ring Road (ORR), Hosur Road and Electronic City as prominent hubs for both the IT and ITeS industries.
Realty potential
The signal-free expressway has fuelled realty developments flanking the route to Electronics City which is emerging as a premium office space with a host of software parks and biotechnology units setting up their centres here. Two biotechnology units, one at Electronic City and the other at Anekal, are coming up and are slated to create employment opportunities to residents around here, hence also spurring residential development.
Several villa layouts, row houses, or three-four bedroom apartments are coming up in Anekal, Bommasandra and around Electronics City, predominantly targeted at the IT workforce. Four major BDA layouts - KHB Suryanagar layout, Devraj Urs Layout, Nijalingappa Layout and the K C Reddy Layout - have been planned here.
Elevated Tumkur Road and Nelamangala
The six-lane Bangalore-Nelamangala highway stretch with a 4.5 km elevated portion will enhance connectivity to Tumkur and to the international airport through NH 207. With the completion of this Tumkur Road project, motorists can now drive between Nelamangala and Goreguntepalya (Outer Ring Road junction) in 15 minutes as against over an hour previously.
"Tumkur Road is NH 4 and a vital entry point from south and north Karnataka, Maharashtra and Goa into Bangalore and 80 percent of inbound traffic to the city comes from this route," says a senior official of NHAI. "It is one of the busiest highways in terms of traffic and transports 1.2 lakh passenger car units (PCU) daily," he adds.
Primarily a warehousing and transport area, Nelamangala has come into its own gradually with the city's exponential growth. It is a taluk and according to the Taluk Industrial Development Plan (TIDP) of the Department of Industries and Commerce, it has potential for the promotion of around 900 units in tiny and small scale industries (SSI) sector, including services, besides 122 large and medium scale industrial units. Such developments are expected to result in creating direct employment for about 60,000 persons and indirect employment for about 25,000. Somapura nearby is emerging as a prime automotive spare parts manufacturing hub.
The improved Tumkur Road is scheduled for inauguration in the third week of November according to the official. The toll fee is minimal at Rs 15 per car for oneway and around Rs 25 for two-way entry. The cost of construction has been pegged at approximately Rs 719 crores.
Realty potential
Tumkur Road was always considered an industrial belt due to the factories and godowns in Peenya and Nelamangala. The completion of this road project is gradually spurring warehousing activity in the surrounding areas of Jalahalli, Dasarahalli, Yeshwantpur, Nagasandra, Madanayakahalli, as well as Peenya and Nelamangala. "This kind of expansion will generate employment for thousands of people in the warehousing and logistics sector. With so many employed in the industries and warehouses looking for accommodation close to their workplace, there is tremendous potential for budget housing along Tumkur Road," says Zahed Mahmood, Director, Silverline Realty.
A few developers have launched their residential projects along this route, and social infrastructure such as hospitals, residential schools, colleges, showrooms and hotels are emerging on both sides of the highway.
http://epaper.timesofindia.com/Repository/getimage.dll?path=TOIBG/2010/11/12/49/Img/Pc0490500.jpg
THE 4.5 KM ELEVATED ROAD LEADING TO NELAMANGALA WILL BE A TOLL ROAD AND WILL EASE TRAFFIC ON THE BUSY TUMKUR ROAD BELOW

http://epaper.timesofindia.com/Repository/getimage.dll?path=TOIBG/2010/11/12/49/Img/Pc0490600.jpg
TUMKUR HIGHWAY WILL PROMISE A SMOOTH DRIVE BETWEEN THE OUTER RING ROAD AND NELAMANGALA
http://epaper.timesofindia.com/Default/Scripting/ArticleWin.asp?From=Archive&Source=Page&Skin=TOINEW&BaseHref=TOIBG/2010/11/12&PageLabel=49&EntityId=Ar04900&ViewMode=HTML&GZ=T

http://epaper.timesofindia.com/Repository/getimage.dll?path=TOIBG/2010/11/12/50/Img/Ad0500210.png
http://epaper.timesofindia.com/Default/Scripting/ArticleWin.asp?From=Archive&Source=Page&Skin=TOINEW&BaseHref=TOIBG/2010/11/12&PageLabel=50&ForceGif=true&EntityId=Ad05002&ViewMode=HTML&GZ=T
good concept, a skyscraper and villas side by side. bda new layouts should reserve some place for skyscrapers, let ppl chose what they want.

Tech firms ramping up operations in Bangalore (http://www.thehindubusinessline.com/2010/10/29/stories/2010102952410400.htm)

Bangalore, Oct. 28

With the economy on the revival path, the IT hub of Bangalore is getting ready for the next wave of expansion, with global technology companies ramping up India operations.

A promising outlook for the Indian economy and increasing business demand have prompted networking major Cisco to look at diversifying into 30 new businesses including portable video, high-end video conferencing, and smart power grids for cities. With business looking up for Cisco, it is keen to expand its operations in India, primarily Bangalore, which is the company's second global headquarters after San Jose in the US. Currently, the company employs 6,000 people in India, including R&D, sales, and business support staff.

Mr Prasad H.R., Director-Facilities, Cisco India, said: “Globally, demand has revived with the rapid growth of and advances in networking, which in turn drives demand for advanced switches and routers. Cisco considers India a strategic growth region, and has significant business presence in India. Cisco is committed to continuing investment in our Bangalore facilities. Currently, we are occupying 1.4 million sq ft and plan to expand the facility to 2 million sq ft.”

Setting up bases

Realty analysts say that companies such as HP, Juniper Networks, Cap Gemini and Nokia are eyeing more space in the city. According to the IT/ITeS Growth Corridor report by real estate services firm Vestian Global Workplace Services, Nokia Technologies has leased 1.26 lakh sq ft, while Brocade and Akamai Technologies have taken up 90,000 sq ft and 60,000 sq ft space respectively on the Outer Ring Road (ORR).

It is not only the special economic zones and periphery that will see expansion. The central business district (CBD) is also seeing some action. For instance, virtual computing solutions provider Citrix recently opened its single largest development centre in the world, as it moved into its new facility in the heart of the city.

According to Mr Mark Templeton, CEO of Citrix, the 1.2-lakh-sq-ft R&D facility (which has the capacity for 1,500 people) will initially house 500 professionals and the company plans to ramp it up by 100 per cent in the next couple of years.

Foreign docs pitch for B'lore
Mathang Seshagiri, TNN, Nov 24, 2010, 07.01am IST
BANGALORE: Medical tourism is old hat. Now, foreign doctors visiting India is a growing trend. As many as 48 (almost three a month) international doctors who registered with the Karnataka Medical Council in 2010, visit hospitals in Bangalore.

These doctors, who come from various countries including smaller ones like Bangladesh, Vietnam and Indonesia, stay here for a few months to a year to perform surgeries together or even to train themselves. As per KMC records, the trend is on the rise. In 2008, 27 international doctors came to India, and in 2009, their number rose to 41.

In 2008, for instance, doctors from US, Bangladesh, France, Japan, Belgium, Iran and Baghdad visited city hospitals for a period of one to three months. Most of these doctors worked at Manipal Hospital, St John's Hospital, Narayana Hrudayalaya, Indira Gandhi Institute of Child Health and even Basaveshwara Medical College at Chitradurga.

Six of them trained and demonstrated on paediatric cardiology cases, while others worked in the dermatology, emergency medicine, gynaecology and even the HIV and dermatovenerealogy departments.

PAEDIATRIC CASES DRAW DOCS

In 2009, along with these hospitals, some also came to Kidwai Institute of Oncology, Sagar Hospital, Lion's Eye Hospital and BGS Hospital. Many from UK came to Sparsh Hospital to perform paediatric orthopaedic surgeries.

In 2010, 48 doctors from US, Italy, Canada, Romania, Switzerland, Germany, Sri Lanka, US, Mexico, Azerbaijan, UK, Korea and a few from other parts of India came to Bangalore. Most of them came for paediatric surgeries and orthopaedic knee replacement surgeries. This time, hospitals like Jayadeva Institute of Cardiology, Mahaveer Jain Hospital, Narayana Nethralaya and Bangalore Medical College also hosted them.

According to the council, these doctors did not come for any monetary gain and stayed here for short spans. This year, the highest number of doctors visited Sparsh Hospital to perform surgeries during their charity event.

A very high number came to Narayana Hrudayalaya for paediatric cardiac surgeries. According to doctors, they take a break from their regular schedule of work in their countries to come here and experience surgeries in India. "Most of them come for training or to observe because we do huge volumes of surgeries. Some of them come on elective posting after finishing medical degrees. They are usually not paid anything for coming and they pay their way for travel too," said academic director, Narayana Hrudayalaya, Dr Kanchi Muralidhar.

CHARITY EVENTS BRING IN NRI DOCS

At Sparsh Hospital, which organizes charity mass surgery events frequently, many Indian doctors living abroad take the opportunity to offer their services to Indian patients.

"Both Western doctors and Indian doctors abroad in very senior positions have come to our hospital to operate on temporary licenses. They look at it as an opportunity to do surgeries for charity. We had close to around 20 very senior doctors from several parts who performed surgeries for underprivileged children during `Sparsh Vachana'. Some also came for the `guru namana' programme, during which we did knee replacement surgeries for retired teachers. They enjoy the experience, and come again and again at their own expense," said Dr Sharan Patil. He said such charity events will help India upgrade its medical services quickly to world-class standards. Around 12 doctors also came to Sparsh Hospital this year for elective posting.

WORK LICENCES

While these observers only get registered with KMC, many also take temporary work licenses from KMC to work with senior doctors in hospitals.

"Around 20% of international doctors come here with temporary work licenses, that allow them to work closely with our senior doctors. The rest only observe. They are not allowed to touch or treat Indian patients. Usually, they come for three to six months. If the country is willing to sponsor, then we have seen some doctors staying for a year with all expenses managed by the government," said COO of Manipal Hospital, Dr Nagendra Swamy. He also added that the number of international doctors is far higher in Chennai and Bangalore, because of the expertise available here and a safer living environment in these cities.

AT ENTRY POINT

Karnataka Medical Council, the statutory body under the Karnataka Act no 34 of 1961, registers every foreign doctor before they visit hospitals here. The doctors have to pay Rs 1,000 and submit proof of their passport, visa, education certificate, inviting the hospital's declaration that they have come only for observation and not monetary gain. They have to pay Rs 1,000 after every three months for extension.


Read more: Foreign docs pitch for B'lore - The Times of India http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/bangalore/Foreign-docs-pitch-for-Blore/articleshow/6978406.cms#ixzz16BcRMjQJ
medical tourism capital of asia :banana:

ABB recently inaugurated a new production line for the ACS 850,ACQ 810 and ACSM1 models of drives which will now be locally manufactured in India to serve the fast growing needs of industry customers in the country.

The drives, which are highly flexible and compact, can be easily configured to meet the needs of various industries and applications. They are especially useful for process industry segments such as pulp & paper, mining, cement, chemical, and oil & gas industries. They will increase the efficiency of energy used in applications such as cranes, winders and mixers which use a tremendous amount of electricity in manufacturing processes.

Production is set to begin in December with first deliveries going to customers at the end of December 2010

The inauguration of the new line was hosted by Local Business Unit manager for drives, KN Sreevatsa who opened the lamp lighting ceremony and welcomed the 300 guests which included key customers, channel partners and factory workers and company officials.
Following the opening remarks, Mr Biplab Majumder MD and Country Manager for ABB in India reflected said that “As ABB in India has grown so has our local production and manufacturing capabilities. Over the years, we have watched this factory grow from being a single line of drives that manufactured 14000 units per year until today when we are manufacturing 30,000 units.”

Source (http://www.steelguru.com/indian_news/ABB_India_inaugurates_new_drives_production_line_in_Bangalore/176906.html)

Style statements are getting street smart
Sruthy Susan Ullas, TNN, Nov 25, 2010, 02.34am IST

BANGALORE: Fashion today no longer dwells on the mercy of the well-heeled. Neither is fashion technology a subject of interest for the elite. It's the age of democratisation of fashion.

Those terracota earrings, beaded anklets and silver toe rings that you wear everyday to college; or the leather handbag and silk duppatas you use for occasions -- there is serious business behind it.

The Times of India spoke to students of the National Institute of Fashion Technology on the changing face of this industry.

"Initially, it was considered as a field of the big-city girls. But, now even small-town girls are into it. Trends might seep a little late into villages. But it definitely reaches them. Nowadays, the industry has started picking up trends from villages, like street fashion. It has all changed," said Param Sahib, a third-year fashion designing student.


Read more: Style statements are getting street smart - The Times of India http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/bangalore/Style-statements-are-getting-street-smart/articleshow/6984160.cms#ixzz16GrhUeXS

NOVEMBER 25, 2010
The Rise of the Efficient City (http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052748703506904575592602287336436.html?mod=googlenews_wsj)
Smaller, more nimble urban regions promise a better life than the congested megalopolis.


Most of the world's population now lives in cities. To many academics, planners and developers, that means that the future will be dominated by what urban theorist Saskia Sassen calls "new geographies of centrality." According to this view, dense, urban centers with populations in excess of 20 million—such as metropolitan Tokyo, New Delhi, Sao Paolo and New York—are best suited to control the commanding heights of global economics and culture in the coming epoch.

In fact, the era of bigger-is-better is passing as smaller, more nimble urban regions are emerging. These efficient cities, as I call them, provide the amenities of megacities—airports, mass communication, reservoirs of talent—without their grinding congestion, severe social conflicts and other diseconomies of scale.

Megacities such as New Delhi, Mumbai, Sao Paolo and Mexico City have become almost unspeakably congested leviathans. They may be seen as "colorful" by those engaging what writer Kennedy Odede calls "Slumdog tourism." They may also be exciting for those working within the confines of "glamour zones" with high-rise office towers, elegant malls, art galleries and fancy restaurants. But most denizens eke out a meager existence, attractive only compared to even more dismal prospects in the countryside.

Consider Mumbai, with a population just under 20 million. Over the past 40 years, the proportion of its citizens living in slums has grown from one in six to more than half. Mumbai's brutal traffic stems from a population density of more than 64,000 per square mile, fourth-highest of any city in the world, according to the website Demographia.

Many businesses and skilled workers already are moving to smaller, less congested, often better run cities such as Bangalore, where density is less than half that of Mumbai. Much of this new growth takes place in campus-like settings on the edge of town that take advantage of newer roads, better sanitation systems and sometimes easier access to airports. Companies like Alcatel-Lucent and Infosys offer their employees facilities more similar to those of Silicon Valley or suburban Austin than to Mumbai or Kolkata (formerly Calcutta).
we want city as big as we should have privacy in public place. small cities u often come across people who u know

Mods, clean up this thread!!!!!!!!!

^^Not only cleaning, we are planning to have more stringent actions. Because how many times we delete the posts, everything would be back to square one.

As of now we do it in Kerala forums, outright brig/ban of forumers who start this kind of fights, without giving a chance. We have told many times, but again and again this will occur. So only choice was ‘carpet bombing’.

I think the same needs to be done here too.

I have cleared some 4-5 pages taking precious time out of my office hours.

Be ready to face the axe whoever starts the fight from now on. And NO COMMENTS on this topic.

Delhi, Bangalore Up On Mercer's 2010 Quality Of Living Worldwide City Rankings

28/04/2010

Key findings:

 Singapore ranks 28, Hong Kong ranks 71 and Tokyo at 40
 New Delhi, Bengaluru improve ranking
 Australian & New Zealand cities rank high
 European cities continue to dominate the top of the ranking
 Vienna remains at the top, Baghdad at the bottom

Vienna retains the top spot as the city with the world’s best quality of living, according to the Mercer 2010 Quality of Living Survey. Zurich and Geneva follow in second and third position respectively, while Vancouver and Auckland remain joint fourth in the rankings. Singapore (28) is the top-scoring Asian city followed by Tokyo at 40. Baghdad, ranking 221, remains at the bottom of the list.

Australian and New Zealand cities rank high this year, with Sydney, Melbourne, Auckland and Wellington all appearing in top 20 positions.

Slagin Parakatil, Senior Researcher at Mercer, commented, “As the world economy becomes more globalized, cities in many emerging markets, such as the Middle East or Asia, have seen a significant influx of foreign companies and their expatriate employees in recent years. Despite the economic downturn and companies’ efforts to contain costs, quality of living and hardship premiums remain important means of compensating expatriates for differences in living conditions.”

Mr. Parakatil added, “A high-ranking eco-city optimizes its use of renewable energy sources and generates the lowest possible quantity of pollution (air, water, noise, etc). A city’s eco-status or attitude toward sustainability can have significant impact on the quality of living of its inhabitants. As a consequence these are also pertinent issues for companies that send employees and their families on long-term assignments abroad, especially considering the vast majority of expatriates are relocated to urban areas.”

India

Commenting on the rankings of Indian cities, Gangapriya Chakraverti, India business leader, Mercer Information Product Solutions said, “This year, unlike the last, we have seen an upswing in the ranking of Indian cities largely on account of the relatively stable political environment and the easing of foreign trade. Having taken into account environmental factors which impact quality of living for the first time, we have tried to provide even more tangible values to perceptions of what constitutes quality of living, in addition to the more obvious attributes such as health and safety. We foresee 'eco rankings' focusing on attributes such as traffic congestion, water availability, air pollution and waste management, getting a lot more attention in the times to come."

"Indian cities have improved their rankings this year compared to last. The only city to have fallen in ranking is Chennai although it may be on account of new cities being included in the overall study and not a direct reflection of the quality of living attributes in Chennai. The rankings indicate that Bengaluru and New Delhi continue to be perceived as the best amongst Indian cities with Mumbai coming in a close third.", added Rupam Mishra, who leads the global mobility practice within Information Product Solutions business at Mercer India.

http://www.shrmindia.org/delhi-bangalore-mercers-2010-quality-living-worldwide-city-rankings


bangalore(140) tops in india. delhi beats mumbai mostly because of metro, i recommend mumbai should introduce 2 AC coaches in all local trains. bangalore will top more :lol: as soon as metro opens

http://www.newsofap.com/newsofap-16497-25-bangalore-is-the-best-city-to-live-in-india-survey-newsofap.html
bangalore 140
delhi 143
mumbai 144
kolkata 145
chennai 153

^
dude its not metro

this report takes into account of the data in late 2008 to 2009. It was due to the stock market falling and the mumbai attacks (Mov 2008)

You seem to think that the metro solves all the issues of a city. Thats just not true.


you need metro +road infra for bus etc

^^ metro adds glamour to a city while locals add negative glamour :(

bangalore wants metro for show off, not for traffic jams :) to leisure travel on weekends, not to go to work daily

^^ metro adds glamour to a city while locals add negative glamour :(

bangalore wants metro for show off, not for traffic jams :) to leisure travel on weekends, not to go to work daily

dude your kidding yourself if you think metro is the key criteria in a ranking.

Read through the Mercer report

There are other factors like crime, strength of economy etc, ,metro will form a small part of it under public transport systems.

this is the lead report

http://www.mercer.com/articles/quality-of-living-survey-report-2010


you can also D load a pdf from the link above which explains the benchmarks in detail.

^^ http://www.mercer.com/knowledgecenter/reportsummary.htm?idContent=1293140
The total index is based on the following categories:

* Consumer goods
* Economic environment
* Housing
* Medical and health considerations
* Natural environment
* Political and social environment
* Public services and transport
* Recreation
* Schools and education
* Socio-cultural environment

even access to recreation is better with rapid transit, also natural environment with less noise pollution. metro is enough to change ranking from 145 to 140

^^ http://www.mercer.com/knowledgecenter/reportsummary.htm?idContent=1293140
The total index is based on the following categories:

* Consumer goods
* Economic environment
* Housing
* Medical and health considerations
* Natural environment
* Political and social environment
* Public services and transport
* Recreation
* Schools and education
* Socio-cultural environment

even access to recreation is better with rapid transit, also natural environment with less noise pollution. metro is enough to change ranking from 145 to 140


nope it wont make that big a difference.

Look at your own list, public transport is one of the 10 areas. So metro contributes to alleviating 1/10th of the total rank.


Within Public Services and Transport having drinking water 24/7 and electricity 24/7 rank higher than public transport. As these are basic amenities.


Secondly Bangalore was 140 in 2008 142in 2009 and jumped rank to 140 in 2010. Its actual marks remained constant at 64.5

As you can see the rank listed in Mercer 2008- 2009 list in the PDF document listed below


http://www.livemint.com/2009/04/29003908/B41A627B-1B1A-43A5-93C8-D38996599658ArtVPF.pdf

the lead article

http://www.livemint.com/2009/04/29003908/Quality-of-life-Indian-cities.html




So one is more likely to jump up the ranking by providing 24/7 electricity and water than building a metro. This is true for almost all Indian and south asian cities.

Infact talking about infrastructure in general according to the Mercer Report 2009

http://www.livemint.com/2009/04/29003908/77F6C82F-6F10-49ED-B41B-05AB2298DC4CArtVPF.pdf

and the Marks for the Indian cities in 2010 Mercer Index are on a score of 100 for New York City

Bangaluru 64.9

Delhi 63.8

Mumbai 63.6

Chennai 62



A difference of 2-3 marks does not make an iota of change. So in practical terms all 4 cities are virtually ranked similarly. The difference between Chennai and Bangalore for eg is about 3%. that is virtually negligible.

Infact the top 20 cities in that index are virtually equal on quality of life and it varies very very less.



Rather than rank, personally i would like to improve my overall mark

Office space rentals in Makati, Philippines seen to go up
Friday, 26 November 2010 09:10 AM Joel Ferreras

Tholons listed Makati at 6th place among the Top 8 Global Outsourcing Cities of the world. The city is also the top global outsourcing destination in the Philippines. India's Bangalore topped the list.

Other Indian cities, like Chennai, Delhi NCR, Hyderabad, Mumbai and Pune graced the list, while the city of Dublin in Ireland is the only non-Asian city in the said ranking.
http://thepoc.net/breaking-news/breaking-stories/10363-office-space-rentals-at-makati-seen-to-go-up.html

Political instability in state dents brand B'lore
Mahesh Kulkarni / Chennai/ Bangalore November 27, 2010, 0:55 IST

The political instability and poor governance in the state has dealt a blow to brand Bangalore and has affected it as an investment destination. The state has been rocked by scandals, corruption charges and land scams involving no less than its chief minister B S Yeddyurappa.

Though the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) rode to power for the first time in the state and south India after the 2008 legislative assembly elections on development plank, with high hopes and promises galore, stability has been eluding the state, as Yeddyurappa had been battling to ensure his government’s continuation due to lack of clear majority.

In the 225-member assembly, the BJP secured only 110 seats, three short of the half-way majority (113), forcing it to seek the support of five independents to survive the first floor test in June 2008.

Being wary of its slender majority, the ruling party spent most of its time and resources in ensuring the survival of its government by launching ‘Operation Lotus’ to wean away legislators from rival parties and make them to contest on its ticket for a clear majority.

Lack of experience in administration and rampant factionalism in the party have been a bane of the 31-month-old government, leaving little time for Yeddyurappa to focus on socio-economic development and infrastructure growth.

Like many other states, the global recession and slow down in the Indian economy had a cascading effect on the state’s gross domestic product (SGDP) and tax collections, as manufacturing and services sectors suffered for want of business and fresh investments. The SGDP grew by 5.5 per cent to Rs1,89,773 crore for the year 2009-10, as against Rs1,79,809 crore. The state’s tax revenues were up by 6 per cent at Rs29,339 crore compared to the previous year. However, they were down by 10 per cent compared to the budget estimates of Rs32,721 crore for the year.

However, the state, which is still holding on to its numero uno status in the IT exports showed a dismal growth in the year 2009-10, by exporting Rs76,000 crore worth of software, a mere 1.5 per cent growth over the previous year.

Ironically, the state and its capital Bangalore, which earned the sobriquet of being India’s tech hub, are in the news at the national and international levels for all the wrong reasons due to leadership crisis bedevilling the government, with Yeddyurappa becoming a target of the opposition as well as detractors in the ruling party. http://www.business-standard.com/india/news/political-instability-in-state-dents-brand-b%5Clore/416272/
tale of a govt. this governor and lokayuktha needs to be replaced for smooth functioning of govt.

good news for bangalore soon: grade separator at puttenahalli, nayandahalli, kadirenahalli, agara/sarjapur open already. and yes, metro.

oh please

I would not read too much into political instability denting brand banagalore.


Brand Bnagalore was built by the people offf Bangalore despite the government and not because off it.


These media shit heads will publish anything


Bangalore is doing just fine. Just continue along the same path

^^ That is right. Moreover, the people who have invested in the millions there would ensure that their investments don't go down the drain. So, they will drive developments.

Political instability in state dents brand B'lore
Mahesh Kulkarni / Chennai/ Bangalore November 27, 2010, 0:55 IST

tale of a govt. this governor and lokayuktha needs to be replaced for smooth functioning of govt.

good news for bangalore soon: grade separator at puttenahalli, nayandahalli, kadirenahalli, agara/sarjapur open already. and yes, metro.

thanks to governor and lokayuktha for exposing all the corruption by politicians like Yediyurappa, Katta and other business lobbies !!!

Bangalore, Dec 2 (IANS) Karnataka has launched road shows and publicity campaigns in several European countries to market the state as an investment and tourism destination.

The marketing effort is led by state Tourism and Infrastructure Development Minister G. Janardhan Reddy, who is in Europe with a 10-member team, his office said in a press release here Thursday.

...


Source (http://www.southasiamail.com/news.php?id=90776)

Manila (Philippines) Beats Bangalore in $21 Billion Call-Center
Race

For the past decade, Americans dialing customer service stood a strong chance of being connected to someone in India. Now they’re more likely to end up phoning the Philippines.

Strong government support, a supply of English-speaking college graduates havehelped the Philippines overtake India in call-center revenue, Bloomberg reports.

“It’s not that we are trying to take business away from India,” said Oscar Sañez,CEO of the Business Processing Association of the Philippines. “We’re just looking for our own place in the sun.”

The Philippines will earn $5.7 billion for call-center work this year from the U.S.,Europe and Australia, compared with the $5.5 billion generated by India, according to the Everest Group, a Dallas-based outsourcing advisory firm working with the

Philippines industry. The two hubs account for about half of the $21 billion global industry, according to Everest data.

Call-center operators said they like the Philippines because English is taught in schools and Filipinos have a cultural affinity for the U.S., which ruled the country from 1898 to 1946.


“Clearly, these guys had a much later start, but they have caught up,”
Everest Group partner Nikhil Rajpal said.

The outsourcing industry now employs 530,000 people in the Philippines, and makes up about 6 percent of gross domestic product, according to data compiled by Bloomberg.

Tax Breaks

Frustrated government officials looked to India for inspiration, said Celeste
Ilagan, who spent the past decade working in government programs to encourage outsourcing.

“India had become very famous for call centers, and we decided to learn from their example,” she said.

To better understand India’s success, Filipino officials visited industry
representatives there.

The Filipino government streamlined the approval process for companies setting up call centers and changed its rules to allow individual buildings to be designated special economic zones,according to the Philippines Economic Zone Authority.

Such zones offer tax breaks, quick clearances for building permits and an exemption from import duties on computers and telecommunications equipment.

About 40,000 students have benefited from government-Sponsored training to improve their English and communication skills.

Call centers are changing the rhythms of Filipino life. Malls, bars, cinemas and cafés have popped up near buildings where young, nocturnal workers earn as much as 300,000 pesos ($6,850) a year according to data compiled by Bloomberg.


Several companies now operating in the Philippines participated in India’s outsourcing revolution 5-10 years ago but then moved to Manila as tax break for Indianoutsourcing shops is set to expire in 2011.


In Bangalore and Gurgaon, India’s biggest outsourcing hubs, companies rely on diesel generators to ensure electricity, run fleets of buses to ferry employees to and from work, and struggle with attrition that can reach 50 percent a year. Those challenges, as well as a desire to diversify geographically, have spurred operators to shift work to the Philippines.


Wipro Ltd., based in Bangalore, India, set up in the Philippine city of Cebu in 2007 and now has 2,000 workers in the country. By 2014, it expects to have 8,000.

24/7 Customer, which started operations in India in 2000, opened a Philippines office in 2005. It now has 4,000 employees in the country, compared with 3,000 in India.

Tata Consultancy Services Ltd., India’s largest software services firm, said Dec. 2 it would open a business processing outsourcing center in the Philippines.

Doubling Revenue

“It’s very sad that India could not keep up with its neighbors,” 24/7 co-ounder Shanmugam Nagarajan said.

The Philippines outsourcing industry has set a goal of at least doubling revenue by 2015.

Steve Barker, who heads Asian operations for Sitel Worldwide Corp., a Nashville, Tennessee-based company that has 10,000 workers and seven facilities in the Philippines.

“Ten years down the line, the Philippines may be a hotter destination,” said Sanjeev Bhatia, who oversees international operations for Wipro BPO.

This is a problem not for Bangalore only but for whole of India.

Govt should do something like give tax breaks for BPO companies if it is set up in Tier 2 or Tier 3 cities by that way we can develop Tier 2 cities as well as get more outsourcing to India.

Media's sometimes discovers this sort of thing like 'cultural affinity' etc based on current state of events.

^^ its ok.. vasudhaiva kutumbakam :) it is value addition for humanity if bpo jobs spread over time zones.. dublin in ireland is there

SIGNAL-FREE NH7 WILL FUEL DEVELOPMENT IN VICINITY
The upgradation of NH7 will entail development along the route to the airport, says Deepti Ganapathy



http://epaper.timesofindia.com/Repository/getimage.dll?path=TOIBG/2010/12/03/41/Img/Pc0410600.jpg
The NH 7 which also serves as an important link to the international airport is in the process of being upgraded to a six-lane signal-free expressway. When completed by 2013, it will mean great connectivity to the proposed Karnataka Industrial Area Development Board's Hardware Park, Aerospace Park, and the Information Technology Investment Region (ITIR) etc. The highway will also give a push to residential development in the vicinity. Localities around Yelahanka, Jalahalli, Doddaballapur Road, along with the Bangalore Development Authority's proposed Dr Shivaram Karanth Layout are some of the areas that will benefit from better connectivity.
"Clearly, the presence of the proposed aerospace SEZ near Devanahalli and also the IT and financial services zone is going to give a different growth trajectory to the area," says Aroon Raman, Chairman, CII Karnataka State Council. "Land prices have shot up in anticipation of this growth and I am certain that the areas beyond Devanahalli will attract industries to establish positions close to the airport. The high speed rail line, if it becomes a reality, will also give a boost to connectivity in the region," asserts Raman.
A report by McKinsey Global Institute says that India will have 68 cities by 2030 with a population of over one million, 13 cities with more than four million people, and six megacities with population of 10 million or more.
As many as 590 million people will be living in cities in India. In 2030, India's largest cities will be bigger than many major countries in both population and economic output. The McKinsey report also says that cities will generate 70 percent of new jobs, more than 70 percent of India's GDP, 85 percent of the tax revenue that will finance development, and drive a four-fold increase in per capita income.
Realty on upswing
In addition, the study projects that by 2030, 700-900 million square meters of commercial and residential space needs to be built, 2.5 billion square meters of roads will have to be paved and 7,400 km of metros and subways will need to be constructed (both, as the study highlights is 20 times the capacity added in the past decade).
"NH 7 is currently the primary access point for Bangalore International Airport. Due to focus on infrastructure in that part of town, it is a good location for development of integrated projects. Already we are witnessing a spurt in commercial activity around Hebbal (the junction of Outer Ring Road and NH-7) and residential activity in Yelahanka which is a suburb about six km from Hebbal towards the airport," says Anshuman Magazine, Chairman and MD, CB Richard Ellis, South Asia Pvt. Ltd.
"Currently, all the development around and beyond the airport has been high-end residential gated projects, plots, and villa and golf course developments. The corporate activity is yet to happen as developers are in the process of land consolidation to develop mixed use projects and SEZ parks," adds Anshuman Magazine.
Potential for development
"The potential for development is good on both the sides of the highway to Devanahalli. However, one needs to be careful of the zoning and development regulations applicable to the property and the property titles while selecting a location," cautions Anshuman.
According to research and advisory firm, Cushman and Wakefield, residential demand in the country would be over 7.5 million units by 2013. The residential demand for top seven cities is estimated to be 4.5 million units by 2013.
An integrated township comprises residential and ancillary facilities such as school, hospital, hotel and retail. In new integrated townships, planners are looking at solutions to increasing pressure on existing urban infrastructure and rapid urbanisation. With the government permitting FDI up to 100 percent for development of integrated townships, including housing, commercial premises, hotels, resorts, city and regional level urban infrastructure facilities such as roads and bridges, mass rapid transit systems and manufacture of building materials, development of land and providing allied infrastructure will form an integral part of township development.
"Over the next 12 months we expect to see a much greater divergence in real estate activity and performance," cites Jones Lang LaSalle, India in its report on the outlook of global real estate for 2011. "Asia Pacific will be leading the real estate upswing and the domestic corporate sector will come to the fore, particularly in India and China," says the report.
http://epaper.timesofindia.com/Default/Scripting/ArticleWin.asp?From=Archive&Source=Page&Skin=TOINEW&BaseHref=TOIBG/2010/12/03&PageLabel=41&EntityId=Ar04100&ViewMode=HTML&GZ=T

Commercial realty recovers on IT demand (http://epaper.timesofindia.com/Default/Scripting/ArticleWin.asp?From=Archive&Source=Page&Skin=TOINEW&BaseHref=TOIBG/2010/12/04&PageLabel=23&EntityId=Ar02301&ViewMode=HTML&GZ=T)
IBM, HP, Accenture, Wipro, Cognizant Taking Up Large Office Spaces
Shilpa Phadnis | TNN

Bangalore: Riding on the rapid recovery from recession, many large firms are signing up big-ticket commercial real estate deals in different parts of Bangalore.
Industry sources say that Accenture has committed to take 8 lakh sqft in Pritech Park on the Outer Ring Road (between Marathalli and Sarjapur Road). HP and Wipro are said to have recently taken 2.5 lakh sqft and 1.2 lakh sqft respectively in Pritech.
The east and south of the city have been the traditional IT belt, but now the north too is buzzing. IBM, Cognizant, Accenture and HP will be renting space in the second phase of Manyata Embassy Business Park near Hebbal.
Sources in the industry say that IBM has committed to 5 lakh sqft of office space in Manyata phase II. The Big Blue has already occupied 3 lakh sqft in the first phase of the park.
"There is a lot of demand from our existing IT clients," Embassy Group CEO Gopi Krishnan said. The IT sector, he said, continues to expand at the highest rate in Bangalore. "In 2007, we signed an agreement with IBM to deliver 2 million sqft of space over the next four years," Krishnan said.
The IBM portfolio is so huge that it contributes 33% to Embassy's rental revenues. Other companies like Cognizant and Target are also looking at Manyata as part of their expansion plans. Embassy is developing an additional 9 mn sqft in Manyata.
Real estate consultancy CBRE estimates that Bangalore has seen an absorption of 6.8 mn sqft of office space this year. That's up from the absorption of 5 mn sqft in 2009, but still lower than the peak of about 10 mn sqft in 2008. "As companies are expanding and consolidating their operations, we see the demand for commercial real estate going up," said CBRE deputy MD (south India) Ram Chandnani.
The majority of the expansion is expected to come up along the Outer Ring Road, and the micro markets of Whitefield, Jayanagar, JP Nagar, Bannerghatta Road and north Bangalore. "The buoyancy in the market is also reflected in the rentals. For instance, rentals on Outer Ring Road have stabilized between Rs 40-50 per sqft. In 2009, rentals had fallen sharply," said Kaustuv Roy, executive director of Cushman & Wakefield India.
The pan-India office space demand over the next five years is estimated to be about 240 mn sqft.
Bangalore, NCR and Mumbai are expected to account for 46% of the total demand. Kolkata and Chennai are likely to see higher growth rates though, with suburban locations having attractive price points, according to a Cushman & Wakefield report.
http://epaper.timesofindia.com/Repository/getimage.dll?path=TOIBG/2010/12/04/23/Img/Pc0231400.jpg

city comparison :banana: bangalore tops and how..

total of 3 q's of 2010, mn sqft

bangalore 8.2
mumbai 5.8
delhi ncr 5.0
hyd 3.7
pune 2.8
chennai 2.7
kolkata 0.9
ahmedabad 0.25

hyd and pune are doing better than expeted..

This is a problem not for Bangalore only but for whole of India.

Govt should do something like give tax breaks for BPO companies if it is set up in Tier 2 or Tier 3 cities by that way we can develop Tier 2 cities as well as get more outsourcing to India.

Media's sometimes discovers this sort of thing like 'cultural affinity' etc based on current state of events.

i thought the same that india will loose due to lifestyle in urban areas but with more of tier 2 and 3 cities getting BPO and the biggest benefit will be in the next 10yrs in our country that will completely revive the BPO sector will be RURAL BPO.... :cheers:

BTW IBM india will be expanding in tier 2 and 3 cities aggressively in next 5 yrs (source HT)

4 Dec, 2010, 01.06PM IST, Shilpa Phadnis,TNN
Wipro, Cognizant,IBM for big-ticket realty deals

BANGALORE: Riding on the rapid recovery from recession, many large firms are signing up big-ticket commercial real estate deals in different parts of Bangalore.

Industry sources say that Accenture has committed to take 8 lakh sqft in Pritech Park on the Outer Ring Road (between Marathalli and Sarjapur Road). HP and Wipro are said to have recently taken 2.5 lakh sqft and 1.2 lakh sqft respectively in Pritech.

The east and south of the city have been the traditional IT belt, but now the north too is buzzing. IBM, Cognizant, Accenture and HP will be renting space in the second phase of Manyata Embassy Business Park near Hebbal.
Sources in the industry say that IBM has committed to 5 lakh sqft of office space in Manyata phase II. The Big Blue has already occupied 3 lakh sqft in the first phase of the park.

"There is a lot of demand from our existing IT clients," Embassy Group CEO Gopi Krishnan said. The IT sector, he said, continues to expand at the highest rate in Bangalore. "In 2007, we signed an agreement with IBM to deliver 2 million sqft of space over the next four years," Krishnan said.

The IBM portfolio is so huge that it contributes 33% to Embassy's rental revenues. Other companies like Cognizant and Target are also looking at Manyata as part of their expansion plans. Embassy is developing an additional 9 mn sqft in Manyata.

Real estate consultancy CBRE estimates that Bangalore has seen an absorption of 6.8 mn sqft of office space this year. That's up from the absorption of 5 mn sqft in 2009, but still lower than the peak of about 10 mn sqft in 2008. "As companies are expanding and consolidating their operations , we see the demand for commercial real estate going up," said CBRE deputy MD (south India) Ram Chandnani.

The majority of the expansion is expected to come up along the Outer Ring Road, and the micro markets of Whitefield , Jayanagar, JP Nagar, Bannerghatta Road and north Bangalore. "The buoyancy in the market is also reflected in the rentals. For instance, rentals on Outer Ring Road have stabilized between Rs 40-50 per sqft. In 2009, rentals had fallen sharply," said Kaustuv Roy, executive director of Cushman & Wakefield India .

The pan-India office space demand over the next five years is estimated to be about 240 mn sqft.

Bangalore, NCR and Mumbai are expected to account for 46% of the total demand. Kolkata and Chennai are likely to see higher growth rates though, with suburban locations having attractive price points, according to a Cushman & Wakefield report.

ET (http://economictimes.indiatimes.com/markets/real-estate/news-/Wipro-CognizantIBM-for-big-ticket-realty-deals/articleshow/7041436.cms)

India’s First Nano Park to Come up by 2011 in Bangalore
3rd Bangalore

BANGALORE: At a press conference in the Bangalore city on Friday, scientist C N R Rao, who heads the State vision group on nano technology said that the Bangalore will host India’s first nano park by 2011.

“There have been some delays earlier. But, the Nano Park will come up by 2011. The park will host several industries related to nano science and technology. The park will provide opportunities for cutting-edge research work in these exciting fields,” said Rao.

However, as of now there is no information on estimated cost that is likely to be spent on constructing the park. In 2007, the state government had identified a 15-acre plot in north Bangalore to build the park, but the plan got delayed due to some reasons.

CNR Rao made these comments during the announcement of the third edition of Bangalore Nano-2010, the two-day meet on nanotechnology which is scheduled on December 8 and 9, 2010 at Lalit Ashok. The focal theme of the event is ‘Frontiers of nanotechnology: Impact on India.

The third edition of the ‘Bangalore Nano’ is being organised by the Karnataka State IT, BT and S&T department. The two-day event will have a balanced mix of papers and presentations on research, industrial and commercial use of nanotechnology. The two-day event is expected to see participation of nanotechnology experts from across the globe.

The event will see RICH or the Research Industry Collaboration Hub for the first time. The event will also provide an opportunity to showcase exciting nanotechnology products. The Bangalore nano national award and emerging entrepreneur award will also be announced on these days.

Rao, while addressing the press conference said, “Nano science and technology is an exciting area. Nanotechnology-related research works have gone up hugely across the world in recent times. However, in India, very few people are engaged in the field. We need to bring in more young people in the area of nano science and research.”

Source (http://www.indiamag.in/indias-first-nano-park-to-come-up-by-2011-in-bangalore.html)

Bangalore named one of the best places in the world to do business in the wired world :)

http://money.cnn.com/galleries/2007/biz2/0708/gallery.roadwarriorsspecial.biz2/index.html

^^

Best places to do business in the wired world
Business travelers are as likely to find themselves in Seoul or Bangalore as they are on Sand Hill Road. But where to meet, eat and check e-mail? Not to worry. Our city-by-city list details the best places to get things done, no matter where you are.

Bangalore, India (1)

http://i.cnn.net/money/galleries/2007/biz2/0708/gallery.roadwarriorsspecial.biz2/images/bangalore.jpg
The city is home to Infosys, Google's Research and Development Center, and some of the world's most talented (and inexpensive) software engineers.

How to get around: Forget public transportation. Auto-rickshaws are everywhere and charge about $1.50. Taxis are easily found at hotels and taxi stands, and a car with a driver costs about $3.50 per hour or $9 for a four-hour tour. Try Hertz for rentals (476 Adugodi-Koramangala Main Road; 91-11-4184-1212).

Where to find free Wi-Fi: Coffee World (86 Brigade Road; 91-98-8029-8505) is an uncrowded chain of living-room-style cafes with creamy frappés and sweet treats.

Where to get a trim: Bangalore has hundreds of small barbershops offering haircuts for less than a dollar, but most Westerners pay $10 at Bounce (First Floor, Magnolia Towers, Vittal Malya Road; 91-80-4132-9100).

Best place to get down to business: Sunny's (34 Embassy Diamante, Vittal Malya Road; 91-80-4132-9391) serves European and Indian food and is popular with the IT crowd. It's relatively quiet, so you can talk.

Best place to celebrate closing the deal: The 80-year-old Mavalli Tiffin Rooms (Shop 14, 11 Lalbagh Road, Wilson Garden; 91-80-2222-0022) is famous for its South Indian food. It's also cheap. The Thali meal - with vegetables, lentils, bread and rice - costs about $2.

What you might not know: Residents call their city Bengalooru. Like Bombay (now Mumbai), the city was renamed to make it sound more Indian and less British.

2007 report..

1. Bangalore
2. Barcelona
3. Helsinki
4. Honk Kong
5. London

^^


2007 report..

1. Bangalore
2. Barcelona
3. Helsinki
4. Honk Kong
5. London

It is in alphabetical order :)

Why no skyscrapers U/C in bangalore?

Because Bangalore city is not as densely populated as Bombay. same case with Chennai or Hyderabad or even Delhi for that matter.

'B'lore is a world-class city, an exceptional success’ (http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/bangalore/B-lore-is-a-world-class-city-an-exceptional-success/articleshow/7045699.cms)
Dec 5, 2010, 04.33am IST
India's science & technology capital came in for glowing praise from French President Nicolas Sarkozy during his speech at Isro on Saturday.

"I wanted to start this second visit to India in Bangalore, at the headquarters of the Indian space agency since the ties that France and India are building here in this field serve to further the ideals which form the basis of our friendship: science, youth and the future," he said.

More fulsome praise followed: "I have come to pay tribute to the exceptional success of Bangalore, its inhabitants and its companies, which have transformed this metropolis into a world-class city, one of the major focal points for modern trade." The Indian Institute of Science came in for special mention: "What the French and India can build together is not limited to the space industry. We have established joint laboratories from biotechnology, nanotechnology, water, medicine, environmental protection, food security and the improvement of agricultural yield.

Our relations with the Indian Institute of Science in Bangalore are being strengthened."

The French President also said: "An increasing number of French companies are being set up in Bangalore, the global information technology services capital. They employ thousands of people.

"CapGemini, Altran, Dexia and many other companies have decided to bank on India in order to establish their presence," he said.

Singapore ranked best, Manila least preferred for property investments


Posted on 11:04 PM, December 06, 2010

HONG KONG -- Singapore and Shanghai topped a ranking of 20 Asian cities as the best real estate investment destinations, while Osaka and Manila are seen as the least ideal, results of an industry survey released here on Monday showed.

Singapore topped the rankings on the city state’s strong economic growth and brisk activity in the financial and high-tech industries, according to the survey, titled: "Emerging trends in real estate: Asia Pacific 2011," that was jointly published by the global nonprofit Urban Land Institute and PricewaterhouseCoopers.

Shanghai, Mumbai and Hong Kong were the next favorites, according to the study, which is based on the responses of more than 280 property professionals, including investors, developers, property company executives and brokers.

Shanghai dropped to second, from first in the previous annual survey, as the city saw sharp increases in property prices, damping some investor interest.

Even though the survey was carried out before Hong Kong announced its harshest tightening measures to cool its red-hot residential market a few weeks ago, it would not have affected the final standings, executives involved in the survey said.

"It’s a concern and certainly affects residential developers, but I don’t think it will change the rankings," Stephen Blank, senior fellow at the Urban Land Institute, told Reuters after a news conference. "Residential doesn’t drive the market."

Mr. Blank said it was possible that Asian governments would unveil more policies to cool their markets, but the strength of the economies would be the fundamental driver for investment decisions, especially in the commercial real estate sector.

"There is a great feeling of uncertainty because it is very hard to know what the potential changes in regulations are going to be," Mr. Blank said.

"Regulations come and go. In Asia, governments turn things on and turn things off very quickly."

Based on the survey that looked at 20 Asian cities, investors were least keen on investing in Bangkok, Auckland, Osaka and Manila due to factors like office space oversupply and stagnant commercial rents.

Manila actually kept its 20th rank in terms of investment interest from last year.

But the same report said that "a spike in building is projected in 2011" in Manila.

This, it said, gave Manila the largest gain in rank for development prospects, moving the Philippine capital to 11th place in this regard.

Ranked better than Manila in terms of development prospects were, in descending order: Mumbai, New Delhi, Shanghai, Singapore, Melbourne, Ho Chi Minh City, Beijing, Guangzhou, Bangalore and Jakarta.

Ranked below Manila in this regard were, in descending order: Hong Kong, Kuala Lumpur, Taipei, Seoul, Sydney, Bangkok, Auckland, Tokyo and Osaka. -- main report by Reuters

http://www.bworldonline.com/main/content.php?id=22460

Mumbai still rules in India,New Delhi ranks 2 in development prospects and Bangalore ranks 9

Karnataka govt allocates 14 acres for Indian Institute of Nano Science and Tech

Wednesday, December 08, 2010 08:00 IST
Nandita Vijay, Bangalore

The Karnataka government has allocated 14 acres of land to set up the Indian Institute of Nano Science and Technology (IINST) scheduled to come up on Tumkur Road in Bangalore.

The IINST will see Bangalore emerge as a nanotech hub and that will give a major boost to the growth of nanotechnology. In fact it was Prof CNR Rao. National Research Professor and Linus Pauling, Research Professor, Jawaharlal Nehru Centre for Advanced Scientific Research (JNCASR) and head of Vision Group on Nanotechnology who have been pursuing for a dedicated institute to carry out research and training.

Bangalore is already the hub of several advanced life sciences research initiatives. It is home to three internationally recognized research institutes: Indian Institute of Science, National Centre for Biological Sciences and the Jawaharlal Nehru Centre for Advanced Scientific Research. In order to set up the IINST, the Central government has chipped in Rs. 100 crore to pursue the setting up the Institute. The new Institute will a big boost for the scientific activities in the field of nanotechnology, Prof Rao said.

As a science, nanotechnology provides significant benefits to a country like India. The country has the existing expertise in information technology and biotechnology which would allow it to have a natural shift towards nanotechnology, he added.

Nanotechnology is capital intensive in terms of research and requires advanced and high tech instrumentation. Being innovation driven, the nano science requires long gestation period too. From novel drug delivery and medical devices, use of nanotechnology will allow development of kits which are efficient and economical in the long run, said Prof. Rao.

With third edition of the 2-day Bangalore Nano 2010, to commence from December 8 will see a large congregation of international experts deliberate with the Indian researchers to take the pharma and medical sciences to look at nano particles and nano materials to speed up diagnosis and provide faster treatment options. The setting up of the IINST will give an impetus to the scores of nano biotech products under development. Currently, the work in nanotechnology is happening in the labs and are being up-scaled into the start-up companies, said Prof. Rao.

According to a section of experts, US accounts for 65 per cent of the nanotechnology market, followed by Europe with 20 per cent and the remaining with the rest of the world.


Source (http://www.pharmabiz.com/article/detnews.asp?articleid=58740&sectionid=)

Hope Bangalore becomes a Nano tech hub :)

Bangalore is growing at the moment

Xander likely to invest in Mantri

Boby Kurian | TNN

Mumbai: Morgan Stanleybacked Mantri Developers is set to raise Rs 350-400 crore from Xander Group Plc,a private equity fund headquartered in the US,for two large mixed-use developments in Chennai and Bangalore,said a source said.
The transaction will be executed through two separate special purpose vehicles in which Xander will hold 49% stake each,added this source who did not wish to be named as talks were private.Bangalore headq u a r t e re d Mantri Developers was one of the first real estate developers to attract foreign direct investment in the sector when it raised $68 million from Morgan Stanley in 2006.Mantri Developers MD Sushil Mantri said the dealmaking was in an advanced stage but not done yet.He declined to comment further.Once completed,this will be one of the largest PE transactions in the realty sector in recent times.In another sizable deal,TPG Capital is carrying out due diligence to invest $100 million,or over Rs 450 crore,in Shriram Properties,a part of Shriram Group.The PE groups Xander Real Estate Partners,an India focused fund,invests in large township developments,mixed-use city centre projects,hotels and resorts and public-private joint initiatives.In India,Xander has struck a joint venture with the Tatas for a $1-billion retail real estate fund and also works with Swiss hospitality major Swissotel.Tata Groups retail arm Trent has a right of first refusal for anchor tenancy on retail assets financed by Xander Group,which was co-founded by Siddarth Yog and Arthur Segel in 2005.Xander may invest in Mantri Developers upcoming townships at Varthur near Bangalore and on the Old Mahabalipuram Road stretch in Chennai.The project details,however,could not be ascertained at the moment.Mantri Developers is present in Bangalore,Chennai,Hyderabad and Pune with a large portfolio of residential assets.

Residential demand, not pricing, will drive growth

Marked improvement in execution by most builders, project delays reduced; residential space active

We recently visited Delhi-National Capital Region (NCR), Bangalore, and Mumbai as a part of our GS India Property Tour. We visited about 25 sites at various stages of completion, met management teams and property consultants and made some broad industry-wide observations.

As we had highlighted in our 8 November report, we believe that property prices in pockets of Delhi-NCR and Mumbai in particular seem to have peaked, and we expect limited further price appreciation. Prices in Bangalore have remained fairly stable, but further appreciation should be held in check by high supply potential. We observed higher price inflation in city-centre properties during our tour.

We are forecasting a modest 5% price appreciation in our models, but are forecasting volume growth to be more robust.

We have seen marked improvement in execution by most real estate developers and project delays have reduced. In our meetings with various management teams, most developers emphasized their focus on execution and this increased construction activity was fairly apparent in our site visits. We observed the largest increase in activity in Unitech projects on a year-on-year basis.

Most developers highlighted margin risks being posed by rising material and labour costs. In addition to rising labour costs, availability is also becoming an issue as the faster pace of execution has resulted in greater competition to attract labour. Companies such as DLF Ltd, Sobha Developers Ltd, and Puravankara Projects Ltd indicated the need for gradual selling to protect margins in an inflationary environment. We believe that the availability of skilled labour could be a potential risk factor in the execution progress demonstrated by some companies.

While commercial vacancy remains high, leasing could improve in select micro-markets, particularly retail leasing.

In the residential space, there is good construction activity across most locations.

NCR: We observed finishing activity across delayed projects in Gurgaon. We observed considerable price appreciation of 40%-plus across various locations in Gurgaon, which is partly driven by its re-rating as a preferred destination for business in the north. There was heavy incoming traffic from Delhi in the morning, indicating Gurgaon has become an important commercial destination.

Secondary pricing has now increased by at least 50% to about Rs.14,000 per sq. ft, indicating some pricing convergence in south Delhi.

Bangalore: Various management teams are indicating an increase in construction costs by 15%-plus, driven primarily by an increase in cement costs.

Most companies indicated a large launch pipeline. We expect completions in Bangalore to drop sharply after mid-2011 as there have been very few launches since early 2008.

We observed large price increases in central Bangalore versus moderate price increases in most surrounding locations.

Mumbai: We observed a desire to extract better pricing than to reduce inventory in most locations.

We also saw rapid price inflation across most locations, with pricing in Dombivali (40km from Nariman Point) at above Rs.3,000 per sq. ft.

There are a large number of new launches in the $2 million and above segment.

We see some real estate companies now helping infrastructure development, especially if the company has a substantial interest in the development of a particular area in order to increase connectivity and, thereby, its selling prices.

DLF plans to invest Rs.150 crore in a road that would make the connection between the Delhi-Gurgaon Expressway and Golf Course Road signal-free. It plans to hold a 30% stake in intra-Gurgaon metro, with DLF’s contribution being land.

BPTP Ltd has constructed a small bridge over the Yamuna canal, aiding development of the area adjoining the bridge.

Jaypee Infratech Expressway has opened new development areas between Noida, Greater Noida and Agra.

Lodha Group plans to increase the frequency of trains between its project near Dombivali and Borivali stations.

Edited excerpts from a report by Goldman Sachs. Your comments are welcome at mintmoney@livemint.com

http://www.livemint.com/2010/12/08195545/Residential-demand-not-pricin.html?atype=tp

RMZ Corp buys 25 acres from Adarsh

Debasis Mohapatra / Chennai/ Bangalore December 08, 2010, 0:07 IST

Bangalore-based real estate developer RMZ Corp has bought around 25 acres of land in the outer ring road area of the city from another city-based developer, Adarsh Developers, in a bid to increase its footprint in the city.

As per highly-placed sources close to the development, the land deal was clinched with an approximate value of Rs 4-5 crore per acre.

“RMZ was looking for land in the recent past in the Bangalore market. They had also floated advertisements for the same. The present land parcel, which is in the outer ring road area of the city, is likely to be developed as a Special Economic Zone (SEZs) in the near future,” an industry source said.

He also said that Adarsh Developers had around 300 acres of land in the outer ring road area, of which the company had monetised this land parcel. While calls to Adarsh Developers remained unanswered, company officials from RMZ Corp refused to comment on this matter.

Of late, SEZs are among the preferred locations for the IT companies than STPI in which the tax concession period will be run out soon.

“RMZ Corp, which has a special focus on SEZs as part of their overall real estate portfolio, is trying to cash in on this rush for space in the SEZs,” an analyst in a real estate consultancy firm said.

The company, which has less land parcel in comparison to its peers in the Bangalore market, is also looking at scaling up its land bank in the near future, he added.Earlier, the developer had bought back its 50 per cent stake from AIG Global Real Estate Fund for its mall project in the city.

RMZ Corp, which has its presence in cities like Chennai, Hyderabad, Kolkata and Pune, has acquired and developed over 13 million sq ft as of now and manages a property portfolio over $3 billion across India.

The company plans to develop around 64 million sq ft in verticals like office spaces, retail and homes in next five years.

Business Standard (http://www.business-standard.com/india/news/rmz-corp-buys-25-acresadarsh/417494/)

IIM Bangalore ranked amongst top 25 business schools in world
PTI, Dec 9, 2010, 07.23pm IST


BANGALORE: The Indian Institute of Management Bangalore (IIM-B) has been ranked 24th while IIM-Ahmedabad ranked 55th in a worldwide survey of 'Universal Business Schools with major international influence'.

The results of the annual survey 'Eduniversal Worldwide Business Schools Ranking 2010' conducted by French consulting firm SMBG amongst deans of 1000 business schools were officially announced in Prague at the third Eduniversal world convention, IIM-B said in a statement.

"This is the third consecutive annual recognition of IIM-B as the number one business school in India," it said.

The institute has been awarded '5 Palmes', given to the top 100 business schools. The ranking positions IIM-B in the top 25 amongst 100 best business schools worldwide. Notably, only two Indian B-Schools feature in the Top 100.

"The ranking by Eduniversal positions IIM-B in the first quartile of the 100 best business schools worldwide. This acknowledgment from an independent international firm consolidates our status as a leading international management school," Professor Pankaj Chandra, Director (IIM-B) said.

"Over the past year we have made significant enhancements to faculties, curriculum and infrastructure. We have obtained EQUIS accreditation and are taking steps to further diversify our courses so that we continue to remain the business school preferred by post-graduate and doctoral students throughout the Asian region," he said.

The ranking uses a comprehensive methodology that takes into account all the aspects of a business schools' influence on three different levels: international recognition through accreditations, memberships and international, regional and local rankings; international awareness through votes of the 1,000 deans and suggestions from members of the international scientific committee appointed by Eduniversal.


Read more: IIM Bangalore ranked amongst top 25 business schools in world - The Times of India http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/bangalore/IIM-Bangalore-ranked-amongst-top-25-business-schools-in-world/articleshow/7071980.cms#ixzz17cwJhwAv
good news for 3 idiots' college :banana: still considered as no.2 only..

Cable & Wireless Worldwide, is setting up a new Global Markets Solutions Centre (GMSC) in Bangalore, India. GMSC will serve as an innovation hub for offshore product development for the company’s global markets – those outside of the UK including Asia Pacific, Middle East, Africa and North America.

The Bangalore center will primarily look at developing new, standardized and repeatable solutions specifically made for the company’s customers in global markets. These solutions will be developed by combining the strengths of C&W Worldwide’s core product development, consulting, engineering, and emerging technologies teams and some will be built in collaboration with C&W Worldwide’s clients and business partners across the globe.

More Info:http://informationweek.in/Software/10-12-09/Cable_Wireless_Worldwide_sets_up_global_markets_solutions_center_in_India.aspx

IBM and IG3 (Indian Green Grid Group) recently announced that they have entered into an agreement, in which IBM will design a green data center for IG3. IG3 is constructing one of the largest data centers in the Asia Pacific region. Located in Bangalore it represents the largest investment so far in this sector in India. The proposed size of the data center will be approximately 8.5 lakh square feet.

As part of the deal, IBM will design IG3’s internet data center with standards that are highly efficient and reliable. The data center will be highly resilient and have the environmental protection advantages of IBM's industry-leading data center design characterized by energy efficiency, green technologies, scalability and the latest power and cooling technologies.

More info: http://informationweek.in/Software/10-12-09/IG3_selects_IBM_for_new_green_data_center.aspx (http://informationweek.in/Software/10-12-09/IG3_selects_IBM_for_new_green_data_center.aspx)

C&W expands India operations (http://www.rcrwireless.com/article/20101209/FACILITATORS/101209954/cw-expands-india-operations)
December 9 2010 - 11:55 am ET | Dan Meyer | RCR Wireless News

Cable&Wireless Worldwide plc announced plans to set up a global markets solution center in Bangalore, India, that will serve as a headquarters for the company’s “offshore product development” for markets outside of the United Kingdom.

C&W said the Bangalore center will primarily look at developing new, standardized and repeatable solutions specifically made for the company's customers in global markets.” The center will also work with C&W’s range of IP services for the first time outside of its U.K. headquarters.

“I’m always amazed at the speed and cost efficiency of product developments that are driven in the Asia region,” said Alex Connors, head of International Product Management for Cable&Wireless.” Not only do we have a wealth of talent within our organization here, but we have also identified a range of local companies who we will work with to drive innovation and development. The ultimate goal is to deliver services that meet the demands of our international customers through service customization and rapid new product development.”

C&W claims to own the largest fiber network in the United Kingdom and either directly or through partnerships has network assets in 153 countries.

More IT companies are moving into SEZs as part of their office expansion plans,says Leena Mudbidri


After the initial slowdown in the office space market last year,there has been a gradual revival of this sector with corporates going ahead with their expansion plans.The extension of the STPI tax benefit scheme from 2011 to 2014 is seeing an upsurge in the number of IT and ITeS companies moving into special economic zones SEZs).

SEZs spurring growth


Currently,there are 14 operational IT/ITes SEZs in the city with a total of 60 units operating within these campuses,employing around 90,000 totally.Another 35 SEZs have been notified and are expected to employ 4.37 lakh people in their units,according to the Department of Industry and Commerce website.
The availability of large land parcels on the outskirts in north Bangalore,along the Outer Ring Road (ORR),Whitefield,Bangalore-Mysore highway and Electronic City make these localities conducive to setting up SEZs.
Shrinivas Rao,CEO,Vestian Global Workplace Services,says,"The ORR will continue to remain an attractive IT/ITeS growth corridor of Bangalore and improve further with planned completion of numerous flyovers and underpasses between Hebbal and Silk-Board Junction by end of 2011."
Bangalore north is where hectic IT-spurred ancillary industrial activity is taking place.Several major projects have been proposed in the region.Karnataka State Industrial Investment and Development Corporation (KSIIDC) owns around 413 acres of land adjoining the Bangalore International Airport of which 300 acres has been earmarked for the Devanahalli Business Park.The park will be developed on BOT basis through the private sector on behalf of the government.Currently,the park is awaiting government approval.
The aerospace SEZ planned across 1,000 acres has received formal approval.Three major manufacturing units will manufacture aircraft engines and aerospace components.The Karnataka Industrial Areas Development Board (KIADB) is developing an exclusive industrial estate on 900 acres for electronics hardware and IT/ITeS sectors,adjacent to the Bangalore International Airport.A large number of IT and electronics hardware units have been given formal approval to set up operations in these industrial areas.
The State Government has decided to set up the Information Technology Investment Region (ITIR) on 10,000 acres with an investment of Rs 1 lakh crore in two or three phases.
The Industrial Finance Corporation of India Limited (IFCI) has proposed to establish a global financial district on 200 acres of land near Devanahalli Industrial with an investment of Rs 1,000 crores.This hub will house corporate arms of all leading banks in India,insurance companies and financial companies that deal with needs of industries.Prospective entrepreneurs wanting to invest in the State would get all clearances for their various needs at this hub,including clearances from bankers.The project would be executed either as a joint venture or a PPP model.

Emerging warehousing and logistics hubs


Bangalore's industry watchers project the city as an emerging logistics hub riding on the success of the ancillary industries created primarily by the IT industry.Anshuman Magazine,Chairman & MD,CB Richard Ellis,South Asia Pvt.Ltd.says,"Presence of SEZs for manufacturing,multi-product and sector-specific SEZs,augmented with improved infrastructure developments and realisation of cost benefits of outsourcing non-core functions such as logistics,will usher in new growth trajectory in the areas around."
Bangalore continued to witness increased market activity in 2010."The industries like supply chain and logistics,and manufacturing,accounted for 20 percent of the total leasing activity witnessed during this financial year in Bangalore,while it was 12 percent for the same period during 2008,indicating that supply chain and logistics,and manufacturing industries are playing a significant role in creating demand for commercial office space,"says Srinivasa Reddy N S,Manager-Research and REIS,Jones Sang LaSalle.
Major automobile manufacturing and auto components manufacturing units are based in Bidadi,Jigani,Anekal,Nelamangala,Bheemahalli and Bommasandra.The emerging logistics belts are Whitefield-Hoskote,Electronics City-Bommasandra,Peenya-Nelamangala,and BIAL-Devanahalli.
In north Bangalore,four logistics parks spread across 140 acres are being developed on a public-private partnership (PPP) basis by the government's Infrastructure Development Department.

Increase in office space demand


Bangalore remained the most active office market in India with the third quarter of 2010 recording the highest absorption for the year at 3.31 million sqft with pre-committed office space absorption recorded at eight lakh sqft."The Bangalore market has traditionally shown high office space absorption,with the IT / ITeS sector predominantly driving the office market,"says Sumit Rakshit,Executive Director,Occupier Services,Cushman & Wakefield."Significant to note in this quarter was the growth in size of space take-ups,with multiple one lakh sqft plus transactions.Given that demand is likely to see a continued rise over the next few months and supply continuing to support the demand,the Bangalore office market will maintain stability in values,"he adds.
http://lite.epaper.timesofindia.com/Repository/TOIBG/2010/12/10/45/Img/Ar0450201.png
http://lite.epaper.timesofindia.com/getpage.aspx?pageid=45&pagesize=&edid=&edlabel=TOIBG&mydateHid=10-12-2010&pubname=&edname=&publabel=TOI

From mental asylum to national importance
Mathang Seshagiri, TNN, Dec 10, 2010, 12.14am IST

BANGALORE: Once a mental asylum, the National Institute of Mental Health and Neuro Sciences (Nimhans) is now at the cusp of being declared an institution of national importance.

A bill to give the 36-year-old institute its new sobriquet was introduced in Rajya Sabha on Tuesday. Nimhans Bangalore bill, 2010, will usher in changes that the institute has been longing for years: autonomy to evolve its own courses, freedom to pursue inter-disciplinary research and innovation and greater financial flexibility.

Nimhans joins the unique club of only four medical institutes across India to have this status. Others are: All-India Institute of Medical Sciences ( New Delhi), Post-Graduate Institute of Medical Education and Research (Chandigarh) and Jawaharlal Institute of Post-Graduate Education and Research (Puducherry).

WHAT IT MEANS

Once approved, the institute needn't seek approvals of statutory bodies like the Medical Council of India, Nursing Council of India, Rehabilitation Council to India or the University Grants Commission to offer new courses. All degrees, certificates and diplomas will be deemed to have been approved by these bodies. The institute has already lined up a bouquet of new courses and drawn up elaborate plans to increase intake.

The institute's entire governance structure will be overhauled. The board of management headed by the director will be replaced by a governing body headed by the Union health minister. For the first time, it will have three MPs as part of the key decision-making body. Seven scientists, including one non-medical researcher representing Indian Science Congress Associations, will be part of the governing body. The existing society of the institute will be incorporated into a body corporate and all properties of Nimhans currently with the Union health ministry will be transferred to the institute.

According to the bill, the objects of the institute include "developing and attaining high standard of medical education, training of personnel in important branches of health activity, attaining self-sufficiency in the field of mental health, neuro-sciences and allied specialities."

The institute now has 222 students and 140 faculty members (doctors) handling 21 departments.

ONCE UPON A TIME...

The lunatic asylum which started in the latter part of the 19th century was renamed as mental hospital in 1925 by the Government of Mysore. The hospital and All-India Institute of Mental Health established in 1954 were amalgamated in 1974 and Nimhans was set up as an autonomous institute. It was declared as deemed university by the UGC in 1994.


Read more: From mental asylum to national importance - The Times of India http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/bangalore/From-mental-asylum-to-national-importance/articleshow/7073456.cms#ixzz17g7dsXzw

COMMERCIAL REALTY DRAWS INVESTORS
With the economy showing signs of healthy growth, the demand for commercial property is increasing across cities. Bangalore has led the growth in demand and investing in commercial property promises better returns, writes V Nagarajan


With the surge in demand for leased commercial property, investors and high net worth individuals (HNIs) are back in business in search of lucrative options to invest in. Besides assured returns on leased commercial properties, investors can benefit from the capital appreciation in the medium to long terms. However, a correct tenant mix and location are key parameters while investing in commercial property.
According to industry sources, 26.3 million sqft of absorption of office space has been forecast across major cities in the country for this year. And 48 percent of demand for office space during the third quarter of this year has been accounted for by IT/ITeS sector alone. In fact the IT/ITeS sector continued to dominate the leasing scenario during the first three quarters of this year followed by financial and manufacturing sectors. Bangalore led the leasing activity across cities with 2.6 million sqft of office space absorption during the third quarter of this financial year. The rental levels are likely to notch higher in premium markets during 2011.
Demand for office space is gradually improving with tenants taking up more space at lower rental levels. There has been massive infusion of office space in the country.
http://epaper.timesofindia.com/Default/Scripting/ArticleWin.asp?From=Archive&Source=Page&Skin=TOINEW&BaseHref=TOIBG/2010/12/10&PageLabel=43&EntityId=Ar04300&ViewMode=HTML&GZ=T

Since the time REVA began selling EVs, it only has managed to dispatch 3,000-odd units globally. Come 2011, with the help of a new facility in Bangalore capable of producing 30,000 units/annum, and Mahindra’s dealership network, it is looking to sell about 1,300 cars in India alone bringing the grand total to 2,500, reports Business Standard.

The new Bangalore facility will be operational by April 2011 and the first of the new variants to roll out will be the 2-door REVA NXR hatchback showcased at the Frankfurt Motorshow in 2009. Mahindra REVA is expected to get a free run as there are no rivals in the electric car segment here in India. The only company capable of spoiling the party is General Motors, whose electric vehicle prototype is scheduled for only display in April.


Read more: http://indianautosblog.com/2010/12/mahindra-reva-aims-for-1300-units-in-india-next-year#ixzz17iKzaHFO (http://indianautosblog.com/2010/12/mahindra-reva-aims-for-1300-units-in-india-next-year)

The Japanese auto giant Toyota said its proposed Toyota Etios diesel version of the recently launched sedan Toyota Etios, may roll down during the end of the next year. The Director for Marketing and Executive Managing Coordinator for Toyota Kirloskar said the preliminary steps are on now and possibly the car (Toyota Etios diesel version) might get into shape by the end of 2011. He added that from the existing 70% there will be 90% localization for Toyota Etios by 2012 in its JV with Kirloskar Group. This will be fully met with when the engine plant gets ready he said further, revealing that the current Toyota Etios gets components, gear transmission and engine from its apex body in Japan.

Toyota has also hinted that there is a proposal to commence the production of engines during the Q3 of 2012. This, the company is aiming to increase the localization for Etios and Etios hatchback Liva at an investment of Rs3200 crore in its Bangalore facility.

Toyota has an organized launches of this Etios diesel version by December 2011 and the Toyota Etios hatchback version in April 2011. Toyota’s Bangalore facility is looking after the production of its flagship models – Fortuner and Innova SUVs, and Corolla Altis premium sedan. The GM for the company’s Sales Division said that the target for the versions of Etios in India is 70000 units including Toyota Etios hatchback version.

Toyota is nicely fed by the South Indian market, comprising Karnataka and Tamil Nadu with 38-40%. The company is quite amazed to get 6000 advance bookings for the recently launched Etios for which the waiting period has become 6 months. Etios is available in Chennai and there are 4 variants – J,G, V and VX in the price range of Rs4.83 (base model) and Rs6.74 lakhs for the top end model. The car is equipped with 1.5 lit petrol engine and to be followed by 1.2 lit in 2011.

source = http://living.oneindia.in/automobiles/auto-news/2010/toyota-etios-diesel-hatchback-091210.html

Trelleborg has decided to establish a new operation in Bangalore, in India, to capitalize even more effectively on the future growth in the country, mainly among customers in telecom infrastructure sector and industrial antivibration.

More info: http://www.swedishwire.com/press-releases/7593-trelleborg-trelleborg-invests-in-new-operation-in-india---establishes-platform-for-further-growth-in-the-region

Nice Video especially the music.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UT-ignA7eUE

http://www.vrindavantechvillage.com/techvillagetour.html

^^ Construction site on Google maps.

http://img193.imageshack.us/img193/1568/sez.png

More info :http://www.prlog.org/11146034-vascular-concepts-to-set-up-indias-first-rd-and-manufacturing-facility-for-endovascular.html

The Rs 150 crore Bangalore based Vascular Concepts today outlined its plan to reinforce and build on its global leadership in cardiovascular technology. Vascular Concepts announced investments

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

PRLog (Press Release) – Dec 13, 2010 – Vascular Concepts to set up India’s first R&D and manufacturing facility for endovascular medical devices
Awarded Alexandria-Frost & Sullivan ‘Indian medical devices company of the year’ 2010

Bangalore, December 13, 2010: The Rs 150 crore Bangalore based Vascular Concepts today outlined its plan to reinforce and build on its global leadership in cardiovascular technology. Vascular Concepts announced investments of over Rs fifteen crores to set up India’s first facility for R&D, design and manufacture of endovascular medical devices such as vascular stents, drug eluting vascular stents and vascular stent grafts that aid the practice of less invasive therapy and address peripheral arterial diseases. The new 15,000 sq. ft facility located 60 kms from Bangalore at Doddaballapur is a state of the art unit with a quality system certified of the highest international standards.
Vascular Concepts that won the prestigious Alexandria-Frost & Sullivan award for excellence in Indian Healthcare under the ‘Indian medical devices company of 2010’ category earlier this year, is the only Indian company with IP and an extensive patent portfolio of 32 technology patents from US, 12 of them for its stents alone and has a 25% market share in the estimated Rs 500 crore domestic Indian market for endovascular medical devices. With the launch of the new unit, Vascular Concepts will expand its current R&D operations based out of Bangalore to manufacturing the devices, for both domestic and export markets. The company’s manufacturing collaboration with Eucatech AG of Germany where all its devices are manufactured until now will continue to remain, in addition to the new domestic unit.
Making the announcement, Swaminathan Jayaraman, CEO, Vascular Concepts said, ‘We have established a strong and innovative portfolio of products with our strong R&D focus over the last few years, that provides us a firm foothold for future growth. Our focus over the next three years is to expand our market size across regions and the unit will help us add capacity and provide us the scale to expand faster”.
“Growing rate of high risk factors such as average hypertension and cholesterol levels, excessive smoking, hectic urban lifestyles and presence of genetic and co-morbid influences are responsible for the rising incidence in heart diseases globally and in India. Treatment technologies and methods have vastly improved in the last few years and this clubbed with increase in screening initiatives will help us address the rise in cardio vascular diseases more effectively. The design requirement of cardiovascular technology is becoming increasingly complex with the success of minimally invasive procedure and our R&D focus has ensured we have a leading edge in this area, which we now look to capitalize”, Swaminathan added.
About Vascular Concepts
Vascular Concepts is a global leader and the only Indian company with an IP and patent portfolio exceeding 35 in the cardio-vascular technology space. Vascular Concepts designs, develops, manufactures and markets endovascular devices that aid less invasive therapy. It offers its products for the treatment of arterial diseases, which include coronary artery and peripheral vascular diseases. Founded in 1998 by Swaminathan Jayaraman, a biomedical engineer, Vascular Concepts is winner of Alexandria-Frost & Sullivan’s ‘Best Medical Devices company of the year’ 2010. Its corporate headquarters and R&D center is based in Bangalore, India.

3M India Ltd, which sees itself as a materials science-based B2B (business-to-business) company, plans to invest '200 crore to expand manufacturing and allied facilities in the country in 2011, bringing its total spending over the next two years to '400 crore.

The company, widely known among consumers as the maker of Post-it notes and scrub pads, is already spending around '100 crore this year on expansion, in addition to '100 crore on a new research and development (R&D) centre in Bangalore, which will be spent over the 2010-12 period, said 3M India managing director Ajay Nanavati.

While existing centres in Bangalore, Pune and Ahmedabad are focused on product development, the new investment is geared towards what he called "corporate research", which will focus, in addition, on technology development, said senior executive director Ashish Khandpur. "We have identified various technology platforms like adhesives, non-wovens, corrosion protection, and software electro-mechanical systems."

The new corporate research lab will be the fifth such facility worldwide, adding to ones in the US, Japan, Germany and China. Globally, 3M says it has a portfolio of 65,000 products on 45 technology platforms.

Nanavati said investments in manufacturing, warehousing and branches meant that the company would have more offices and facilities across India, and this was part of its strategy of geographic expansion in the country, which would take it to more tier II cities.

On the research front, while the company had started off with tech support and product modification and adaption, it was now migrating into higher-end technology development. "We're setting up more specialized laboratory infrastructure, with more subject matter expertise." The R&D lab had about 120 people, and the firm is targeting about 250 by 2015, Khandpur said.

3M India has 1,880 people currently, and this will grow as well, Nanavati added.

The company's multi-pronged strategy includes a localization approach, which ensures a better fit for products in terms of needs and practices prevailing in India.

"We believe in customer-inspired innovation, not a one-size-fits-all approach," Nanavati said.

3M's expansion plans "made perfect sense", said Tarun Kataria, chief executive of Religare Capital Markets Ltd, the investment banking and institutional securities arm of the financial services group Religare Enterprises Ltd.

"They understand the space very well, they know their products. Their efforts to Indianize their products, do R&D in India for India, factor in the price points here, should work well. It is a company that generates a lot of cash, so investments will be made from internal accruals," Kataria said.

The company has filed for nine patents in India, with five of them being global in nature, Khandpur said. Many products developed in India will have global applications "but our primary objective is to drive 3M growth in India and leverage that globally".

Such products included protective paints and decals for two-wheelers and small cars, or new technologies for NVH (noise, vibration and harshness) reduction. NVH reduction includes technologies to replace welding, he said.

Nanavati said that apart from automobiles, 3M India was looking at segments as diverse as infrastructure, healthcare, mining and consumer goods.

"As India moves into aerospace and retail, we stand ready to go after them as well."

Data center to be one of the largest in the Asia-pacific region

InformationWeek News Network, December 09, 2010

IBM and IG3 (Indian Green Grid Group) recently announced that they have entered into an agreement, in which IBM will design a green data center for IG3. IG3 is constructing one of the largest data centers in the Asia Pacific region. Located in Bangalore it represents the largest investment so far in this sector in India. The proposed size of the data center will be approximately 8.5 lakh square feet.

As part of the deal, IBM will design IG3’s internet data center with standards that are highly efficient and reliable. The data center will be highly resilient and have the environmental protection advantages of IBM's industry-leading data center design characterized by energy efficiency, green technologies, scalability and the latest power and cooling technologies.

For more- Source (http://informationweek.in/Software/10-12-09/IG3_selects_IBM_for_new_green_data_center.aspx)

Found this thread apt for the above article :dunno:

Arista Networks Inaugurates R&D Center in Bangalore, India

BANGALORE, India--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Arista Networks, a US based company and the leader in 10 Gigabit Ethernet switches for Cloud Networking, announced the opening of an engineering centre in India. The Bangalore R&D centre will focus on expanding Arista’s Extensible Operating System (EOS) which is purpose-built for large data centre and cloud scale deployments. Arista Networks is planning to grow the Arista Bangalore R&D centre to fifty engineers in the next two years, selecting exceptional high quality technical talent from premier engineering institutions and companies.

“Arista Networks success lies in building innovative, cost effective, cloud networking solutions. This has been possible due to our world-class engineering team of highly experienced veterans from leading networking and server companies. We see tremendous opportunities in India for us and our partners.”

The presence in India will allow Arista Networks to expand global software development capabilities across three continents, Asia, Europe (UK) and North America (California). Arista’s cloud networking approach offers a balanced trade-off between closed networking platforms of today and new open development environments of the 21st century. The killer applications driving network deployments are no longer email; instead social networking such as Facebook, video delivery, search applications, Hadoop clusters and financial algorithmic trading running on private or public cloud networks are driving significant bandwidth, latency, and automation requirements. Backed with a thousand man-years of development and software expertise, Arista has built a ground-up networking OS purpose-built for clouds and data centres. EOS solves important pain points in today’s network deployments offering consistent high levels of scalability, provisioning and resilience.

Jayshree Ullal, president & CEO Arista Networks states, “Arista Networks success lies in building innovative, cost effective, cloud networking solutions. This has been possible due to our world-class engineering team of highly experienced veterans from leading networking and server companies. We see tremendous opportunities in India for us and our partners.”

The Arista India R&D centre will be based in Kormangala, Bangalore led by Amod Dani, Director of Engineering, reporting into US based Ken Duda, Arista’s Vice President of Software Engineering. Arista has demonstrated a strong base of over 500 Customers worldwide in just two years across a broad range of industry segments including capital markets, scientific computing, defence, carrier/mobility, media and entertainment, and cloud computing. Arista customers include governments, Tier 1 carrier/PTT, and many Fortune 500 customers.

http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20101213006834/en/Arista-Networks-Inaugurates-Center-Bangalore-India

Googlopolis (http://www.foreignpolicy.com/articles/2010/08/16/googlopolis)
Eric Schmidt tells FP what makes a city smart, how not to lose $1 trillion -- and the one place he's never been.
INTERVIEW BY CHRISTINA LARSON | SEPT. / OCT. 2010

Can there ever be another Silicon Valley, in the United States or anywhere else? What makes it so special?

One thing is the weather. You think I'm joking, but the weather is certainly a part of it.

There can be many Silicon Valleys. It is absolutely a reproducible model; it's not something in the water. You know, the history starts in the '50s. What basically happened in Silicon Valley is that you had strong research universities, a relatively liberal and creative culture, lots of reasons for young people to stay in the area -- and young people are the ones with the new ideas. Then you had the development of the venture capital industry.

What's interesting is that every 10 years someone writes an article about how Silicon Valley was responsible for the last innovation wave, but it will miss the next wave. Yet Silicon Valley has now been at the forefront of four or five successive tech waves and has proved itself remarkably resilient because of the combination of the universities, the culture, the climate, the capital. My point is that if you have all of those elements, you can have your own Silicon Valley wherever you want.

If Google weren't located in Silicon Valley, is there anywhere else you've visited that you can imagine it could be located in -- or any places that remind you of Silicon Valley around the world?


That's a very hard question to answer. Most would argue that Cambridge, England has a lot of the criteria -- there's been an explosion of start-ups there. Another scenario would be New York City. Obviously it does not have the weather, but it has the draw for young people and certainly the financial sophistication; plenty of smart people and the sense of globalization are very important. It's unlikely that would occur in a place that does not see itself in a global context. The Bay Area, because it's a gateway to Asia, has always seen itself in a global context.

What about a place like Shanghai or Beijing?

Shanghai could do it, although in China the universities are strongest in Beijing. Shanghai isn't quite the New York of China, but it could be. Bangalore emerged as a tech hub in India in part because of favorable weather, a strong university system, and concerted support by the state government. So there are partial versions of that happening.
sept/oct 2010. google ceo eric schmidt.

Location a big boon for IIM-B
Dec 14, 2010, 04.25am IST
BANGALORE: Bangalore's image as a city of global importance is turning out to be a boon for educational institutes here. The Indian Institute of Management-Bangalore (IIM-B) has cited its location and telling performance of Bangalore's economy as major reasons for it being ranked and seen as a top business school in the country.

IIM-B has lately been awarded `5 Palmes', the highest recognition under the evaluation given to `universal business schools with major international influence', in the Eduniversal Worldwide Business Schools Ranking 2010, carried out by French consulting firm SMBG.

"Location is one of our biggest assets. The institute benefits from the city's dynamism. Since it functions in a high-performing economy, we always feel the need to raise the bar. Also, expectations are more from us. Thanks to the city, people are much more open to take up jobs in the institute. For instance, spouses of faculty find it easy to get meaningful employment here. They are one of our strengths," said Pankaj Chandra, director, explaining why IIM-B is ranked high and seen as performing well.

Further, emphasis on research coupled with a good mix of public sector and market-driven issues in the course structure has taken IIM-B ahead of others. Also, students here have more international exposure. "We work on issues of relevance. For instance, IIM-B is working on health care in rural areas, transport and others," he added.

WHAT KEEPS IT AT THE TOP

Location advantage

Bangalore's dynamic economy

Thanks to location, economy and job opportunities, individuals ever-ready to come to Bangalore as faculty

-Good courses with balanced focus on public sector and market


Read more: Location a big boon for IIM-B - The Times of India http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/bangalore/Location-a-big-boon-for-IIM-B-/articleshow/7095518.cms#ixzz183xKyXVe

as soon as they start IIT bangalore it will come to top in no time.. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Indian_Institute_of_Technology_Muddenahalli

http://www.freeimagehosting.net/uploads/133d3d8491.jpg (http://www.freeimagehosting.net/)

Soon Karnataka IT Export will cross 1 lakh crs due to recent heavy expansion of the companies.

Karnataka 79
Maharastra 51
Tamil nadu 46
Delhi NCR 36
Hyderabad 33

Kolkata 6
Kerala 3
Gujarat 2
Orissa 1


bangalore accounted for 30% of total exports in 2008-09. but mumbai-pune topped even tamil nadu for second place lil puzzling.. mysore should help karnataka figures

Nitesh to raise Rs 150 cr debt for retail foray project in Bangalore

Debasis Mohapatra / Chennai/ Bangalore December 14, 2010, 0:47 IST

Bangalore-headquartered real estate developer Nitesh Estates Ltd is planning to raise around Rs 150 crore of debt in the near future to fund its retail project in the city.

The publicly-listed company, which is planning to enter the retail space with the development of ‘Nitesh Mall’, has a plan to invest around Rs 325 crore in this retail project.

“We are planning to raise around Rs 150 crore of debt to fund our retail project in the city. We are in talks with three banks and we expect to receive the closure in the first quarter of the next fiscal,” L S Vaidyanathan, executive director of Nitesh Estates said.

He also said that the company had already invested around Rs 90 crore in the project as of now.

Earlier, HDFC Property was understood to have acquired around 25 per cent in this retail SPV for $25 million. However, it didn’t materialise due to some technical glitches in the deal structure.

“Nitesh mall is the fully-owned subsidiary of the company and we are not planning to dilute our stake in the near future,” he said.

Nitesh Mall is coming up in 5.5 acres of land in the eastern part of Bangalore. The mall is being designed by Seattle-based architecture firm Callison and is expected to be ready by the end of next year.

For full article (http://www.business-standard.com/india/news/nitesh-to-raise-rs-150-cr-debt-for-retailforay-project-in-bangalore/418118/)

Eyeing opportunities in the fast growing Indian telecom sector, Chinese vendor Huawei on Tuesday announced an investment of $2 billion (about Rs. 9,000 crore) in the next five years to set up an R&D centre, local manufacturing and other activities.

The announcement comes on the eve of Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao’s three-day visit to India starting Wednesday.

“Huawei has been in India for over a decade and is committed to long-term development and cooperation in India. As an integral part of Indian telecom industry development and an active player serving all telecom service providers, Huawei India strives to be the long-term partner for the development of India’s telecom and IT industry and inclusive growth,” Max Yang, CEO, Huawei India, said.

The new R&D campus would be set up in Bangalore, the company said in a statement.

Huawei was struggling to set its footprint in India as the government had raised certain security concerns about foreign telecom companies, including Chinese ones. It was only recently that Huawei was allowed to bid to supply equipment to Indian telecom service providers after it agreed to meet the guidelines, including sharing “source code” and “equipment design”.

The comprehensive five year plan will focus on development, augmentation and cooperation in the areas of local R&D, local manufacturing, technology cooperation with Indian IT service companies, local sourcing, local employment, talent development, and supporting rural education and IT literacy in India, Huawei said.

The company has operations in 19 major regions and employs over 6,000 technical and professional staff across the country. On the R&D front, Huawei has the biggest R&D centre outside China in Bangalore, which was set up in 1999 and now employs 2,000 engineers now. The development of the new R&D campus in Bangalore will increase the current capacity to about 3,000 R&D engineers. Meanwhile, Huawei has recently started its first phase of local manufacturing in Chennai and is further exploring other forms of cooperation in local manufacturing.

According to the plan, the local R&D and manufacturing are being developed with export capacities, besides supporting India’s local industry development, a Huawei statement said.

Huawei recently bagged the order to supply 3G networks to leading service providers in India and is eyeing big business from both private as well as state-owned firms.

Bangalore, Dec 14 (IANS) US-based networking products firm Juniper Networks Tuesday announced plans to expand its research and development (R&D) operations in Bangalore for a key role in its global product development.

'We plan to add 750 more seats to our India excellence centre at a new site in Bangalore over the next two years to ramp-up our engineering talent pool and serve customers worldwide better,' Juniper managing director Sridhar Sarathy said in a statement.

The Indian subsidiary of the $3-billion IT major has 1,800 employees and 300 development partners.

'The proposed expansion is in line with our commitment to enhance our expertise in the Indian sub-continent, which is not only a major source of talent, but also a rapidly growing market for us,' Sarathy said.

The India centre develops hardware and software for Juniper's suite of networking products such as routers and conducts test engineering, field trials, programme management, quality assurance, technical documentation and product line management.

'The centre also provides global customer support to all our products and operates a finance shared services centre, which delivers functions to Juniper Finance organisations the world over,' Sarathy added.

Juniper is upbeat on business growth in India, as push towards high-performance networking is driving demand for robust security and networking equipment in enterprises and leading service providers.

sunilkumar, you are doing a great job

I may be in the minority here, but news of tech companies setting up/expanding offices here is the most exciting news in SSCBlr(more than skyscrapers/airports/metro)

Mumbai to lead office space supply with 25% share in 2011-12

MUMBAI: Mumbai will lead the Indian office space supply with more than 25 per cent share, followed by Bangalore and Delhi with 19 and 17 per cent, respectively, in 2011-2012, a real estate services firm said.

India added around 55-million sq ft of office space in 2010 and is expected to add around 50-million in 2011-12.

Additionally, real estate transactions which were on the rise in 2010, will continue to increase in 2011 as well, the firm -- CB Richard Ellis (CBRE) India said today.

"The overall real estate performance of the country has been on an upward trend with increasing transaction volumes. This is due to sustained IT industry activity, impact of economic recovery on new economy sectors, global optimism on corporate expansion, consumer confidence and a rise in income levels," CB Richard Ellis South Asia Chairman and Managing Director, Anshuman Magazine, told reporters here.

"The residential segment might witness reduced absorption due to significant price increase in prime metro micro markets, large supply and an increase in mortgage rates," Magazine said.

In the retail segment the total number of malls in India are expected to be more than 200, while another 80-90 are lined-up to get operational in the next 2-years.

"Retailers will continue to hold sway in certain over-supplied locations, pressing developers for revenue share and related incentives," he said.
ET (http://economictimes.indiatimes.com/markets/real-estate/news-/Mumbai-to-lead-office-space-supply-with-25-share-in-2011-12/articleshow/7106373.cms)

Mumbai to lead office space supply with 25% share in 2011-12


ET (http://economictimes.indiatimes.com/markets/real-estate/news-/Mumbai-to-lead-office-space-supply-with-25-share-in-2011-12/articleshow/7106373.cms)

but bangalore is the only city where demand exceeds supply :) end of the year blore will lead absorption..

but bangalore is the only city where demand exceeds supply :) end of the year blore will lead absorption..

really wow....How??...genius

oh no :ohno:

really wow....How??...genius

google before u ask.. the report talks about supply, not absorption. also 2010 3q actuals are bangalore 8.2, mumbai 5.8, delhi 5.0. so guessing 2011 is easy.

Demand for commercial space rising in Bangalore

The city emerges as a clear preference for sectors such as office and retail, while hospitality comes a close third.

Demand to exceed supply

Mr Manish Aggarwal, Executive Director - Investment Services, Cushman & Wakefield India, explains that the overall demand for commercial office space is subdued in comparison with the supply, which is estimated to be approximately 400 million sq.ft during 2010-14, “implying caution and the need for quality supply at the right prices”.

However, Bangalore, which holds the largest share of the demand pie, will be the only city where the demand would exceed supply over the next five years, he says. “This is essentially because requirements of IT companies are much larger than most other sectors and the city, for long, has been the preferred IT destination.”

http://www.thehindubusinessline.com/iw/2010/10/24/stories/2010102450361100.htm


you can look up subdue in dictionary or google.

Healthcare generates maximum jobs in 2010
(http://biomedme.com/general/healthcare-generates-maximum-jobs-in-2010_26325.html)
Written By: Nadia on December 19, 2010 0
The healthcare sector has consistently reported the largest employment generation in the year 2010 by generating 2,60,052 jobs, according to a survey. Among the cities surveyed, Delhi & NCR has reported the greatest employment generation by creating 1,13,897 jobs in the year 2010 followed by Mumbai.

“The healthcare sector has emerged as one of the most progressive and largest service sectors in the country with an expected GDP spend of 8 per cent by 2012 from 5.5 per cent in 2009. It is believed to be the next big sector,” said Ma Foi Randstad Employment Trends Survey (METS).

The organised sector in India created 7,39,064 jobs between January-September 2010 and 3,94,700 more jobs are getting added in the current quarter, the survey said. “The latest projection for the October-December 2010 period clearly shows that India is almost back in track with the high growth rate it had achieved before the economic crisis.

“The latest METS survey reflects a more-than-anticipated growth in the hiring sector of India with few sectors such as healthcare, real estate & construction, hospitality and IT & ITES leading this momentum,” the survey said.

The Delhi/NCR region created 44,183 jobs during October-December 2010, which is the highest in the year so far. Large-scale hiring was in place during the third quarter 2010. The Commonwealth Games 2010 was also a significant contributor for the region in terms of hiring activities in the third quarter of 2010, METS said.

Delhi was closely followed by Mumbai with 1,07,806 jobs. The hiring situation has improved significantly in the third quarter compared to previous two quarters. BFSI, Trade, Real Estate and Hospitality sectors have played a key role in this growth. In the current quarter, hiring situation is expected to be almost stable, though the growth rate may be lower due to the base effect, it said.

Compared to a dull scenario during H1 in Chennai, job creation has improved significantly in Q3 and is growing at a faster rate in Q4. This region is expected to generate 32,087 jobs during the current quarter.

The hiring scenario in the cities like Kolkata, Bangalore and Hyderabad has seen tremendous improvement during the third quarter and was substantially higher than the previous two quarters. All these three metro cities are together adding 26,534 more jobs in the current quarter, it said.

The survey said Ahmedabad and Pune have been showing a strong positive movement in hiring consecutively for the third quarter of the year. Both the cities are generating 11,345 new jobs in the current quarter.

Sectors like hospitality, real estate & construction, IT & ITES have also joined the 1 lakh-plus jobs pack for the year 2010. Hospitality sector with a total number of 1,65,700 jobs in 2010, grew tremendously during the last six months.

“This is due to a combination of factors like increase in foreign tourists arrival, massive investment in hotel infrastructure and open sky policies made by the government. A large number of approvals for new hotels is also likely to result in substantial job creation in the near future,” the survey said .

The latest projection for October-December and estimates of actual job creation from January-September 2010, for the organised sector was arrived at after surveying employment trends in 660 companies across 13 industry sectors in eight major cities — Ahmedabad, Bangalore, Chennai, Delhi, Hyderabad, Kolkata, Mumbai and Pune.

The METS findings showed that while advanced economies are still going through the process of recovery from global recession, the Indian economy has gained momentum during the first two quarters of the fiscal year.

K Pandia Rajan, MD, Ma Foi Randstad, said, “We see a strong positive growth in the overall picture of the organised employment in the country, as companies are recruiting more than what was anticipated during the beginning of this year. We expect aggressive hiring in the coming months and also increase in salary levels.”

The Indian Express Limited

Sika celebrating 100 years: Enters B'lore
(http://news.oneindia.in/2010/12/18/sika-enters-the-new-era-by-completing-100-years.html)Saturday, December 18, 2010, 12:15 [IST] A A A Follow us on

Bangalore, Dec 17: The Sika Group celebrated its anniversary at a glittering ceremony in Bangalore, on Friday Dec 17. The group is one of the world’s largest suppliers of bonding, sealing, damping and reinforcing solutions for automotive and ship building industries, assembly of buses, lorries and railway vehicles. The group has been in operation since 1910.

The celebration was presided by Managing Director of Sika India Pvt Ltd Venkataraman along with other top management from the company.

The event was attended by dignitaries like Director P&P (Project & Planning), BMRCL (Bangalore Metro Rail Corporation Ltd) Sudhir Chandra, Chairman Civil Aid Techno Clinic Pvt Ltd CS Vishwanath and other government officials and business honchos in the construction and infrastructure industry.

Sika group intends to enter the Bangalore market after a successful run in Delhi, Goa, Chennai and Mumbai. Sika commenced its operation way back in 1987 in India. Sika Group is a global company with more then 113 products and marketing subsidiaries and a presence in 73 countries. The current turnover of the company in India is approximately Rs 240 crores.

During the occasion, Vishwanath said that Bangalore has a very big market with its quality conscious engineers, curing-compounds that made life easy and other self curing compounds that Sika plans to develop on its own.

Chandra said, “Sika is the requirement of the people." He added on the progressing Bangalore metro station work and said that he was commencing work on the underground stations. "Sika would assist us in building a strong and durable station. They have successfully finished constructions of the metro in Delhi.”

Venkataraman said, “it gives immense pleasure on this occasion. The world is becoming very sophisticated when it comes to concrete technology. Getting innovative products, solutions and being consistent towards stakeholders, have made Sika the brand it is since the last century”

“Bangalore is our focus-area and we hope to carry-forward the success saga as we enter a new era in the history of our company,” he added.

OneIndia News

Retail sector to witness growth

Number of malls to touch 280

MUMBAI: The retail sector is expected to continue its growth on the back of economic recovery and the number of malls is likely to touch 280 from the present 190 by end 2012, a global real estate services firm said.

“India has added around five million sq ft of retail space in 2010 and approximately 15 million sq ft of space is lined-up to get operational in 2011—2012,” CB Richard Ellis said.

While the National Capital Region (NCR) has significant vacant retail space, another four million sq ft is lined—up for 2011 in Delhi and its suburbs. Mumbai, NCR and Bangalore will lead the retail space accumulation in the country with an almost 70 per cent share in future supply, it said.

The rents have depreciated by an average range of 30-40 per cent across cities and post-correction in 2008 rents, has relatively headed towards stability.

The existing rents are generating demand at the current levels leading to retailers willing to expand at the existing corrected rental levels, the firm said.

The real estate services firm said around three million sq ft of mall space is expected in 2011 in Mumbai, with R-City Centre II in Ghatkopar, Market City in Kurla and Nirmal Lifestyle II in Eastern suburbs. - PTI

The Hindu (http://www.thehindubusinessline.com/blnus/19191307.htm)

Karnataka is Biotech state of the year (http://expressbuzz.com/cities/bangalore/karnataka-is-biotech-state-of-the-year/232730.html)

Express News Service
First Published : 20 Dec 2010 03:40:18 AM IST
Last Updated :

BANGALORE: Karnataka, which is home to the highest number of biotechnology industries, has been awarded the Biotech State of the Year.

Karnataka emerged as the Biotech State for winning the highest number of BioSpectrumABLE Company Awards conferred by BioSpectrum, a digital and print business magazine. The award recognises the contributions of companies in the biotech sector.

India has 350 biotechnology firms, of which 170 are in Karnataka. They have an annual revenue generation of about `3,000 crore.

A press statement by Biospectrum says it was largely due to the state government's initiatives, including the announcement of Millennium Biotech PolicyII that Karnataka was hailed as the Biotech state of the year.

Arvind Jannu, director, IT BT of Government of Karnataka, received the award.

Biocon Industries, lead by Kiran MazumdarShaw, was conferred the BioSpectrum Leadership Award for making Biocon a successful company with a turnover of halfabillion dollars.

A Bangalore scientist who was the founder director of the National Centre for Biological Sciences, Dr Obaid Siddiqi, was presented with the Lifetime Achievement Award 2010 for his pioneering work in the field of microbial genetics and neurogenetics.

http://www.nhb.org.in/Residex/Data&Graphs.php

It says that Bangalore price is down by almost 30% compared to 2007. I really doubt.

Duplicate Post

Another news...
COS MAKE UP FOR DRY SPELL, JOBS NOW POUR IN CITY

http://epaper.timesofindia.com/Daily/skins/TOINEW/navigator.asp?Daily=TOICH&showST=true&login=default&pub=TOI

Study Ranks Chennai Third In Employment Generation, Leaving Behind Bangalore, Pune And Hyderabad

Good times are back and Chennai seems to be among star performers. An estimated 11.3 lakh jobs were created in the organised sector in India this year and the city ranks third in the country with 3,79,504 jobs, ahead of Bangalore, Hyderabad, Pune and Kolkata. Only the National Capital Region (NCR) and Mumbai are placed above. Bangalore managed 1,25,458 new jobs in the current year.


Chennai is doing well not only in terms of absolute numbers but also in terms of growth in which it ranks third in the country behind Pune and Hyderabad with 23.08% growth relative to March 2010 figures.
“A big factor in Chennai’s success can be attributed to its cost effectiveness as well as affordability in terms of living cost which is enabling it to emerge as a superior destination when companies are going for larger set-ups with say, 2,000-3,000 people. In comparison, Bangalore is overcrowded and it is primarily IT driven. It doesn’t make much sense for companies to set up shop there when cost of resources as well as operations is higher, sometimes upto 30-35%,” said Sunil Goel, Director of Global Hunt, an executive search firm.
“Chennai is up to 20% more economical compared to NCR and Bangalore for example and this is a huge attraction for companies looking to come in and set up which is driving up these hiring numbers,” says Tadi.


http://img805.imageshack.us/img805/1979/getimagec.jpg (http://img805.imageshack.us/i/getimagec.jpg/)

Uploaded with ImageShack.us (http://imageshack.us)

what is this organised sector?? anything to do with labour unions?? bangalore manages some 20% growth..

BANGALORE, INDIA: Texas Instruments Incorporated (TI) announced on Monday the first international expansion of Kilby Labs at TI India in Bangalore.

While making this announcement, TI said that over the company’s 80 plus year history, innovation has remained a priority, and Kilby Labs, named in honor of Jack Kilby, inventor of the integrated circuit (IC) in 1958, is the newest addition to TI’s research and development (R&D) model.

“Kilby Labs brings together some of our brightest minds to focus on breakthrough ideas,” said Gregg Lowe, senior vice president of TI’s Analog business. “It complements the company’s other R&D initiatives by exploring concepts with many unknowns and high risk.”

Since its opening in Dallas in January 2009, Kilby Labs has completed five projects and launched one new business unit from the work realized in the lab, added TI in a press release.

“Right from Jack Kilby's invention of the micro-chip, throughout its history, TI has fueled its growth in creating new markets through its breakthrough innovations. Kilby Labs in India builds upon this principle - betting on the inventive minds of TIers and creating products that open up radically new opportunities for TI,” said Dr. Biswadip (Bobby) Mitra, president and managing director, Texas Instruments India.

Kilby Labs India will be led by Dr Venu Gopinathan. Gopinathan joined TI in June 2010 and brings more than 25 years of experience in research in some of the premier institutions of the world.

“Understanding customers’ problems is important in achieving TI’s vision, and the international expansion of Kilby Labs extends our ability to solve these problems across the globe,” said Gopinathan.

“The objective is to foster breakthrough ideas by giving them whatever they need, to nurture, and then demonstrate them right inside these labs,” he added.

©CyberMedia News

BANGALORE: Among the top 20 investment attracting states, Karnataka has emerged as most preferred destination with the highest share of 9.1 per cent in domestic investment plans in April-September 2010, as per 'Associated Chambers of Commerce and Industry of India Investment Meter (AIM).'

Karnataka clocked an year-on-year growth of 73.8 per cent and attracted investments of Rs 3,88,578 crore.

Uttar Pradesh acquired second spot with a growth of 75.5 per cent (y-o-y) and 4.7 per cent share of total investments in April-September 2010-11. The state attracted massive investment plans of Rs 205,189 crore during the period.

Power and services were prominent among the sectors attracting major share investment.

As per the AIM assessment report for corporate investments across states and sectors, total investment plans of India Inc increased significantly from Rs 7,971,464 crore in 2009 to Rs 10,097,472 crore during April-September, 2010.

"The total investment intentions tracked in the AIM study reflects encouraging signs of pick up in investments and acceleration in the overall growth rate.

The factors such as delay in infrastructure expansion plans, hurdles in legal procedures and political instability have adversely affected the implementation of these investment projects across the states", said Assocham President Dilip Modi.

Availability of rich mineral resources like coal and ironore along with cheap manpower availability helped Jharkhand rank among top three states in attracting corporate investments.

The state was ranked third on investment radar with total planned investments at Rs 2,00,141 crore having a share of 6.3 per cent in total investments in H1 of FY 2010-11.

Jharkhand recorded a hike of about 45.9 per cent in overall investments over the previous year. Among the sectors manufacturing and power companies received the major proportion of investments.

Gujarat and Orissa stood at fourth and fifth position by attracting investment plans worth Rs 196,305 crore and Rs 191,382 crore, respectively during in H1 of 2010-11.

One time preferred destination for India Inc., Gujarat has slipped to fourth spot with the state seeing a mere 17.3 per cent in investments over the same period of the previous fiscal.

Source :http://economictimes.indiatimes.com/news/economy/infrastructure/karnataka-most-favourable-domestic-investment-destination/articleshow/7140041.cms

Why are there no supertalls/even skyscrapers coming up in Bangalore, Hyd.? Are there certain building laws that prevent such buildings coming up? If you take a look in the Mumbai section, there are quite a lot of supertalls and such coming up. Also, I saw the Trump Tower page. Im assuming that has been cancelled?

Why are there no supertalls/even skyscrapers coming up in Bangalore, Hyd.? Are there certain building laws that prevent such buildings coming up? If you take a look in the Mumbai section, there are quite a lot of supertalls and such coming up. Also, I saw the Trump Tower page. Im assuming that has been cancelled?

Obviously there are laws that prevent you from building really tall skyscrapers but it won't last too long, as Bangalore gets more demanding there will be scarcity of commercial land so naturally they'll have to amend these laws. In London for instance there was a limit to high-rise buildings because they believed it would destroy the beauty and art but as London became a global financial capital these restrictions were removed.

http://www.business-standard.com/india/news/bangalore-closes-inshanghai-in-office-space/419136/

The city’s office stock has grown over five-and-a-half times in the past four years.

Bangalore is closing in on Shanghai, China’s booming commercial and industrial metropolis, in terms of Grade-A office space.

The surprise doesn’t end here. India’s Silicon Valley has already overtaken Singapore in this regard, says global property consultant C B Richard Ellis (CBRE). Grade-A offices mean centrally air-conditioned, well maintained, efficient buildings.

Bangalore’s office stock has grown over five and a half times in the past four years, to 80 million sq ft. That has meant Grade-A office space there is now just 14 per cent less than Shanghai’s.

Latest CBRE data show Mumbai and the National Capital Region together have just 13 per cent more office space than Bangalore. “Except 2008-09, there was robust growth in IT (information technology) and there was a quite a bit of absorption by IT companies. FDI (foreign direct investment) in properties after 2005 added to the office supply,” says Anshuman Magazine, chairman and managing director, CBRE, South Asia.

IT/ITeS (IT-enabled services) account for nearly 80 per cent of the total office space absorption in the country.

“Even in the worst of times, Bangalore saw an absorption of six to eight million sq ft a year. In the best case, it was 10 million sq ft. For every 10 million sq ft Bangalore absorbed, the second best, NCR, absorbed only 6-7 million sq ft,’’ says Gulam Zia, national director, research and advisory services, Knight Frank India.

Vacant space, too
Even so, Bangalore also has the highest vacancies in office space in volume terms. In fact, at 12 million sq ft, the city has the largest vacant office space in the Asia Pacific. Mumbai and the NCR each have over 10 million sq ft of vacant space, while Shanghai has about 10 million sq ft in this category.

“In between, markets went through a slowdown and IT was the last one to recover,” says Ashok Kumar, managing director, Cresa Partners, an international realty services firm.

Whitefield, a IT office hub on Bangalore’s outskirts, has five to six million sq ft of vacant space, around half of Bangalore’s total vacancy, said a property developer from Bangalore, who did not want to be identified.

Experts say the main reason why Bangalore has been rising fast is the comparably lower lease rentals. For example, Zia says, since IT firms need large offices at Rs 30-50 a sq ft per month, Bangalore fitted the bill with huge tracts of land at lower prices. “Even the cheapest Grade-A office in Mumbai comes at Rs 125 a sq ft,” he adds. Mumbai is the fourth most expensive office market in the world.

Though Delhi’s satellite cities of Noida and Gurgaon offer rents at Rs 40-45 per sq ft a month, IT firms prefer Bangalore, as it offers superior manpower, says Zia.

Pressure on rents
Nitesh Estates’ chairman, Nitesh Shetty, says rents in Bangalore’s Central Business District, which had fallen 10-12 per cent last year, have recovered in recent quarters. “Though the rents are going up in the CBD due to the upcoming metro and new hotels, there will be pressure on rents in suburbs,” he says.

So, too, in Mumbai. CBRE’s report says Nariman Point and Bandra Kurla Complex, two of Mumbai’s main business hubs, may witness a rise in rents in the coming year. However, areas such as Worli, Lower Parel and Parel in central Mumbai and suburbs such as Malad, Thane, Powai and Navi Mumbai are expected to see marginal increase or stability in rents, due to large supply and higher vacancies.

“It will take 12 to 15 months to absorb the current supply. Till that time, I do not think rents will increase,” says Kumar of Cresa Partners.

Magazine of CBRE says there is a possibility that the NCR would overtake Bangalore in the long term, since places such as Noida, Gurgaon, Greater Noida and others are coming up with large supply.

The CBRE study also says the top seven Indian cities added 280 million sq f of office space in the past few years, as against 297 million sq ft added by the four Asian tigers of Shanghai, Singapore, Hong Kong and Seoul together.

“It clearly suggests that we are reaching a critical mass in real estate. Compared to the size of our country, the size of real estate is really small now,’’ Magazine says.


-------------------------------------------------
:banana: GO BANGALORE

http://www.business-standard.com/india/news/bangalore-closes-inshanghai-in-office-space/419136/

The city’s office stock has grown over five-and-a-half times in the past four years.

Bangalore is closing in on Shanghai, China’s booming commercial and industrial metropolis, in terms of Grade-A office space.

The surprise doesn’t end here. India’s Silicon Valley has already overtaken Singapore in this regard, says global property consultant C B Richard Ellis (CBRE). Grade-A offices mean centrally air-conditioned, well maintained, efficient buildings.

Bangalore’s office stock has grown over five and a half times in the past four years, to 80 million sq ft. That has meant Grade-A office space there is now just 14 per cent less than Shanghai’s.

Latest CBRE data show Mumbai and the National Capital Region together have just 13 per cent more office space than Bangalore. “Except 2008-09, there was robust growth in IT (information technology) and there was a quite a bit of absorption by IT companies. FDI (foreign direct investment) in properties after 2005 added to the office supply,” says Anshuman Magazine, chairman and managing director, CBRE, South Asia.

IT/ITeS (IT-enabled services) account for nearly 80 per cent of the total office space absorption in the country.

“Even in the worst of times, Bangalore saw an absorption of six to eight million sq ft a year. In the best case, it was 10 million sq ft. For every 10 million sq ft Bangalore absorbed, the second best, NCR, absorbed only 6-7 million sq ft,’’ says Gulam Zia, national director, research and advisory services, Knight Frank India.

Vacant space, too
Even so, Bangalore also has the highest vacancies in office space in volume terms. In fact, at 12 million sq ft, the city has the largest vacant office space in the Asia Pacific. Mumbai and the NCR each have over 10 million sq ft of vacant space, while Shanghai has about 10 million sq ft in this category.

“In between, markets went through a slowdown and IT was the last one to recover,” says Ashok Kumar, managing director, Cresa Partners, an international realty services firm.

Whitefield, a IT office hub on Bangalore’s outskirts, has five to six million sq ft of vacant space, around half of Bangalore’s total vacancy, said a property developer from Bangalore, who did not want to be identified.

Experts say the main reason why Bangalore has been rising fast is the comparably lower lease rentals. For example, Zia says, since IT firms need large offices at Rs 30-50 a sq ft per month, Bangalore fitted the bill with huge tracts of land at lower prices. “Even the cheapest Grade-A office in Mumbai comes at Rs 125 a sq ft,” he adds. Mumbai is the fourth most expensive office market in the world.

Though Delhi’s satellite cities of Noida and Gurgaon offer rents at Rs 40-45 per sq ft a month, IT firms prefer Bangalore, as it offers superior manpower, says Zia.

Pressure on rents
Nitesh Estates’ chairman, Nitesh Shetty, says rents in Bangalore’s Central Business District, which had fallen 10-12 per cent last year, have recovered in recent quarters. “Though the rents are going up in the CBD due to the upcoming metro and new hotels, there will be pressure on rents in suburbs,” he says.

So, too, in Mumbai. CBRE’s report says Nariman Point and Bandra Kurla Complex, two of Mumbai’s main business hubs, may witness a rise in rents in the coming year. However, areas such as Worli, Lower Parel and Parel in central Mumbai and suburbs such as Malad, Thane, Powai and Navi Mumbai are expected to see marginal increase or stability in rents, due to large supply and higher vacancies.

“It will take 12 to 15 months to absorb the current supply. Till that time, I do not think rents will increase,” says Kumar of Cresa Partners.

Magazine of CBRE says there is a possibility that the NCR would overtake Bangalore in the long term, since places such as Noida, Gurgaon, Greater Noida and others are coming up with large supply.

The CBRE study also says the top seven Indian cities added 280 million sq f of office space in the past few years, as against 297 million sq ft added by the four Asian tigers of Shanghai, Singapore, Hong Kong and Seoul together.

“It clearly suggests that we are reaching a critical mass in real estate. Compared to the size of our country, the size of real estate is really small now,’’ Magazine says.

http://www.business-standard.com/newsimgfiles/2010/december/22122010/122210_18.jpg
-------------------------------------------------
:banana: GO BANGALORE

hey then bangalore became singapore already.. sm krishna has said he would make bangalore like singapore :cheers: india as a whole also surging ahead

what is this organised sector?? anything to do with labour unions?? bangalore manages some 20% growth..

You are right...sectors which are mainly run by registered companies following govt. rules and regulations. Autos, kirana stores are not organized sectors.

This new facility in Southern India is of strategic importance for the company, India being one of the world's fasting growing markets for bus AC systems

Eberspaecher Suetrak Bus Climate Control Systems India Pvt. Ltd. to relocate to new headquarters in Bangalore in January 2011. Not only administration, the production department too will be starting work in the new plant to provide a local source of supply to meet the demand for bus climate control systems in the rapidly expanding Indian market.


In Bangalore, Eberspaecher Suetrak will be producing roof AC units as well as split AC units on an area of around 2,800 square metres, offering Indian customers a full range of bus air-conditioning systems. This new facility in Southern India is of strategic importance for the company, India being one of the world's fasting growing markets for bus AC systems.


"Our products make us leaders in the market for bus climate control systems in India. Our objective is to steadily grow our market share in India over the coming years," explains Joachim Tosstorff, General Manager of Eberspaecher Suetrak. "Many of our customers – and suppliers as well – are based in Southern India. By relocating our Indian headquarters we can now be a competent and strong local partner offering top quality and service for optimum convenience and all types of bus AC systems," adds Kanwal Preet Singh, Director of Eberspaecher Suetrak Bus Climate Control Systems India Pvt. Ltd. As well as production and sales, the company will be offering servicing and repairs, technical advice and training for customers.


The company's 50 employees in India will be supported by Eberspaecher Suetrak's German head office in Renningen. The German HQ has worked closely together with its Indian colleagues right from the planning stage, and has supported them in both the process as a whole and in the transfer of knowledge for the new production site.


In June 2010 the Eberspaecher Group acquired the Indian bus AC business from Carrier Corp. (USA) with its head office at Gurgaon 30 km south of the capital New Delhi. The move positions Eberspaecher Suetrak as a one-stop shop for heating and cooling in the Indian bus market.

source : http://www.indiainfoline.com/Markets/News/Eberspaecher-to-relocate-India-headquarters-in-Bangalore/5028056033 (http://www.indiainfoline.com/Markets/News/Eberspaecher-to-relocate-India-headquarters-in-Bangalore/5028056033)

Office space absorption in A'bad drops 6% in 2010

BS Reporter / Mumbai/ Ahmedabad December 23, 2010, 0:00 IST

With the city already carrying adequate availabilities to meet current demand, Ahmedabad witnessed a slowdown in construction activity in 2010. As a result, the city recorded a drop in absorption of office space by six per cent as compared to 2009.

According to a study by real estate consulting firm, Cushman & Wakefield, while the office space supply rose from 280,000 sq.ft. in 2009 to 510,000 sq.ft. in 2010, the absorption dropped from 330,000 sq.ft. in 2009 to approximately 308,000 sq.ft. this year. However, Ahmedabad saw telecom, banking, financial services and insurance (BFSI) and small corporates continue to be the major demand drivers for office space in the city.

Nationally, the report indicates total commercial space absorption of 32.65 million sq.ft. in the major Indian cities alone, which is a 23 percent increase from the last year's absorption of 27 million sq.ft. Fresh absorption formed a significant contributor to the overall yearly consumption numbers accounting for 91 percent (30 million sq.ft.). Bangalore continued to witness the highest space take up in the country (9.9 million sq. ft.),while Hyderabad (96 per cent over last year) saw highest growth in absorption followed by NCR (42 per cent over last year).
Similarly, fresh pre commitments for office space created in 2010, due to be absorbed over the next two years, amounted to 9.2 million sq. ft., which is double of last year's 4.7 million sq. ft. and stands testimony to the growth plans by the corporate sector. Almost all the major cities recorded pre commitments of commercial office space in 2010 with Bangalore, Mumbai and Pune being the most significant ones registering over one million sq.ft. Talking about the buoyancy in major cities, Arvind Nandan, executive director, occupier services, Cushman & Wakefield India, said, "The pre commitments are back and it is a healthy indication of the revival of the office markets. This also signifies that the corporate sector has been actively planning their expansion strategies which were deferred earlier due to the unfavourable economic environment. There is also a shift in demand for space in SEZ developments where major pre commitments have been recorded. It is expected that the demand will continue to rise througho ut the coming year which will also see an increase in construction activities."

Back in Ahmedabad, buoyant demand coupled with restrained supply resulted in rental appreciation in latter half of 2010. Rentals in the city registered an annual appreciation of 6 to 10 per cent. S.G. Highway and C.G. Road emerged as the most preferred location for office space demand resulting in a rental appreciation of 10 per cent and 6 per cent respectively, the report stated.

Overall supply in 2010 was recorded at 43 million sq.ft. which is 17 per cent less than 2009. The report attributed the cause to the cautious approach adopted by developers in order to control the high vacancy of approximately 20 per cent in the market. However, the total estimated supply for the year was 53 million sq.ft. of which around 81 per cent was realised. SEZ supply for the year recorded at approximately 9.2 million sq. ft. witnessed a drop by 30 per cent from the previous year. Bangalore accounted for the highest SEZ supply this year, followed by NCR and Hyderabad.

Meanwhile, the revival in demand in 2010 and controlled supply of projects have helped to tame the vacancy level currently estimated to be 16-17 per cent.

Business Standard (http://www.business-standard.com/india/news/office-space-absorption-in-abad-drops-6-in-2010/419207/)

Low Altitude Digital Lakshya-2 successfully flight tested
TNN, Dec 27, 2010, 12.12am IST
BANGALORE: Two versions of Lakshya-2, including Sea Recovery, are now available for the immediate use of the armed forces.

The flight test of the pilotless target aircraft (PTA) was conducted by the Aeronautical Development Establishment (ADE), Bangalore, belonging to Defence Research & Development Organisation (DRDO) here on December 20.

ADE had built Lakshya-2 with the necessary hardware and software to meet the user requirement of flying the pilotless target aircraft at very low altitudes (15 to 25 metres above sea level) to simulating the trajectory of low-level Cruise missiles. During the 32-minute test, the pilotless aircraft also demonstrated its manoeuvring capability. The system has been designed such that two Lakshya targets can be flown and controlled by the Common Ground Control Station.


Read more: Low Altitude Digital Lakshya-2 successfully flight tested - The Times of India http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/bangalore/Low-Altitude-Digital-Lakshya-2-successfully-flight-tested-/articleshow/7169407.cms#ixzz19HqvgYoZ

Maharashtra and the National Capital Region accounted for over 50 per cent of foreign direct investment inflows into the country during the first half of 2010-11, says the latest Industry Ministry data.

Maharashtra attracted the maximum foreign direct investment (FDI) of about $2.67 billion (Rs. 12,275 crore) during April-September, 2010, accounting for 34 per cent of the total FDI in the country during the period.

Delhi's National Capital Region (NCR), including parts of Uttar Pradesh and Haryana, received $1.96 billion (Rs. 8,961 crore) of FDI during the period.

NCR accounted for 20 per cent of the total FDI in the country. During the period, India attracted $11 billion of FDI, the data said.

According to experts, the good infrastructure of states like Maharashtra and Delhi made them more attractive FDI destinations than states with poor roads and power facilities.

"Infrastructure in these areas has improved considerably and that is making them attractive destinations for FDI in India," said Rakesh Joshi, an international trade expert at the Indian Institute of Foreign Trade.

Karnataka was the third-most preferred FDI destination in the country, attracting $1.04 billion during the period, followed by Andhra Pradesh ($491 million), Madhya Pradesh ($398 million) and Tamil Nadu ($331 million).

FDI flows into different states in India have increased steadily since the early 1990s, when the Indian economy was first opened up to foreign investment, Joshi said.

Less developed states like Rajasthan received $13 million of FDI during the period, while Orissa and Uttar Pradesh attracted $11 million and $80 million, respectively.

The sectors that attracted the maximum FDI include services, telecommunication, metallurgical industries, power, computer hardware and software and construction.

The government is making sustained efforts to make the FDI policy regime more attractive and investor-friendly. It is considering raising the ceiling on FDI in the sensitive multi-brand retail and defence sectors.

At $25.88 billion, foreign direct investment into the country in 2009-10 was 5 per cent lower than the $27.33 billion FDI seen in the previous fiscal.


Read more at: http://profit.ndtv.com/news/show/over-50-of-fdi-went-to-maharashtra-ncr-in-h1-fy-11-132106?cp

^^ It looks like all KA (not just Blore) related news and discussions happen on this thread. Why have a KA discussions thread then?

^^ It looks like all KA (not just Blore) related news and discussions happen on this thread. Why have a KA discussions thread then?
Sorry , Am a new member here. I didn't noticed that there is seperate thread for KA. will keep update on respective forum. thanks

Isro: snapped connectors failed GSLV
Prashanth G N, TNN, Dec 29, 2010, 07.03am IST
BANGALORE: The snapping of connectors that take a signal to the first stage of the rocket is believed to have led to the failure of the Geosynchronous Launch Vehicle ( GSLV) on December 25.

Isro spokesperson S Satish told TOI that the crash did not have anything to do with the cryogenic stage or engine of the rocket but was related to the snapping of connectors within the first stage. "Connectors between two critical systems within the first stage snapped. Four connectors that take a signal to the first stage for controlling the rocket could have snapped. We are trying to understand why the connectors snapped, which caused loss of control and eventual failure of the mission," Satish said.


Read more: Isro: snapped connectors failed GSLV - The Times of India http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/bangalore/Isro-snapped-connectors-failed-GSLV/articleshow/7182468.cms#ixzz19TFC2VSK


Another setback for ISRO as GSLV-F06 explodes mid-air (http://www.thehindubusinessline.com/2010/12/26/stories/2010122651740100.htm)

V. Ganesan

http://www.thehindubusinessline.com/2010/12/26/images/2010122651740101.jpg
Aborted, again: The GSLV-F06 explodes 63 minutes into the flight after the destruct button was pressed when the vehicle went out of control 47 seconds of lift-off from Sriharikota on Saturday.

T.S. Subramanian

Sriharikota, Dec. 25

Disaster struck the Geo-Synchronous Satellite Launch Vehicle (GSLV-F06), which was launched from Sriharikota on Saturday, when the vehicle lost control 47 seconds after its flight, broke up into pieces and erupted into a ball of flame.

our tax money goes boom!

brain in bangalore hands in sriharikota. working up the value chain in space tech and aero tech.

brain in bangalore hands in sriharikota. working up the value chain in space tech and aero tech.

You missed Trivandrum:) where Vikram Sarabhai Space Centre (VSSC) is located. The satellite is assembled at Bangalore, the rockets are made in Trivandrum and the whole GSLV with the satellite was assembled in Sriharikota.

The three divisions involved in the project — the Isro Satellite Centre (ISAC) in Bangalore, Vikram Sarabhai Space Centre (VSSC) in Thiruvananthapuram and the Satish Dhawan Space Centre (Shar) at Sriharikota — had been pointing fingers at each other. Was the payload the problem or the design and manufacturing or the assembly? The inquiry is now trying to figure if the problem occurred at the ISAC, where the satellite was assembled, or at the VSSC, where the rockets are made or at the Shar, where the whole GSLV, the launch vehicle, was assembled with the satellite.

http://business-standard.com/india/news/after-satellite-launch-fiasco-allegations-galore/420106/

^^ Vikram Sarabhai Space Centre (VSSC) Trivandrum and Liquid Propulsion Test Facility (LPSC) at Mahendragiri in Tamil Nadu - jointly developed cryogenic engine if I am not wrong.

^^Liquid Propulsion Systems Centre (LPSC) is head quartered in Valiyamala, Trivandrum with two other locations at Mahendragiri (TN) and Bangalore.

Since LPSC Mahendragiri does the assembly, integration and testing of liquid engines, it might have had a role in the failed mission.

My old school friend is working with LPSC, Trivandrum, will check with him.

^^ So you mean, Only Mahendragiri is responsible for that failed mission? :) Sounds funny to me.

^^

:gaah: why are few of our neighbours like this :ohno:


"it might have had a role" doesnt mean "it is solely responsible" :bash::bash::bash:

^^ Hey Pal, I just said Mahendragiri also involved in that mission. Why to talk about failure then? Be a good neighbour sir ji.

^^

:gaah: why are few of our neighbours like this :ohno:


"it might have had a role" doesnt mean "it is solely responsible" :bash::bash::bash:
Chennagae nodu maga...see that gentem always says that Blore is responsible for everything in India. It is his comments that drag others in. Inspite of telling him, he is not caring about it. :(

Looks like ultimately South Indian guys screwed the mission.
Northies will be very mad at Southies.:)

There are many northies in ISRO. It's a failure of India, not for Mahendiragiri, Trivandrum, Bangalore or Sriharikotta. But at-least we tried, Many countries did not.

^^ True. The whole country owns the success or the failure. It is India's brain and not the brain of one city.

Very true even if the locations are BGR/TVM/etc smart brains from all over India work for its success.

PS : pls ignore if anyone insults some state/region/language.

^^ So you mean, Only Mahendragiri is responsible for that failed mission? :) Sounds funny to me.

^^

:gaah: why are few of our neighbours like this :ohno:


"it might have had a role" doesnt mean "it is solely responsible" :bash::bash::bash:

Chennagae nodu maga...see that gentem always says that Blore is responsible for everything in India. It is his comments that drag others in. Inspite of telling him, he is not caring about it. :(

sariyagi nodu maga... greatshankar was replying not exactly to me. infact it was greatshankar who mistook things here.. ChennaiIndian, stop playing politics in this forum

^^ First of all, why do you want to comment about a satellite launch in the real estate thread? Secondly, observe the replies correctly - Sudheesh commented only after you said "brain in bangalore hands in sriharikota". When you say "brain in Blore", people will be tempted to reply and tell you that there are other places which participate in such events like satellite launch.

I think its time for you to address these problems. :)

I guess I am in Bangalore thread...there is nothing wrong in boosting about your city in your forum.

^^ There is a way to convey it; else others are going to respond with counter-comments and this thread wont be a Blore thread anymore. :lol:

Anyway, this is not the first time, it is happening here or elsewhere in SSCI. It is just that it is tiresome for regular visitors like me to see repeating endlessly.

^^ First of all, why do you want to comment about a satellite launch in the real estate thread? Secondly, observe the replies correctly - Sudheesh commented only after you said "brain in bangalore hands in sriharikota". When you say "brain in Blore", people will be tempted to reply and tell you that there are other places which participate in such events like satellite launch.

I think its time for you to address these problems. :)

it is "economy" thread too, not just real estate. space tech is a contributor to bangalore economy along with IT and biotech.

I don't know why people want to get into fights when somebody wants to pamper his city in his city thread.
Let them go and do it in their own city threads or else just type the facts and leave instead of getting in unnecessary quarrels

^^ Different perspectives. Never mind!! Nowadays I go with :popcorn: to Chn and Blore threads. :D

Looks like ultimately South Indian guys screwed the mission.
Northies will be very mad at Southies.:)
:popcorn:

Right dude this will never end...Ameen

^^ So you mean, Only Mahendragiri is responsible for that failed mission? :) Sounds funny to me.

Oops, I am afraid I confused you! Sorry:)

I said that Mahendragiri might have been also a part in that (failed) 'mission'. The stress was on 'mission' and not on 'failed'. I had read news about it in Malayalam dailies and the effort put by scientists in VSSC and ISRO Bangalore.

Sudheesh commented only after you said "brain in bangalore hands in sriharikota". When you say "brain in Blore", people will be tempted to reply and tell you that there are other places which participate in such events like satellite launch.

I think its time for you to address these problems. :)

Ya, spot on..I was pointing out that statement only.

Anyway sorry for the ruckus, will clear all once everybody else have read it

Let us have great year. Happy 2011 to all.

Office space absorption to rise by 24% in 2010 (http://www.livemint.com/2010/12/20170254/Office-space-absorption-to-ris.html)

Out of total absorption this year, Bangalore topped the list with 9.9 million sq ft, followed by national capital region (5.44 million sq ft), Hyderabad (5.25 million sq ft) and Mumbai (4.37 million sq ft)

PTI

New Delhi: The absorption of office space is estimated to rise by 24% to 32.65 million sq ft during 2010 in the eight major cities as corporates are on an expansion spree, according to property consultant Cushman and Wakefield.

The absorption stood at 26.29 million sq ft in 2009, the consultant said in a statement.

Out of total absorption this year, Bangalore topped the list with 9.9 million sq ft, followed by national capital region (5.44 million sq ft), Hyderabad (5.25 million sq ft) and Mumbai (4.37 million sq ft).

When compared with last year, Hyderabad witnessed the maximum growth in absorption at 96%.

The report further revealed that the fresh pre-commitments for office space created in 2010, due to be absorbed over the next two years, accounted for 9.2 million sq ft, which is double of last year’s 4.7 million sq ft and stands testimony to the growth plans by the corporate sector.

Almost all the major cities recorded pre-commitments of commercial office space in 2010 with Bangalore, Mumbai and Pune being the most significant ones registering over one million sq ft, C&W said.

“The pre-commitments are back and it is a healthy indication of the revival of the office markets. This also signifies that the corporate sector has been actively planning their expansion strategies which were deferred earlier due to the unfavourable economic environment,” C&W executive director (occupier services) Arvind Nandan said.

Supply in 2010 was recorded at 43 million sq ft, which is 17% less than 2009. “This is mainly due to the cautious approach adopted by developers in order to control the high vacancy of approximately 20% in the market”.

The revival in demand in 2010 and controlled supply of projects have helped to tame the vacancy level currently estimated to be 16-17%, the consultant said.

On rentals, C&W said most micromarkets witnessed about 5-15% appreciation over last year. However, the last quarter of 2010 has seen rentals stabilising across locations.
hyderabad tops mumbai by a margin.. i think chennai comes fifth, but it is creating lot of organised sector jobs, likely in low wage manufacturing..

Office space rentals up 15%, occupancy rises 23% in 2010
(http://www.mydigitalfc.com/real-estate/office-space-rentals-15-occupancy-rises-23-2010-787)By Vivek Seal Dec 20 2010 , New Delhi
After several quarters of tepid growth, the office space absorption has grown 23 per cent in 2010, while the rentals in the micro markets grew by 15 per cent as the overall demand for commercial space increased due to better macro economic indicators.

The total commercial space absorption grew to 32.65 million sq ft from the last year’s absorption of 27 million sq ft in the major Indian cities, according to the annual report by real estate consultants, Cushman & Wakefield.

Most micro markets in the country witnessed about 5 –15 per cent rental appreciation over last year, but currently rentals have stabilised across locations. However, select location in Hyderabad and national capital region (NCR) have seen rental growing at a slower pace.

In Mumbai, the moderation in demand led to stabilization in rental values which otherwise witnessed an annual appreciation of 5-10 per cent. Rentals in Bangalore recorded an annual appreciation in the range of 5-16 per cent, while the NCR rentals grew in the range of just 2 – 10 per cent over the year across most of the micro markets.

Fresh absorption formed a significant contributor to the overall yearly consumption numbers accounting for 91 per cent or about 30 million sq ft. The Indian IT capital Bangalore continued to witness the highest space take up in the country with 9.9 million sq ft, while Hyderabad grew 96 per cent over last year followed by national capital region (NCR), which grew 42 per cent over last year.

However, office space supply in 2010 fell 17 per cent to 43 million sq ft due to the cautious approach adopted by developers in order to control the high vacancy of approximately 20 per cent in the market.

“The pre commitments are back and it is a healthy indication of the revival of the office markets. This also signifies that the corporate sector has been actively planning their expansion strategies, which were deferred earlier due to the unfavourable economic environment.

There is also a shift in demand for space in SEZ developments where major pre commitments have been recorded,” Arvind Nandan, executive director, Occupier Services, Cushman & Wakefield India said.

Can we have seperate thread for 'Biotechnology | Pharma | Healthcare industry' projects news

Facility expansion, acquisitions, foreign direct investments, collaborations, hiring and access to new markets have been some of the major achievements of 10 life sciences companies in Karnataka in 2010. These include Micro Labs, Strides Arcolab and Shilpa Medicare in the pharma sector, Biocon in bio-pharma sector, Opto Circuits in the medical devices space, Novozymes in pharma enzymes, Semler Research in clinical and contract research, Kemwell in contract manufacture, Advinus in drug discovery and Manipal Hospital in the healthcare space.

The year began with the acquisitions of Biovel Lifesciences, a bio pharmaceutical start-up venture by Ranbaxy. This was followed by Merck KGaA, a global pharmaceutical and chemical company, acquiring the Bangalore-based Millipore India’s parent company to become Millipore Corporation to be renamed as Merck Millipore, a division of Merck KGaA, Darmstadt, Germany.

US generic drug major, Alvogen Inc invested US$ 5 million to set up Norwich Clinical Services and an active pharma ingredient (API) sourcing office in Bangalore.

Advinus Therapeutics, the pharma research and development wing of the Tata Group, earmarked investments up to Rs.300 crore to expand its facilities at Bangalore and Pune besides looking at another Greenfield option.

Novozymes, the world’s largest producer of industrial enzymes, set up an advanced research & development centre at Whitefield in Bangalore to offer global support services.

Semler Research Centre, subsidiary of Semler Group, commissioned its 25,000 sq ft centre for drug evaluation and pharmacology research in Bangalore

Bulk drug and formulation major Micro Labs, which exports to 60 countries, added on USA and European countries as its latest markets in 2010.

Commenting on the pharma sector in Karnataka, Anjan K Roy, president, Karnataka Drugs and Pharmaceutical Association, and managing director, RL Fine Chem, said the state units performed well compared to 2009. Companies have made efforts to work out aggressive strategies to garner growth. Ending fiscal 2009- 2010, the state registered a turnover of Rs.6,500 crore with a growth rate of 10 per cent.

The heightened activity in research and licensing alliances as well as the rush for a piece of the emerging markets' pie, saw the global biotech industry direct its attention on India in 2010. In the year ahead, India's biotech industry must capitalize on all these opportunities to drive higher growth. Biocon is optimally positioned to build on the strong foundation it has laid during the past 12 months - primarily, its ground breaking pact with Pfizer for the global commercialization of its bio similar, insulin and insulin analog products and its foreign direct investment in Malaysia's Bio-XCell. This will provide the company with an international location of strategic geographical proximity to India, said Kiran Mazumdar-Shaw, chairman and managing director Biocon Ltd and head, Vision Group on Biotechnology, government of Karnataka

According to Vinod Ramnani, chairman and managing director, Opto Circuits (India) Ltd, the year 2010 has been period of consolidation, M&As and emerging market focused products for the medical device industry. “At Opto, 2010 has been one of milestones. We have grown from a monitoring & minimally invasive device company to providing diagnostics and non-invasive therapeutic products. Acquisitions of Unetixs Vascular, N.S. Remedies and Cardiac Science have helped strengthen our brand equity, extend our product offering and leverage the global distribution network,” he added.

Over the last decade, Karnataka evolved into a life sciences-friendly ecosystem and bagged ‘BioSpectrum state of the year 2010 award’ instituted by the Cyber Media Group.

Isobar India, the digital marketing agency from Aegis Media Group, is opening its Bangalore office from January 10, 2011. Adding to this expansion, the agency has won the digital duties of VMware, a virtualisation and cloud infrastructure.

Sharing the agency’s plans for the Bangalore operations, Ashish Bhasin, Chairman India & CEO South East Asia, Aegis Group Plc, said, “Isobar India has had a spectacular run under Shamsu (Shamsuddin Jasani, Country Head, Isobar India) and I am very pleased to see them expand to Bangalore, the digital and IT centre of India. On behalf of Isobar India, I am very pleased to welcome VMware to the Aegis Media family. Coming on the back of the successful launch of iProspect, this expansion from Isobar will help Aegis Media move towards digital leadership in India.”

Shamsuddin Jasani, Country Head, Isobar India, said, “We will be sending Ashish Singh, Group Head Mumbai, to start the Bangalore office. We wanted to first set up a world class product with international tools and thought process and making them relevant to the Indian context. Having done this and having a very strong presence in Mumbai and Delhi, the next logical step was to launch in Bangalore, which will also serve as a hub for the southern region. We are confident of Isobar India attaining digital leadership in India.”

Since its inception two years ago, Isobar has bagged over 35 brands, including Reebok, adidas, Philips, UTI MF, Tourism Australia and Perfetti, across all forms of digital advertising, making it a truly integrated digital offering.

Isobar India is a part of Aegis Media India Group that also includes Carat, the media planning and buying independent, OOH agency Posterscope, Hyperspace (Retail), Brandscope (OOH), Carat Fresh Integrated (Activation) and Vizeum.

VMware, a virtualisation and cloud infrastructure, delivers customer-proven solutions that significantly reduce IT complexity and enable more flexible, agile service delivery. VMware accelerates an organisation’s transition to cloud computing, while preserving existing IT investments and enabling service delivery without compromising control.

source @ http://www.exchange4media.com/e4m/izone1/izone_fullstory.asp?Section_id=4&News_id=40587&Tag=33081

Future Group's today said its food park, which is being set up as a part of its retail expansion business, would be ready in two years.

"We have acquired 100 acre of land in Bangalore for setting up a food park. The construction will start next quarter and take 24 months to complete," Future Group Integrated Food Strategy Head Damodar Mall said.

He said a special purpose vehicle has been set up for creating the infrastructure of the food park where vendors are able to set up base.

Mall said share of food products in the Future's overall retail business was 33 per cent.

"We will like to take it to 50 per cent," Mall told reporters on the sidelines of Retail Summit here.

He said that the total value of manufacturing from the food park would be Rs 3,000 crore per annum.

Out of the total, 15 per cent to 20 per cent would be of captive use by the group.

source @ http://www.business-standard.com/india/news/future-group%5Cs-food-park-to-be-ready-in-2-yrs/121487/on

Gujarat and Karnataka are the "role models" of a competent and transparent government and a progressive leadership that can attract investors in the coming years, a leading US business forum representative has said. "Competent, transparent, and progressive leadership are key attributes that will attract investors. Karnataka and Gujarat are two states that exemplify such progressive leadership," Ron Somers, president, US India Business Council, told PTI before leaving for India.

"There is a reason why Essar, Torrent, Reliance, Shell, Tata, Adani and some many others are thriving in Gujarat. Effective governance and administration, business- friendly policies, superior core knowledge infrastructure and an entrepreneurial culture combine to make Gujarat the premier business destination in India," he said. During his week-long trip to India beginning Friday, Somers would be travelling to Karnataka and Gujarat, which he believes should be the "role model" for other states for attracting investors and converting themselves into a business friendly destination. "In 2011, USIBC (US India Business Council) will feature such exemplary leadership in hopes of attracting investments to well-governed states, while spurring other states to become more business friendly,"

Somers said he was looking forward to meet the Karnataka Chief Minister Y S Yadiruppa and the Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi. He would also meet the leadership of top companies in Bangalore -- Wipro, Infosys, IBM, Lanco, Biocon and Suzlon. "I am interested in assessing progress for business on the ground - gauging the forward-thinking of various State's leadership," he said, From Bangalore, Somers would be travelling to participate in Vibrant Gujarat business forum. Somers said in 2011 USIBC will feature exemplary leadership, in hopes of attracting investments to well- -governed states, while spurring other states to become more business friendly.

source (http://www.business-standard.com/india/news/gujarat-k%5Ctaka-%5Crole-model-states%5C-for-investment-us/421105/)

FRAMINGHAM, Mass.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--The International Data Corporation (IDC) today announced plans to establish a wholly-owned India research business unit in Bangalore, India. The new research business unit, which is expected to open in the first quarter of 2011, will enable IDC to provide more comprehensive coverage of the rapidly expanding information and communications technology (ICT) markets in India, as well as service the needs of IDC's customers based in India. The announcement also signals the end of IDC's long-standing relationship with Cyber Media (India) Limited, which served as IDC's partner and representative in India.

"India will be one of the most important technology markets in the world over the next several decades," said Kirk Campbell, President and CEO of IDC. "Already a leading provider of technology services and now a sizeable and rapidly expanding market for both business and consumer technology products, India represents an emerging economy that every company in the ICT industry must understand. By expanding our direct presence in India, IDC will be able to deliver a greater range of research on India while guaranteeing the insight and consistency our clients expect. The new business unit will also enhance our capacity to support a fast-growing base of customers in India."

With a population of more than one billion and a GDP that is forecast to grow by more than 8% annually, India offers enormous market potential for technology products and services. IDC expects total IT spending in India to double over the next five years, reaching more than $41 billion with particularly strong growth in packaged software and IT services. Similar growth is expected in India's telecommunications services sector, with spending expected to approach $46 billion in 2014.1 By the middle of the decade, India will be the third largest ICT market in the Asia/Pacific region, trailing only China and Japan, and will represent roughly 10% of all ICT spending in the region.

India is also home to some of the industry's leading providers of IT and other business services (notably HCL, Infosys, TCS, and Wipro). Over the past decade, the offshore services model has evolved from using offshore resources for Y2K fixes to today's market where providers are increasingly focused on delivering value-added business process services as well as outsourced/managed IT services. IDC forecasts the worldwide offshore IT services market will grow to nearly $43 billion in 20142 while the worldwide business process outsourcing market will generate revenues of more than $200 billion in 20143.

"IDC is investing in the expansion of its research, consulting, go-to-market and sales capabilities at the same time that India is assuming a greater role in the regional and global ICT market," said Eva Au, IDC's Managing Director, Asia/Pacific. "This will help IDC's clients to better understand not only what is happening in India's domestic ICT markets, but how India is shaping the global ICT market."

IDC India will continue to be operated by CyberMedia until February 28, 2011, at which time IDC will launch its own India research business unit. IDC will be hiring a substantial number of research, consulting, management, sales, and support staff as part of its expansion. The new business unit will be located in Bangalore.

Medical tourism touches 10,000 mark

Namma Bengaluru, which has already earned the tag of being the Silicon Valley of India, is fast emerging as a major hub of medical tourism, perhaps second only to Chennai. This past year, the number of patients from foreign countries who got treated in city hospitals almost touched the impressive 10,000 mark. This is a 66 per cent jump from 2009 when only around 6,000 foreigners underwent surgeries in the Garden City.
“The rate at which the city hospitals are growing (infrastructure wise along with world class equipment), in the next five years the world is definitely going to look up at Bangalore as a centre of medical expertise,” feels Dr Sharan Shivraj Patil, chairman, Sparsh Hospital.
Dr Nagendra Swamy, president, Manipal Health Enterprise, rightly puts it that “the term medical tourism when it comes to Bangalore is now replaced by medical value traveller.” Information sourced from leading hospitals revealed that patients from 30 countries and other major Indian cities and towns, have been flocking to hospitals here since the past few years. Interestingly, ‘medical tourists’ account for about 20 per cent of the patients in the city’s hospitals, with majority of them coming from the Middle East and third world countries.
The low cost of treatment has been the biggest attraction. For major cardiac surgeries, cancer treatment or an orthopaedic surgery patients here need to pay around one-third of the cost charged in the US or UK.
Air connectivity has been another major facilitator for foreign patients.
The waiting list in hospitals here is also less. “We get a lot of patients from the Gulf. They pay us just 25 per cent of the cost of treatment in their country. There are also many NRIs who seek treatment here as for them it doubles up as a pleasure trip home,” says Dr Devi Shetty, chairman, Narayana Hrudayalaya.
Interestingly, even the government- administered Jayadeva Institute of Cardiovascular Sciences, with its world class facilities is witnessing an influx of foreign patients registering a 10-15 per cent increase in visting patients during the past two years.
“In 2010 we treated around 20 overseas patients and 1,000 patients from other States,” Dr Manjunath, director of the institute told Express.
“Patients from other States, particularly West Bengal have told us that trust is another factor drawing them to Bangalore. Even for follow-up tests, these patients are coming to our hospital,” he says.
Even doctors from abroad are coming to the city for training.
“Soon 25 heart specialists from USA, UK, Vietnam, China and Middle East countries will visit Jayadeva Institute,” he adds.
“Almost everyday we receive lots of mails and queries from patients and their relatives at our hospital’s international division,” says Dr Shivraj Patil of Sparsh Hospital, where the number of foreign patients had doubled to 200 from 2008-09.
The Manipal Hospital has tied up with resorts, star hotels and service apartments for accommodating patients from the US, Gulf and SAARC countries, besides hosting them at its guest house.
Other leading medical institutions such as HCG, Apollo and Columbia Asia too have also been receiving a steady stream of medical tourists.

Source: http://expressbuzz.com/cities/bangalore/medical-tourism-touches-10000-mark/238444.html
this is by number of patients. we want some report by revenue. moreover biotech companies complement medical tourism well

source (http://www.business-standard.com/india/news/gujarat-k%5Ctaka-%5Crole-model-states%5C-for-investment-us/421105/)

Both are BJP Ruling States :nuts:

Both are BJP Ruling States :nuts:

Yep, I hope there will be more bucks for Karnataka during the Union Budget 2011-2012, since the center can't ignore the facts anymore.

Indian semicon industry to grow 15 p.c in 2011 (http://www.ciol.com/Semicon/Biz-Watch/News-Reports/Indian-semicon-industry-to-grow-15-pc-in-2011/145670/0/)
The industry is moving from being largely technology-focused to becoming more customer and application-focused
Divya Girish
Thursday, January 13, 2011

BANGALORE, INDIA: Indian semiconductor industry is expected to grow by 12 to 15 per cent from the previous year and the global semiconductor industry would grow 6 to 8 per cent, said an NXP Semiconductors executive.

Sharing this view at the CXO Conclave organized by Indian Semiconductor Association (ISA) and NXP here today, Neeraj Paliwal, vice president and managing director and design services global manager, Central R&D, NXP India said the trend in semiconductor industry is now moving towards ‘society-focused’ solutions that will benefit not one section of consumers, but the community as a whole.

“Increased government spending in India on technology and infrastructure will also boost this trend. Overall, we are seeing four key trends that are driving growth for the semiconductor industry, globally as well in India – energy efficiency, connected mobile, security and health,” he said.

The event also featured a talk by Dr. Rene Penning de Vries, senior vice president and chief technology officer, NXP Semiconductors, on the role played by semiconductors in the areas of energy and security.

Dr. Rene said about the evolution of IC industry from new products being mainly business driven to becoming consumer driven to now increasingly being society driven. The societal changes have impacted the growth of the semiconductor industry.

Rene added, “Demonstrating the need for corporations, we have turned ourselves towards the key trends that are driving growth in today's semiconductor industry are energy efficiency, connected mobile devices, security and health services.”

Focusing on the energy sector, Rene added, “One of the factors influencing global warming is our use of energy and the way it is generated. Optimizing the operating efficiency of chargers and electrical appliances, is a key step. The two major alternatives for the energy sector are generating renewable energy and increase energy efficiency.”

He further reiterated that increasing environmental concerns as well as the need to cut down on energy costs have led to increasing innovation in the field of energy. The high performance mixed signal technologies such as NXP's GreenChip, solutions for smart grid etc. will add on to increasing usage of semiconductors in the area of energy.

Smart Applications

Smart Grids and secure transactions would be listed as the top applications in the near future, Paliwal added.

When asked about the scope of Smart Grids, he said, “As applications for semiconductors have become diverse, the industry is moving from being largely technology-focused to becoming more customer and application-focused. Smart Grids is a new experimentation in India, which is expected to pick up faster in the near future.”

Educational Initiative

NXP will on Friday launch an educational program 'Anubhav' by joining an alliance with 20 university labs on training students about the importance and scope of semiconductor industry, and building microcontrollers.

Speaking about the new initiative, Neeraj Paliwal, said, “The initiative can be considered a revolution among students which would train them in developing microcontrollers on NXP technology and cater them to rural masses. It would make students independent as they are not pressured with ideas and would give them freedom to do what they want.”

He added that R.V. College of Engineering, PESIT and BMS college in Bangalore would top the list for flagging of the new initiative.
©CyberMedia News
philips nxp, manyata tech park

The Tier 4 Data Center will be set up in Bangalore with a total investment of Rs 900 crore.

Tulip Telecom Limited (Tulip), an enterprise data services provider, today announced the acquisition of a data centre facility in Bangalore owned by SADA IT Parks Private Limited (SADA), a special purpose vehicle, at a value of Rs 230 crore.

This is the company’s fifth data centre with its other centres in Delhi, Bangalore and Mumbai. The new Bangalore facility will be owned and operated through a wholly owned subsidiary of Tulip named Tulip Data Center Private Ltd, the company said in a filing.

Spread across an area of 9 lakh sq ft, the Tier 4 Data Center will be set up in Bangalore with a total investment of Rs 900 crore spread over a period of 3 years. After the completion, this will become India’s largest and the world’s third largest single site data centre, the company claims.

“Our new data center will help meet the rising customer requirements for co-location, managed hosting & data storage and a suite of other complementary services including managed security services and storage requirements of our customers from across the globe,” Sanjay Jain, CEO, Tulip Telecom Ltd, said.

“This acquisition will provide us a platform to roll out numerous other services including Cloud Computing, SAAS and Managed Application Services,” Lt. Col. HS Bedi, VSM, Chairman and Managing Director, Tulip Telecom Ltd said.

The new eco-friendly data centre has state-of-the-art infrastructure and can house up to 16,000 racks, backed by up to 100 MW Power supply through 5X20 MW substations and will be able to host over 2,000 technical and managerial workforce. The facility would be ready to be utilized in less than 6 months.

More Info : http://www.vccircle.com/500/news/tulip-telcom-buys-data-centre-spv-for-rs-230cr

Hardware parks to boost state's IT image
TNN, Jan 19, 2011, 06.03am IST
BANGALORE: The IT state has reason to smile. Four electronic hardware parks in the form of clusters are on the cards in several parts of Karnataka.

After the cabinet cleared the IT and electronic hardware policies 2011 on Tuesday, the government is focusing on developing electronic hardware clusters in Bangalore-Tumkur, Shimoga-Hassan, Hubli-Dharwad and Mysore-Nanjangud, besides giving fillip to IT industries and innovative parks in tier-II and III cities.

"At least 500 to 1,000 acres of land have been identified for the parks," higher education minister V S Acharya said. The sector accounts for 20% of the state's gross domestic product (GDP) and achieved software export target worth Rs 75,000 crore this year.

In another major policy decision, the cabinet decided to withdraw tax exemption granted to tertiary sector activities in export-oriented SEZs located in the city. Tax concession will now be available only to units that engage in production of export-oriented products, Acharya said.

Read more: Hardware parks to boost state's IT image - The Times of India http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/bangalore/Hardware-parks-to-boost-states-IT-image/articleshow/7315203.cms#ixzz1BRzFDFvE

hardware "corridors". shimoga is a must in any list :bash:

It's bloom time for rose exports from city
Sunitha Rao R, TNN, Jan 20, 2011, 04.19am IST
BANGALORE: European boys routinely woo girls with Dutch red roses grown in the vicinity of Bangalore. On Valentine's Day in a couple of weeks from now, the demand spikes dramatically.

The roses grown in the poly houses of Hosur and Doddaballapur reach major importers such as Germany, the UK, the Netherlands, France, Italy, Japan, Switzerland, Belgium and the US.

"Though the Netherlands is a floriculture hub, about 9% of our total exports reaches it. From December to February, our orders go up. The Europeans want it for Christmas, New Year celebrations and Valentine's Day. That's when there's heavy snowfall there and flower cultivation becomes difficult. Crores of Dutch roses are exported to European countries," Soujanya Praveen, assistant director, floriculture wing, department of horticulture, told TOI.

She said the demand for flowers from Bangalore in international market is also high on Mother's day. "Among the most sought after are the Dutch red roses and Happiness (yellow roses)," she added.

"The roses grown at poly houses are exported as their shelf-life is about 10-15 days as compared to roses grown in open fields which survive for only 3-4 days. Exportable roses are different from roses seen in local markets -- Dutch roses are very bright and the buds are tight and closed," she added.

Advantage Bangalore

Bangalore has become the floriculture hub as it has pleasant, mild weather and farmers are keen on poly house cultivation. Bangalore logs the highest export of flowers across the nation, with Rs 5.68 crore in 2009-10 through the International Flower Auction Bangalore Ltd (IFAB) to different places such as New Delhi, Pune, Mumbai, Hyderabad, Kolkata, Kochi, Chennai, Mangalore and Goa.

On export list

Major flowers auctioned at IFAB are roses, carnations, tuberose, gladioli, anthuriums, Bird of Paradise, gerberas, orchids, liliums, heliconia and filler material (leaves)

* Roses account for 80%, especially red roses
* Karnataka has 23,000 hectare under floriculture

Growerspeak

The annual floriculture export from India has now declined to Rs 75 crore from Rs 200 crore in 2002-03. It's because of tough competition we're facing from countries such as Kenya and Ethiopia.

Jayaprakash Rao | South Indian Floricultural Association

Read more: It's bloom time for rose exports from city - The Times of India http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/bangalore/Its-bloom-time-for-rose-exports-from-city/articleshow/7322988.cms#ixzz1BYBTPiVm
BIAL air cargo. Now, bangalore is the great floriculture capital of India :lol:

India to showcase attack copter
Prashanth G N, TNN, Jan 20, 2011, 04.15am IST
BANGALORE: India's first indigenous attack helicopter, the Light Combat Helicopter (LCH) developed by HAL and due for induction into the Indian Air Force by 2012-13, will make its first flight during Aero India from February 9 to 13. Its first test flight was in March last year.

The second and third flights were in April and May 2010 and as of now, over 20 test flights have checked various parameters. These have paved the way for testing with weapons.

While the first prototype could fly at the air show, the second prototype, which will be weaponized, is expected to be unveiled too. Two more prototypes are under construction. HAL commenced work on the LCH in 2006.

The copter is an attack variant of the HAL Dhruv, which has been inducted into the armed forces. The copter was designed using a successful and proven helicopter as the base platform. HAL has tentative orders to deliver 65 LCHs to the IAF and over 100 to the Army.

HAL will also showcase the mock-up of the Light Utility Helicopter (LUH) which is being developed indigenously and the Multirole Transport Aircraft ( MTA) being done in collaboration with Russia.

Two Chetak helicopters are expected to be handed over to a Third World country. While export orders are nothing to write home about, there have been occasional purchases by other countries. Chile signed a contract with HAL for about seven Dhruv ALHs.

Chopper features

* Powered by HAL/Turbomeca Shakti turboshaft engine
* Has helmet-mounted targeting systems, electronic warfare systems and advanced weapons systems
* Has glass cockpit with multifunction displays, a target acquisition and designation system with laser range-finder and laser designator
* Fitted with data link for network-centric operations facilitating transfer of mission data to other airborne platforms and ground stations
* Two pilots sit one behind the other, compared to side-by-side in the Dhruv

Read more: India to showcase attack copter - The Times of India http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/bangalore/India-to-showcase-attack-copter/articleshow/7322984.cms#ixzz1BY74I6Mb

After the fixed wing LCA aeroplane, now comes the helicopter :banana2:

^^ gentem, do not post defense related news. It's against the forum rules.

^^ this is aerospace economy, billion dollar industry. after combat aircraft comes the attack helicopter, all from the city. bangalore is aerospace capital of india. this public sector companies(defence or anything) create good ecosystem for private parties in future, boeing is already in bangalore

Mental healthcare needs a shake-up
TNN, Jan 21, 2011, 03.47am IST
BANGALORE: There might be help at hand if you're physically ill, but getting medical support for your mind may not be that easy. There are just 23% of the required psychiatrists and 25% of psychiatric nurses in the country. The figures are worse for clinical psychologists and psychiatrists __ just two to three per cent of the total need.

To tackle this, the Union health ministry has decided to develop 11 institutions as centres of excellence in mental health on the lines of Nimhans. These institutions will add 44 psychiatrists, 176 clinical psychologists, 176 psychiatric social workers and 220 psychiatric nurses annually, Union health and family welfare minister Ghulam Nabi Azad said on Thursday.

Speaking at the 15th annual convocation of National Institute of Mental Health and Neuro Sciences (Nimhans), the minister said the ministry will provide support to states to begin PG courses in mental health institutions.

"It is very important to bridge the gap between increasing requirement and availability of mental health professionals. We are also initiating the process to amend the National Mental Health Act of 1987, so that rights of those with mental illnesses are not overlooked," he added.

RETIREMENT AGE GOES UP

Faced with severe shortage of faculty in medical colleges, the Centre has decided to increase their retirement age from 65 years to 70 from academic year 2011-12. Nearly 4,000 seats will be added in medical colleges across the country. With this, the department expects to add 10,000 more PG seats in the next two years.

NIMHANS TO HAVE 4 BRANCHES

Nimhans is likely to have four branches and the budget for it will be allocated in the 12th Five Year Plan, Azad said. The branches are likely to be in east, central east, north and western parts of India to cater to mental healthcare needs in these areas.

Read more: Mental healthcare needs a shake-up - The Times of India http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/bangalore/Mental-healthcare-needs-a-shake-up/articleshow/7330130.cms#ixzz1BdwuuWA4

do we need separate thread for biotech and healthcare tourism updates?

CONNECTIVITY FUELS DEMAND FOR COMMERCIAL SPACE
The demand for office and retail space in the city is on an upswing, says Deepti Ganapathy

http://epaper.timesofindia.com/Repository/getimage.dll?path=TOIBG/2011/01/21/48/Img/Pc0480800.jpg
The city's most ambitious project this year will be the commencement of the Metro Rail operations. The Metro Rail will not only help ease congestion on the roads, it will be the most significant factor that will give a push to commercial development in its vicinity.
The high street shopping areas around M G Road and Indiranagar will be the first to benefit from this project. The demand for office and retail space along this corridor will reach a peak this year, owing to the connectivity that the Metro Rail will bring.

Office space

With the city competing with metros such as Delhi and Mumbai, and the demand for office space here at an all-time high, Bangalore will see major corporations from across the globe setting up facilities here.
"In terms of existing office spaces, Bangalore is going to see accelerated absorption in 2011. The city's commercial property sector already saw significant recovery from the preceding slump and showed considerable growth in 2010. It will continue to number alongside Mumbai and Delhi as the business hot-spots for 2011, and therefore demand for ready-to-move-in Grade A office space continues to be high," says Karun Varma, Managing Director - Bangalore and Kochi, Jones Lang LaSalle India.
Retail growth
Retail growth in the city has surpassed expectations in the last few years. Areas like New BEL Road have now been transformed into bustling commercial centres. "If you look at some of the high street shopping avenues that have emerged today, you will notice the tremendous growth that has taken place here," says J Crasta, former president, The Federation of Karnataka Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FKCCI).
The retail segment is expected to grow 25 percent annually and has been creating its own niche quite successfully. Considering its growth and stability in the economy, it has become the cynosure for foreign eyes. With many foreign players making investments and inroads into the market, the new cap on FDI has triggered a lot of reactions, uncertainty and clamour in the retail industry.
Better planning needed
However, careful planning and judicious issuing of trade licenses is the need of the hour, cautions J Crasta. "Planning of commercial complexes in one unit to facilitate parking and ease traffic congestion has to be done. The retail segment should move towards the concept of mall culture. This has started even in Tier II and III cities, and in cities like ours, it will facilitate better management of traffic and movement of people," he says. The areas that will see major commercial establishments coming up will be the suburbs, according to various analysts in the property market sector, and this will be facilitated by projects like the Metro and seamless Outer Ring Road that will create better connectivity.

QUICK BYTES

THE METRO PROJECT WILL SEE A HUGE DEMAND FOR COMMERCIAL SPACES IN ITS VICINITY
FOR THE COMMERCIAL PROPERTY SECTOR TO GROW IN A BIG WAY, CAREFUL PLANNING AND JUDICIOUS ISSUE OF TRADE LICENSES IS THE NEED OF THE HOUR

http://epaper.timesofindia.com/Default/Scripting/ArticleWin.asp?From=Archive&Source=Page&Skin=TOINEW&BaseHref=TOIBG/2011/01/21&PageLabel=48&EntityId=Ar04801&ViewMode=HTML&GZ=T

Useless reporter has yapped something-Just posted for the pic!! :cheers:

BANGALORE: IT giant Wipro's proposal to expand its activities in the aerospace engineering sector, Toyota Kirloskar's in car manufacturing and fresh proposals from Mahindra Aerospace for setting up aerospace component manufacturing and US-based Tyco Electronics' to manufacture connector cables were all cleared by the state high level clearance committee (SHLCC) headed by Karnataka chief minister B S Yeddyurappa.

Taking time off from his political troubles, Yeddyurappa on Monday approved 55 projects with an investment of over Rs 38,966 crore, expected to create employment opportunities for 1.01 lakh persons. Of the approved projects, 24are proposed to come up in Bangalore rural and urban districts, with an investment of Rs 10,576 crore.

Wipro aerospace is slated to come up near Bengaluru International Airport (BIA) with an investment of Rs 52 crore, Mahindra's near Kolar with an investment of Rs 284 crore, and Tyco's in the Devanahalli industrial belt with an investment of Rs 595 crore. Toyota Kirloskar plans to expand its unit in Bidadi with an investment of Rs 500 crore.

"The committee has also approved the proposal by noodles maker Indo Nissin, a subsidary of Japan's Nissin Foods, to set up a new manufacturing facility with an investment of Rs 160 crore and Pepsico India's proposal to manufacture non-alcoholic beverages,'' large and medium industries minister Murugesh R Nirani told reporters. Among the approved projects, 10 are in theiron and steel sector, 5 in energy, 4 IT parks and 9 infrastructure development projects.

Next GIM in June 2012

Buoyed by the success of the second edition of the Global Investors Meet (GIM) in June 2010, Nirani announced that the government is planning to conduct yet another GIM in June 2012. "We have received additional investments of Rs 91,810 crore after GIM. The success has prompted us to have another GIM,'' he said.

source @ http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/business/india-business/Wipro-Toyota-investment-proposals-cleared/articleshow/7354890.cms

Baring India may invest Rs350-cr in Bangalore realty co news
24 January 2011

Bangalore: Baring Private Equity Partners India Ltd (BPEP) is likely to invest about $75 million, or approximately Rs350 crore, in Bangalore-based Century Real Estate. It may also line up international investors for partial investment in Century.

Reports suggest that Baring's own commitment to the deal may be around $53 million, while overseas investors backing the fund may provide the balance $22 million.

Industry sources say that Baring has initiated the diligence process, which is being carried out by E&Y and KPMG.

Century Real Estate managing director, Ravindra Pai, is yet to confirm the development.

Century is one of the largest land aggregators in south India with a land bank estimated at 3,000 acres. It may deploy the Baring investment as seed capital to develop multiple townships around Bangalore.

Century Real Estate is majority owned by real estate entrepreneur Dayanand Pai and his family which runs the Manipal Education and Medical Group (MEMG).

source (http://www.domain-b.com/industry/Real_estate/20110124_baring_india.html)

BS Reporter / Chennai/ Bangalore January 25, 2011, 0:21 IST

The Karnataka government today cleared 55 new investment proposals involving an investment of Rs 39,583 crore with an employment potential of 115,000.

Major investments cleared today includes the expansion project of Toyota Kirloskar Auto Parts Pvt Ltd at investment of Rs 500 crore in Bidadi near Bangalore, Tyco Electronics Corporation India Pvt Ltd, which has proposed to invest Rs 595 crore to manufacture connector cables and other electrical components in Devanahalli industrial area.
The state high level clearance committee (SHLCC) headed by chief minister B S Yeddyurappa cleared these proposals at its 24th meeting here today.

Briefing reporters, Murugesh R Nirani, minister for large and medium industries, said, “Most of the new proposals cleared today are expansion projects of many existing industries in the state. The state government will organise the second edition of the Global Investors Meet on June 3 and June 4, 2012, to attract more investments.”

Among other projects, Indo Nissin, a subsidiary of Nissin Foods of Japan, which manufactures noodles, has proposed to set up a plant in Harohalli industrial area for an investment of Rs 160 crore. Mahindra Aerospace Pvt Ltd has come forward to set up aerospace component manufacturing unit in Narasapura industrial area in Kolar district at an investment of Rs 284 crore.

Target Corporation India Pvt Ltd, a subsidiary of the US-based Target, plans to set up a software and business service centre in Devanahalli industrial area for an investment of Rs 300 crore. Schneider Electric India Pvt Ltd plans to expand its electronic power gadget capacity in Attibele industrial area in Anekal taluk at a cost of Rs 53 crore.

Pepsico India Holdings is expanding its unit to manufacture non-alcoholic beverages and other food products at its existing facility in Nelamangala at Rs 55 crore, while Wipro, the third largest software exporter, has proposed to set up a unit in aerospace SEZ near the Bangalore international airport at an investment of Rs 52 crore.

KAPCI Coatings India Pvt Ltd, an Egypt-based company is establishing a paint manufacturing company in Harohalli Industrial Area for an investment of Rs 55 crore. Bando India Pvt Ltd a Japanese company has shown interest in establishing a new transmission belt manufacturing plant in Narasapura Industrial Area in Kolar district with an investment of Rs 99 crore.

The state government would soon open a regional office of the Karnataka Udyog Mitra, a single window agency, in Mumbai to facilitate investments from the western region of the country, Nirani added
http://www.business-standard.com/india/news/state-clears-rs-39583-cr-investment-proposals/422884/

7 cities soaked most office space in '10
TNN, Jan 25, 2011, 12.06am IST
MUMBAI: The top seven cities in the country absorbed 32 million square feet of office space in 2010, stated an India Office Market View report by global property consultant C B Richard Ellis, which was released on Monday.

The report covers Grade A and Grade B office space rentals and market movements across the national capital region (NCR), Mumbai, Bangalore, Chennai, Hyderabad, Pune and Kolkata.

Mumbai, NCR, Bangalore and Hyderabad led the country in space absorption.

Read more: 7 cities soaked most office space in '10 - The Times of India http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/mumbai/7-cities-soaked-most-office-space-in-10/articleshow/7356559.cms#ixzz1C1lsMR4K


Approx. 32mn Sq ft Office space absorbed in 2010: CB Richard Ellis (http://www.indiainfoline.com/Markets/News/Approx.-32mn-Sq-ft-Office-space-absorbed-in-2010-CB-Richard-Ellis/5062290387)

India Infoline News Service / 15:40 , Jan 24, 2011
The National Capital Region, Bangalore, Hyderabad and Mumbai led the country in spatial absorption.

According to the findings of CB Richard Ellis India’s latest report titled “Indian Office Market View” for Q 4, 2010, there was an overall spatial absorption of approx. 32 million sq ft across the top 7 cities in the year 2010. The India Office Market View report covers Grade A & Grade B office space rentals and market movements across the cities of NCR, Mumbai, Bangalore, Chennai, Hyderabad, Pune and Kolkata. The National Capital Region, Bangalore, Hyderabad and Mumbai led the country in spatial absorption.

The fourth quarter witnessed further reduction in vacancy in the CBDs in all major cities, as occupiers (largely non-IT) preferred central locations for Grade A as well as Grade B spaces. However, vacancy levels increased in suburban destinations (led by Gurgaon, Noida, GST Road, Ambattur, Thane and Navi Mumbai, amongst others) largely due to a huge supply pipeline.

On the supply front, while the market witnessed an addition of approx. 55 million sq ft of office space across the top 7 cities, it is estimated that another approx. 55-60 million sq ft is lined up for completion in the next 2 years. More than 60% of the upcoming supply is concentrated in the three big markets of NCR, Mumbai and Bangalore, almost 70% of which is IT dominated (STPI / IT Parks/ SEZs).

Rental values have been rising steadily in the CBDs in 2010, banking on resurgent demand and declining vacancy levels, amidst negligible supply additions. The demand for quality CBD space continues to rise in major cities like Delhi and Mumbai, which is escalating developer expectations. However, absence of adequate levels of Grade A space in CBD is also making some occupiers move towards the suburb locations, resulting in rental stagnation in the fourth quarter.

According to Mr. Anshuman Magazine, Managing Director, CB Richards Ellis, “The year gone by has seen a resurgence in the demand for office space fueled by business expansion of corporate India in the backdrop of economic recovery. New economy sectors like, Telecommunications, Pharmaceuticals, FMCG, besides Banking and Financial Services led the overall demand for office space. We believe the Indian office market will continue to see increased transaction volumes consequently leading to higher absorption levels in the medium term.”


The Indian Office Market View – Q4, 2010 report, also indicates that the India office market will continue to be dictated by the demand-supply dynamics in different micro markets of each city, each inching on a different trajectory, while being governed by economic growth and corporate expansion plans. Additionally, in the short to medium term rental value will witness an appreciation especially in the CBD (prime city). Whereas rest of the regions such as suburbs could witness over supply, hence, rents might remain stable or even witness marginal correction in a short to medium term. However, this rental correction would be largely supply driven and might not be as steep as witnessed post the downturn in 2009.

Some of the major rentals trends as per the findings of the report are:

In the Delhi NCR region leasing activity remained active in the Central Business District (CBD) during this quarter. As occupiers continued to evolve strategies to locate in a centralized location like Connaught Place, the lack of Grade A office space led to an increased demand for Grade B space. This resulted in an upward movement in the lease rentals in Grade B buildings. The increase in rentals was further accelerated by the ‘bullish’ sentiment of small strata owners who demonstrated little flexibility during commercial negotiations. In Delhi the Jasola District Centre emerged as the “corporate destination” with increased demand for both small and large office space. Noida is increasingly attracting interest of prospective office space occupiers (predominantly in the IT/ITeS segments) and witnessed absorption of 0.2 million sq ft and 0.3 million sq ft in the IT/ITES and SEZ segments in Q4 2010. While the year 2010 illustrated positive signs of revival in terms of increased velocity of transactions, demand in the peripheral market of Gurgaon remained under constant pressure due to oversupply situation.

In Mumbai Transaction activity and absorption levels are expected to continue to improve across micro markets in 2011 as well. Rental values should firm up in central locations, however might face some vacancy pressure in suburbs which could potentially get alleviated by the expected accelerated leasing velocity. There is substantial Grade A demand of the Bandra Kurla Complex or Lower Parel, Worli indicating a move towards the Alternate Business District (ABD) and the Extended Business District (EBD).


In Bangalore, Overall absorption for the year 2010 across micro markets has been an approximate 9 million sq ft, which was an increase of almost 40% yearon-year. Some of the major corporate occupiers who have committed to large spaces during the year are HP, IBM, Accenture, Capgemini, TCS, SwissRE, JP Morgan, Schneider, Wells Fargo, Deloitte, Siemens and Volvo. There has been a significant improvement in market activity and it is expected that micro markets like Whitefield,Outer Ring Road and North Bangalore will continue to witness sustained interest by corporate occupiers in 2011 as well. Infrastructure initiatives like the MRTS, signal free Outer Ring Road are likely to further propel the market.

In Chennai, Market sentiment does seem rejuvenated in view of the absorption trend and given the existing enquiry levels and demand pipeline, 2011 could witness a further increase in transaction velocity. The Central Business District (CBD) encompassing areas of Anna Salai, T Nagar, RK Salai, Alwarpet, Nungambakkam witnessed notable improvement in demand predominantly for small and medium size office spaces. Almost 84,000 sq ft of fresh supply was released into this micro market, while absorption of close to 0.15 million sq ft was witnessed in Q4 2010.

In Hyderabad, the Central Business District (CBD) comprising areas of Begumpet, Somajiguda and parts of Banjara Hills, continued to witness demand for fully fitted out office spaces. Rental values for this micro market were observed to be marginally higher as observed in early 2010, with limited supply of furnished spaces and no addition of fresh supply to the commercial stock. Vacancy level was observed to be at approximately 4 - 5%. The IT Corridor consisting of Madhapur, Kondapur, Gachibowli and Nanakramguda remained the most dynamic and preferred micro market in the city, the enhanced level of enquiries for office space in both SEZ and non SEZ segments leading to gradual exhaustion of all available supply.

Pune witnessed an increase in the number of enquiries and absorption in the last few months of 2010. Due to limited supply of small floor plate sized offices in the CBD, vis-à-vis a high demand for similar formats, rentals are expected to increase marginally in the coming few months. Peripheral markets are expected to witness a surging demand, amidst an equally robust supply, which is expected to keep the rental values stable in the short to medium term.

In Kolkata, In spite of elevated levels of enquiry, transaction velocity still remains low. Leasing activity is expected to remain on cautious footing except for projects that are based on capacity expansion for long term business objectives. Rental and capital values across most micro markets could inch up post state elections.

Bangalore accounts for 9mn sqft out of total 32mn. :banana:
hyd leads chennai despite telangana problem.. Noida absorbed more than chennai :tiasd:

7 cities soaked most office space in '10
TNN, Jan 25, 2011, 12.06am IST


Approx. 32mn Sq ft Office space absorbed in 2010: CB Richard Ellis (http://www.indiainfoline.com/Markets/News/Approx.-32mn-Sq-ft-Office-space-absorbed-in-2010-CB-Richard-Ellis/5062290387)

India Infoline News Service / 15:40 , Jan 24, 2011
The National Capital Region, Bangalore, Hyderabad and Mumbai led the country in spatial absorption.


Bangalore accounts for 9mn sqft out of total 32mn. :banana:
hyd leads chennai despite telangana problem.. Noida absorbed more than chennai :tiasd:


-1

i think major IT exapansion in chennai happened mainly on their own campuses.

^^ another excuse is that chennai development happens more in suburbs not in city limits which is not counted by these surveys :doh: :doh: that noida was more than chennai only for q4 2010, we dont know full year values

now back to bangalore. 9mn out of 32mn is commendable indeed..

^^ another excuse is that chennai development happens more in suburbs not in city limits which is not counted by these surveys :doh: :doh: that noida was more than chennai only for q4 2010, we dont know full year values

now back to bangalore. 9mn out of 32mn is commendable indeed..

i dont know how the total came to 32 million sq.ft when absorbtion in cities like noida and chennai are less than 0.3 million sq.ft...Can someone clarify?

^^ 0.3mn is for the quarter. 32mn is for the year. your doubt looks genuine but i dont think cbre will make such tallying errors. but chennai is adding lot of jobs but not grade A office space means lot of low level jobs there.

Blackstone closing in on its first realty deal in India

Raghuvir Badrinath / Chennai/ Bangalore January 25, 2011, 0:25 IST

Blackstone, the global private equity giant based in the US which has a corpus of $9.5 billion, is understood to be closing in on its first real estate deal in India. The private equity fund, present in India with its real estate team for the past three years, is understood to be in discussions with Bangalore-based Embassy Property Development to invest around Rs 200 crore in one of its projects.

Embassy Property Development is understood to be raising private equity even as it is awaiting Securities & Exchange Board of India (SEBI) clearance for a planned public offer of Rs 2,400 crore which is expected during this calendar. The issue is expected to be managed by investment banks UBS, Citigroup, Nomura and Edelweiss.

While Blackstone could not be reached for comments, Embassy denied any such plans of raising funds from Blackstone. According to recent reports, Embassy was also in talks with Temasek and HDFC Property Ventures for a $100 million private equity infusion, the status of which is not yet clear.

Embassy has so far developed close to 25 million square feet with a high degree of focus on business parks. Of the Rs 2,400 crore planned public issue, Embassy plans to use around Rs 803 crore to invest in ongoing projects, Rs 685 crore in various subsidiaries and around Rs 123 crore pay loans (including loans of subsidiaries).

While Blackstone is expected to do a full-blooded real estate deal in the near future, the PE fund during 2008 had taken an exposure of $18 million in Bangalore-based construction-management company — Synergy Property Development Services. Synergy focuses on architectural design and complete project management.

Some of its major projects have included Medicity in Gurgaon, Select Citywalk, a retail development in Delhi; and the Park Hyatt hotel in Chennai.

BS (http://www.business-standard.com/india/news/blackstone-closing-inits-first-realty-deal-in-india/422886/)

Sick PSUs come under scanner - Govt To Disinvest In 10, Shut Down 3
Manu Aiyappa, TNN, Jan 27, 2011, 12.56am IST
BANGALORE: Karnataka has decided to disinvest in 10 loss-making public sector undertakings (PSUs) and close down at least three by this year-end as part of its public enterprise reform programme.

The government has, for the first time, officially prepared a list of sick public sector units to determine the future course of action for these financially troubled enterprises.

"The exercise is part of government strategy to track and rate their performance on a regular basis. We will now look at devising a plan of action for such chronically ill companies,'' said V P Baligar, principal secretary, department of commerce and industries.

The department of public enterprises, the nodal body for policy formulation for state-owned firms, has listed 42 state public sector enterprises as sick and loss-making. The list was prepared as part of the revised format for categorizing state public sector units on the basis of their performance and respective fields of operation. The new classification, which broadens the existing grouping of firms into 12 categories, will be made applicable from 2011-12.

"There is no alternative for the state than to go ahead with public enterprise reforms involving restructuring and disinvestments,'' said a senior official, indicating the hurry the government is in disinvesting loss-making companies.

NETAS TO BLAME

Political interference is the reason for several PSUs incurring losses, say experts. Top jobs in PSUs have become attractive berths for political personalities who head them as chairpersons. They not only make use of the office for political gain but also fail to play a catalyst role in taking the corporations forward. "Not many chairpersons have bothered to initiate steps to plug the prevailing loss, forget making profits,'' said a concerned industrialist.

Though disinvestments and reforms process were initiated as early as in 2002 during the tenure of S M Krishna (now external affairs minister), there had been widespread protest against the move. Succumbing to pressure, previous governments too delayed the process by announcing plans for "rejuvenation of PSUs'', including those on the verge of closure. Will the BJP government show that it is different?

Companies shortlisted for privatization

Karnataka Power Corporation
Karnataka Silk Industries Corporation
Karnataka Soaps and Detergents
Mysore Electrical Industries Ltd
Karnataka Vidyuth Karkhane
Mysore Minerals Ltd (MML)
Mysore Sugar Company
Mysore Paper Mills Ltd
Sree Kanteerava Studios Ltd
Karnataka Handloom Development Corporation

Non-working PSUs facing closure

Karnataka Fisheries Development Corporation
Karnataka Compost Development Corporation
Karnataka Leather Industries Development Corporation
Karnataka Cashew Development Corporation
Karnataka Coir Board Development Corporation
Karnataka Tur Dal Development Corporation
D Devaraj Urs Truck Terminals Corporation
Karnataka Sheep and Wool Development Corporation

Read more: Sick PSUs come under scannerGovt To Disinvest In 10, Shut Down 3 - The Times of India http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/bangalore/Sick-PSUs-come-under-scannerGovt-To-Disinvest-In-10-Shut-Down-3/articleshow/7368474.cms#ixzz1CCqaCmhH

state govt should concentrate on governance, and give up doing business to private companies

NCR - Includes Delhi/Gurgaon/Noida? What else? Well connected by Metro i guess. thats the main reason for continuous growth

Office space demand up by 40% to 9 million sq ft (http://www.business-standard.com/india/news/office-space-demandby-40-to-9-million-sq-ft/423087/)
BS Reporter / Chennai/ Bangalore January 27, 2011, 0:31 IST

Demand for office space in Bangalore has seen a 40 per cent rise in 2010 over the previous year with a overall absorption reaching around 9 million sq ft during this period. Most of the demand in Bangalore was driven by global MNCs and IT companies during last year.

“There has been significant improvement in market activity and it is expected that micro markets like Whitefield, Outer Ring Road and North Bangalore will continue to witness sustained interest by corporate occupiers in 2011 as well,” a research report of real estate consultancy firm, CB Richard Ellis said.

It also said that infrastructure initiatives like the MRTS, signal free outer ring road are likely to further propel the market. Some of the major corporate occupiers which have committed to large space in 2010 in Bangalore are HP, IBM, Accenture, Capgemini, TCS, SwissRE, JP Morgan, Schneider, Wells Fargo, Deloitte, Siemens and Volvo among others.

Meantime, overall absorption of office space in 2010 stood at around 32 million sq ft across seven cities in 2010 as per the report.

The report covers cities like National Capital Region (NCR), Mumbai, Bangalore, Chennai, Hyderabad, Pune and Kolkata. The demand for office space was led by NCR, Bangalore, Hyderabad and Mumbai during this period,the report added. Referring to the demand scenario, Anshuman Magazine, managing director of CB Richard Ellis said, “Last year has seen a resurgence in the demand for office space fueled by business expansion of corporate India in the backdrop of economic recovery. New economy sectors like telecommunications, pharmaceuticals, FMCG, besides banking and financial services led the overall demand for office space.”

He also said that Indian office market would continue to see increased transaction volumes consequently leading to higher absorption levels in the medium term.

Further, supply of office space and rentals witnessed an upward trend in 2010. On the supply front, around 55 million sq ft was lined up for completion in the next two years with 60 per cent of the supply coming from NCR, Mumbai and Bangalore.

Rental values have also seen a steady increase in the central business districts (CBD) in 2010 on the back of resurgent demand and declining vacancy levels. “The demand for quality CBD space continues to rise in major cities like Delhi and Mumbai,” the report said.

The report, however, said that due to absence of adequate space in CBD, occupiers were moving towards suburban areas.

Office space demand up by 40% to 9 million sq ft (http://www.business-standard.com/india/news/office-space-demandby-40-to-9-million-sq-ft/423087/)
BS Reporter / Chennai/ Bangalore January 27, 2011, 0:31 IST

Similar kind of articles repeated many times in this thread.

German power equipment and transmission major Siemens, which had put up an 8-acre plot of land in Bangalore on the block last September, is learnt to have got a top bid of R400 crore from Bangalore-based developer RMZ. Several other bidders including Hiranandani Upscale and Nitesh Estates had participated in the bidding process.

Siemens will finalise the deal after obtaining board approval. When asked about why the land was being sold, Siemens told HT in an email, “Siemens has put one of its properties in Bangalore on sale as part of a regular exercise of reviewing its assets for optimum utilisation and consolidation of business synergies.”

The company is selling its non-core real estate assets in India, from time to time. In 2009 Siemens had raised R50 crore by selling 13 premium apartments in Mumbai.

It is learnt that RMZ plans to develop a residential complex on the land in question.

This is one of the biggest real estate deals in Bangalore in recent times. The city’s property market had peaked between 2007-2009 before dipping, though prices have been stable for the last six months.

Bangalore’s biggest property deal in recent times was the purchase of 135 acres by Hiranandani Upscale, an offshoot of Mumbai-based Hirco, for R 500 crore in 2009.

Source @ http://www.hindustantimes.com/Siemens-gets-Rs-400-cr-offer-for-8-acre-Bangalore-plot/Article1-654648.aspx

is this the MG Road building? owned by Siemens?

Similar kind of articles repeated many times in this thread.

dude this report sums up your 10 individual property deal news u post..

The Ascott Limited (Ascott), CapitaLand’s wholly-owned serviced residence business unit, has signed a joint venture (JV) agreement with India’s leading property developer, RMZ Corp, to develop a 203-unit serviced residence in Bangalore.

Under the agreement, Ascott will hold a 50 percent stake in the JV Company for INR 151.75 million, while RMZ Corp will acquire the remaining stake.

Ascott will manage the new Citadines Galleria Bangalore — its first Citadines apart’hotel and second property in Bangalore — when it opens in 2014.

Mr. Ronald Tay, Chief Investment Officer of Ascott, said, “Our partnership with RMZ Corp will allow us to leverage on each other’s strong brand reputation and expertise to further scale up Ascott’s presence in India. With Citadines Galleria Bangalore, Ascott will have close to 1,600 apartment units across seven properties in Bangalore, Ahmedabad, Chennai and Hyderabad. Besides expanding our presence in these cities, we will continue to seek opportunities for growth in other cities such as Mumbai, New Delhi and Pune.”

The company will also open Somerset Greenways Chennai, its first property in India this year, said Mr. Tay, who manages the company’s business in India.

Located in Yelahanka, Citadines Galleria Bangalore is part of a mixed development called RMZ Galleria, which includes an office tower and a shopping mall. Featuring a contemporary and vibrant design, the serviced residence will feature studio, one- and two-bedroom apartment units, with facilities including a swimming pool, gymnasium and F&B outlets, said Ascott.

Mr. Manoj Menda, Managing Director of RMZ Corp, said, “We are pleased to partner Ascott as it is the world’s largest international serviced residence owner-operator. With 27 years of experience in managing award-winning serviced residences globally, we are confident that Ascott will be able to enhance the value of our development and increase its appeal to discerning international travellers.”
http://www.propertyguru.com.sg/property-management-news/2011/1/29617/ascott-rmz-corp-to-develop-bangalore-serviced-resi

BANGALORE: North Bangalore is fast becoming a bustling business corridor dotted with office and retail spaces. Once seen as a pre-eminent centre for research and industrial activity, it has transformed into a knowledge hub and is home to several Fortune 500 companies.

Ever since the Bengaluru International Airport (BIA) work began, companies have been migrating in that direction. Rentals were also then moderate compared to the traditional IT hubs in the south and east.

A lot of the movement has been towards Manyata Embassy Business Park, an IT SEZ located on the Outer Ring Road and close to Hebbal. The business park is said to be hosting 70,000 IT employees now, and this number is expected to go up to 1.20 lakh when the entire 18.29 million sft is developed over the next three years. Philips has had a strong presence there, along with NXP Semiconductors. Now, companies like IBM, Target, Cognizant are all focussing their expansion plans in that area.

"There is a clear movement towards the northern part of the city," said Karun Varma, MD-Bangalore of real estate consultancy Jones Lang LaSalle India. "The east quadrant is getting too congested. So the north is emerging as a preferred destination for IT firms. There is also now more action in the residential space. With an entry price of Rs 3,500 per sft, it's a good value pick. You can expect a return on investment in 60 months," he said.

Retail action too is now beginning. Kirloskar Mall, developed by Kirloskar Systems, is expected to come up on Bellary Road in 2012, according to real estate consultancy Knight Frank. Regaliaa Buildtech is developing Elements Mall on Thanisandra Road that is expected to open in 2012. Several hotels are also planned around Bellary Road.

Several realtors have announced new launches within a 5-km radius of Manyata park. Developers like Embassy Group, Century Real Estate, Karle Infra Projects, Sobha Developers, Bearys Group, Godrej Properties, G Corp and Legacy Group are all coming up with projects. Prices are generally between Rs 3,500 and Rs 4,500 per sft.

According to Knight Frank Research, Bangalore North will witness a supply of about 10,000 residential units translating into 20 million sft by 2011. Century Real Estate MD Ravindra Pai feels many companies will shift to the northern part of the city when their current leases expire. "There is greater scope for expansion here," he said.

Naresh Dandapat, the regional director-south, Knight Frank India, believes there is potential for capital appreciation with infrastructure projects aiding growth in the northern corridor. "North Bangalore is emerging with possibly the best infrastructure. The elevated road from Hebbal to Yelahanka, high-speed rail link to the airport and widening of Bellary Road from the city centre will foster better connectivity," said Embassy Group CEO Gopi Krishnan.

The government plans to convert the Hebbal-Devanahalli stretch into a signal free carriageway by 2013 under the National Highway Development Programme (NHDP) to provide faster access to the airport. An aerospace SEZ is coming up near Devanahalli. A Rs 1,000-crore financial city and the Information Technology Investment Region (ITIR) are other infrastructure initiatives expected to come up and which are expected to drive a residential boom in the region.

However, the water table is a concern beyond Yelahanka. The government has been reluctant to sanction projects in some of those areas on account of the poor availability of water.

Read more: Companies head towards North Bangalore - The Times of India http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/business/india-business/Companies-head-towards-North-Bangalore/articleshow/7381279.cms#ixzz1CODkCmPK

dude this report sums up your 10 individual property deal news u post..

OF all the articles on commercial real estate, this is the best detailed with complete stats including area/vacancy/price

http://www.dtz.com/portal/downloadCo..._&ctd=RESEARCH

Blore as usual lead with 8.1 million followed very closely by
Mumbai with 8 million (Again non IT so its worth a lot),
NCR with 5.1 million
Hyd 4.1 million
Chennai - 3.7 million
Pune - 3.4 million
Kol - .5 million

^^ but CBRE says bangalore 9 mn.. Also how IT job is less worth than mumbai clerk job?? actually clerk doesnt have career even if he performs very well, but u can climb easily if u perform in IT

^^ but CBRE says bangalore 9 mn.. Also how IT job is less worth than mumbai clerk job?? actually clerk doesnt have career even if he performs very well, but u can climb easily if u perform in IT

Dude Financial companies make lot more money and financial advisors get paid lot more , Average per capita rent in mumbai is atleast 5 to 6 times why would they pay so much to pay clerk?

If the urban development dept is serious about getting rid of hutments and encroachments in Bangalore,it could lead to behemoth apartment blocks housing 1,000 people each

Suchith Kidiyoor @timesgroup.com


Skyscrapers,conceptually at least,are meant for the rich.But there is all likelihood that the poor would be made to rise to vertigo-inducing heights in the garden city.
With slums proliferating in the Bangalore city limits,the think tank (read bureaucrats) in the state urban development department,egged on by the Centre,feels the best way to make the city jhopadpatti-free is to go vertical.
A source in the urban development department said that the buildings in which they plan to rehabilitate the urban poor could go up to 30 storeys,floor area ratio (FAR) permitting.There are 19 lakh slum dwellers in Bangalore.Assuming there are five people per family,it comes to 3.8 lakh households.Even if it is assumed that there would be six flats on each floor,a 30-storey building would accommodate only 180 families,or 900 people.So,to accommodate all 19 lakh slum-dwellers,at least 2,000 such buildings would have to be built.And the number of such concrete King Kongs could only go up as not everywhere in the city the FAR would allow 30 storeys,which is the maximum.The rationale for going vertical is that 70% of the 682 slum pockets in Bruhat Bangalore Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) limits are on private land.The government would require thousands of crores of rupees to acquire these private lands to ensure permanent housing to the poor.

http://lite.epaper.timesofindia.com/Repository/BGMIR/2011/01/30/1/Img/Pc0010300.jpg

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2,000 30-STOREY SLUMS TO RISE IN CITY?

Bangalore metro fuelling rental values in CBD

The talk of Hyderabad taking on Bangalore to wrest the IT capital crown is now passé. Hyderabad performed miserably in 2010 in office space demand, led mainly by the IT industry. But that is no consolation for Bangalore. It will have to deal with a new threat, Pune, which has topped among Indian cities in registering the highest office space demand last year, says the annual Cushman and Wakefield global research report on office space demand.

In 2010, the highest growth in rental values was recorded in Pune (11%) followed by Bangalore (10%) and Mumbai (6%).Pune saw a growth in demand as stability returned to the economy with many IT/ ITeS companies looking at securing office space in the city. Excellent infrastructure and connectivity, lower rental (compared to other IT/ITeS locations) were among other factors that contributed to the rise in demand in Pune.The Delhi market for office space proved stagnant with zero growth.

As for Bangalore, its tempo of growth was led by Central Business District (CBD), unlike in the past, when the south or north of Bangalore proved the attraction. This change is linked to Metro which has raised people's expectation of better connectivity. Of course, it is still less than 13% growth of the pre-meltdown period of 2008. Not surprisingly, leading developers like Century, Prestige, Embassy and Brigade have ongoing top-end office space projects in the CBD area.

The global recovery was led by the Asia-Pacific region where rents increased by 8% over the year.China led the league and India was an integral part of this growth story where rentals increased in the range of 5% to 15% in major micro markets across the leading commercial centres of India.

Arvind Nandan, executive director, Occupier Services Cushman & Wakefield, India, says: “Most markets started to witness a growth in rental values for commercial spaces in 2010. Mumbai and Hyderabad are the only locations which are yet to see growth. This growth is expected to remain positive for a few quarters, though some caution would continue to be exercised by the occupiers. This cautious approach will mean that rental-value growth pattern will be on pace to 2010 and in some locations, may even hold steady.”

“Let’s not beat the drum in self-exultation,” says K Sridhar, chairman of Builders Association, Karnataka (Bangalore) Centre, striking a sobering note.

“Weather is the winner. Next to the friendly weather is the availability of trained human resources. But if you consider infrastructure facility, Bangalore can’t beat Hyderabad. With Metro set to make commuting easier, the situation would improve for Bangalore,” Sridhar said. Top developers and builders knew the trend, it seems. Most of the top 10 developers in the city have of late given a shift to office space. This is a departure from the traditional home providing.

Bangalore metro fuelling rental values in CBD (http://www.dnaindia.com/bangalore/report_bangalore-metro-fuelling-rental-values-in-cbd_1502450)
Published: Thursday, Feb 3, 2011, 10:31 IST | Updated: Thursday, Feb 3, 2011, 10:31 IST
By PK Surendran | Place: Bangalore | Agency: DNA

The talk of Hyderabad taking on Bangalore to wrest the IT capital crown is now passé. Hyderabad performed miserably in 2010 in office space demand, led mainly by the IT industry. But that is no consolation for Bangalore. It will have to deal with a new threat, Pune, which has topped among Indian cities in registering the highest office space demand last year, says the annual Cushman and Wakefield global research report on office space demand.

In 2010, the highest growth in rental values was recorded in Pune (11%) followed by Bangalore (10%) and Mumbai (6%).Pune saw a growth in demand as stability returned to the economy with many IT/ ITeS companies looking at securing office space in the city. Excellent infrastructure and connectivity, lower rental (compared to other IT/ITeS locations) were among other factors that contributed to the rise in demand in Pune.The Delhi market for office space proved stagnant with zero growth.

As for Bangalore, its tempo of growth was led by Central Business District (CBD), unlike in the past, when the south or north of Bangalore proved the attraction. This change is linked to Metro which has raised people's expectation of better connectivity. Of course, it is still less than 13% growth of the pre-meltdown period of 2008. Not surprisingly, leading developers like Century, Prestige, Embassy and Brigade have ongoing top-end office space projects in the CBD area.

The global recovery was led by the Asia-Pacific region where rents increased by 8% over the year.China led the league and India was an integral part of this growth story where rentals increased in the range of 5% to 15% in major micro markets across the leading commercial centres of India.

Arvind Nandan, executive director, Occupier Services Cushman & Wakefield, India, says: “Most markets started to witness a growth in rental values for commercial spaces in 2010. Mumbai and Hyderabad are the only locations which are yet to see growth. This growth is expected to remain positive for a few quarters, though some caution would continue to be exercised by the occupiers. This cautious approach will mean that rental-value growth pattern will be on pace to 2010 and in some locations, may even hold steady.”

“Let’s not beat the drum in self-exultation,” says K Sridhar, chairman of Builders Association, Karnataka (Bangalore) Centre, striking a sobering note.

“Weather is the winner. Next to the friendly weather is the availability of trained human resources. But if you consider infrastructure facility, Bangalore can’t beat Hyderabad. With Metro set to make commuting easier, the situation would improve for Bangalore,” Sridhar said. Top developers and builders knew the trend, it seems. Most of the top 10 developers in the city have of late given a shift to office space. This is a departure from the traditional home providing.



Global office mkt recovers in 2010; rentals grow by 1 pc (http://news.in.msn.com/business/article.aspx?cp-documentid=4876531)

New Delhi, Feb 2 (PTI) Global office market recovered in the last year from the negative growth witnessed in 2009 with rentals rising by one per cent, mainly on the back of strong demand for office space in the Asia Pacific Regions, property consultant Cushman and Wakefield said in a report.
"The global occupational office market recovered from the downward trend seen in 2009 to positive rental growth in 2010," C&W said.
While rentals globally grew by one per cent in 2010, they had declined by 11 per cent in 2009, the consultant said, while attributing the growth in rentals to strong demand for office space in many countries.
Office rentals had fallen sharply in 2009 due to global economic downturn that affected office demand.
"The recovery was led by the Asia Pacific region where rents increased by 8 per cent over the year," C&W said.
Hong Kong and Beijing saw huge jumps in rental growth of 51 per cent and 48 per cent, respectively.
"India was an integral part of this growth story where rentals increased in the range of 5-15 per cent in major micro markets across the leading commercial centres of India," the report said.
In 2010, the highest growth in rental values was recorded in Pune (11 per cent) followed by Bangalore (10 per cent) and Mumbai (6 per cent).
"Pune saw a growth in demand as stability returned to the economy with many IT/ ITeS companies looking at securing office space in the city," the report said, adding that good infrastructure and connectivity, lower rental (compared to other IT locations) were other factors for the rise in demand.
Hyderabad was the only location in India, which saw a slowdown in rental values in 2010 over 2009. The rental declined by three per cent last year in the city.
"The demand remained restrained for a reasons such as more attractive alternate locations such as Pune and Chennai and also some political unrest which dithered companies from committing space in the city," the report pointed out.

Bangalore Fashion Week is bigger and better (http://www.dnaindia.com/lifestyle/report_bangalore-fashion-week-is-bigger-and-better_1502509)
Published: Thursday, Feb 3, 2011, 12:41 IST
By Sharanya C R | Place: Bangalore | Agency: DNA

http://static.dnaindia.com/images/cache/1502684.jpg
Models Shruti Iyer and Param Vir pose with designer Reshma Gangji and choreographer Rahul Dev Shetty

Rustle out your evening dresses and make those salon bookings — Blenders Pride Bangalore Fashion Week takes off today and you’d be missing out on something absolutely decadent if you’re not there...

Themed on Summer and Shower, the fashion week will be on till February 6 at the swanky new Hotel Matthan.

The four-day long event will see several designers including Neeta Lulla, Satya Paul, Anju Modi, Riyaz Gangji, Swapnil Shinde and Monapali showcasing their new line of collection. But, the highlight of this season are international designers like Bo Carter, Richie Rich, and the designer trio — Pamela, Archana and Muraad — who will only add to the opulence of the show!

“We are glad to announce the fourth season of Blender’s Pride Bangalore Fashion Week. With several big designers from India, international designers and new talent, we’ve setnew standards this season,” says Sajid Mahajan, marketing director of Dream Merchants, the people behind this show.

Designer Reshma Gangji of LIBAS, whois showcasing in BFW for the first time, says, “Though we’ve had a couple of shows earlier in Bangalore, this is our first time at BFW. Every little thing has been taken into detail, making it look organised. We are glad to be part of this and waiting to see the audience’s response to our new collection, Valley of Flowers.”

Apart from a host of city-based models, international models from Paris and Ukraine too will be walking the ramp. “This is my first visit to India and I’ve already met a couple of models from here and it’s great to interact with them. And, I will be wearing Indian outfits like saris and lehengas, which is quite cool!” says Charlotte, a model.

Choreographers Achala Sachdev, Rahul Dev Shetty and MS Sreedhar will also be instrumental in this year’s BFW. “I will choreograph for Satya Paul, Riyaz Gangji and several others. It’s going to be fun this time,” says Rahul. “A change is important — with several new models and designers being a part of this season, it’s definitely a big platform for them to prove themselves,” says Achala Sachdev.

6 Feb, 2011, 11.17AM IST,PTI
Mumbai Asia's 4th costliest place for office space in Oct-Dec (http://economictimes.indiatimes.com/markets/real-estate/realty-trends/mumbai-asias-4th-costliest-place-for-office-space-in-oct-dec/articleshow/7435787.cms)

NEW DELHI: Mumbai has become the fourth costliest city in Asia Pacific for renting a office in the last quarter of 2010 with cost higher than even places like Shanghai, Seoul and Sydney, according to Jones Lang LaSalle.

The global realty consultant Jones Lang LaSalle (JLL) said that India's capital is also not far behind, occupying the 10th spot in the list of 26 cities across the region.

The top three costliest cities are Hong Kong , Tokyo and Singapore , where average annual rents at the most expensive locations stood at USD 1,511, USD 752 and USD 747 per sq mt during the quarter.

While the average annual rentals of Mumbai during the quarter has been estimated at USD 705 per sq mt, the same has been found to be USD 503 per sq mt for Delhi.

Bangalore was ranked 24th and Chennai at 26th with average annual rentals of USD 136 per sq mt and USD 124 per sq mt respectively. The report further said that with fundamentals of economic growth being very strong in the region, rentals are likely to strengthen in the coming period.

"Consistent with strong fundamentals, we expect leasing demand to remain solid and vacancies to generally trend down over the next few quarters," JLL said. Rental growth of up to 30 per cent is expected across the region this year, with the strongest growth likely to be seen in supply constrained markets, it added.

During the October-December quarter of 2010, rentals in Mumbai, Delhi and Bangalore increased by 3.2 per cent, 3.6 per cent and 5.6 per cent respectively over the previous three-month period. In another survey, the consultant said that Mumbai saw highest space utilisation in the year in fourth quarter, indicating a robust demand.

"Demand for Grade A office space was broad-based and not restricted to the banking, financial services and insurance ( BFSI )) sectors, which typically dominate Mumbai's tenant landscape," it said, adding other sectors such as aviation and IT/ITES were also active during the period.

As on December 31, 2010, the total operational office spaces in Mumbai's prime locations stood at 39.1 million sq ft (3.63 million sq mt), with an overall vacancy level of 11.5 per cent.

Supply is expected to exceed demand, and this will keep an upward pressure on vacancy.

Anjana Chandramouly

Anil Urs

The real-estate sector saw growth in the markets in North and West but in Bangalore it was a conservative, end-user driven market in 2010.

Mr Naresh Dandapat, National Director-South, Knight Frank India, says, With improving economy and slightly stable property prices, investors and end-users are ready to enter the market.”

According to a Cushman & Wakefield report, in 2010, Bangalore recorded 90 per cent growth in office space supply at about 10.1 million sq.ft over the previous year. Absorption was 9.9 million sq.ft, a 72 per cent increase. Rentals recorded an annual appreciation of 5-16 per cent. Rentals in the peripheral regions of Whitefield and Electronics City, which are on the lower side, saw the highest annual rise at 16 per cent, while suburban micro-markets registered 11 per cent increase during 2010. Central business district (CBD) locations registered a 13 per cent rental increase.

Mr Dandapat said the average rentals for offices in the CBD and SBD were at Rs 65 and Rs 35 per sq.ft respectively. “However, the improving market has pushed the rentals in SBD to between Rs 40 and Rs 55 per sq.ft, whereas CBD commands Rs 70-85.”

Bangalore is expected to witness demand of 25-28 million sq.ft of office space by 2013. There are signs of demand revival in commercial real estate as the IT/ITeS sector is considering expansion.

Supply is expected to exceed demand, and this will keep an upward pressure on vacancy, points out Mr Dandapat. As the rental values had declined substantially since the onset of the downturn and the economy is now improving, any further rental correction seems unlikely, say experts.

Developers have been cautious on pricing in the residential segment. However, prices did go up marginally — 10-15 per cent during the year. “We have not seen any impact of the prices on the demand during the year,” says Mr Anshuman Magazine, Chairman and Managing Director, CB Richard Ellis-South Asia.

For instance, Sobha Developers launched six projects — four in Bangalore — in 2010 and increased prices in some of its projects, says its managing director, Mr J.C. Sharma.

Mr Sharma points out that sales have seen better times in 2010. On a quarter-on-quarter basis, sales grew considerably, he says, without divulging figures. “There has been increase in both top line and bottom line. We have also reduced our debt.” The company has 23 ongoing residential projects aggregating to 9.94 million sq.ft.

South India's tallest residential tower at 46 stories, launched by Mantri Developers, comes on the back of a 20-30 per cent jump in sales for the company in 2010, according to Mr Bharat Dhuppar, Chief Marketing Officer, Mantri Developers.

The year has been good for Nitesh Estates, says Mr Ashwini Kumar, COO, Nitesh Estates. “We have achieved sales of 567 residential units totalling 0.7 million sq.ft in the first two quarters of the current fiscal. The nine projects under execution are on track and this will help us in our performance for the coming two quarters,” he points out.

Though not many malls were opened in 2010, the 1.7 million sq.ft Mantri Square, the country's largest mall, has seen good response. Mr Dhuppar says it is 98 per cent leased out.

According to Knight Frank estimates, the realty sector would grow at 15-18 per cent annually over three-four years, with a number of IT parks, malls and shopping complexes, and residential townships being constructed across the city.

Prices had hit rock bottom last year due to slackening demand, but they are not expected to reduce further as these segments hold huge potential
http://www.thehindubusinessline.in/iw/2011/01/02/stories/2011010250630900.htm

DNA : Daily News & Analysis; Mumbai, Oct 23, 2010 | by Nirvan, Mythili G

Cities world over have been built around connectivity hubs like airports, rail and bus terminals. Bangalore has been no different. Nearly 30 years back, real estate development in Bangalore started happening with the Majestic area as the center point due to the railway station and the inter-state bus terminus. As the city grew, and more and more IT companies began setting up base, the HAL Airport became abuzz with activity and real estate development began centering around it.

In the last two to three years after the setting up of the BIAL, there is one area which has been the focus of a lot of real estate activity- North Bangalore. The entire stretch from Hebbal to Devanahalli is seeing plenty of commercial and residential real estate development today, with many projects in the pipeline. In fact, real estate developers and realtors alike feel that in the next two to three years North Bangalore will emerge as Greater Bangalore.

Even in the last two years when the market had suffered a setback due to the economic downturn, North Bangalore was the only area in Bangalore which had registered growth.

Projects galore

"North Bangalore is truly emerging as Greater Bangalore. In the next 1 or 2 years, Devanahalli itself will see a lot of commercial development with the recent Global Investors meet having brought a lot of focus to the area," apprises T S Sateesh, Managing Director, Hoysala Projects, who have been pioneers in construction in North Bangalore since the last 12 years.

"There are three industrial parks on 3000 acres of land which are proposed. There will be the Oberoi Hotel right outside the airport terminus, 5-star Fortune hotels, JW Marriot's, besides the BIAL's Airport City and a few international schools and colleges.

Whenever there is a lot of commercial activity planned in any area, residential development follows suit," explains Sateesh, whose company has almost completed the sale of one residential project called� Broxia in Devanahalli and have launched one more project called Corpus.

Other well known builders who are planning residential projects in North Bangalore are Hiranandani Upscale with their integrated community project called Chancery comprising of villas, cottages and apartments, Nitesh Estates with their Nitesh Columbus Square premium housing project, SPL Builders with their premium apartment project called Scintilla, Prestige Builders with their Ozone and Sobha Developers with their residential project called Althea, to name a few.

Better connectivity

To begin with, the state government is planning many infrastructure projects in North Bangalore because of which connectivity within North Bangalore and to other parts of Bangalore will improve drastically. This will boost the real estate development in the area further.

"BDA is planning the Peripheral Ring Road in North Bangalore which will have interchanges at Bellary Road, Tumkur Road, Old Madras Road, Hosur Road and Mysore Road. This will serve to connect the West, East and South Bangalore to North Bangalore seamlessly," apprises Irshad Ahmed, President, Bangalore Realtors Association of India (BRAI) and Secretary, NAR India.

"The other infrastructure projects planned are the proposed high speed rail link to BIAL, the Mono rail, an elevated expressway between Hebbal and Yelahanka and of course the Namma Metro, which will greatly improve connectivity to and within North Bangalore. It is due to these infrastructure projects and the promise of better connectivity that a lot of builders are planning projects here," adds Irshad.

Good time to buy

"This is the time one should look at buying a home in North Bangalore since the prices are not very high now," advises Sateesh.

"For instance, we have been selling Broxia from Rs 14 to 40 lakhs and are now selling Corpus at Rs 40 lakhs upwards, which are both, quite affordable. In fact, owner occupiers can look at investing now in North Bangalore as the appreciation will be very high both in the short term and long term." "Once the complete infrastructure is in place, the prices in North Bangalore will sky rocket, so one should not miss this great opportunity. Also, today one has the option to choose between land and built up since a lot of large land parcels are also available in North Bangalore. It's truly time to head north now," concludes Irshad.

�mythili.nirvan@gmail.com

Credit:Mythili G Nirvan
http://findarticles.com/p/news-articles/dna-daily-news-analysis-mumbai/mi_8111/is_20101023/bangalore-emerging-north/ai_n55854775/

The International airport, flyovers, underpasses and other infrastructure projects have meant that there is a lot of demand for properties in North Bangalore. Also, this stretch has many projects in the premium segment, reports Anisha Mehta

Prestige Golfshire, a golfing enclave located just below the Nandi Hills, is a short drive from the International airport.A few years back, if one were to drive down to Devanahalli or through the entire stretch between Hebbal and Doddaballapur, all you would come across were green fields, peppered with a few houses. Life up there was quiet and far removed from the other parts of Bangalore. Until the Bangalore International Airport, the metro project, flyovers, underpasses and road-widening activities came up.

This infrastructural activity has encouraged property developers to anticipate a growth in demand.

To add to it, the widening of the Bellary Road and future connectivity through the planned Peripheral Ring Road (PRR), which is aimed to connect Tumkur Road, Hosur Road, Mysore Road, Magadi Road, Bellary Road, Old Madras Road, and improve accessibility to Devanahalli, has also made this area the most sought-after real estate destination. This is also spurring interest in residential options around these areas.

Abuzz with activity

North Bangalore is buzzing with activity as a lot of money is being pumped in to develop the infrastructure and of course, the development of residential and commercial spaces that are being offered by small and big property developers alike.

As Sridhar Kulkarni, Marketing Head of Shriram Properties puts it, “The recent Global Investors’ Meet put the spotlight on this area and many industries expressed keen interest in three industrial parks that are coming up on 3,000 acres of land in this region, which will be ready to occupy by the end of this year. We expected a huge demand for properties in North Bangalore and therefore have already completed 4.23 million sq ft of residential space and 1.03 million sq ft of commercial space, in addition to 67 million sq ft of built-up area currently under various stages of development. We have also proposed to launch two projects on the Doddaballapur Road and Jalahalli with 1.3 million sq ft of residential space.”

Bharat Dhuppar, Chief Marketing Officer, Mantri Developers Pvt Ltd says, “Wherever there is improvement in infrastructure, there is increased real estate activity and subsequent demand. The Bangalore International Airport and the six-lane expressway have resulted in a lot of prestigious projects around its vicinity, making North Bangalore a promising real estate destination.”

To add to it, “The schooling infrastructure and connectivity to other parts of Bangalore is one of the major reasons why builders are offering residential spaces in the area and consumers are lapping up these offers too! It’s a win-win situation,” says Nikhil Thard, MD, Edifice Builders Pvt Ltd. The stretch has many projects coming up, especially in the premium segment – villas and high-end lifestyle apartments are being offered by majority property developers.

“In recent times, there is an increasing trend of shifting to high rise lifestyle apartments. These high-rise projects that offer swimming pools, health clubs, landscaped gardens are now growing in popularity and we see a lot of consumers firming up their purchase decisions based on these offerings,” says Bharat Dhuppar.

All for luxury

Reason enough why even Prestige Developers are offering high-end villas (between two and seven crores approximately). Their first project is Prestige Oasis located at Rajankunte while the other is Prestige Golfshire, a golfing enclave located just below the Nandi Hills and a short drive from the International airport. “A lot of people don’t mind travelling for 30 kms everyday from work to home and for people who want a luxurious lifestyle, such spaces are just the answer,” says Nandakumar, Senior General Manager, Prestige Group.

He adds, “These villas or any other homes in North Bangalore might also double up as weekend homes for people, who want to get away from city life once in a while.”
And the response builders have been receiving has been phenomenal. For Nikhil Thard, schooling infrastructure and other social infrastructure in North Bangalore is getting stronger, thereby attracting a lot of interest. “We have therefore launched two projects – high-end villas and a row housing project in Yelahanka that has garnered an impressive response. Customers today are discerning enough and do not mind travelling a little more as long as they know that they will lead a good lifestyle in North Bangalore.”

Connectivity

Says Sridhar Kulkarni, “More importantly, parameters like distance to workplace, children’s school, places of frequent visit, accessibility to the airport or railway station come into focus here. People want the property they invest in, to appreciate more in the future. Therefore, they look out for attributes like metro connectivity, flyovers coming up and proximity to the ring road. North Bangalore has all that and therefore, qualifies as a good investment. The only challenge is whether this growth and investment can be sustained and facilities such as water for instance can be provided.

Says Nandakumar, “Availability of water is a huge concern in North Bangalore. If this is considered and worked upon, the north Bangalore stretch along with its peripheral areas will definitely prove to be a good investment in the next five to ten years.”
http://www.deccanherald.com/images/editor_images/September%202010/September%2024%202010/golf.jpg

Also, with people going ahead and investing in property in North Bangalore, they need to keep in mind various factors before they take the plunge.

Suggests Bharat Dhuppar, “In North Bangalore or elsewhere, consumers buying property should be aware of the pricing, current true value and future appreciation potential before making purchases. The reputation of the builder and this track record is also of utmost importance.” As Nandakumar puts it, “The future is here. Invest in it.”
http://www.deccanherald.com/content/98960/head-north.html

As Bangalore notches up 25 years of outsourcing, it's worth examining the factors that have made
the city such a strong first choice for many businesses
Bangalore, the backbone of India's $60.5 billion outsourcing industry, is notorious for a regimented early closing time for nightlife, horrendous traffic, frequent power outages and a host of other tribulations.Yet 25 years after outsourcing started in the city, it is now the technology hub of the East, sitting at the top of every company's list of offshore destinations for outsourcing and investment. Here are seven reasons why Bangalore enjoys its exalted position.
1. Diversity
After more than two decades of being the face of India's outsourcing industry, Bangalore has matured as an outsourcing hotspot. It offers technology companies a Silicon Valley-like combination of talent, partnership opportunities and a vast network of consultants and vendors. Moving on from
early cut-price, volume-based work, the city now delivers all kinds of technology services in diverse areas.
2. Talent
The city's draw is its talented, technologically savvy workforce who can provide quick ramp-ups, and at operating costs that are a fraction of those abroad. The only rider is that manpower is not limitless.As skills become expensive and attrition becomes a major annoyance, companies like Bangalore headquartered Infosys Technologies are drawing talent from India's rural areas. Infosys CEO Kris Gopalakrishnan revealed recently that 40 per cent of the company's new hires are from non-urban areas.
3. Legacy
"Like some other very famous places, Bangalore has its own legacy," says Shyam Banerji, former head of Texas Instruments' software development operations in India who now heads up his own tech start-up. Texas Instruments was the first multinational to move some operations to Bangalore
in 1984, marking the start of an outsourcing boom.The city has become a benchmark outsourcing destination and is now shifting again to become a
source for innovation, says Banerji. "Legacy is a difficult thing to overlook in multinational corporation boardrooms even when cheaper options become practical," he says.
4. Ecosystem
For many companies looking to offshore, brand Bangalore is a safe bet because of its proven reputation, says Sandeep Dhar, CEO of Tesco Hindustan. Testament to its standing are the rising number of foreign companies setting up captive units following early leaders such as Accenture,
Cisco, Google, IBM, Intel and Yahoo!, which have their critical operations based in the city. The biggest of these are expanding their Bangalore operations because of the ecosystem.
5. Geography
Bangalore benefits from its location. The city is strategically positioned and has increasingly direct air connections to international locations spanning the East and the West. As Cisco's chief globalisation officer, Bangalore-based Wim Elfrink, puts it, the city is within a five-hour flight to 70 per cent of the world's population.
6. Mood
The city has fine weather all year round, a cosmopolitan environment and a vast network of international schools and quality housing. "All those factors makes it attractive to multinational firms' employees who come for short visits or long-term stays, a norm almost of any outsourcing deal today," says Ajay Kela, formerly COO and managing director of outsourcing firm Symphony
Services, who now heads a philanthropic foundation set up by Symphony.
Bangalore is the city of choice for expatriates in India. Bangalore may lie in 140th spot in the global rankings and presents no challenge to the best in the world, but it remains a magnet for foreign executives.
7. New development
After repeated criticisms for failing to act on urban problems, the local government is finally recognising that traffic congestion and unreliable power supply in Bangalore are making life miserable for residents, not to mention investors. So, a number of projects are underway, including a metro rail service that will start this year, a high-speed rail link to the city's new international airports, and ring roads and elevated expressways.A huge integrated suburb is under development in northern Bangalore, offering space to IT companies and also providing housing. Not a cure-all for the city's ills perhaps but certainly a start. Bangalore has a reputation that even President Obama - who has never been anywhere close to the city - cannot ignore. Obama, has often exhorted Americans to fear competition from Bangalore and Beijing.
http://www.markelytics.com/images/news/Bangalore_Still_Tops_the_Offshoring_League.pdf

Survey Finds Poor Road Connectivity As Main Woe | Real Estate Affected Too

Sunitha Rao R | TNN

Bangalore: Is Whitefield losing its sheen as IT hub due to poor infrastructure Though 3.5 lakh techies commute to work there daily from the city,IT/ITES corridors are now being set up in Outer Ring Road and Bangalore North,says a survey.
Reason: Road connectivity is poor with only two stretches connecting Whitefield KR Puram and Marathalli says the survey conducted by Vestian Global Workplace Services.
While the Elevated Expressway has eased some connectivity woes for techies in Electronic City,those working in Whitefield continue to suffer traffic gridlocks due to poor connectivity,the study says.
Though Whitefield has good social infrastructure like schools,international schools,hospitals and even malls,there is just one police station for a 5 km stretch from Whitefield to Forum value mall.
Shrinivas Rao,CEO,Asia Pacific,Vestian Global Workplace Solutions who conducted the study,says there is need to establish an exclusive civic agency that will look after the affairs at Whitefield which has the potential to be Bangalore-2 .
There are possibilities for Whitefield to re-emerge in the next three to four years,only if there is focus on development.A similar effort was made in Hyderabad to develop Gachibowli and Raigada.The problems of Whitefield and an established area like Basavanagudi are not the same.This is something the authorities must understand, says Rao.

VACANT LANDS

Since 2010,vacancy level for office space is 10 million sqft in Whitefield and 3.3 million sqft in Electronic city.
Site owners constructed buildings on the assumption that it would be readily occupied by companies.The landlords mostly built ground plus three floor structures which did not meet the expectations of the MNC companies.Hence,most buildings are lying vacant.
The high vacancy level is registered primarily in such buildings,having 5 million sqft in Whitefield and 2 million sqft in Electronic city.
Whitefield has over 25 million sqft operational IT office space,of which 10 million sqft is vacant.In comparison,Electronic city has over 8.2 million sq ft operational IT office space and 3.3 million sqft is vacant.

Malls,schools,hospitals here

Whitefield has a self-contained system with social infrastructure which offers a convenient living there,especially when the trend is to live close to the workplace.It has six international schools,four retail malls,and five under construction and 30,000 apartments,five star hotels.In Electronics City,focus has not been so much on the social infrastructure.There is not a single retail mall here,but two malls one each on Hosur Road and Electronic city are under construction.
http://lite.epaper.timesofindia.com/Repository/TOIBG/2011/02/11/2/Img/Pc0020600.jpg
http://lite.epaper.timesofindia.com/mobile.aspx?article=yes&pageid=2&edlabel=TOIBG&mydateHid=11-02-2011&pubname=&edname=&articleid=Ar00200&format=&publabel=TOI

World gets 3 million Bangalore roses for Valentine Day (http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/bangalore/World-gets-3-million-Bangalore-roses-for-Valentine-Day/articleshow/7478670.cms)
Mini Joseph Tejaswi, TNN, Feb 12, 2011, 04.28am IST
BANGALORE: Around 5 million stems of roses (individual units) have left the country in the last fortnight for various global markets to cater to the Valentine's Day sales, that alone accounts for over 40% of the world's flower trade pegged at around $100 billion.

Bangalore commands the lion share of the country's total flower market with over 3 million stems of roses, while the rest comes from Maharashtra.

In the last two years, the volumes and prices have been very soft. Last year, Valentine's Day fell on Sunday, with offices and colleges being closed. But there is a clear recovery both in terms of prices and demand this year, say industry players.

Ramakrishna Karuturi, chairman & managing director, Karuturi Networks, the country's largest flower grower and exporter, says exports volumes have gone up by 25% while prices by 40%. "The highest price so far we could get for a single rose this Valentine's Day is Rs 36 against last year's Rs 22. Again, _an export quality single rose fetched Rs 40 in 2006.''

Karuturi alone accounts for 10% of the global Valentine's Day market. It shipped out over a million rose stems from Bangalore, 20 million from Kenya and 7 million stems from Ethiopia to Japan, Singapore, the Middle East, Russia, Australia, UK, New Zealand, Taiwan, Holland, Germany, Spain and China.

Also, February 4 was Chinese new year and millions of rose stems were imported.

The existing floriculture players in India are unable to cater to this kind of export demand. For instance, many players had unfulfilled orders (running up to millions of stems) from various countries including Germany and Portugal.

"It is critical that India increases production levels so that we will have a better and bigger share in the global market. That will also establish us as preferred destination for roses of quality, quantity and consistency,'' says Nadeem Ahmed, former president, South Indian Floriculture Association.

Bangalore has an elevation of 1,000 metres from sea level, and roses grown here are the best in the entire south east Asia and therefore most sought after flower variety in global markets.

Back home, the domestic demand for roses during this Valentine's Day is expected to exceed over 10 million with major markets being Bangalore, Mumbai, Delhi, Kolkota and Chennai. Per capita flower consumption is on the rise with growing incomes, changing lifestyles and mall culture.

FLOWER POWER

* India's rose exports around 5 mn stems
* Karnataka exports over 3 mn stems
* Karnataka has 25,000 hectares of land under floriculture
* Country produces flowers worth over Rs 1,000 crore, of which exports account for 50%
ktaka produces 60% of india.. is it anything to do with knowledge industry?? ;)

Any updates on those towers the goverment is planning to build to house all the people living in slums in Bangalore?

^^ Nay Captain. Will report to you as soon as we have some.

Any updates on those towers the goverment is planning to build to house all the people living in slums in Bangalore?

:bash: That was just a "Bangalore Mirror Exclusive" hugely speculative article. Not a word about it anywhere else. The headline brings one's spirits up, but on reading the whole thing it becomes apparent that it is all about "sources feeling that it is the best way" and all that. Let alone planning, this project is not even defined on paper. :ohno:

Location of Jobs
City with most job openings are as follows:
http://epaper.timesofindia.com/Repository/getimage.dll?path=TOIBG/2011/02/09/39/Img/Pc0391200.jpg
http://epaper.timesofindia.com/Default/Scripting/ArticleWin.asp?From=Archive&Source=Page&Skin=TOINEW&BaseHref=TOIBG/2011/02/09&PageLabel=39&EntityId=Ar03901&ViewMode=HTML&GZ=T

Morgan Stanley Launches India Urbanization Index; Bangalore, Hyderabad and Pune Ranked "Most Vibrant" (http://www.morganstanley.com/about/press/articles/faeb0730-3ac5-11e0-94bb-d37dd3703152.html)
Posted February 17th, 2011 by Morgan Stanley
Press Releases E-mail Article Printer Friendly Feb 17 2011 | Mumbai

Morgan Stanley (NYSE: MS) today announced the release of its latest AlphaWise Evidence Series report, on India Urbanization - a new publication that surveys the top 200 cities in India by population. To be updated quarterly, the Morgan Stanley survey, entitled "AlphaWise City Vibrancy Index: A Guide to India's Urbanization", measures the key drivers of urbanization such as physical infrastructure, financial penetration, consumer services and job listings. The index helps investors evaluate companies' strategic positioning in urban centers and monitor sector trends over time. It also acts as a guide on the relative level of urbanization across India's top cities.

Key findings include:

* Bangalore, Hyderabad and Pune are the most vibrant cities among the top 50 cities in India (by population) on the AlphaWise City Vibrancy Index
* Interestingly, tier two cities like Mysore and Meerut are ranked in the top 10, whereas Mumbai ranks 21st among India's top 50 cities
* Jalandhar, Aurangabad, Bhubhaneshwar, Agra and Raipur are among the "cities of opportunities". The households in these cities earn more than India's average urban household and hence they have scope to be more vibrant

"Urbanization is a core component to the process of city formation and building out India's competitive strength in the global markets," said Ridham Desai, Head of India Research and India Strategist at Morgan Stanley. "The India Urbanization findings underscore our commitment to putting clients at the forefront of the most timely investment debates."

Additional highlights from the survey are that:

* Less than 10% of India's top 200 cities have a 5-star hotel
* About 25% of the cities have no car dealers
* Two third have no luxury car or mid-range car dealer
* 62% of cities are awaiting a large scale retail apparel store or hypermarket
* More than half of the cities have online job search capabilities

The AlphaWise Evidence Series was first launched in India in June 2010 with the first ever corporate survey of 260 large and medium sized companies, this was followed by a farmer survey, auto survey and then the second wave of the corporate survey. The team started 2011 with surveying the unemployed in Urban India in order to get their unique insights.

In May 2010, Morgan Stanley announced that the Firm's India research team ranked as India's top equity research house in the 2010 All-Asia Research Team in Institutional Investor magazine's 17th annual rankings. The Firm also polled as the best research house for Asia economics.

Morgan Stanley is a leading global financial services firm providing a wide range of investment banking, securities, investment management and wealth management services. The Firm's employees serve clients worldwide including corporations, governments, institutions and individuals from more than 1,200 offices in 42 countries. For further information about Morgan Stanley, please visit www.morganstanley.com.
original press release, let me see if i can get hold of the report. Bangalore's the best :banana: Once metro starts in bangalore it will be best of the best ;)

Family earnings above-average in smaller urban centres (http://news.in.msn.com/business/article.aspx?cp-documentid=4936525)

New Delhi, Feb 18 (PTI) Jalandhar, Aurangabad and Agra may be smaller in size than many Indian cities, but household earnings in these places are much more than the urban average across the country, says a new survey.
"Jalandhar, Aurangabad, Bhubhaneshwar, Agra and Raipur are among the ''cities of opportunities''. The households in these cities earn more than India''s average urban household," according to a Morgan Stanley research report, titled, "AlphaWise City Vibrancy Index: A Guide to India''s Urbanisation."
As per the Centre for Monitoring Indian Economy (CMIE), the quarterly average household income is about USD 1,009 (Rs 45,000) per quarter, per urban household across the country, whereas these ''cities of opportunities'' have a quarterly average household income of above Rs 65,000.
The report noted that the key factors that drive urbanisation in the top 200 cities (by population) in India include infrastructure, job opportunities, modern consumer services and the city''s ability to mobilise savings.
The index helps investors evaluate companies'' strategic positioning in urban centers and monitor sector trends over time. It also acts as a guide on the relative level of urbanisation across India''s top cities.
"Urbanisation is a core component to the process of city formation and building out India''s competitive strength in the global markets," said Morgan Stanley''s Head of India Research and Strategist, Ridham Desai.
The report also revealed that tech hub Bangalore has emerged as the most vibrant city in terms of coping with problems like infrastructure and job creation among the country''s top 50 vibrant cities.
Interestingly, second-tier cities Mysore and Meerut came in second and sixth places, while Mumbai stood at 21st position among the country''s top 50 cities in terms of quarterly earnings.
Also among the top 10 cities were Pune (third), Hyderabad (fourth), Chandigarh (fifth), Chennai (seventh), Delhi (eighth), Thiruvananthpuram, (ninth) and Nashik (10th).

Cashing in on the renewed interest in renewable energy segment in India, German solar, wind, bio energy giant — juwi opened its wholly owned subsidiary — juwi India Renewable Energies Pvt Ltd headquartered here on Friday.

With its presence in 11 countries and annual turnover of around €600 million, it will use the Indian susbidary to cater to Asian demands. Since 1996, juwi has been developing, planning, financing and operating plants and systems that use regenartive energies like wind, solar and bio energy.

Talking to Deccan Herald, juwi solar Gmbh Managing Director Lars Falck said “India has enormous potential growth in energy sector and it is the most attractive market in Asia. As leading providers, juwi’s opportunities here are outstanding. Our vision is to create 100 per cent renewable energy and superior return on investment.” The company decided to set up its India headquarter in Bangalore because of trained talent pool and proximity to other main players in the sector, Falck added.

Explaining its activities in India, juwi India President Rajesh Bhat said: “We have already got contract to set up and run power facility of 2.5 MW for an utility company in Gujarat. We are also in advanced stage to operate 1.5 MW power plants in Maharashtra & Rajasthan.”

Indian subsidiary’s operations will start with photovoltaic projects and later into wind and bio energy, Bhat said. juwi sees huge opportunity in India as Centre’s National Solar Mission is planning to add 20,000 MW of solar power generation by 2020.

Based on promising conditions in India and juwi’ s rich expertise in renewable energy projects worldwide, Indian subsidiary expects strong growth within two years of its operation. Till date, the juwi group has built more than 1,400 PV systems with total capacity of over 600MW.

Source @ http://www.deccanherald.com/content/138975/germanys-energy-firm-juwi-india.html

SBI plans to merge 5 subsidiaries in 12-18 months (http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/business/india-business/SBI-plans-to-merge-5-subsidiaries-in-12-18-months/articleshow/7550218.cms)
TNN, Feb 22, 2011, 10.59pm IST
NEW DELHI: State Bank of India proposes to merge its five remaining subsidiaries with itself over the next 12-18 months.

In its deposition before the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Finance, the country's largest lender said the consolidation exercise has been systemically planned as part of a logical step to bring in economies of scale, reduce administrative overheads, redeploy and channelise trained manpower to business development and, in the process, also reduce avoidable competition from different arms of the same group.

While the bank has already merged State Bank of Saurashtra and State Bank of Indore with itself, it would require a government go-ahead to merge the remaining five - State Bank of Hyderabad, State Bank of Patiala, State Bank of Bikaner and Jaipur, State Bank of Travancore and State Bank of Mysore.
good. like air india and indian airlines merger.

[QUOTE=gentem;73027179]


More on this

http://www.expressindia.com/latest-news/Earnings-aboveaverage-in-small-urban-centres/751813/

http://www.financialexpress.com/news/earnings-aboveaverage-in-small-urban-centres/751813/0

As per the Centre for Monitoring Indian Economy (CMIE), the quarterly average household income is about USD 1,009 (Rs 45,000) per quarter, per urban household across the country, whereas these 'cities of opportunities' have a quarterly average household income of above Rs 65,000.

The report noted that the key factors that drive urbanisation in the top 200 cities (by population) in India include infrastructure, job opportunities, modern consumer services and the city's ability to mobilise savings.

The index helps investors evaluate companies' strategic positioning in urban centers and monitor sector trends over time. It also acts as a guide on the relative level of urbanisation across India's top cities.

"Urbanisation is a core component to the process of city formation and building out India's competitive strength in the global markets," said Morgan Stanley's Head of India Research and Strategist, Ridham Desai.

The report also revealed that tech hub Bangalore has emerged as the most vibrant city in terms of coping with problems like infrastructure and job creation among the country's top 50 vibrant cities.

Interestingly, second-tier cities Mysore and Meerut came in second and sixth places, while Mumbai stood at 21st position among the country's top 50 cities in terms of quarterly earnings.

[B]Also among the top 10 cities were Pune (third), Hyderabad (fourth), Chandigarh (fifth), Chennai (seventh), Delhi (eighth), Thiruvananthpuram, (ninth) and Nashik (10th).

Mumbai is world's 6th most expensive city for office space (http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/mumbai/Mumbai-is-worlds-6th-most-expensive-city-for-office-space/articleshow/7555728.cms)
PTI, Feb 23, 2011, 04.56pm IST
NEW DELHI: Mumbai slipped by one place to sixth in the list of the world's most expensive office locations in 2011, according to global realty consultant Cushman & Wakefield.

The 2011 list was topped by Hong Kong, while London and Tokyo came second and third in the rankings, which valued Mumbai's office occupancy cost at USD 114 per square foot a year. India's financial capital occupied the fifth position in 2010, Cushman & Wakefield (C&W) said.

"Apart from being overtaken by Rio de Janeiro, Mumbai CBD (Central Business District) lost one position on the global ranking also because of the fact that it has not seen any change in the rental values over the previous year," the consultant said.

As per C&W's estimates, the Brazilian city moved up to fifth position from 13th in 2010 as rental values rose very sharply. The average rental for opening an office in Rio de Janeiro has been estimated at USD 120 per square foot a year.

New York, which was a place below Mumbai in the 2010 list, moved up by a single notch to fifth place this year with an annual occupancy cost of USD 115 per square foot, C&W said.

Hong Kong topped the list of the world's 10-most expensive office locations this year with an average rental of USD 241 per sq foot every year. It jumped up two places in the list from third position last year.

London hung on to its distinction of being the second most expensive place to rent an office in the world, with an average rental of USD 233 per square foot per year.

Japan's capital, Tokyo, slipped to the third spot this year from first rank last year, with an average rental of USD 166 per square foot per year.

The other cities that found places in the list are Moscow, Paris, Zurich and Milan, the survey said.

"Asian markets have been recovering and growing at a much faster rate than their European or North American counterparts, an aspect that is reflected in the Indian markets as well," C&W India Executive Director Arvind Nandan said.

Most major micro markets saw growth in leasing activities in office market spaces, he added.

The survey said that after recording the largest rental decline in 2009, Asia witnessed a sharp rebound in 2010, with rents in Hong Kong rising by 51 per cent.

In India, Bangalore witnessed the highest rental growth of 12.68 per cent in 2010, followed by Pune (9.09 per cent), vis-a-vis the previous year.

^
thats not a healthy position to be for mumbai. Mumbai i fear is going to price itself out of growth.

Its just not right that mumbai has a higher property rates than NYC.


The city will crash and burn at this rate.

Survey projects Karnataka's growth at 8.2 percent


“The GSDP of the state is projected to be 8.2 percent at Rs.271,956 crore by end of this fiscal owing to the primary sector registering 5.9 percent growth and tertiary sector 9.7 percent growth, respectively,” the survey report said on the eve of the state's budget presentation Thursday by state Chief Minister B.S. Yeddyurappa, who also holds the finance portfolio.

As a fallout of global recession and economic slow down in the country, the state's GSDP slumped to 5.2 percent last fiscal, as the primary sector grew 4.3 percent and tertiary sector 3.7 percent.

"The state's agriculture sector is projected to grow 5.5 percent mainly due to above normal monsoon and foodgrains' production increasing 14 percent year-on-year (YoY), with pulses and oilseeds registering a record 32 percent growth, while sugarcane output grew 6.6 percent.

Foodgrains' production is expected to be 12.5 million tonnes this fiscal as against 10 million tonnes last fiscal.

The state's growth rate, however, will be lower than the country's estimated GDP growth rate of 8.6 percent this fiscal.

The survey noted that the secondary sector recovered remarkably to grow 9.3 percent in 2009-10 and is estimated to grow at seven percent in this fiscal.

“The tertiary sector continues to dominate the state's economy accounting for 55.17 percent of the state's GSDP at constant prices as against 16.22 percent by the primary sector and 28.61 percent by the secondary sector,” the survey pointed out.

The combined irrigation potential under major, medium and minor irrigation is anticipated to go up to 3.51 million hectares this fiscal from 3.44 million hectares last fiscal.

“Overall, the growth performance of Karnataka is competitive compared to other states due to healthy contribution by tertiary and services sectors,” the report noted.

The per capita income in the state is projected at Rs.60,000 in 2010-11 as against Rs.51,858 in 2009-10.

“The per capita growth rate is estimated to be 15.7 per cent this fiscal as against 12 per cent last fiscal,” the report said.

source (http://www.deccanherald.com/content/140522/survey-projects-karnatakas-growth-82.html)

^^
Food grain production in Karnataka increased at a phenomenal 14 per cent over the last year

Growth rate below national average
Bangalore, February 23, DHNS:

Increase in foodgrain production, coupled with recovery of the manufacturing sector, has resulted in the State registering a remarkable 8.2 per cent growth in its Gross State Domestic Product (GSDP) in 2010-11 compared to a lowly 5.5 last fiscal.

The Economic Survey of Karnataka 2010-11 brought out by the Planning, Programme Monitoring and Statistics Department on Wednesday reveals a robust growth in agriculture sector at 5.7 per cent compared to 3.3 per cent last year.

However, the State’s growth rate continues to be below the national average for the third consecutive year. While the State’s growth rate is estimated at 8.2 per cent during 2010-11 it still falls below the advance national estimates of 8.7 per cent growth in the GDP.

But, the growth in agriculture sector is striking. Statistics speak. Foodgrain production, especially pulses, oilseeds and sugarcane in the State increased at an enormous rate of more than 14 per cent over the last year. In actual terms, the foodgrain production increased from 110 lakh tonnes in 2009-10 to above 125 lakh tonnes during the current fiscal.

The cumulative irrigation potential under major, medium, and minor irrigation has gone up to 35.12 lakh hectares in 2010-11 from 34.43 lakh hectares in 2009-10.

Striking growth

Chief Minister B S Yeddyurappa, who also holds the finance portfolio, is sure to ride on these statistics as he presents an exclusive agriculture budget along side the budget proposals for 2011-12 in the Legislative Assembly on Thursday.

The manufacturing sector has recorded a growth of 9.3 per cent in 2010-11 with many key sectors such as construction, mining and quarrying yielding high dividends to entrepreneurs. Last’s year growth was 7.5 percent.

Domination

Of course, tertiary sector (mainly Information Technology, trade, hotels, transport, real estate) continued to dominate the economy contributing 55.17 per cent to GSDP as compared to other sectors. It was 54 percent last year.

The contribution of secondary sector (mainly industry) and primary sector (agriculture and allied activity) are 28 and 16 per- cent respectively as compared to 29 percent and 17 percent previous year.

At the individual level, the survey predicts that per capita GSDP or per capita income in real terms during the year 2010-11 at current prices is likely to attain a level of Rs 67,253 compared to Rs 58,582 during 2009-10. The growth rate in per capita income is estimated at 14.8 per cent during the year 2010-11 as against the pervious year estimate of 12.3 per cent.

Another reason for the State government to pat its own back would be the high growth rate in State’s own tax revenue.

During the current financial year from April to December the State’s own tax revenue has recorded a growth of 30 per cent, compared to the corresponding period last year.

The buoyancy in resource generation is bound to come as a relief to Yeddyurappa at a time when mounting interest payment, salaries and pension bills are hanging like sword over the government’s head.

On the employment side, the State witnessed a slight increase in indicators clocking 283.72 lakh person days in 2010-11 compared to 278.22 lakh person days the previous year.

Employment generation has been estimated based in three factors - income, employment elasticity over a period of years and anticipated estimates of gross State domestic product for 2010-11. Last but not the least, the state government attracted more visitors this fiscal. The tourist flow in the state has been steadily increasing from 2.52 crore in 2005 to 3.32 crore in 2010, which indicates an increase of 16 percent.

The survey in a new avatar

The Economic Survey document for 2010-11 is different in presentation and format. It has more analytical data of various sectors unlike the previous years’ documents.

The survey is the single and most authentic source of official information on the entire the economy of the State for budget and other key economic policy purposes. The users of the Survey include policy makers, prospective investors, researchers, academics and students. This time, Karnataka has followed the method adopted by Maharashtra in preparing the document. In addition to making the existing chapters more comprehensive, new chapters on frontier areas like investment and exports, tourism, natural resources and environment have been added for the first time. A separate chapter highlighting the recommendations and achievement of the implementation of the Dr D M Nanjundappa committee on regional imbalance has been included in this year Economic survey.

Leading academicians have been drawn from various academic institutions like ISEC, IISc, Gulbarga University, Karnatak University, CMDR and IGIDR to offer their help in enhancing the quality of the Economic Survey, according to Dr S Madeshwaran, Special Officer, Evaluation Division, Planning, Programme Monitoring and Statistics Department.
http://www.deccanherald.com/images/editor_images1/2011/02/23/chart-550_1.jpg



DHNS (http://www.deccanherald.com/content/140592/growth-rate-below-national-average.html)

Agriculture needs a boos Just 16 %