At 9 km east of Bangalore lies the strategically located holy village of Begur. This locality is a symbol of the culture and sanctity that the state of Karnataka was built on. Of late, however, the locality is evolving with the times, and is becoming very popular for people in search of property in a peaceful locale.
It is located on the Bangalore-Hosur highway. The towns of Amalur, Ramanagaram, and Magadi are only 41 km, 46 km, and 50 km away respectively. Connectivity to other places is great, too, with the help of the Hosur Road and Bannerghatta Road that together conveniently link Begur to Bangalore.
There are five new layouts that extend the periphery of the Begur village, namely Classic Paradise, Begur Woods, Deo Heights, Vishwapriya Nagar, and Akshaya Nagar layout. These residential layouts are considered to be some of the best in the area. Some of the major residential projects include DLF New Town and Splendid Lakeview. Along with these projects and the 50 apartment buildings that are being constructed within a 3 km radius from the localitys centre, there is sure to be real estate growth of the locality.
It is also interesting to note that the locality is in close proximity to tourist attractions such as Nandi Hills, Savandurga, Bheemeshwari, and Shivagange. Not limited to the majestic temples and affordable houses, Begur extends what it has to offer with well-established schools in the locality such as Podar International School, and Presidency English School. Top colleges such as St Josephs and MS Ramaiah Institute of Management Studies are also located close-by. For groceries and other home products, there are a number of supermarkets to choose from such as Heritage, Home Needs, and Big Bazaar.
All in all, the low cost of property, the convenient location of being close to both Electronic City and Bannerghatta Road, and the peace and quiet that is attained for being away from the city, have made Begur a preferred location.
Connectivity and Transit Points
Located on the NH-7 highway, it is safe to say that Begur road is extremely well linked to other parts of the city. The locality has five roads which directly connects it to Bangalore. The Begur-Jigani road is an 80 feet-long road. The Begur-Hosur road passes through AECS (HAL) layout. The Begur-Bannerghatta road goes by Hulimavu. The Begur-Bommanahalli road goes via Hongasandra, and the Begur-Electronic City road is also the route to Bettadasanapura. Bommanahalli is 3 km away from Begur, and is the nearest town to reach Bangalore.
The Karmelaram Railway Station is located in the village itself, but the Bangalore City Station is only 15 km away, and is used more because many trains passing through, stop there. There is also the option of Heelalige and Bellandur Railway Stations, both located 12 km from Begur.
Begur has five bus stations, all located in the vicinity. The Begur station and Begur fort bus station are both located on Hosur road. The Begur NICE road junction bus station, Subhash Nagar bus station, and Begur Hanuman Temple bus station are the others that are located around the area.
Apart from the number of BMTC buses that connect Begur to other parts of the city, there is also a steady supply of auto-rickshaws. Cabs are also an option, but there arent many of them around, so this method of transport is more uncommon here.
It goes without saying that the closest international airport is the Bengaluru International Airport (BIA), about 41 km away from Begur. By using the well-developed HAL Airport road, it is possible to reach the airport in an hour.
Major Landmarks
â? Nageshwara Temple
â? Kasi Vishweshwara Temple
â? The Oxford Dental College & Hospital
â? Sapthagiri College Of Engineering
â? St.Ignatius Church
Factors for Growth in the Past
The effect of the explosion of IT/ITeS, Biotech, and Aerospace Engineering sectors in Bengaluru was strongly felt by Begur Road. Since commercial property development also spread to the citys outskirts, Begur Road was got a commercial realty boost. The locality gained popularity on its own, as well, because land prices there were still relatively cheap and affordable, as opposed to the prices in the heart of the city. This attracted not only IT professionals but even families who wanted to get away from crowded streets, long queues, and excessive pollution.
Strong economic corridors border Begur Road. The locality is close to the offices of Wipro, Infosys, Siemens, and BHEL. In addition, the launch of residential projects by prominent developers such as DLF, SNN Group, and Artha Group have pushed up the real estate value of the locality.
The transformation from village to micro-market over the past few years has made heads turn towards the south-east direction of Bangalore, which is where the expanding locality of Begur prospers.
Residential & Commercial Market
Residential Market Trends
Begur is a prominent locality for investment in Bangalore, especially now that demand is increasing. However, supply of residential apartments is usually greater than the demand for it and that is why prices are cheaper here. The dominant property type is in the form of apartments, which constitute 60% of the total land property. 22% is in the form of independent houses and only 7% is in the form of layouts.
Real estate value has appreciated between the last quarter of 2013 and the first quarter of 2014 by Rs 125. However, between the Jan-March quarter and the April-June quarter of 2014, the locality price depreciated by Rs 430. The current price per square feet is around Rs 4800. This shows that market is experiencing some fluctuation in prices.
The rent for a 2 BHK apartment in Begur Road is anywhere between Rs 10,000 to 20,000 per month. For a 3 BHK, the rent prices starts at Rs 15,000 and for a 4 BHK villa, it starts at Rs 65,000. There is a whole range of apartment prices depending on the type of apartment required.
Commercial Market Trends
The expansion and commercialisation of Begur brings with it an emerging global village, having the perfect environment for industries to set up base. New infrastructural and developmental projects in Begur Road acts as a catalyst for increasing returns, and because of this, commercial spaces in Begur have high demand from investors all over Karnataka.
In terms of project distribution, about 50% of the projects are completed. The average sale price for commercial spaces in the April-June quarter of 2014 is Rs 3,120 per sq. ft., which shows that the value has depreciated from last year when the average price per square feet was Rs 4,420.
However, it is also possible for price negotiation to take place, especially when the supply of property, more or less equates with the demand for it.
Major Challenges
The Begur lake keeps drying up every summer. As a result, it is important for the civic authorities to desilt and revert the lake back to its original condition, before the onset of monsoon. The residents of Begur mostly rely on this water body for water, as getting water supply from Cauvery is not possible here. Additionally, the lake has become quite polluted with muck and sewage.
The residents have also complained about the presence of many damaged roads. The road connecting Begur to DLF Town in Akshaya Nagar is in a pathetic condition because the roads havent been tarred. The road connecting Begur to Hosur is also in a similar state where the main road becomes a nuisance to drive on, especially on the road alongside the Begur lake.
Other civic issues arise due to blocked sewage lines, overflowing manholes, and untreated garbage that directly and indirectly influence the localitys real estate market.
Factors for Growth in the Future
The residents of Begur have come forward and decided to take a stand against the encroachment of the Begur lake. The Begur Residents Association is currently working on a project with BBMP to rejuvenate the mighty lake. The residents want a footpath and a walkway where they can walk around the lake and enjoy the fresh breeze. Soon, there will be a lake development project that will restore the lake to its best capacity.
Officials have declared that they plan on widening the Bannerghatta-Begur road, because as of now, the road is extremely narrow and commuters are facing a lot of difficulty because of the traffic congestion and open drains in the area. According to BBMP, widening the 7.5 km from 90 feet to 150 feet is the best option for road enhancement. This will help improve connectivity from Begur to Bannerghatta.
Begur is the type of locality that is more suited for those having broader budgets. Property value is considered affordable only in comparison with other localities in the city that are micro-markets. Although currently, there arent any notable upcoming projects here, many projects are still being planned are yet to be commissioned.