Good morning, Bengaluru!
🌧️ Today’s weather: High: 29 ℃ | Low: 21 ℃ | Generally cloudy sky with one or two spells of rain or thundershowers.
🧐 Did you know? The site on which the Kempegowda bus terminus currently stands used to be a lake during Kempegowda’s reign. It eventually dried up to become a social spot. In 1931, Jawaharlal Nehru hoisted the national flag there and conducted a rally.
🦟 Dengue crosses 2,000 mark
The number of dengue cases in Bengaluru has crossed 2,000, with the BBMP reporting a total of 2,194 positive cases.
What’s it about? Bengaluru has recorded 2,194 dengue cases within BBMP limits. The Mahadevapura zone reported the highest number of cases at 610, followed by the East zone with 578, and the South zone with 325 cases.
- The Dasarahalli zone had the lowest number of cases at 14.
- BBMP health officials have tested a total of 9,152 residents for dengue.
Statistical discrepancy: There is a discrepancy between BBMP and state health department figures, with the state reporting 1,563 confirmed cases within the BBMP limit. However, BBMP data indicates that the city had reached 2,042 cases by July 1.
🏢 Flex space leasing drops
Flexible office space leasing in Bengaluru experienced a significant decline of over 40% in the first half of 2024 compared to the same period last year.
What’s it about? The volume dropped to 1.7 million sq ft (msf) from 2.9 msf in H1 2023. The sharp decline is attributed partly to the significant base effect from the previous year.
- Despite the drop, flexible office spaces remain crucial for providing flexibility and cost savings, especially for third-party IT services and startups.
- Across the top 8 cities in India, flex space operators leased 7.2 msf in H1 2024, accounting for 21% of total office space transactions.
Bengaluru leading: Bengaluru leads the country in office space demand, with 24% of the total demand in H1 2024, leasing 8.4 msf, a 21% increase from the previous year. Leasing volume by third-party IT services in Bengaluru grew to 1.3 msf, a 32% increase from the previous year.
🏗️ Brigade marches on
Brigade Enterprises’ stock price increased by up to 4.60% following the announcement of a new joint development agreement for a significant residential project in Bengaluru.
What’s it about? Shares of Brigade Enterprises rose to an intraday high of ₹1,430 per share, marking a 4.60% increase.
- The joint development agreement involves a residential project spanning 8 acres on Tumkur Road, Bengaluru, with a Gross Development Value (GDV) of ₹1,100 crore.
- The project’s location is highlighted for its proximity to shopping centres, entertainment hubs, and office spaces, providing a vibrant living environment with easy access to the city centre.
Vision: Pradyumna Krishnakumar, Executive Director of Brigade Enterprises, emphasised the growth of Bengaluru’s residential market and the company’s strategic vision to expand its presence in key growth corridors. The company plans over 12 million square feet of residential developments in Bengaluru, Chennai, and Hyderabad in the coming year.
👮🏽 Petty fines
In a recent two-day traffic enforcement drive in Bengaluru’s northern division, traffic police registered 573 cases of violations, primarily focusing on helmet and seat belt non-compliance.
What’s it about? The highest number of violations were for not wearing helmets (172 cases) and seat belts (162 cases). The drive resulted in ₹3.4 lakh collected in fines, including ₹81,000 specifically for seat belt violations.
- Other violations included defective silencers and number plates, parking in no parking zones, mobile phone usage while driving, high-intensity headlights, and unauthorised entry of heavy vehicles during peak hours.
- Under the direction of Deputy Commissioner of Police (Traffic, North), Siri Gowri, officers conducted physical drives instead of relying solely on camera-based violation detection.
Congestion reduction: The drive was conducted with the aim of enhancing road safety and reducing congestion and accidents in the northern part of Bengaluru.
✨ Things to do…
Here are some fun and interesting things to do in the city over the weekend!
- Laugh listening to Abijit Ganguly’s recollections of performing stand-up across India’s tier-2 cities in his live session.
- Discover the magic of stop-motion animation at Paper Crane Club’s ‘Stop Motion Animation with Board Games’.
- Introverted and single? Break the ice with quirky games at this speed dating event.
- Have a fun evening with your children going to the Hamleys Play tour at the Mall of Asia.
- Get your hands dirty and build something you can show with pride at this two-hour Pottery Workshop.
🛋️ Local Lounge
Yesterday’s Poll Results:
- The new criminal laws will cause confusion between the public and the police: 66.7% 🏆
- The new criminal laws will not cause confusion between the public and the police: 33.3%
That’s it for today. Have a great weekend!