Good morning, Bengaluru!
🌧️ Today’s weather: High: 30 ℃ | Low: 21 ℃ | Generally cloudy sky with light rain.
🧐 Did you know? The Victoria Hospital was named so to honour the 60th anniversary of Queen Victoria’s reign.
🏙️ 15-minute neighbourhood
Mercedes-Benz Research and Development India (MBRDI) has teamed up with the Jana Urban Space Foundation to introduce 15-minute neighbourhoods in Bengaluru.
What’s it about? This initiative aims to create sustainable urban spaces where essential services are accessible within a 15-minute walk or cycle ride, improving quality of life by promoting pedestrian and public transport systems, safe public spaces, and inclusive social infrastructure.
- The guidelines and toolkit developed for this project emphasise efficient spatial development and mobility.
- Extensive research on existing services like mobility infrastructure, public transport, and green spaces led to the ‘Move-Play-Sustain-Include’ framework.
Testing ground: The pilot project will be launched in the Nallurhalli neighbourhood, following studies in Whitefield, Malleswaram, Indiranagar, and Chickpete. This initiative seeks to address the challenges of rapid urbanisation and enhance urban living conditions through community-focused, sustainable planning.
📡 No place for radar
The Doppler radar, crucial for precise rain forecasts, is facing delays in installation due to difficulties in finding a suitable installation site.
What’s it about? High-rise buildings and unsuitable old structures are hindering the radar’s placement as the radar, weighing up to 6.5 tonnes, requires a location without obstacles for optimal operation.
- Accurate, area-specific rain forecasts from the Doppler radar would greatly enhance flood management and public safety measures.
- Predicting heavy rain in specific areas like Koramangala would also aid in proactive planning and response.
Tragedy prevention: There is increased pressure on the civic administration for the installation of the Doppler radar as effective deployment of resources could prevent incidents like the 2023 underpass flooding tragedy where a woman stuck in her car lost her life.
📈 Rent surges
Bengaluru’s Whitefield area saw a 4% rise in average rents for 1,000 sq ft 2-BHK apartments.
What’s it about? Increasing from ₹32,500 in Q1 2024 to ₹35,000 in Q2 2024, the rent in Whitefield follows an 8% jump in the previous quarter. This trend is mirrored in other cities as well with Hyderabad’s HITECH City and Gachibowli seeing a 3% increase.
- Pune’s Hinjewadi and Wagholi rose by 2-3% and Noida’s Sector 150 climbed by 4% as well.
- Mumbai’s Chembur and Mulund however recorded a modest 2% rise.
Market stabilising: The overall rental market is stabilising as the top seven cities, Bengaluru, Hyderabad, Pune, Mumbai, Delhi NCR, Chennai, and Kolkata are set to deliver around 5.31 lakh new housing units in 2024, a 22% increase from 2023.
📣 Dentsu expands
Dentsu has announced the global expansion of its innovation initiative, Dentsu Lab, with new locations opening in Mumbai, Bengaluru, London, Amsterdam, and Warsaw.
What’s it about? Building on the success of Dentsu Lab Tokyo, founded in 2014, the global network aims to innovate human experiences, impact business, and improve society. The Labs will offer services including creative R&D, events, sports, gaming, installations, and new technologies like AR, VR, AI, and IoT.
- Each Lab will be locally managed and integrated with other Labs and Dentsu offices.
- Further expansions have been planned for 2025.
Expanding vision: The expansion was announced at the 2024 Cannes Lions International Festival of Creativity by Dentsu’s president and global CEO, Hiroshi Igarashi, and global chief creative officer, Yasuharu Sasaki, showcasing the Lab’s groundbreaking work and future vision for global creativity and innovation.
📊 Today’s Poll
(Only subscribers can participate in the polls)
Would you rent your roof to install a mobile tower?
- I would rent my roof to install a mobile tower.
- I would not rent my roof to install a mobile tower.
❓ Today’s Question
(Only subscribers can submit their answers)
How much YoY rent increase is justifiable?
Reply to this email with your answers.
🗞️ In other news…
- The Bengaluru East tahsildar has written to the Bengaluru Urban Deputy Commissioner asking about the genuineness of the land conversation order in the Rainbow Drive Layout.
- The underground tunnel planned to reduce traffic congestion is expected to be operational by January 1, 2025.
- The Karnataka High Court has permitted the Bangalore Turf Club to go ahead with horse racing and betting activities.
- Only 1/10 government buildings in the city have been found engaging in rainwater harvesting.
- GMCL, the UAE-based tech startup fund has shortlisted Bengaluru for future investments.
🛋️ Local Lounge
Yesterday’s Poll:
- I have been to a gaming zone: 72.7% 🏆
- I have not been to a gaming zone: 27.3%
Answers to Yesterday’s Question:
Would you secretly hope for a weak monsoon if it means less flooding and traffic?
Abhishek: “No”
That’s it for today. Have a great day!