Church Street: The model for urban renewal for Bengaluru. Bengaluru is well-known as India’s technology hub, but a few cultural institutions and streets have something similar in their design and construction. Church Street, a 715-meter area at the heart of the city, has been refurbished for ₹9 crore as one of the key projects in town, for example. But with such changes, the street has turned into a prototype of urban construction for what it has been to use as the contemporary urban design scene and will draw talk throughout India on why this type of project can be the everyday, not the rare.
The renovation of Church Street took place in 2017 and was completed in early 2018. The funding of the project is through the Tender SURE program in order to make city roads better (better planning and longer-lasting).
The makeover included:
- Cobblestoned carriageway 5.5 meters wide.
- Wider footpaths of 2.5 meters on both sides with wider streets that are more pedestrian-friendly.
- Effective drainage and utility ducts so that roads can still be run and maintained well and easily.
- Street furniture and lighting with a light box in addition to the aesthetics and safety.
The total cost of the project was ₹9 crore, and now it’s similar to the types of pedestrian zones you’ve seen in world cities.
Church Street as a public space is much more than a road; it is a public place to be visited by people. Cobblestones give it a different look and the wide footpaths encourage walking and social life. Restaurants, pubs, and shops across that stretch have all benefited from the extra atmosphere and the whole place is really good.
Walking the Church Street can cause a lot of confused and chaotic traffic for many visitors and can feel like something out of order for an Indian city; but through thoughtful design, we can change the way people see the city.
The makeover of Church Street is used many times to express what India’s Smart Cities Mission should aim for in a good way. It shows that with enough planning and investment and execution, Indian cities can create world-class infrastructure.
Civic communities and government departments face challenges in replicating projects like this in other countries as they need funding to do such as maintenance, and work in coordination with one another. Still, Church Street represents that change can take place and Indian cities can embrace modern urban architecture.
With Church Street’s ₹9 crore renovation as one of Bengaluru’s most acclaimed landmarks, the city’s place is different from other places in the city. At only 715 meters, it may not be big, even though it would go down the line a place that all of India must scale of what should be done. It is a promise, innovation, and aspiration, that cities and towns can make things functional and beautiful. For some, that just makes everyone’s imagination swim and wonder why. Why can’t all parts of India be like that?
