All About BKC
The Geography
For those of you who have stumbled upon this blog and do not know what BKC is… no, it is not an acronym for an Indie-Fusion-Rock band. It is a short form for a prominent, posh commercial and residential hub sandwiched between the suburbs of Kurla on the east and the infamous Bandra on the west of the Mumbai Suburban district. To the north of BKC lies Santacruz, where T1 – Mumbai Domestic Airport is situated. BKC is easily accessed using the city’s public transport system, i.e. local buses, rail routes, and metro lines, as well as the Western and Eastern Express highways.
How Did BKC Come to Be…
The story of how BKC came to be is a pretty cool one. This nearly 900 acres of wasted swampy land, which was once cornered by the severely polluted Mithi River on one end and a ravine – the Vakola Nala running through it, was good for nothing better than a dump yard. It was in 1977 that a group of great-minded individuals, the Government of Maharashtra, had a great idea to utilise this wasteland lying in the middle of the city for something bigger. They entrusted this project to the MMRDA (sounds like a drug company, I know, but it’s actually the Mumbai Metropolitan Region Development Authority), who managed to channelise both the creek and the ravine, giving this land an opportunity for development and construction. And what happened to the creek and the ravine in the bargain? Well, let’s say that everyone took away a happy story from the success of this project. The pollution in both reduced tremendously, leaving behind an area which was once a no-breathe zone due to the stench, to a thriving business and residential hub sought after by half the city’s biggest players.
Visioning BKC
Even though Delhi is rightfully the capital of the country, Mumbai does own its place, not just as the commercial capital of the country, but also as its entertainment capital. Hence, the a need for a clear vision by the MMRDA (again – not a drug, but the planning and development authority). So, this 900-acre wasteland was to become the next “growth centre” from the Central Business District (CBD) of South Mumbai, which was most saturated even back then. Major players from real estate, banking, and other commercial businesses slowly started diverting toward this hub as it offered larger spaces, more room for employment opportunities from the suburbs, ease of travel… and so much more. What was once built and envisioned just to take pressure off Mumbai City has been engineered to be the main CBD of the city and is likely to take over Nariman Point by 2030.
A Look at What’s Inside
A peek inside this hub will expose you to large commercial complexes housing some of the largest nationalised and international banks like BOI, SBI, ICICI, American Bank, Citibank, Standard Chartered, etc. Its close proximity to the International Airport naturally magnetised the consulates of the USA, Australia, Belgium, France, Sweden, and Hungary, as well as the British Deputy High Commission. Other international companies, such as Twitter India, Amazon.com, Spotify, Swiss Re, etc., decided to shift base to BKC. And so, naturally, this complex had to provide opportunities for residential expansion as well… which gave rise to some of the top schools in the city, like Dhirubhai Ambani International School and the American School of Bombay, further contributing to its status as an entertainment hub for social and cultural events such as exhibitions, concerts, religious and political rallies, etc. JIO World, Nita Ambani’s Cultural Centre, and the MMRDA grounds all offer large, open and closed spaces for hosting huge events like the G20, Miss India, Filmfare Awards, and other such functions.
So, What Am I Getting at with This?
Yeah! You’ve struck gold with Indie Stays, BKC. You are just a walk away from everything this city has to offer. You’ll be in sprawling landscaped gardens hedged right between busy public centres and corporate offices, wide roads (to avoid peak-hour traffic), state-of-the-art architecture, cutting-edge technology (high-speed connectivity), parking spaces, reliable power and water supply, ergonomic, energy-efficient offices, shopping malls, lavish restaurants, cafes, pubs, and various multi-star hotels catering to the needs and preferences of all kinds of tourists. BKC is that bustling space, just the kind that continues to empower Mumbai, and all of it within a kilometre’s walk away while you stay with us.