India's High-Tech Hot Spot- Bangalore

India’s high-tech hot spot bustles with meetings and events.

- Richard Newton

Before we start, we need to address the issue that overshadows every visit to Bangalore (officially known as Bengaluru). You’ll find yourself talking about it, worrying about it and, most of all, in it. Traffic. It’s the bane of the city’s life.

There are no quick fixes, and it’s getting worse. In 2016 the city’s average traffic speed was 12 mph; by 2017 it fell to 10 mph, the worst in India. Sometimes you’ll get a clear run and make good time, but the average results from the equal number of times you’ll grind along at walking pace, or not move at all.

You’ll encounter the worst bottleneck at Silk Board Junction, south of the central district, which, unfortunately, you must negotiate to and from Electronic City, Bangalore’s IT hub. A Metro rail link is due for completion in 2022, and a heli-taxi service has been proposed between Electronic City and the international airport (reducing to a few minutes the 15-mile journey which currently can take three hours or more). But for now, every appointment and every schedule comes with the proviso: traffic permitting.