Bengaluru Homebuyers Explore Peripheral Residential Zones
Bengaluru – Residential demand in Bengaluru is increasingly moving away from the city’s longstanding IT belt along the Outer Ring Road (ORR), as professionals and families seek more affordable, spacious, and well-connected alternatives. While ORR has underpinned the city’s technology-driven expansion for over a decade, rising property prices, chronic congestion, and declining liveability are prompting a reorientation of the housing market toward peripheral micro-markets.
Urban planners and real estate analysts note that surging residential costs along ORR are driving mid-income buyers to explore emerging corridors where connectivity is improving through infrastructure investment, yet pricing remains comparatively moderate. Average property rates along the ORR have increased nearly 60% over the past five years, with some stretches recording double-digit annual appreciation, intensifying pressure on affordability. Infrastructure expansion beyond the ring road is playing a critical role in this transition. Metro extensions, highway upgrades, and new arterial roads are creating alternate residential hubs that maintain accessibility to major employment centres. Experts highlight that corridors such as Sarjapur Road, Kanakapura Road, Yelahanka, and the peripheral areas of Whitefield are benefiting from these mobility improvements, offering a more balanced trade-off between commute, space, and quality of life.
Sarjapur Road is emerging as a strategic east-south residential connector, with proximity to IT parks, educational institutions, and forthcoming metro lines supporting sustained demand. Residential prices in selected Sarjapur pockets have appreciated sharply in recent years, reflecting strong investor interest and growing end-user adoption. Similarly, Kanakapura Road is witnessing a transformation from plotted developments to integrated township projects, with metro connectivity supporting faster, safer commutes and fostering inclusive community planning. North Bengaluru’s Yelahanka has also gained prominence due to airport corridor access, planned metro lines, and large-scale township development, positioning it as a long-term growth node. In eastern Bengaluru, peripheral Whitefield is gradually extending its residential footprint beyond core zones, allowing for new-format apartments, mid-rise developments, and villa communities. Analysts suggest these micro-markets present more sustainable options for residents seeking space, predictable infrastructure, and lifestyle-oriented living.
City planners warn that the ORR cannot expand indefinitely without exacerbating congestion and environmental stress. The shift toward secondary growth corridors underscores the importance of integrated urban planning, hybrid mobility solutions, and low-carbon neighbourhood design in shaping Bengaluru’s residential future. As the city matures, residential demand patterns indicate a clear preference for micro-markets that combine accessibility, affordability, and liveability. Developers and policymakers will need to prioritise master-planned communities, connectivity-led growth, and climate-sensitive infrastructure to ensure equitable urban expansion in the next decade.
