Office Space for Startups in Bangalore Subway Stations: Will It Work?

One of the exciting real estate news of recent times is that Bangalore Metro Rail Corporation Ltd. (BMCRL) is providing office space for start-ups at five of its major stations. Yes, if all goes well, we will soon have start-ups operating in Bangalore subway stations.

UA Vasanth Rao, General Manager of Finance at BMRCL says that companies will have to bid for 31 office spaces of 100 square meters. ft. to 4000 sq. ft. with the price ranging from RS 35 per square meter. ft to RS 120 per m2 ft (price depends on seasons). And the five metro stations that will have office space are Baiyappanahalli, Indiranagar, Trinity, Vivekananda Road and Halasuru.

Not workbenches, but proper offices

Currently Bangalore Metro Rail Corporation Ltd. has 31 operating stations from Baiyappanahalli to Mysuru Highway (18 km) and from Nagasandra to Sampige Highway (13 km). Having a good number of operating stations, Pradeep Singh Kharola, Managing Director of BMRCL says they have created the space for startups and e-commerce businesses. He also says that they are not some workbench projects, but suitable offices for startups.

It seems rather to encourage start-ups to set up their offices, as BMRCL is also being flexible in terms of criteria (one of them is related to net worth). Pavan Sheth, a systems engineer employed on workbench projects, says that many startups are already visiting the maker space, as rents for office space in the city are so high. Renting office space has been the biggest problem for most startups these days, and if they get a space cheaply, it solves a big problem.

Shashank Somanna, who has been teaching skating classes at Swamy Vivekananda Road

The metro station for the last 9 months has said that the rent is much lower compared to other places in the city and it is good to start with as many people pass through the metro station every day.

Will it work for startups?

Previously, BMRC had issued a statement saying that there are some stations that cannot be handed over to companies for commercial activities. It was just that, they wouldn’t have gotten good rents as there were fewer footprints at the subway station when the service started. Now the case is different, and many entrepreneurs are interested in starting their office in metro stations. But the question is, will metro offices be able to meet the expectations of employees in the workplace?

There are pros and cons associated with having your office in a subway station. As already said, the footfall is the main thing as there are many people who pass by the station every day and the company gets a lot of exposure. In addition, it is easy for your employees to get to the office on time, as it is at the metro station itself.

But what most entrepreneurs are concerned about is employee productivity and efficiency. Will employees really be able to focus on their work? We all know how busy the subway stations will be; What disturbs employees the most is the environment with trains running quite frequently! It really is a point to think about.

However, there are many fully furnished and inexpensive office spaces in Bangalore. All you need to do is seek the help of an expert commercial real estate agent who can help you find an amazing office space for your business. Ultimately, what matters is the efficiency and productivity of employees in the workplace.