There was a time when Bandra west was the ultimate go-to place. Restaurants, pubs, the ‘cool places’, jogger’s parks, pet grooming studios, tattoo parlours, homes to celebs, the sea and the perfect blend of Bombay and Mumbai. That is still the case today, given the popularity of the suburb, but its poorer cousin Bandra east is slowly catching up.
Where Bandra East may beat Bandra west completely is the availability of space. The restaurant that exists in Bandra west opens with Bandra east – particularly at BKC –and its patrons feel the restaurants are better because they are bigger, have better service and most importantly a parking place for everyone. The west, because of its popularity, has narrow roads, restaurants that have been accused of encroaching into public space, nightspots shutting down because of the noise disturbing the neighbourhood and traffic jams that are caused because of double parking. Another reason for traffic jams is people lining up to see their favourite celebrities. Shah Rukh Khan, Salman Khan, Sachin Tendulkar and Ranbir Kapoor are just some of the names that have Bandra west as their home.
Another area where BKC is catching up is the presence of open spaces. Kalanagar and Kherwadi are both off the Western Express Highway, but once you begin exploring them, you realise that there is more than just meets the eye. The inner roads are not traffic-infested. There are trees on either side of the road. The neighbourhood is quiet and there is no fear of blaring loudspeakers. This is another point which gives Bandra east an edge over the west.
In addition to this is the fact that a number of offices are inaugurating their head branches here. Ever since BKC was conceptualised, there have been offices springing up. What’s more, the American Consulate in Mumbai shifted its main centre from Warden Road to BKC and the old embassy building has become more of a heritage structure in the city
The biggie, though, is the fact that Bandra east has the MMRDA grounds, where iconic concerts and events have taken place. Musicians such as Mark Knopfler and iconic bands like Iron Maiden have had iconic performances here. Now, if only Mumbai did something about its entertainment tax, then the city would have many more legendary concerts.
However, the biggest plus Bandra east has is its connectivity. One can simply go over to the west using the skywalk or taking a rickshaw. You are easily connected to the airport, South Mumbai and even the central suburbs such as Kurla. Because you are so close to the highway, you can easily move out of the city in case you’re doing a long distance drive. Bandra west in comparison can result in you getting stuck in slow traffic, which can hamper your travel plan.
In short, while Bandra east is not on par with the west when it comes to being spoilt for choice with the various amenities available, the suburb can no longer be called the poor cousin of Bandra west. Given that renting a three-bedroom apartment is on an average over Rs 1 lakh, it is also a place you may want to invest in for the future. After all, there is no space in west. And because east is planned, you can make that investment.
