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

UA Vasanth Rao, General Manager of Finance of BMRCL says that companies will have to bid for 31 office spaces of 100 square meters. ft to 4000 m2 ft with a price ranging from RS 35 per square meter. foot to RS 120 per square meter. foot (the price depends on the seasons). And the five metro stations that have office spaces 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 road (18 km) and from Nagasandra to Sampiger road (13 km). With a good number of operational stations, Pradeep Singh Kharola, managing director of BMRCL, says they have created the space for startups and e-commerce companies. He also says that they are not some workbench projects, but rather offices suitable for startups.

It seems rather to encourage new companies to establish their offices, since BMRCL is also being flexible in terms of criteria (one of those things is related to net worth). Pavan Sheth, a systems engineer employed on workbench projects, says many startups are already visiting the makerspace, 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 you get a space cheaply, a big problem is solved.

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

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 as many people pass through the metro station every day.

Will it work for start-ups?

Previously, BMRC had issued a statement saying that there are some stations that cannot be given to companies for commercial activities. It was just that, they would not have gotten good rentals since there were fewer footfalls in the subway station when service started. Now the case is different, and many entrepreneurs are interested in setting up their offices in subway stations. But the question is: will metropolitan 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, since there are numerous people who pass through the station every day and the company gets a lot of exposure. Plus, it’s easy for your employees to get to the office on time, since it’s in the same subway station.

But what has been the concern of most employers is the productivity and efficiency of the employees. Will employees really be able to focus on their work? We all know how busy the subway stations will be; What annoys the employees the most is the environment with trains passing by very often! It really is a point to consider.

However, there are plenty of cheap fully furnished 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 amazing office space for your business. Ultimately, what matters is the efficiency and productivity of employees in the workplace.