A decade ago, Gachibowli was an invisible village in the outskirts of Hyderabad, known only as the home of Hyderabad Central University. Today, however, Gachibowli is on its way to becoming one of India’s most prominent business hubs, welcoming a host of major Indian and international companies as well as becoming home to the fourth and newest US consulate in India. As the latest step in Hyderabad’s business development scenario, the region boasts futuristic urban planning and is located close to Hitec City and the new international airport. Many developers are predicting that the demand for real estate in Gachibowli will eventually outstrip demand in India’s other leading commercial centres, such as Gurgaon near New Delhi.



Gachibowli now boasts India’s foremost business school—the Indian School of Business (ISB) partnered by Kellogg & Wharton. A number of major Indian and multi-national companies have followed IT biggies Microsoft, Wipro and Infosys and set up headquarters at Gachibowli. These include UBS, Computer Associates, Polaris, Kanbay, Infotec, CMC Limited, Sierra Atlantic and, recently, ICICI Bank.

“While space in Hitec City is getting saturated, the focus has shifted to Gachibowli, an area that is planned for future development. Looking at the growing demand, we strongly feel that this location provides tremendous opportunity for a wide range of businesses,” says Jaideep Anand, General Manager, Hotel Ista, Hyderabad. Today, the companies housed in this area directly employ nearly 40,000 people, a number which is expected to rise to 1.5 lakh in the near future.

The Road to Gachibowli
Things began to look up for Gachibowli in the early 2000s. The area was earmarked for the building of a world-class sports complex for the Afro-Asian Games of 2004, which put the district on the world map.

The progressive role played by the Andhra Pradesh Industrial Infrastructure Corporation Limited (APIIC), the local planning body, has been the key to Gachibowli’s remarkable growth. Using its Industrial Area Local Authority (IALA) status, APIIC accelerated the file clearance process that encouraged companies to first set up shop in Gachibowli.

“APIIC, with the support of the state government, is doing its best to encourage companies to set up operations at Gachibowli. APIIC is also helping the companies by creating social infrastructure such as roads, lights, free transport and much more. APIIC is also in talks with AP State Road Transport Corporation (APSRTC) for better connectivity to the locality,” said BP Acharya, Managing Director, APIIC.

APIIC has also played an important role in assisting the state government in its construction of the 162-km Jawaharlal Nehru Outer Ring Road, designed to link Hyderabad’s satellite townships and decongest the main city. This major infrastructure project offers speedy connectivity with the new international airport and allows Gachibowli and Madhapur employees to commute from the new residential properties being built on the fringes of the city.

APIIC has also undertaken extensive research into its urban planning scheme. The body has sought to develop a holistic approach to the construction of infrastructure projects and support services to ensure Gachibowli continues to provide business functionality and quality of life decades into the future.



Expansion on the Cards
The influx of the finance and IT majors and the attraction presented by Gachibowli’s good local governance is triggering a ripple effect of further developments. A financial district is planned on 140 acres to attract national and international banks and other financial institutions, including Bank of America, ICICI, State Bank of Hyderabad, Institute of Chartered Accountants of India (ICAI), many of whom are looking to run back-end financial operations out of the new developments.

Residential developers are also recognising Gachibowli’s potential. Residential properties ranging from low-cost apartments to ultra-luxury villas have been constructed or are being constructed across the district. With growing demand, experts predict that approximately 120 lakh square feet of residential property will be built in the area over the next few years.

Support services such as brand-new schools, hospitals, hotels and malls are also mushrooming to serve this growing population, with the Hyderabad Metropolitan Development Authority (HMDA) recently announcing plans to set up a ‘health city’ in Gachibowli. Proposals from the private sector to set up hospitals in the area are also pending with the government. An 18-hole championship golf course is already functional here. In the hospitality industry, Hotel Ista and Ella Suites, already operational in Gachibowli, are set to be followed by three international chains which will soon open new hotels in the region.

Currently, there is a total built-up area of 80 lakh square feet, while construction on another 82 lakh square feet will be completed in the immediate future. ICICI’s mega project spread over 42 lakh square feet and DLF’s 20 lakh square foot developments (soon to be completed) are two of the massive locally-funded projects underway. International property developers such as Quinn Property of Ireland and Tishman Speyer of the US are each developing 8 lakh square feet, making Gachibowli one of the fastest-growing and most preferred locations in the country for international developers as well.