The City saw a change in its ambience and culture due to the IT boom at the turn of the century. But with the passage of a decade, many feel that the IT boom is becoming stagnant and has shifted to other cities like Pune and Chennai.
"Bangalore is no more the IT hub; more IT companies are opening up their offices in cities like Pune, Chennai and even Delhi. I feel that they have arrived at a saturation point in the City and that is one of the main reasons why they are going to other cities," says Balu, a professional in the field.
He adds that the situation would have been different if the government had worked to improve the infrastructure of the City.
"Bangalore owes almost everything to the IT boom; I feel the government needs to do more on the infrastructural front. There are potholes in most of the main roads, arterial roads have been dug up and there are open manholes. Why would a multinational company want to invest more when the City's infrastructure is declining with
each passing day," he points out.
Engineering students feel that there are high chances that they will be placed in a different city after their exams.
"Many of our seniors had been placed with different MNCs in the City, but since last year, most of them are getting placed in Chennai, Hyderabad and Delhi. The most obvious thing that comes to mind is that Bangalore is not the IT capital of the country anymore," informs Manas, an engineering student.
Sunil Bhardwaj, another engineering student, feels that the boom has come to a standstill. "It's quite evident because the number of engineers that are being produced on a yearly basis is not equal to the number required by IT companies. So, there are many unemployed engineering graduates," he adds.
Most blame the City's poor infrastructure for this stagnation and are of the opinion that the loss is huge.
"Now that recruiters have found greener pastures, there will be an outward flow of manpower and brainpower from the City. I feel that serious steps should be taken or else it will be too late. The IT companies were investing in the City for a reason; there must be something that has caused them to look outside.
I think the government should get deeper into things and try to woo them back," adds Aritra, an IT executive.The city dwellers feel that the government should take steps to woo the MNCs so as to stop the brain drain from Bangalore.
"Bangalore is known for its IT parks and its work culture. However, it is normal for MNCs to look outside as they want to expand. They are not choosing other cities over Bangalore, it's just that they are seeking to multiply. Hence, there is no reason to panic," concludes Vivek, a senior official at an MNC.