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Karnataka government to have a new lifesciences cluster. Known as the Bengaluru Lifesciences Research (BLR) District it is planned as a 52-acre campus with a total development of 2.5 million square feet. It will be an integrated, self-sustained cluster with state-of-the-art infrastructure for R&D and manufacturing.
BLR District complements the growth in existing hubs of Electronic City, Jigani and Bommasandra by enabling expansion as well as consolidation of research and manufacturing operations. Ideally located to tap into the high-quality scientific talent, the cluster will create new jobs, foster collaboration between industry, academia, and government, with the aim of driving innovation in the life sciences sector.
Spanning across five districts, the project comprises of lab space modules and built-to-suit Flexi factories catering to biopharma, medtech, agriscience, nutraceutical and allied sectors. BLR District is ideal for start-ups, scale-ups and established organizations. The first phase of about 200,000 square feet is ready for fit-outs offering multi-tenanted wet laboratories, incubation facilities, and associated office spaces.
This project is a part of the portfolio of Rx Propellant, India’s leading life sciences infrastructure platform and is being developed by Roach Lifescapes, the erstwhile RBD Shelters, a real estate and hospitality major.
Karnataka minister for higher education, IT, BT and S&T, skill development, entrepreneurship and livelihood, Dr. C.N. Ashwath Narayan, said, “Bengaluru has been on the forefront of biotech industry with a thriving network of reputed universities, research institutes, well-established companies and fast-growing start-ups. The city is a hub for start-ups offering top-notch talent and a vibrant ecosystem for innovation. The new life sciences cluster in Attibele is expected to accelerate this growth further by attracting investment upwards of Rs. 2,500 crore and creating 15,000+ skilled and semi-skilled jobs. This first-of-its kind dedicated life sciences destination will be at par with international clusters and will strengthen the region’s position globally”.
Dr E V Ramana Reddy, additional chief secretary to government-cum-development commissioner & ACS, department of electronics, IT, BT and S&T, said, “The biotechnology industry has emerged as one of the fastest-growing industries in recent years, with a significant impact on healthcare, agriculture, and the environment. Bengaluru has one of the highest numbers of biotechnology start-ups in the country which is a matter of immense pride. BLR District, with its size and scale, can house companies at different stages in the innovation value chain from concept to commercialization. It is an ideal destination for the best talent in the industry to ideate, collaborate and bring new products to the market.”
Austin Roach, MD, Roach Lifescapes said, “Leveraging our deep expertise in real estate of commercial and residential spaces as well as hospitality, we are excited to foray into life sciences infrastructure domain with Rx Propellant. BLR District in Attibele has a distinct advantage of good connectivity to existing hubs. This life science cluster is poised to be the next big hub for research and innovation”.
Vishal Goel, MD, Rx Propellant said, “After successfully developing labspaces in Genome Valley, Hyderabad, we are thrilled about the expansion of our life sciences infrastructure footprint to Bengaluru in partnership with Roach Lifescapes. BLR District is conceptualized as an integrated campus with well-defined districts for start-ups and scale-ups, contract development and manufacturing hubs, specialized environments and clean manufacturing.”
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