Sign' of change for city drivers

`Sign' of change for city drivers
BENGALURU


Article Rank






BOARDS SHOWING REAL TIME TRAFFIC INFO TO BE INSTALLED IN 15 DAYS

Commuters in Bengaluru will soon be provided with real time information on traffic congestion, accidents and road work in the city and even be guided on alternate routes, taking the frazzle out of a drive through an increasingly crowded metropolis.
The information will be relayed through variable message signboards that will be installed across the city. Two of these signboards, one each near Kanteerava Indoor Stadium and Hebbal Flyover, will soon be set up on an experimental basis. Twenty more will later be installed at key locations in Bengaluru.

"This is a major initiative to control traffic in the city more efficiently," home minister V.S. Acharya said after inaugurating a new facility at Mico Layout police station on Tuesday.
"The first two signboards will be installed in 15 days and the police will control them from the Traffic Management Centre (TMC)."

"The city now has over 230 major traffic junctions," he added. "The signboards will help officials at the TMC manage the more crowded junctions."

Expressing concern over the frequent traffic snarls in the city, Dr Acharya requested motorists to follow the rules and suggested that they use the new signboards to reduce congestion on Bengaluru's roads.

Additional commissioner of police (traffic) Praveen Sood said the signboards are being imported from Spain.
"We already have four signboards. Two of these will be installed within a fortnight," he said, adding that the signboards will provide information to motorists round the clock. The home minister expressed satisfaction with the work being done by the city police. "There has been a steep rise in successful investigations and recoveries while there have been fewer offences," he said.

Not Mumbai, this is Bengaluru!

Not Mumbai, this is Bengaluru!
Bengaluru,


Article Rank




A liberal, cosmopolitan Bengaluru has managed to steer clear of regional chauvinism unlike India's commercial capital Mumbai. Though a few groups have attempted to raise the banner of regionalism, the welcoming nature of Kannadigas has prevented such issues from going out of hand, report Madhumitha B. and Amit S. Upadhye

Bengaluru may be the new Mumbai in making but thankfully it is not a hotbed of regionalism and does not see cries like Mumbai for Mumbaikars alone. Parties with regional chauvinism on their agendas have little backing in the city, which is quite the melting pot, welcoming people from different parts of the country to make it their home and prospering as a result of its liberal, open attitude.
The cosmopolitan nature of the city provides a bonding between different communities who have become Bengalureans in every sense of the word, no matter which part of the country they come from. Leaving the city is unimaginable for most.

The roots of this cultural synthesis go back many years and can be traced to the time when migrants arrived to build Bengaluru under Kempe Gowda.

"When Kempe Gowda decided to build Bengaluru he invited skilled workers in large numbers from different parts of country to assist him. While most workers came from Andhra Pradesh, merchants and weavers were brought from Rajasthan and other parts of north India," explains Arun Prasad, research head, Project Discover Bengaluru.

If during Kempe Gowda's regime it was the workers and merchants who arrived from different parts of the country to make Bengaluru their home, the many invasions during Hyder Ali and Tippu Sultan's rule saw the soldiers of Chhatrapati Shivaji from Maharashtra arriving here never to return. They are the ancestors of the present day kashtriya Marathas found in many pockets of the city.

As the years passed, a large number of Tamil speaking people moved into the Cantonment during British rule. Also, the establishment of public sector companies like HAL and BHEL saw many skilled workers arriving from different parts of south India to Bengaluru, says Mr Prasad.

Environmentalist A.N.
Yellappa Reddy feels the very welcoming nature of Kannadigas has given the city its cosmopolitan complexion. "The real migration started when Tamil speaking people of the Tigala community were brought to Bengaluru for gardening," he says.

Arun Pai of Bangalore Walks points out that investment still drives people here. "When companies come here, people follow," he observes. The fact that there are no regional parties here unlike neighbours Maharashtra, Andhra Pradesh and Tamil Nadu speaks about its lack of regional chauvinism, say Bengalureans.

Metro hits home stretch

Metro hits home stretch
AKANKSHA MEHROTRA
DC | BENGALURU


Article Rank






COMMERCIAL OPERATIONS TO FOLLOW DECEMBER TEST RUN

You could be commuting on a Namma Metro train sooner than you expect. Come December, Metro officials told this newspaper on Tuesday, Reach 1 -- from MG Road to Byappanahalli -- will be chugging along, making the project the one bright spot in a city where building even a small flyover or an underpass typically takes ages.officials said work on Reach 1 is nearing completion and will be ready for safety testing by October. Commercial run will begin in December.
"All piling work and piers of Reach 1 have been completed. We expect to finish the civil work by end of October and begin test runs", BMRC deputy chief engineer B.L. Yashvanth Chavan told Deccan Chronicle, "Once we get safety clearance from the Commissioner of Railway Safety, we will commission Reach 1. Given the pace at which the project is rolling, we should be ready to ride on the Metro by the end of the year."

Deadline comes and goes, work goes on and on

Deadline comes and goes, work goes on and on
Residents Suffer As Underpass Work Never Ends
TIMES NEWS NETWORK

Bangalore: Meeting deadlines seems to have disappeared from the BBMP lexicon. The underpass work at Puttenahalli and Kadirenahalli that started in March 2008 was supposed to have been completed by February 9, 2009. But work is still going on.
Potholes, lack of barricades, traffic congestion and increas in noise levels are some of the problems that residents have to put up with. Apart from these, commercial complexes and shops are complaining that the delay has affected their daily business.
According to the BBMP chief engineer who’s in charge of Puttenahalli underpass, 60% of work is complete and is likely to be ready by May. Kadirenahalli underpass is 45% complete and expected to be ready by September. It is estimated to cost Rs 28.72 crore.
“The project was delayed due to land-acquisition problems, opposition to tree cutting and delay in shifting of utilities like BWSSB pipelines. Police also delayed the process of diverting traffic,” said BBMP sources.
With officials postponing the deadline, residents of both areas have been left in the lurch. They will have to put up with this for at least six more months, with less than 50% of work being completed.





WORK AND WOES NEVER END HERE: Underpass work on at Kadirenahalli and (left) Puttenahalli

BBMP, big watchdog is tracking you

BBMP, big watchdog is tracking you
No Bills Will Be Cleared Unless Agency Certifies
Aarthi R | TNN

Bangalore: The Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike better watch its step on projects. A watchdog will monitor them, from the detailed project reports (DPRs) to the finished structure. And, adherence to the timeline for project completion will also be closely tracked. Surprise site visits and stringent lab tests will be the focus of this new team.
In a major step towards better innerdiscipline, BBMP has roped in a thirdparty quality checking and monitoring agency. The thumb rule now is: no bills will be cleared unless this agency certifies the work.
“All civil work above Rs 80 lakh, including those of road, steel bridges, underpasses and flyovers, will come under its ambit. There are at least 4,000 works going on in various stages of completion across the city. There’s a need to constantly monitor them at every stage,’’ BBMP officials told TOI.
The BBMP has entrusted this work as a three-year project to Civil Aid Techno Clinic through a tendering process. It will report to its engineering department. Nearly 13 labs have also been shortlisted to speed up the testing process and reduce the wait for results.
BBMP sources said this is a pilot attempt towards better quality and progress of work. “This follows recent complaints about faulty construction in some new underpasses. This happened despite regular inspection by our engineers,’’ a BBMP engineer explained.
NEW RULE FOR UNDERPASSES
The BBMP has now made this mandatory for magic boxes: All new vehicular underpasses in the city will be strictly 7.5 m wide and not less 4.5 m in height. This will apply to all underpasses to be taken up by the BBMP under its Rs 22,000 crore master plan which envisages at least 220 underpasses, say BBMP engineers.
BETTER QUALITY IN FOCUS
Team will keep watch on all aspects from detailed project reports to the finished structure Adherence to the timeline for project completion will be closely tracked Surprise site visits and stringent lab tests will be taken up Nearly 13 labs shortlisted to speed up testing process and reduce wait for results

City subways remain unused, abused

City subways remain unused, abused

Bangalore's legendary traffic woes are not unknown to its administrators, which is why they may find it difficult to explain away the plight of its subways. DNA's a veeramani, mohan kumar bn, Nishant Ratnakar and Sunitha Rao R investigate why our pedestrians cannot depend on subways to cross busy roads

Nishant Ratnakar and Sunitha Rao R

Recently, while protesting the condition of the city's subways, Congress leaders had submitted a memorandum to the BBMP asking that all eleven of them be closed. "When we forced BBMP to take the required steps to clean and make the subways safe, a cleaning drive was conducted for a day. But things remains the same now. We will be filing a public interest litigation (PIL) in the High Court shortly on all the subways in the city," says former mayor M Ramachandrappa.
Speaking to DNA, he said the subways did not have a security system for the public to use. "BBMP has spent Rs8 crore on making these subways. But they are of no use to anyone. There are no lighting arrangements inside the subways and hardly any security is being provided for users. The lack of maintenance has made the subways dirt pockets of the city. They are not at all user-friendly," said Ramachandrappa.
"The subways have become a hub for anti-social activities as there is no one to check on them. We have requested the commissioner many times, but all in vain. If they do not lock the subways this time, we will be forced to do so ourselves within a couple of days," he said.
Babu S, a trader near Shivaji Nagar, felt it was good that the subway nearby was closed. "When it was open for public use, several years ago, many anti-social elements functioned out of it. Chain-snatching was a common problem there."
Among all the subways in the city, the most often-used subway is located near Majestic, but once again, it is a badly maintained one. "Since it is not possible to use the road, we have to make use of the subway. It is in a pathetic state, stinking as people spit on the corners and urinate inside. During the night, the place becomes a centre for pimps to operate. Pick-pockets are common here," said Avinash GM, who commutes to Tumkur every day.
"During the rainy season, water flows from every corner." According to him, the lack of a security system inside the subways has led to petty shopkeepers functioning there without any license. People sell BMTC daily passes for a lesser price which is a punishable offence but no BMTC official takes action.
However, BBMP officials reacted saying the subways were built scientifically: "While building the subways the mobility of pedestrians who crossed the particular road was surveyed."
There are three subways in the city that are presently not open for public use. "The subways near Cubbon park, KR Circle and Malleshwaram are open. Again, no security has been provided. The subway near Raj Bhavan does not have lights and is hardly user-friendly,"said the congress leaders who will soon be heading for the High court to initiate action.
When contacted, BBMP officials said that the subway was built by the project wing of the Palike: "They will have to hand over the maintenance work to us to provide security there."

A high point is low on life's needs

A high point is low on life's needs

Blessed with hills and nature's other bounty, Rajarajeshwari Nagar, comprising nine wards, awaits development. This south-west constituency holds promises for nature tourism. And yet, residents suffer many civic ills such as highly erratic garbage clearance, lack of transport connectivity and civil security, writes Sunitha Rao R

Rajarajeshwari Nagar could be an ideal getaway if transport facilities are improved

Sunitha Rao R



Rajarajeshwari Nagar has two faces, one looking towards urban path and the other facing the rural stretch. Civic problems and prospects are, therefore, of two kinds here: high development in certain areas and zero growth in areas close to hills.
A few years ago, places surrounding Rajarajeshwari Nagar assembly constituency were not preferred by investors as the stinking storm water drain of Vrishabhavati Valley drove them away. But the scenario has changed now with the water board taking steps to quell the stench and the IT hub, Global Village, logging in on Mysore Road.
Rajarajeshwari Nagar is yet to gear up for the youths' aspirations. There is only one mall and youngsters flood towards the far away city malls to spend their time during the weekends.
"About a year back, there were hardly any malls for youngsters to hang out. But for the past one month, the Gopalan Arcade has given us much relief. It has a film theatre too. A Coffee Day outlet has also come up. But we require many more such eating joints. It is not a great place to spend a weekend and we usually prefer to hang out on Brigade Road, MG Road, or Koramangala," says Joseph MS, who is studying in RV College situated near Rajarajeshwari Nagar.
The constituency has many educational institutions in its surroundings. Janabharathi Campus of Bangalore University, Global Academy of Technology, and RNS Institute of Technology are located here. Institutions such as RV Engineering College, PESIT and SJB Institute of Technology are also situated near this area. This invariably attracts students, many of them migrants.
Recently, chief minister BS Yeddyurappa laid the foundation stone for a Rs5.15-crore swimming pool of international standards in JP Park. He also flagged off work on a Rs5-crore project to streamline drinking water supply in Rajarajeshwari Nagar and a Rs1-crore community hall in Siddhartha Nagar.
However, as many areas in the constituency were located in the erstwhile municipal council, there are hardly any upmarket outlets there.
Rajarajeshwarinagar receives its name from the famous temple of Jnanakshi Shri Rajarajeshwari. The temple was built in the 1960s.
One of the largest constituencies in the city, Rajarajeshwari Nagar faces varied civic problems. Developmental problems in this constituency are not so different from that of others, but the lopsided development is something special to this constituency. Residents list the problems: irregular clearing of garbage, low public transport connectivity, bad roads and lack of security.
Authorities have not tapped this area's potential. There is immense scope for improvement in this part of the city, say residents. According to Mallika V, a homemaker who lives in Ideal Homes locality, Rajarajeshwari Nagar has the potential to become a revenue-earning tourism station.
"We are surrounded by beautiful landscapes such as Omkar Hills and Sridhara Gudda, which are the highest points in the city but are not given enough importance. They would be ideal getaway spots for nature lovers. Lack of transport and communication links haves forced this area to remain backward," says Mallika.
Ramanesh Madhav, a fine arts student, agrees with her. He says that if the hill locations are developed, Bangaloreans living in the commercial hubs can have a weekly escape from the madding crowd and pollution. The students have already made the hills their getaway.
Women in Rajarajeshwari Nagar, Jananabharathi, Jalahalli, and HMT ward say they don't feel confident enough to go out after dark. Rajeevi N Kotian, a resident, hardly goes out at night without a male escort.
"Although the streetlights are functioning, Rajarajeshwari Nagar has no night life. Ample bushes and tree cover, welcome though, give the streets an ominous ambience after 9 pm," says she.
Girl students and homemakers air the safety concern in one voice.
Since these areas are still in the nascent stage of development, the civic amenities are not yet pronounced. While water woes remain a problem in Laggere, Jalahalli and JP Park areas, garbage is a menace in Rajarajeshwari Nagar ward, Yeshwantpur and HMT ward.
"Garbage collection is not done regularly here. Even though residents take the trouble to segregate the wet waste and dry waste, the paurakarmikas mix them and dump them in the vacant lands where stray dogs and cattle feast on them. We, in this constituency, are feeling neglected," says Gopinathan MR, a resident.
The crucial problem of Laggere and Kottigepalya is inadequate water supply.
"We still do not have proper water supply," says Mohammed Khalim, a bank official who lives in Laggere.
Traffic is the main issue with the residents of Yeshwantpur. "Although the frequency of buses has increased, reaching the central business district of Bangalore is still a painful process. Traffic jam has been an eternal reality," says Raghuram Reddy, a resident of the ward.
According to Yogesh PR, an engineering student, there is a need to reduce the traffic that flows into the inner roads of Yeshwantpur. Recreational facilities are almost nil, Yogesh points out.
"We want a playground for youth of the area. We need a children's playground and a swimming pool too," he says.

BIAL to invite bids for airport expansion soon

BIAL to invite bids for airport expansion soon
Bangalore: feb 9,dhns:

The Bengaluru International Airport Limited (BIAL) will shortly call for bids to begin construction of a second terminal as part of its expansion plans said Marcel Hungerbeuhler, CEO of BIAL on Tuesday.

Speaking to Deccan Herald at the sidelines of the VisionAir 2010 awards presentation ceremony held at BIAL, Marcel said: “Construction of a new terminal T2 will begin by the end of this year, after the process of global bidding is completed. Global architectural firm HOK has been appointed to design the expansion plans.”
Earlier, teams from M S Ramaiah Institute of Technology (MSRIT) and R V College of Engineering (RVCE) walked away with a cheque of Rs 50,000 each, after being adjudged the winners of the VisionAir 2010 competition.

The MSRIT team comprised Vishwa S, Arjun Jayswal and Dundu Biswana J K, and RVCE team comprised Karan Shetty, Karan Singh and Prabodh Agarwal. A consolation prize was also announced for the runners-up team comprising Alok Shetty and Akash Raju from RVCE.

12 finalists battle it out
The three-month long student engagement programme / competition organised by BIAL saw twelve finalists from Bangalore’s leading architectural colleges presenting their final designs depicting how they envision the central public space of the BIAL.
The participants of the event went through two rounds from which winners were chosen. On Dec 15 and 16 last year, over 200 students presented 64 basic concepts on the space defined.

Describing the outcome as outstanding, Marcel Hungerbuehler said, “The designs presented were all based on very strong and unique concepts and the conclusion was a spectacular range of concepts and ideas.”

Alok Shetty, one of the finalists, said: “VisionAir is by far the most professional study exchange programme conducted in India on an international airport project. While it gave us the freedom to explore concepts and ideas that go beyond conventional thought processes, we were guided to refine our thoughts in stages with each of us having an equal opportunity to create a winning concept designed on the airport central area.”
The three winning designs were named ‘Synthesis’, ‘Air City’ and ‘Flight Anchor’ by the students. However, the winning designs may or may not be actually incorporated in the airport expansion plan.

These layouts may soon go off B’lore map

These layouts may soon go off B’lore map

NR MadhusudhanFirst Published : 10 Feb 2010 07:29:49 AM ISTLast Updated : 10 Feb 2010 09:05:00 AM IST
BANGALORE: As many as 27 developed revenue layouts and business establishments around Nelamangala might continue to exist only if they establish water treatment plants as the sewage discharged in them might pollute the Arkavathy River.
According to the notices issued by the Nelamangala Planning Authority the buildings might be demolished and the land restored to its original form for agricultural purpose as they are formed in the catchment areas of Arkavathy River and violate the Master Plan-2009.
The Nelamangala Planning Authority has issued a notice in this regard. The authority has directed the owners of the properties to discontinue using these areas for residential purposes as they come in the catchment areas of Thippagondanahalli reservoir (TG Halli Dam). Some buildings have also been erected in these unauthorised layouts. The authority has also said that the construction of buildings on the land is in contravention of zonal regulations of the interim master plan.
The layouts and business establishments to which notices have been issued are Vighneshwara Layout, Chandrashekhar and Geetha Layout, Maruthi Layout, Somanna Layout, Bhyraveshwara Layout, Chamundeshwari Layout, Honnappa Stone Crushers, Venkateshwara Granites, ALVK Constructions, Raghavendra Tile Bricks, Pushpak Private Limited, Arjun Plywoods, Woods People Indica, Venkateshwara Stone Crushers, MBT Stone Crushers (three units), Balaji Enterprises, ABG Motar Limited, Tredemp Power Craft, Hyudal, RK Rural Godown, Godown Constructions, Amaraj Beets Limited and Relocks Footwear Limited.
A BWSSB official said, “The sewage generated from these layouts and business establishments will pollute Arkavathy river, which is the major source of water for Thippagondanahalli reservoir.
They can be permitted only if they instal tertiary water treatment plants as they will purify the sewage to a great extent.
The government notification issued in 2003 has classified the two km distance on both sides of the river from its banks as the catchment area of Arkavathy and has prohibited certain activities in that area. It has also named BWSSB and Nelamangala Planning Authority as the regulating authorities.

THE ROAD-BUILDER

THE ROAD-BUILDER
Institution chairman uses own money after government turned down his plea to asphalt mud road even after college students met with near-fatal accident
B K LAKSHMIKANTHA


Anear-fatal accident of the college bus in 2000 prompted Acharya College at Soldevanahalli to use its own funds to construct a 2.56 km metal road up to Hesaragatta main road.
Now, the road is nearing completion. Besides the college, it will benefit at least six villages in the vicinity.
Earlier, locals used a narrow 8-km mud road. Since 1960, they had been pleading with the gram panchayat, zilla parishad and other authorities to construct a pucca road. Narayanaswamy, a teacher in a government school, was at the forefront of this demand.
He approached the local MLA, MP and ministers, including then Union railway minister Jaffer Sharief, but in vain.
Despite the poor connectivity, Acharya Group set up Acharya College at Soldevanahalli on a 120-acre campus in 1990. Even then, nothing changed.
TURNING POINT
The turning point came in 2000. B Premnath Reddy, chairman, Acharya Group of institutions, says, “One day, our college bus met with an accident after the driver lost control. The vehicle hit a house. Luckily, the occupants of the house and the students escaped with minor injuries.”
The BWSSB has a pipeline in the area and was maintaining a small 10-feet wide mud road.
Reddy says, “I requested BWSSB to open the road to the public. They agreed on a monthly payment of Rs 30,000, but refused to get it asphalted. Then, I decided to construct a road with my own funds.”
He called a meeting of local leaders and land-owners from the six villages. “All of them agreed to give their land for road construction,” he says. “We had to shell out Rs 60 lakh for land acquisition alone.”
It was not smooth-sailing though.
SOME HURDLES
A land-owner Subbashetty moved court alleging that Reddy was acquiring land by coercion. Reddy says, “Work came to a stand-still for nearly two years. Secondly, some anti-social elements, who were not happy with road work, threatened me and the contractor. I approached local MLA Prasanna Kumar and Transport Minister Ashok who told me to go ahead with the road construction without fear.”
COST ESCALATION
“When we began, the road was estimated to cost around Rs 1.5 crore. But, when it was nearing completion, the cost had escalated to Rs 6 crore,” says Reddy. “I want the road to be named after our ex-President late Sarvapalli Radhakrishnan who had been a teacher. But, some people want it to be named after a film star or some politician.”
ANY HELP FROM NETAS?
— Reddy faced difficulties getting funds from the local MLA. His college came under Yelahanka Assembly constitueny while the road was in Dasarahalli segment. He claims that he did not get any support from either MLA. — Dasarahalli MLA S Muniraju says, “I get Rs 1 crore for local area development.With this amount, it is impossible to develop every road in my constituency.” — Yelahanka MLA S Vishwanath says,“No one had approached me. The kind of road that they have built can only be done by the BBMP or the State highway department.” — MLC R V Venkatesh had given Rs 25,000 from his local area development fund when approached by Reddy.

Skywalk with ease over busy Bangalore streets

Skywalk with ease over busy Bangalore streets
G Manjusainath, Bangalore, Feb 9, DHNS::

Here is help at last to turn Bangalore’s jay-walkers skywalkers. The Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) is gearing up to install skywalks with escalators at busy 12 intersections across the City.

Palike sources said the dozen locations, where heavy traffic flow cause inconvenience to pedestrians and where jaywalking is the order, have been chosen for installation of the skywalks. The spots that the BBMP has identified are Christ College, Commercial Street, Devaraj Urs Road, Himalaya Theatre, Lashkar Road Forum, MS Building, Richmond Road, Shivananda Circle near Desai Hospital, SMS Railway Junction, Subramanyanagar Police Station, Webb Junction near MG Road and Rajaram Mohan Roy Road.

Each skywalk, to which escalators will be rigged, is expected to cost anywhere between Rs 70-75 lakh. A short-term tender notification was issued on Janaury 13, two days before the BBMP election code of conduct came into effect. Once the civic polls were cancelled, the BBMP reinitiated the tender awarding process which is now in the finalisation stage, Palike sources said. Once awarded, the contract will remain effective for 20 years.

The escalators would be constructed on a Design, Build, Own, Operate and Transfer basis, but users will not have to pay a paisa. The prime source of income for the skywalk developers will be advertisement rights. The BBMP will earn Rs 65 lakh annually as part of the revenue sharing deal with the contractors.

Sources said the skywalks will be fitted with aesthetically designed capsule lifts and ramps. A combination of lifts and staircases will help pedestrians use the skywalks wherever ramps are not built.

The project is part of the BBMP’s attempt to make the City roads safer not only for senior citizens but also as a measure to curb jaywalking.

Sensitive youths take the initiative
Students Are Part Of Project To Make Bangalore Spotless
Aarthi R | TNN

Bangalore: Young Bangaloreans are taking the lead to show they care for the city. As part of a larger project, the ‘Spotless Bangalore’ programme to sensitize schoolchildren about waste management will be launched on February 10.
The five-year project (2010-15), which was unofficially launched last month, is exclusively for solid waste management and street dog welfare. More than 150 college students are part of the door-to-door campaign.
The team will work with schools to create awareness, and collect bottles, plastics and newspapers from residents. The collected waste will be sent across to recycling units. As of now, the plan is to hand over plastics to K K Polymers for laying roads, and old newspapers to NGOs.
The focus is also to find innovative use for non-recyclable waste. An ‘art out of waste’ competition will be held for schoolchildren. Most of the participating 20 schools are government ones.
The project is a joint initiative by Jain University’s community radio station Radio Active 90.4, and NGO Golden Husk. The students have already begun interactions with RWAs across the city on effective means to resolve issues of solid waste management.

Shell out a fortune to watch films

Shell out a fortune to watch films
Without Regulation, Multiplexes Are Out Of Budget For Many
— Ameen Khan
TIMES NEWS NETWORK

Bangalore: Entertainment at a high cost can put people off. Rising ticket prices at multiplexes in the city are forcing many to watch films at home.
The average price of Rs 300 in the first week of a film’s release is double the amount charged in Chennai. If the movie turns out to be a blockbuster, the rate further goes up. A gold class ticket at a multiplex, that earlier cost Rs 500, was hiked to Rs 1,000 for Avatar.
Dayanand Mandre, a film distributor, says: “Bangalore rates can go up to Rs 300 and even Rs 1,000 for gold class, while the limit is Rs 150 in Chennai. Multiplex owners say that in Tamil Nadu, there is government restriction that multiplex and single-screen theatres cannot charge more than Rs 150 per ticket on any given day. In Karnataka, the government hasn’t imposed any restriction on the amount charged for movie tickets. In Hyderabad, too, tickets cost much less, on a par with Chennai, as entertainment tax in Andhra Pradesh is fixed.”
Moviegoers complain that the government and exhibitors here are happy hiking the rates at their whim and fancy, robbing them of entertainment. The government, instead of imposing restrictions, is happy with the extra money it gets from entertainment tax, they say.
A group of students said they are forced to buy pirated DVDs at Rs 50 to Rs 80. Komal Gupta, a movie buff, said: “Theatres are fleecing the public. Multiplexes are only for the rich. They charge fancy rates, and middle and lower-middle class people are being kept out.” Iffath Fathima, a student of Florence Public School, agrees: “Our pocket money is limited and the idea of going to a multiplex is out of the question. We cannot afford it, so we generally watch movies at a friend’s place by buying a pirated print.”
Many producers have time and again raised their voice to curb the menace of piracy, but it appears the customers don’t have an option.
Karnataka Film Chamber of Commerce president Jayamala said the chamber is working towards a government regulation. “In Andhra Pradesh and Tamil Nadu, some people in politics are from the film industry and know what exactly is to be done. In Karnataka, no one understands the problem,” she added.
Bangalore: Price goes up to as much as Rs 1,000 Chennai: Upper limit of Rs 150 imposed by govt directive Hyderabad: On a par with Chennai because entertainment tax is fixed

Bengaluru loses its good old markets

Bengaluru loses its good old markets
Bengaluru,


Article Rank
View entire edition







The older markets in Bengaluru, an integral part of the daily life of people in the city, are being torn down to make way for swanky new megastores. Bengalureans worry that this will come at the loss of the personal touch that they are used to because the friendly shopkeepers of the old bazaars are unlikely to be at the new markets, reports Shilpa P. coming soon BBMP, which has 147 markets in its jurisdiction, has proposed to remodel 12 markets including KR Market, Jayanagar, fourth block, Gandhi Bazaar, Malleswaram Market, Kalasipalya Market, Yediyur Market, Maavalli Market, Lakkasandra Market, Sheshadripuram Market, Johnson Market, Moore Road Market and Cox Town Market among others.

BDA, which owns 11 shopping complexes in the city, has proposed a plan to demolish and rebuild shopping complexes at Indiranagar, RT Nagar, Austin Town and Vijaynagar.

Before the colonial architecture that characterised the city was replaced by monstrous buildings of steel and glass, Bengalureans would go to old marketplace and stores with which they forged relationships that stood the test of time.
No more. With civic agencies Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) and Bangalore Development Authority (BDA) planning to remodel and rebuild old markets, this tradition may soon come to an end.

Lakshmi Chandrashekhar, senior theatre artiste and wife of senior politician B.
K. Chandrashekar, has lived in Bengaluru for the last three decades. Though she has moved to Banashankari, second stage, from Basavanagudi, she unfailingly heads to a shop in Gandhi Bazaar, Srinivasa Stores, fondly called Subbammana Angadi, whenever her supply of condiments runs short.

Teleserial and movie director T.N. Seetharam is also an avid reader. But the new well-stocked multi-storied lifestyle bookshops are not for him. "For the past 25 years, every time I wanted to buy a book, I only go to Nagashree Book Store in Jayanagar, fourth block. We share a close bond and they understand my needs well," Mr Seetharam says. But with the modern markets set to replace the old stores, business with a personal touch may soon become a cash-and-carry activity, he laments.

Presently, BBMP, which has 147 markets in its jurisdiction, is preparing a detailed project report (DPR) on a proposed remodelling of 12 markets in the city including KR Market, Jayanagar, fourth block, Gandhi Bazaar, Malleswaram Market, Kalasipalya Market, Yediyur Market, Maavalli Market, Lakkasandra Market, Sheshadripuram Market, Johnson Market, Moore Road Market and Cox Town Market among others. Renovation of 11 shopping complexes at Indiranagar, RT Nagar, Austin Town and Vijayanagar is also on the cards for the BDA.

"BBMP has set up a market cell for the remodelling project. The DPRs for the markets in Jayanagar, fourth block, Kalasipalya, KR Market and Malleswaram are ready. It will not take more than a year to implement the plans. All markets will receive a facelift within the next three years," says a BBMP official.

Ultramodern shopping centres equipped with parking facilities are some of the features of the remodelled markets, says Venkatachalapathy M., BBMP deputy commissioner (markets).

Patrons of these markets are worried that the modernising plans will ruin the old city look and feel of the place. Also, not all shopkeepers will be able to afford the upkeep of a "modern" store. "The old markets meet our traditional needs, be it Dasara dolls or other items required for festivities and religious rituals.
These shops may not find a place in modern markets as they will not be able to afford the high rents at the complexes to be built here.
The rates of products may also increase and then, the common man will not be able to afford them anymore," says Srinivasa Iyengar, a resident of Jayanagar.

Fresh vegetables usually bought from farmers at cheaper rates may soon find their way into the racks of supermarkets in the complexes. They will be out of reach for low and middle income households, fears Lalitha Narayan, a housewife.

Park recklessly, and be tiger's prey

Park recklessly, and be tiger's prey



Preeti pai, Jayanagar
Under what conditions can a vehicle be towed away?
Vehicles, both two-wheelers and four-wheelers, are liable to be towed away if they are parked in no-parking zones across the city, or indifferently parked in a manner that obstructs the traffic flow on the roads. Vehicles that are abandoned or left unattended may also find themselves in the police station compound.

vivek mittal, Peenya
Can the traffic police tow away vehicles, even if there is not a single no-parking signboard in sight?
The public should understand that parking zones can exist only beyond a distance of 100 metres on either side of a non-parking zone. It is not possible for us to put up signboards or no-parking notices everywhere. Each no-parking board indicates that vehicles cannot be parked on roughly 100 metres from each of its sides. The public is expected to follow rules enforced through such signboards. If a person cannot understand this much, he should not take his vehicle onto the roads.

pavan kumar, Nandini Layout
Where can I find my vehicle if it gets towed away from a particular area by the traffic police?
When a vehicle gets towed, it will be taken to the jurisdictional police station or a designated parking place for vehicles that have been taken away. Such spaces are created when the area, where the offence has been committed, happens to be located at a considerable distance from the nearest police station. If the motorist concerned is unaware of the location of the jurisdictional police station, he may ask the locals — shopkeepers are especially knowledgeable in this regard — for directions. They may even call the control room at 080-22943030 / 3131 and ask for directions to the jurisdictional police station. Once they reach there, they can approach the police inspector or sub-inspector with the fine money and take their vehicles home. As each tiger picks up at least 20 vehicles before depositing them at the police station, the person may have to wait for some time to get his vehicle back.
Rijin v, Jalahalli
Among policemen, who is authorised to tow vehicles away?
Any traffic police officer above the rank of an assistant sub-inspector is authorised to tow vehicles away.
The towing vehicles, called 'tigers', are hired by the traffic police to take
away vehicles that are found in no-parking zones. And no, we cannot use hi-tech towing vehicles as they are too expensive. Right now, we are trying to make the best of what we have.
gayathri ranganath, Nagarbhavi
What is the fine for violating the no-parking rule?
The basic fine for violating the no-parking rule is Rs 100. However, violators may have to pay Rs200 extra — out of which Rs100 would go to the private parties in charge of towing vehicles. The traffic offender will receive two receipts — one from the Blackberry mobile phone in the possession of the police and the other from the receipt book.

suma krishnamurthy, Koramangala
Many vehicles get damaged while they are being towed away. What can be done in such a situation?
We do everything in our power to avoid damaging vehicles. However, even if it does happen, we are not to be blamed because we are only doing our duty by towing away vehicles belonging to rule violators. Besides, it is not very easy to tow vehicles away. Motorists can always claim insurance for any damages caused in the process. However, if a person's vehicle is not insured, he has to get it repaired at his own expense.

Ajay Nair, Indiranagar
What is the most common excuse you get from rule violators?
Mostly, people say that they had stopped "just for a minute" to visit a nearby place. We have even come across motorists who claimed that they parked their vehicles in no-parking zones because they couldn't find a suitable parking area. However, motorists should understand that the police's job is to ensure the smooth flow of traffic, not assist them with parking.

Who will do business in a place that stinks?

Who will do business in a place that stinks?

S Senthalir



The backyard of BBMP is stinking. Garbage remains the main problem in the KR Market area in Chamarajpet constituency. KR Market, one of the highest revenue yielding markets in Bangalore, is often saddled with mountains of garbage left to rot.
"The Palike collects taxes from the traders without fail. But it shows no urgency when it comes to paying them back with civic amenities," says a vexed BK Goyal, secretary of Bangalore Central Traders' Association.
"The worst affected," says Goyal, "are the traders and the residents of this area. The garbage is strewn around everywhere. I suspect garbage from other parts of the city is also unloaded here on the sly. In a place like KR Market, garbage clearance should be done regularly and not just once in two days."
Anitha R, another resident near SJP Road, says rotting garbage is posing a health hazard. "Sometimes, one sees leftovers and plastic waste rotting for days on the roadside and vacant spots. Stray dogs feast on them as mosquitoes fly around. Children fall ill frequently due to this menace. Civic workers do not sweep the roads properly. The heavy traffic and movement of people have led to much inconvenience for us," she says.
BBMP officials, whom DNA contacted, promptly deliver the ball back to the bowlers. "We are taking adequate measures to clear garbage from all the areas and why Chamarajpet alone is complaining?" asks one Palike official responsible for sanitary works.
But Goyal is not giving up. There are both residential and commercial buildings here. The sewage lines often get clogged and public toilets are not maintained properly. "People urinate on the roads as there are only a few public toilets here and even those are not properly maintained," he says.
Pavements have been dug up on Narasimha Raja Road and Sadar Patrappa Road, which are the hubs of electronic goods and hardware shops. There are lakhs of traders and thousands of commercial buildings on these stretches.
"Garbage is dumped anywhere. Palike's plans to introduce zero garbage concept have fallen flat here. To an extent, people are responsible for this. Earlier, shop owners used to collect garbage and keep it outside their shops and the BBMP collected it in the morning. However, the frequency of the garbage vans has reduced during the last two months," says Goyal.
"Okay, forget us, the residents. What about business that gives big moolah to the Palike? How will customers come to a place that stinks?" he asks.
People are unable to walk safely on the roads as the underpass work is still incomplete. "We find it difficult to cross the road here. The incomplete underpass work is adding to the mess. The mounds of garbage, plastic wastes and choking traffic make it risky and unpleasant to walk on the street," says Bhavya Shree, a student of Vani Vilas College.

Deliver us from smothering pollution

Deliver us from smothering pollution

Chamarajpet was unprepared for the rapid growth and the place tells it aloud

Chamarajpet pines for its halcyon days. Non-stop growl of traffic, the consequent pollution, loss of greenery and lack of sanitation are the most notable civic problems this old city constituency is facing. Residents say Metro is no solution for traffic woes but flyovers, underpasses and pavements are, reports S Senthalir

S Senthalir



Chamarajpet and its seven civic wards are overwhelmed by the city's high growth. But they get very few boons, while all the bane of development is thrust on them.
The residents' problems can be put in a nutshell. Rajesh K, a youth who appears to be the voice of the constituency, says, "We suffer from 'TPC' which means traffic, pollution, and congestion. Now, the metro work has added a 'M' to these woes. Otherwise, we are okay."
"Chamarajpet is a blessed place. It has been the cradle for many luminaries. Among them is the enigmatic tragedy king of Hindi cinema, Guru Dutt. It's Chamarajpet which lent its name to Chamarajpet Charlie, the popular jovial character of Radio One," says he.
Rajesh is not the lone resident speaking of the lost world. For a nostalgic Prof Sreedhara Murthy, "those were the days".
"Chamarajpet was in our cognitive map. We could guide anyone who came to the locality. We knew every nook and corner and also the people who lived here. Those days, the 'harikathe' recital would go on for three months. We sadly miss the harikathe and the simple, old folks who came to hear them. Everything has changed. The newcomers have ceased to be social," says he evincing a wistful look.
Coming to the present, he says, "Today, Chamarajpet does not suffer from basic needs. There's water and a system to dispose of the garbage."
But the situation is quite bad in other wards where mounting waste remains a menace. While the young yearn for modern facilities, the old long for the lost paradise. Both are hoping that the Bruhat Bangalore Mahanagara Pailike (BBMP) will make them at least partly happy once the wards get representatives.
The frenzied march of the city has claimed many old landmarks, roads and trees. Residents very much miss the green cover and blame Namma Metro for it.
"We hope Metro work will be completed fast so that part of the greenery can be restored," says Vinay A, a resident of Chamarajpet.
Growing traffic and their constant roar make many sick. "There is traffic pile-up because of the Metro work," says Vinay.
"Once a green area, Chamarajpet is now highly polluted," says Satish Rajan, a resident. Most people in the constituency believe that Metro is no solution to the traffic problems. "More flyovers, pedestrian paths and regulation are the real answers," says Rajan.
"Chamarajpet suffers from the civic un-preparedness to bear the high growth," says Vaishnavi KB, an engineering student. "There should be more underpasses and flyovers to tackle the traffic movement."
Karthik Goyal, a trader in KR Market, puts his finger on the nub of the problem. "Every 100 years, a traffic signal and every 10 yards, an ill-made speed breaker. What else do you want for traffic congestion and pollution?" he asks.
"Unscientific traffic regulation is the major reason for snarls, and for that senior traffic officials, and civic officials are equally responsible," says Karthik.
He consoles himself with the thought that core Bangalore too suffers from this want.
Residents and their leaders say their appeals for a more meaningful approach to development have fallen on the deaf ears of civic officials. Except for a few parks like Makkala Koota, there is not much greenery to boast of here.
"Buildings have been mushrooming everywhere. But attendant facilities have been missing, thanks to corrupt civic officials," says Shanthi Rajagopal, a resident of Padarayanapura ward.
The Idgah maidan, which is located here, is one the biggest grounds in the state. The constituency also houses Tippu Sultan's summer palace.
Shanthi is pained to see that even historical monuments and institutions like Tippu Fort, Victoria Hospital, Kannada Sahitya Parishat, Vani Vilas Hospital and Vani Vilas College remain neglected.
"Amid the traditional eatery joints, a Cafe Coffee Day outlet has sprung up. However, there are still no multiplexes and huge malls or shopping complexes. It would have been more comfortable for us if these were here," she says

High-rises built on tank beds rest on shaky foundations

High-rises built on tank beds rest on shaky foundations

LIKE THE BELLARY BUILDING, several STRUCTURES IN CITY HAVE BEEN BUILT ON WETLANDS

Bosky Khanna and Senthalir S. Bangalore



The Bellary building crash has sent alarm bells ringing among high-rises built on wetlands in the city. The under-construction building that collapsed in the North Karnataka city was built on a wetland, and ended up killing 28 persons.
Bellary's black cotton soil proved to be the nemesis of the five-storey building. City mayor Basavaraj pointed out that the soil was loose, and no proper soil testing was conducted before undertaking the construction.
In Bangalore, a large number of high-rise residential and commercial buildings have come up on encroached lake and tank beds. According to statistics available with Bruhat Bangalore Mahanagara Palike (BBMP), a total of 183 lakes have been identified in the city. "At least 233 acres have been encroached upon in the 69 lakes that have been taken up for encroachment clearance drive," said a senior BBMP official.
He added that most of the buildings that had come up on these encroached lands were residential buildings. Besides, there were also educational institutions, apartments and commercial complexes.
MU Ashwath, secretary, organising committee of Association of Consulting Civil Engineers (ACCE), said: "We cannot say anything on whether buildings that have come up on wetlands in Bangalore will collapse anytime. It all depends on the layout, position of columns, type of building and the load it takes."
Emphasising that the foundation determined the construction of a building, he said that black soil could shrink and expand. The soil quality would result in imbalances in the structure, leading to its collapse, he said.
According to Bangalore Development Authority (BDA) Master Plan 2015 rules, a 30-metre space should be maintained as buffer zone between the structure and the lake boundary. No construction should be allowed in that buffer zone, a BDA official said, and added that structures violating this rule would be considered as encroachments and would be cleared.
Corroborating this, Dr TV Ramachandra from Energy and Wetlands Research Group Centre for Ecological Sciences, IISc, said that a building constructed on a wet base would collapse in the eventuality of it being subjected to any pressure.
He said that rules were being flouted. One reason why a tall tower could not be constructed on the land where the Kempe Gowda bus stand stood now was because it was a wetland. Most lakes like Bellandur, Agara, Madiwala, Varthur, Ramasandra, Malathahalli, Puttenahalli, Vibhutipura lake on Old Airport Road, and even Ulsoor had been encroached upon. Surprisingly, all those structures had come up with sanctioned plans and permissions from civic agencies concerned, he observed.

A biodiversity heritage site right in Bangalore, soon

A biodiversity heritage site right in Bangalore, soon

Bosky Khanna. Bangalore

Even as a controversy rages over the proposed road inside the campus of the University of Agricultural Science (UAS), this green area is all set to get the tag of a 'Biodiversity Heritage Site'. North Bangalore's biggest and most unique lung space, the Gandhi Krishi Vignyan Kendra, within the campus of the UAS, is among three sites proposed to be declared heritage sites under the Biological Diversity Act, 2002.
The state's biodiversity board had made the proposal to the government a fortnight ago. The other two sites short-listed for the tag are the Netrani Islands, coral islands just off the coast of Karnataka, and Hogrekhan corridor in Chikmagalur.
Once the GKVK gets the heritage tag, it will be free from commercialisation, urbanisation and 'road rage'. If all goes well, the GKVK campus will be the second heritage site near Bangalore, the first being Nallur tamarind grove in Devanahalli.
"A proposal has been sent, and the approval of the government has been obtained, in principle. This is yet to be notified, and people will be allowed to raise any objections," explained Karnataka state biodiversity board member and additional principal chief conservator of forests, RC Prajapathi. The objections will then be placed before the biodiversity committee, after which the government will make a declaration.
Once the declaration is made, it will buttress the fight against urbanisation in this region. Prjapathi added that the declaration will come as a shot in the arm for greens, as they can then cite it against activities that threaten the biodiversity of the area.
The campus spreads across 1,380 acres. Of this, 167 hectares, spread across 14 patches, have been identified as areas to be declared a biodiversity heritage site. The assessment of the area was done on the basis of a report by Dr S Subramanya, professor of entomology, GKVK.
"We have found 50 plants, 165 bird species, 90 butterfly varieties and ten species each of mammal and reptile that are unique to this region. There are also 277 fungi species and 53 species of mite that thrive in the area of the campus. Subramanya also said that a patch of scrub forest which has been in existence since at least 1573, has also been listed for protection as a heritage site.
Subramanya said that so far, biodiversity parks have been restricted to national parks and the Western Ghats alone. Areas in the vicinity of urban spaces too cry out for such protection. The IISc also houses unique species, though it has not been declared a heritage site, Subramanya added.

Wall falls, road to take more traffic

Wall falls, road to take more traffic
BENGALURU


Article Rank




ROAD WIDENING WORK ON STRETCH FROM RACE COURSE ROAD TO SHIVANANDA CIRCLE BEGINS "The work of road widening was supposed to have been completed six months ago, but was delayed due to shifting of electric poles and water pipelines."

-- Traffic police officer

: The compound wall e Karnataka Film of the Karnataka Film Chamber of Commerce office was pulled down on Sunday to allow the widening of the stretch between Race Course Road and Shivananda Circle.
Though large parts of Race Course Road had been widened, this stretch was left untouched for almost a year due to various hurdles.
Once the work is complete, commuters heading towards Sheshadripuram, Crescent Road and Kumara Krupa Road can reach their destinations faster without getting stuck in traffic.

"Work on the stretch was supposed to have been completed six months ago, but was delayed due to shifting of electric poles and water pipelines. The part of the road beginning from High Ground Police Station to Shivananda Circle will now have eight lanes," said a traffic police officer.

Earlier, traffic moving towards Shivananda Circle would be caught in heavy jams with autorickshaws and two-wheelers using the right lane. The median has virtually fallen apart and the U-turn poses a hindrance to smooth flow of traffic.

"After the stretch is widened the median will be reerected depending on the volume of traffic. The footpath will also be constructed once the asphalting work is complete," said a traffic police officer.

A lane on Sheshadri Road that was to be completed last month has not yet been opened to traffic.

"We are planning to make the stretch a two-way and allow light motor vehicles and two-wheelers on the new lane," the officer said.

"Since asphalting has not been completed, the traffic volume has increased on Race Course Road," the officer added.

Giving bye-laws the go-by

Giving bye-laws the go-by

Chitra V. Ramani
Bangalore: The Bruhat Bangalore Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) has in place various building bye-laws though officials themselves concede that most buildings are constructed in violation of these bye-laws.

Last October, Lokayukta N. Santosh Hegde, following complaints on large-scale violations, directed the Principal Secretary of the Urban Development Department to instruct commissioners of the city corporations, municipalities and chief officers of the town municipal councils to “regulate violations of building plans, approved by the respective local body and unauthorised constructions.”

He maintained that both the Urban Development and Town Planning authorities do not take any responsibility of monitoring developments, contemplated in the plans. “Invariably, these authorities escape their responsibilities by informing that they only provide ‘Technical Opinion’ on the proposed developments,” he said.

However, as per the Karnataka Town and Country Planning Act 1961, the authorities are empowered to act against the violations of master plans, building and layout plans.

A senior official in the civic authority’s Town Planning Department maintained that the civic authority was doing its bit to ensure that buildings are constructed as per the plan. “Though the quality of construction does not come under our purview, owners are required to follow bye-laws stipulated in the master plan.

The onus of ensuring structural stability is on the builder,” the official said.

The official also said that before the plan is sanctioned/ approved by the civic authority, the builder is required to get a No Objection Certificate from seven civic authorities, including Department of Fire and Emergency Services and Bangalore Electricity Supply Company.

The official said that the buildings should be constructed under the supervision of a registered structural engineer. “The most important requirement is to ensure that it is designed and constructed as per norms prescribed in the National Building Code and in the ‘Criteria for Earthquake-Resistant Design for Structures’ published by the Bureau of Indian Standards,” the official added.

Sanction is accorded only if the plan is attested by one of the 2,000 engineers registered with the BBMP.

NOC
B.G. Chengappa, Director of Fire and Emergency Services, said builders have to get NOC twice from the department — once before the plan sanction from BBMP and again before occupation. “Generally, we stipulate the fire safety measures.

The third biggest park in the city

The third biggest park in the city Success

Staff Reporter


BANGALORE: Mathikere, once spread across 112 acres and catering to Yeshwanthpur, Mathikere and Jalahalli villages, would either have become a stinking water body or hotbed of encroachment had the residents not taken an initiative to preserve the space for public use.

Owing to their untiring efforts under the leadership of the then local corporator B.R. Nanjundappa, the tank has now become the third biggest park of the city after Cubbon Park and Lal Bagh. It is now a biodiversity hotspot spread across 84.5 acres.

The foundation stone for the Jai Prakash Narayan Park was laid by the former Chief Minister late Ramakrishna Hegde in 1987 and the park was thrown open to the public by H.D. Kumaraswamy during his stint as Chief Minister on March 19, 2005.

An initiative of the erstwhile Bangalore Mahanagara Palike, the JP Park has over 8,000 varieties of trees and shrubs from across the State catering to the residents of North-West Bangalore.

Mr. Nanjundappa, who was also the Leader of the Opposition in the BMP Council, told The Hindu that the speciality of the park lies in the 25-acre water body and the 4.5 km joggers track.

Fruit-bearing tree saplings have been planted to attract birds, which is giving the desired results.

The water body had shrunken to just 12 acres and it was improved when the project was taken up.

Healthcare is a casualty City Ballot Problems

Healthcare is a casualty City Ballot Problems

Anil Kumar Sastry
‘For major diseases, we have to go to K.C. General Hospital’
— Photo: K. Murali Kumar

Arduous: Residents of Narasimhaswamy Badavane in Laggere, Bangalore, have to spend at least three hours fetching water every day.
BANGALORE: A city which has won accolades as a medical tourism hub promising affordable healthcare to outsiders has conveniently forgotten to provide even basic healthcare facilities to its own denizens. Many areas still do not have a general hospital and Rajarajeshwari Nagar Assembly constituency is a classic example for the official apathy.

“For any major treatment, we have to go all the way to K.C. General Hospital at Malleswaram, which is 15 km away,” said M. Sriram, an electric shop owner in Laggere ward, a part of Rajarajeshwari Nagar constituency.

Once a village and then a part of the erstwhile Rajarajeshwari Nagar City Municipal Council, Laggere is now under transformation into an urban conglomeration.

Except Jalahalli, HMT, Yeshwanthpur and JP Park, other wards — Rajarajeshwari Nagar, Jnana Bharathi, Kottigepalya and Lakshmidevi Nagar — are not close to Malleswaram either.

These nine wards across a distance of 22 km, from Rajarajeshwari Nagar in the South-West to JP Park in the North-West, represent two extremities — development and under-development.

The common thread bringing these wards together is the lack of healthcare facilities, garbage disposal and absence of Cauvery water supply.

K.M. Suresh, a resident of Laggere, said the area does not have Cauvery water supply. The bore-well water is hard and not potable, he said and added that the civic authorities should provide for underground sewerage system. Otherwise, outbreak of epidemic is certain, he cautioned.

Puttatayamma, resident of Byraveshwaranagar in Laggere said the authorities have allowed flow of sewage and dumping of garbage on the road adjacent to her residence creating a health hazard.

“Ragi Mill” Seenappa, a resident of Narasimhaswamy Badavane in Laggere, said precious time of women in the locality is wasted in fetching water.

“They spend at least two to three hours every day running from one public tap to another to fetch water,” regretted Mr. Seenappa.

The situation is almost similar in almost all the wards in this constituency except parts of Rajarajeshwari Nagar, HMT, Jalahalli and JP Park wards.

The only solace for these new areas of the Bruhat Bangalore Mahanagara Palike has been the accelerated pace of road asphalting work, Mr. Suresh noted.

Laggere and many other village areas which had just kachcha roads now have a new look, cleanly asphalted roads, thanks to the initiatives of the Government to develop the new areas of the BBMP, he added.

No heroics, only dirty look for the young girls

No heroics, only dirty look for the young girls

Monica Jha



The way so many liquor shops and bar-cum-restaurants operate 24x7 in Gandhinagar area has become a cause of concern for the residents in the area.
This place, where residential and commercial segments mingle, has been denied (or defied) modern amenities.
"In the civic scheme of things, Gandhinagar is the bus stand and market which are bound to be crowded and, therefore, dirty," says Raj Selva who runs a photocopy stall near the Kempegowda bus stand.
"The heart of Gandhinagar is outright dirty. I don't walk in the area I live. I ask my brother to drop me to college. For other things, I avoid going out. I depend on my brother to get me snacks or ice-cream in the evenings as I find it hard to swallow anything with so many pairs of eyes staring at me," says Mamta Kothari, a BBM student and resident of Gandhinagar.
Mamta echoes the general consensus. "It is not a nice feeling and, believe me, not a good idea to have a bar next door. We have people standing, sitting and lying on the road till late in the night. There is no sense of privacy. I cannot stand in the balcony, I cannot go to the terrace and I cannot step out of the house late in the evenings," says Srividya M, a BSc student.
"A fight breaks out in our neighbourhood every day for no reason. You have drunk people shouting, fighting, abusing and throwing up all over the place. It is disgusting," says Vishal Jain, a young businessman.
The problem not only affects the people in the neighbourhood but also those who visit the commercial areas. The Majestic bus station (Kempegowda bus stand) in the area, which is visited by lakhs of people, gives a crude and disturbing picture of civic neglect.
"I get down at Majestic and walk home taking the subway from Majestic to Gandhinagar every day. I've been doing this daily for the last six years and I still dread the 10 minutes inside it. I can't explain my fear but any girl can understand it when she walks here," says Rishita Sharma, a final year student of engineering and resident of Gandhinagar.
"The entire place smells of cheap alcohol. You never know who would bump into you the next moment. I hate going to Majestic and never take a bus. But I can't use my car to go to the nearby shop. So sometime, I need to cross the bars on the way. But I'm always afraid somebody may misbehave with me. Many of my neighbours have faced such problems," says Laksmi Mahadev, an MBA student.
"I leave home with the glass of my car window rolled up. I cannot take my daughter for a walk. I do not want her asking uncomfortable questions," says Prerana Suman, a young mother and resident of Seshadripuram.
"Our parents are scared as the area does not look safe," says Namitha Shankar, an MBA student and resident of Gandhinagar.

Bengaluru loses its good old markets

Bengaluru loses its good old markets
Bengaluru,


Article Rank







The older markets in Bengaluru, an integral part of the daily life of people in the city, are being torn down to make way for swanky new megastores. Bengalureans worry that this will come at the loss of the personal touch that they are used to because the friendly shopkeepers of the old bazaars are unlikely to be at the new markets, reports Shilpa P. coming soon BBMP, which has 147 markets in its jurisdiction, has proposed to remodel 12 markets including KR Market, Jayanagar, fourth block, Gandhi Bazaar, Malleswaram Market, Kalasipalya Market, Yediyur Market, Maavalli Market, Lakkasandra Market, Sheshadripuram Market, Johnson Market, Moore Road Market and Cox Town Market among others.

BDA, which owns 11 shopping complexes in the city, has proposed a plan to demolish and rebuild shopping complexes at Indiranagar, RT Nagar, Austin Town and Vijaynagar.

Before the colonial architecture that characterised the city was replaced by monstrous buildings of steel and glass, Bengalureans would go to old marketplace and stores with which they forged relationships that stood the test of time.
No more. With civic agencies Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) and Bangalore Development Authority (BDA) planning to remodel and rebuild old markets, this tradition may soon come to an end.

Lakshmi Chandrashekhar, senior theatre artiste and wife of senior politician B.
K. Chandrashekar, has lived in Bengaluru for the last three decades. Though she has moved to Banashankari, second stage, from Basavanagudi, she unfailingly heads to a shop in Gandhi Bazaar, Srinivasa Stores, fondly called Subbammana Angadi, whenever her supply of condiments runs short.

Teleserial and movie director T.N. Seetharam is also an avid reader. But the new well-stocked multi-storied lifestyle bookshops are not for him. "For the past 25 years, every time I wanted to buy a book, I only go to Nagashree Book Store in Jayanagar, fourth block. We share a close bond and they understand my needs well," Mr Seetharam says. But with the modern markets set to replace the old stores, business with a personal touch may soon become a cash-and-carry activity, he laments.

Presently, BBMP, which has 147 markets in its jurisdiction, is preparing a detailed project report (DPR) on a proposed remodelling of 12 markets in the city including KR Market, Jayanagar, fourth block, Gandhi Bazaar, Malleswaram Market, Kalasipalya Market, Yediyur Market, Maavalli Market, Lakkasandra Market, Sheshadripuram Market, Johnson Market, Moore Road Market and Cox Town Market among others. Renovation of 11 shopping complexes at Indiranagar, RT Nagar, Austin Town and Vijayanagar is also on the cards for the BDA.

"BBMP has set up a market cell for the remodelling project. The DPRs for the markets in Jayanagar, fourth block, Kalasipalya, KR Market and Malleswaram are ready. It will not take more than a year to implement the plans. All markets will receive a facelift within the next three years," says a BBMP official.

Ultramodern shopping centres equipped with parking facilities are some of the features of the remodelled markets, says Venkatachalapathy M., BBMP deputy commissioner (markets).

Patrons of these markets are worried that the modernising plans will ruin the old city look and feel of the place. Also, not all shopkeepers will be able to afford the upkeep of a "modern" store. "The old markets meet our traditional needs, be it Dasara dolls or other items required for festivities and religious rituals.
These shops may not find a place in modern markets as they will not be able to afford the high rents at the complexes to be built here.
The rates of products may also increase and then, the common man will not be able to afford them anymore," says Srinivasa Iyengar, a resident of Jayanagar.

Fresh vegetables usually bought from farmers at cheaper rates may soon find their way into the racks of supermarkets in the complexes. They will be out of reach for low and middle income households, fears Lalitha Narayan, a housewife.

Gen X is restless in gandhinagar

Gen X is restless in gandhinagar

Youth of Gandhinagar are an unhappy lot. They feel their aspirations are being trampled upon and elders don't care. The constituency, as a whole, remains a pariah of civic planners whose focus is on development of new areas. This place feeds the city and yetis starved of modernfacilities, saysMonica Jha

Home to floating population, it has miles to go to serve their new needs

Monica Jha



Debunking the language battle, huge cutouts of Kannada cine stars stand cheek by jowl with that of Tamil and Bollywood heroes displaying six-pack abs. And long queues before the movie houses announce the station: Gandhinagar.
Anyone in the line-up for ticket-seekers, the young Girish Rao, for instance, is an authority on Kannada and Telugu films. Ask Rao how many films Vishnuvardhan had acted in or what was the record-breaking mega hit film of Chiru. He knows the answers.
The Gandhinagar assembly constituency houses the old Bangalore area, known as the hub of Kannada film industry — the Sandalwood headquarters with a large number of cinema theatres. The industry has also a sort of permanent venue for filmy meets near Tribhuvan cinema. But Gandhinagar's other constituents, Subhashnagar, Okalipuram, Chickpet, Cottonpet, and Binnypet, have not got that aura.
Senior residents of the constituency are fond of recalling the good old days of handloom and paper industry that had once flourished here. Once a prosperous business hub, the area is now known for its densely populated, narrow alleys, where one goes only for wholesale and sometimes economical shopping. The shopping area is congested with workplaces-cum-residences or purely residential areas.
Gandhinagar looks like a country that lost its race with time and progress. One may miss the signs of the city's progress while taking a walk around the area. Chickpet, Binnypet and Cottonpet do not represent the best of Bangalore in terms of infrastructure development. Other areas in the constituency like Kumara Park West, Sheshadripuram and Gandhinagar have not been developed to their potential.
The youth of the area are flummoxed. They can't stop wondering why their area lacks infrastructure in spite of its glorious past and its significant contribution to the city in terms of revenue, identity and history.
"Our area is like the soldiers on the front. They are forgotten once you get the best out of them and leave them disabled for life. The city planners are focusing on development of newer areas. They do not seem to be bothered about our constituency as it will require a lot more thinking and planning to do things in this congested and dirty area. But what they ought to think is who made this area filthy and why the wards are so congested. We feed the rest of the city supplying (wholesale) goods in fair price and thus help small businesses as well. What do we get in return?" asks Sujeeth KN, an engineering student.
While the area is known for its passion for the cinema, youth in the area still crave for a decent theatre. K Rajan, a medical student from Gandhinagar, wants to point out the incongruity of his area being the centre of Sandalwood, and yet, lacking a decent theatre.
"Despite being the hub of cinema in Bangalore, we do not have a decent cinema hall here. Why should we be satisfied with the aging old-fashioned cinema halls, when the entire city is enjoying multi-screens and high-end audio systems?" asks Rajan.
"Our locality is backward if you compare its facilities with that of new Bangalore. What was offered to us in the name of development were numerous road humps, traffic jams and one-ways," Sangeetha Kumar B, a BBM student, says in a derisive tone to show her disappointment.
Youth in six of seven civic wards have plenty of quarrels with the BBMP. "There is no hangout for the youth here. If you want to spend some time with your friends over a cup of coffee, you have to go to either Malleswaram or Cunnigham Road," says Vinutha, a software engineer and resident of Sheshadripuram.
"Why coffee?" chips in Sneha Shah, a teacher in Sheshadripuram who was listening to the youths' complaints. "Even for an internet browsing centre, one has to walk at least a kilometre in Sheshadripuram. And they call it a Cyber City of Asia!"
If modern facilities for the Gen X are missing, safety is no better either. Many lanes do not have street lights, making them ideal places for muggers. There is no police patrolling in the night.

KPTCL digs, motorists in pits

KPTCL digs, motorists in pits
Power corporation’s digging work for laying cables on Vatal Nagaraj Road makes life hell for motorists; but KPTCL blames traffic for delaying its work
DEEPTHI M R


The KPTCL has dug up the Vatal Nagaraj Road for laying underground cables, leaving little room for motorists to move. Filled with dust and smoke, this ‘hell for motorists’ also poses a stiff challenge to the Karnataka Power Transmission Corporation Limited.
The cable-laying work has been going on for the last two months and it is expected to last for another two weeks. KPTCL chief engineer Mahadev said, “We are laying 220-kv underground cables on the Vatal Nagaraj Road. To lay every 450-500 metres of cable, it takes a week’s time.”
Mahadev said the cables have been brought from Korea and need to be handled carefully. After every 450 metres, the lines have to be joined, which is a week-long process, and kept free from dust.
TRAFFIC GETS BLAME
KPTCL blames the delay in its work to the traffic on the road. “Digging the road was not a problem. We have drawn the cable from 5th Block, Rajajinagar without any hassle. But the traffic on the Vatal Nagaraj Road is too heavy. Vehicles join the road from Rajajinagar 5th Block, Dr Rajkumar Road and Magadi Road. We cannot stop our work, nor can we stop people from driving on the road,” he said.
While the KPTCL is finding it difficult to lay the cables, motorists find it hard to manoeuvre on the road. Deshmukh Rai, an office-goer, said, “Traffic on the road begins to get thick in the early hours itself. If I have to reach office by 9 am, I have to leave Rajajinagar I Block at 7.30 am. But I get stuck on this road for almost half an hour and reach office late.”
MOTORISTS’ GROUSE
There are no signboards or diversions en route, catching motorists off guard. “If any department is taking up work on the road, it can divert the traffic or fix signboards indicating some work is going on on the road, so we can take a detour,” said Govindan H P, a resident of Okalipuram.
“The traffic jam starts from Dr Rajkumar Road and goes on till the rear entrance of the railway station. It is not a pleasant journey,” he said.
The peak-hour traffic on the road is between 7 am and 11 am and between 4 pm and 9 pm. “Since we cannot work in the evening, work stops by 7 pm, after which traffic is smooth. But morning hours are difficult to deal with; we still have a kilometre and a half of road work left,” said Mahadev.
DUSTY ROAD
Jayaram K L, a resident of Rajajinagar, said, “If they wanted to dig up the road, they should have fixed signboards and put up enclosures to keep the road dust-free. The road is full of dust, posing lot of problems for an asthma patient like me.”

It’s proven: Digital meters can be made to lie

It’s proven: Digital meters can be made to lie
During a check of 2,760 autorickshaws across the city, officials found that digital meters in 51 vehicles had been tampered with
SUCHITH KIDIYOOR


In the last two years, citizens had begun to believe that autorickshaws having digital meters show the correct fare, but a recent drive by legal metrology department revealed that they too can be tampered with.
Assistant Controller (auto and taxi unit) Gopalappa said, “We checked meters of 2,760 autorickshaws across the city and detected 51 cases of tampering of digital meters.”
The findings come as a slap on the faces of transport department officials and the traffic police who had given a ‘tamper-proof’ certificate to digital meters two years ago.
The transport department had mooted digital meters following complaints from commuters that the mechanical meters were being tampered with. Their argument was that, unlike mechanical meters, digital meters are fitted with a software and cannot be manipulated by roadside mechanics. In due course, digital meters were made mandatory for all new autorickshaws.
Initially, it worked. Then, people complained about variations in fares. That is when the legal metrology department, which keeps tab on weights and measures, decided to act. Three months ago, it began checking autos.
An official said, “We learnt that
the pulse rate in digital meters can be altered. But, it is not easy. We suspect the erring drivers of taking the help of technicallyqualified persons to fiddle with the digital meters.”
The department slapped a fine on errant drivers, but the larger issue is that the faith of commuters in digital meters will be shattered.
But, don’t expect a remedy soon because the transport department, which oversees autos in the city, pleads helplessness.
Transport Commissioner Bhaskar Rao said, “As per the rule, digital meters do not come under the purview of the Motor Vehicles Act. But, if and when the legal metrology department recommends, we will take action against errant drivers.”

Yediyur lake encroachment leaves BBMP red in the face

Yediyur lake encroachment leaves BBMP red in the face
Vinay Madav | TNN

Bangalore: To clear or not to clear. That is the BBMP’s dilemma as it views a report on encroachment over 8 acres around Yediyur lake in Jayanagar VI Block.
This issue has cropped up time and again, and though the Bangalore Metropolitan Task Force (BMTF) submitted three reports to BMP (the erstwhile BBMP), no action has been initiated. Most often, the BBMP ducked the issue saying the land was tank bund area and the ownership lied to the revenue department. Now, it requested the BDA to look for the land documents going back to the 1940s when the City Improvement Trust Board acquired the land.
The issue came to light in 2004, when RTI activist L Shankarlingaiah sought details on the encroachment by some individuals around Yediyur Lake. The issue was referred to the BMTF, which got a survey done by the Land Revenue and Land Records department and submitted a report to the BBMP.
The survey stated that 8 acres, 2 guntas of land had been encroached upon around Yediyur lake, which falls under Yediyur and Dasarahalli villages. While the original lake area shrunk from 18 acres, 2 guntas to 15 acres, 23 guntas, there was further encroachment of 6 acres around the tank bund area.
Besides, the encroached land has changed hands over the past 30 years, either through sale or through divisions in the families which owned it. During the past 10 years, a number of apartments have cropped up on the encroached land. In 2005, the then urban development secretary S V Ranganath directed the BBMP to initiate action against the encroachment.
The BBMP replied the land belonged to the forest department as it was a tank bund area. The BBMP assured it would hold a meeting with the revenue department over initiating action, but the meeting never took place.
However, in 2009, Shankarlingaiah applied for more information from the BBMP over a piece of land, which was part of the encroached land. The BBMP, in its reply, admitted that the land owner was ‘Corporation of City of Bangalore’ and said it was leased to V Krishnamurthy.
Shankaralingaiah then lodged one more complaint with the BMTF, which got the third survey done. Even this report confirmed encroachment of 8.02 acres around Yediyur lake and on this land, private parties had constructed apartments.
WAKE UP...
The Bangalore Metropolitan Task Force had submitted three reports to BMP (the erstwhile BBMP), yet no action was taken
Now BDA has been requested to look for the land documents going back to the 1940s when the City Improvement Trust Board acquired the land
During the past 10 years, a number of apartments have cropped up on the encroached land. LENGTH AND BREADTH OF IT
Eight acres and two guntas of land had been encroached upon around Yediyur lake. While the original lake area shrunk from 18 acres and 2 guntas to 15 acres and 23 guntas, there was further encroachment of 6 acres around the tank bund area

BDA seeks alternatives to widen Outer Ring Road

BDA seeks alternatives to widen Outer Ring Road

NR MadhusudhanFirst Published : 08 Feb 2010 09:48:50 AM ISTLast Updated : 08 Feb 2010 12:20:47 PM IST
BANGALORE: As the repeated efforts to convince Indian Air Force to part with its land near the Jalahalli railway line and the Outer Ring Road (ORR) junction for widening the ORR turned futile, the Bangalore Development Authority (BDA) is planning to construct an underpass and a flyover at a cost of Rs 450 crore to ease traffic flow on that stretch of the ring road.
The plan is still in the initial stages and has to be placed before the technical committee for its approval before the other procedures are initiated.
As there is a Central Machine Testing Laboratory to the other side of the ORR, BDA officials are focusing on the possibility of reducing the vibrations caused by the traffic movement on the flyover and underpass.
According to norms, the road should be at least 300 ft away from the laboratory to get the accurate testing results in the laboratory. If the proposed project is undertaken, the road will be much closer to the laboratory than the prescribed limit.
A BDA official said, “The people in the laboratory have given us some technical specifications and we are exploring the possibilities of meeting their requirements. If approved, this will be a time-bound project and will take at least three years to complete after it is started. This project will clear the bottle-neck and ease the flow of traffic on that stretch of the ORR.” Except the three-km stretch of the ORR adjacent to the Air Force land near Jalahalli, the ORR has been almost completed according to the plan.
BDA is also planning to construct a segmental arch near Mahalakshmi Layout Road and ORR junction to make the junction signal-free. The BDA has also allotted works to construct flyovers at 10 important junctions to make the ORR signal-free.

Gasping for breathing space

Gasping for breathing space

Shatarupa ChaudhuriFirst Published : 09 Feb 2010 03:46:04 AM ISTLast Updated : 09 Feb 2010 06:44:50 AM IST
BANGALORE: A pedestrian would, in all likelihood, feel humbled by the elegance of the row of genteel homes on either side of the road. The houses with classy wooden gates, trellises of roses and bougainvilleas, porches under which stand high-end cars and architectural panache seems to have eyes following you as you try to tread softly on the footpaths so as not to disturb those grand residences standing in aristocratic silence.
Take the right just before Big Bazaar on Old Madras Road and you will have entered this pretty, picturesque, quiet world of Nagavarapalya.
Follow the footpath for a while, and it will transform into uneven or broken stone slabs. Follow it further, and, by the time you reach the prime area of Nagavarapalya Main Road, it would have disappeared. Disappeared is perhaps not the appropriate word; taken over by hawkers and by the awnings of the permanent shops is more correct.
Also, unlike the first quarter where the emptiness on the road seems almost unnatural, here you will have to jostle with pedestrians and vehicles at the same time. The lanes and by lanes become even more crowded, claustrophobic nearly as they become narrower, most of them broken and ill-maintained, with shops, houses and institutions squeezed into the available space.
Teachers in the Government Kannada Higher Primary School, which has about 300 students said that although the school is running well, with no dearth of food, water and electricity for the kids, the lack of a playground confines the students in the concrete building. This school, that is near the Anjaneya Temple, is surrounded by buildings on three sides with almost no room in between.
But surprisingly, people still find space for construction here. Beautiful homes and residential complexes are being built amid houses that look almost like ghettoes. Some of the roads are in poor condition because of the multiple constructions going on around.
Raghunath, a resident who also owns a shop in the Krishnappa Building (the main market on Nagavarapalya Main Road), has other complains.
He said, “Garbage gets piled up on the road next to the building. The vegetable and fish vendors just throw the rubbish here. The BBMP truck does not do a good job of cleaning. Moreover, it comes during peak traffic hours, around 9 or 10 am, and blocks traffic for an hour. Another problem is parking. People just come and park in front of our shops and leave their vehicles here for hours.” When approached, even Lt Col MG Thimmaya, the estate manager of the DRDO Township (which is right next to Nagavarapalya), agreed about the garbage and traffic woes. He said, “The vendors have occupied the footpaths and they sit right next to my compound wall. It is a security threat to DRDO.” He added that the road becomes main road choked due to traffic since most of its width has been eaten up by shops and vendors.
But the picture is not all bleak here. Nagavarapalya may be bursting at its seams and look a bit messy, but if you adjust to these, it is a convenient place to stay. The innumerable shops (old style and not supermarkets) ensure that you get everything within five minutes of your reach, be it daily provisions, medical help, small eateries like Hotel Chirag, tailors or even things like ‘sound and light’ stores.
Priya, a resident, said, “There is no problem of water or electricity. Big Bazaar and Old Madras Road are close by.” At least, it is bustling with life if not with some much-needed order.

End of the road?

End of the road?
By: Madhusudan Maney Date: 2010-02-08 Place: Mumbai




With 1,500 private vehicles released on the streets every day, the average speed has come down and so have the number of accidents

In what seems like an ironic blessing in disguise, movement of the city's traffic at a snail's pace has reduced the number of accidents in the city, as compared to the previous two years.

One of the biggest reasons for the bumper-to-bumper traffic is the number of private vehicles that are added to the city roads every day. On an average, nearly 1,500 private vehicles are released on the streets on a daily basis.

Not only does that add to congestion on the roads but also automatically decreases the speed of vehicles drastically. Reduction in the speed of vehicles has an impact on the number of rash driving incidents and accidents.


Jammed: Bangloreans battle traffic jams everyday. Pic/Vinod Kumar T


15 kph
The average speed of vehicles in the city

Numbers at work

In the year 2007, there were a total of 8,426 accidents registered, of which 957 were fatal killing 981 people, and 7,469 were non-fatal injuring 6,591 people.

In 2008, 7,772 accidents were registered, of which 864 were fatal, killing 892 people. The same year 6,908 non-fatal accidents left 6,150 people injured. In 2009, 6,875 cases were registered out of which 737 were fatal killing 761 persons; 6,138 non-fatal injuring 5,668 people.

In January 2010, 534 accidents were reported, of which 50 were fatal, killing 55 people; 484 accidents were non-fatal, injuring 471 persons.

Compared to previous years, the number of accidents have marginally declined. When compared to 2007 and 2008, the number of accidents have reduced by 654, and when compared to 2008 and 2009, the number is reduced by 897.

However, traffic experts feel that it's too early to comment on the decline in the accident-rate this year.

Traffic expert Prof M N Sreehari said, "There are a few reasons for the drop in the accident rate. Traffic education and awareness programmes are going on everywhere and people are getting more knowledge on traffic issues. People are scared these days because cameras have been installed at many traffic junctions.

Also, the police are very strict and vigilant, so the traffic is also in order."

He added, "Traffic in the city is increasing everyday and there is a lot of congestion, hence the average speed of the vehicles has come down to 15 kms per hour. Apart from this, there is a lot of construction work going on all over the city like Metro etc. Also when the rate of accidents decline, it boosts the image of the police."

Makes perfect bus-iness sense

Makes perfect bus-iness sense
The ticket checking squad of the Bangalore Metropolitan Transport Corporation (BMTC) levies over Rs 8 lakh monthly as fines from ticketless travellers. Bangalore Mirror reporters took a Test Drive with the squad and caught the action on the tech corridor leading to Information Technology Park
SUCHITH KIDIYOOR & GAYATRI NAIR


It is quite a tough job, but an exciting one. The BMTC’s ticket checking squad members hop from one BMTC bus to another trying to net passengers who travel without tickets. And every month, they catch anywhere between 8,500 to 10,000 ticketless travelers and collect over Rs 8 lakh as penalty.
A majority of those caught tend to blame the conductor while a few claim they don’t have money. We joined BMTC’s line checking inspectors Mohammed Akmal Pasha, K H Hanumaiah and Veeranna to check out what happens on the tech-corridor leading to Information Technology Park-Bangalore (ITPB).
Before we got cracking, we had a small discussion with the inspectors at the BMTC headquarters. Our first stop was Domlur bus stop. We alighted from our cars and waited like regular passengers for the next swanky Volvo bus to stop.
BUS 1
Boarding point:Domlur bus stop, Time: 2:45 pm
Bus route number: 335E (A Volvo from Kempe Gowda Bus Stand to Kadugodi)
Registration Number: KA 01 FA 430.
There were 33 people in the bus. One of us accompanied the inspector checking passengers in the front, while the other joined the inspectors checking passengers at the rear of the bus. As soon as the squad entered the bus, they announced that they were BMTC’s line checking inspectors and requested passengers to display their tickets.
They first checked the conductor’s electronic ticketing machine (ETM) for the route table that gives them details of the bus stops coming up and the corresponding fares.The inspectors then went on to check the tickets issued to passengers.All of them had purchased tickets.“If anyone is found travelling without a ticket, we impose a penalty that is ten times more than the ticket. This apart, we will also issue a warning memo to the conductor,” an inspector said. We got down at the Manipal Hospital bus stop and went to Marathahalli, the largest consumer discount market.
BUS 2 Boarding point: Marathahalli, Time: 3:13 pm Bus & route: BIG 10 (Brigade Road to Kadugodi) Registration Number: KA 01 FA 2169.
We decided to opt for a Big 10 bus as it has become very popular with professionals.There was a rush in the bus with 50-plus passengers. Here too the inspectors repeated the drill. Since the conductor did not have an ETM, they checked his way bill. Soon they started checking the passengers, including ones who were carrying day and monthly passes.We again drew a blank and got down at Kundalahalli Cross.
BUS 3 Boarding point: Kundalahalli Time: 3:36 Bus & route: 500W (ISRO Layout to ITPB) Registration number: KA 01 FA2366.
In this bus there were only about 10 passengers, but there was action, finally! As the inspectors proceeded to the back of the bus, a man dressed in a black shirt and white pants rushed to the exit. But before he could get out, they caught him. Predictably, he didn’t have a ticket. Here is an excerpt of the conversation that took place: Inspector: Sir, please show your ticket. Passenger: I was about to purchase one. I called the conductor but he didn’t come to me. Inspector: If you were about to buy the ticket,why did you try to get down after seeing us? Passenger: Sir, please trust me. I swear on God, I was about to buy the ticket. Inspector: There is no need to talk about temples and Gods. Sir, this is a bus not a dharamsala. Just pay the fine or you will have to come with us to the police station and then go to the court. Passenger: Sir, I don’t have money to pay up. (The passenger, now sweating in the airconditioned bus, takes out his wallet to show that he has no money) The inspectors then take the passenger to the car. The passenger, sensing their serious intent, miraculously came with a Rs 50 note to pay the fine. He was from Orissa and had come to Bangalore about a year and a half ago to work in a tech company. For a Rs 5 ticket, he ended up paying Rs 50. Not his day, certainly. BUS 4 Boarding point: Brookefields (near Cosmos Mall), Time: 4:52 pm. Route: 335 E (From ITPL to Majestic) Registration number: KA 01 F 4533
There was more action on the bus as the inspectors caught hold of a lady dressed in a blue salwar who was going to Majestic. She claimed that she had boarded the bus from Cosmos Mall and was about to buy the ticket.When the inspectors checked the conductor’s way bill, he had marked all tickets as issued, but had not issued a ticket to the woman.
The inspectors realised that the woman was not at fault and issued a memo to the conductor for negligence.We got down at HAL bus stop, and decided to call it a day.
Funny excuses

• I was tired and sleeping

• I am new to the place and was thinking about the route

• I am ready to pay the money now, please give the ticket

• Many start crying, especially women passengers

• To avoid embarrassment, some go near the inspector and whisper in his ear,“Sir, please take the penalty”
If you violate the law
Fine is ten times the actual bus fare and to a maximum of Rs 500 Police will book you for cheating For complaints contact 9480840171
Bus-wise Demand tickets

• Do not expect the conductor to come to you

• Keep your ticket till the end of journey

• Daily pass holders should put their signature on the pass

• Monthly pass holders must put their signature, name and address

• Do not buy daily pass from people for half rate

• Do not resell passes after your travel

• Do not travel on somebody else’s pass

• Do not carry forged passes

• Pay the prescribed amount and demand ticket for the same value

Metro work gathers pace

Metro work gathers pace
Praveen Dhaneshkar, Bangalore:

While the Central Business District could look forward to Reach-1 (Baiyappanahalli to Cricket Stadium) going operational in December this year, residents and commercial establishments in Reach 2, 3 and 4 will have to wait for more than two more years for Namma Metro on Phase 1 to go fully operational.


According to B L Yashawanth Chavan, spokesperson for Bangalore Metro Rail Corporation Limited (BMRCL), construction work on the above three reaches is progressing as per deadlines and would gather pace, once the underground stretch begins by the end of this month or early March at Dr B R Ambedkar Veedhi.

“Demolition of structures are almost complete on Reach 2, while 95 demolition works are over at Reach 3. Road widening work to facilitate movement of vehicles in Reach 2 between Magadi Road and Mysore Road terminal is nearing completion,” he said.
Chavan added that they were also in the process of completion of utilities shifting (Bescom cables and BWSSB sanitary pipes) in coordination with civic departments on Reach 3 from Malleshwaram to Rajajinagar station.

Foundation work at all stations in these three Reaches under the 42.3 km Phase 1 is also progressing and would be completed by September 2012. Construction of piers (concrete pillars) and launching of girder segments (concrete bridges) at R V Road and Nanda Road in Basavanagudi and Jayanagar will also be completed within the next two years, he added.

BBMP turns to pvt sector

BBMP turns to pvt sector
Sandeep Moudgal ,Bangalore, dhns:

After a series of initiatives, within the organisation itself, to check the rising number of 'illegal' hoardings in the City, the Bruhat Bangalore Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) has now turned towards private sector for assistance.


The outsourcing bug has now reached its zenith in the Palike, as the BBMP is now calling for tenders to hand over the job of identify the number of billboards and illegal hoardings in the CIty to outside companies.

According to BBMP officials, an advertisement to this effect is being prepared to be released inviting companies who wish to express their interest in the identification of hoardings in the City. The term period for the companies who take up the project is for a period of five years to ensure that “illegal” hoardings do not crop up in the City and also enforce the drive of removing them.

The particular tender was infact called for, couple of months ago, but only a single agency had expressed its interest for the project. “Hence, we are now re-floating the tender for the same project,” said a BBMP official.

The project will involve the use of software to identify the number of hoardings and illegal hoardings which are under a particular advertising agency. The firms have to ensure that the hoardings and billboards are photographed and placed on the website which will be open to the general public to view.

“We had already begun the drive to identify the hoardings in the City. Now we are calling for tenders from the private sector who will identify these hoardings in BBMP limits,” said another BBMP official.

The initial estimates by the BBMP point towards approximately 2,000 hoardings in the City, which are accounted for. However, of the total number of hoardings that adorn the skyline of the City, BBMP officials estimate that atleast 50 to 60 percent are “illegal”. “The advertising agencies do not give us a clue as to how many of these hoardings are permissible and how many have cropped up without authorisation. The software is being utilised for identifying and keeping a tab on these “illegal” hoardings,” said the official.
However, Palike officials are tight lipped on whether the software will indeed help in identifying these hoardings.

State seeks six more months for BBMP elections

State seeks six more months for BBMP elections
Bangalore, Feb 8, DHNS:

The state government has cited reasons varying from water scarcity in summer to the upcoming pre-university examinations while seeking postponement of the elections to the Bruhat Bangalore Mahanagara Palike.

In an interlocutory application filed before the Karnataka High Court, the State Urban Development Department maintained that it needed time to notify the reservations by calling objections from affected persons and giving them reasonable opportunity.

The department informed the court that the polls will have to be deferred since the second PU examinations will be held between March 18 and 31 and thereafter between April 1 and 9 this year.

The application also cited the enumeration programme under Census 2011 as a hurdle for the polls, emphasising that the process was already underway. “The operations have already begun for preparation of National Popular register (NPR) and House listing (HLO), which is scheduled on April 15. Between March 1 and April 10 there will be three rounds of training for employees participating in the Census,” the application pointed out. The IA submitted that the months of April, May and June, normally witnessed power and water scarcities and these would make it difficult to conduct the polls. Among the myriad dates included was June 10 when schools in the City usually reopened.

On Monday morning, a division Bench of the Karnataka High Court lashed out at the State Government, when it cited several technical reasons that would prevent it from conducting the polls. “Why have you not filed the application seeking extension of time? Why this unnecessary circus? Both (State Government and State Election Commission) could have approached the court. You are embarrassing everyone,“ the Bench said.

When Additional Advocate General K M Natraj said that the State Government was yet to receive a copy of the January 28 order, the Bench said: “You could have filed an application. Till today you have not filed anything. We are not sure whether you will. We are not even aware of your stance.”
The matter was adjourned to Tuesday.

BBMP to develop Puttanna theatre

BBMP to develop Puttanna theatre
Bangalore, dhns:

BBMP Commissioner Bharatlal Meena has assured that a detailed project report would be prepared for developing Puttanna theatre, parks and playgrounds in Jayanagar.


His assurance came during a public interaction organised by the residents of Jayanagar and the BJP MLA Vijay Kumar on Saturday.

The residents complained that the parks and playgrounds in Jayanagar were in danger as they were either getting converted into garbage dumpyards or the BBMP was undertaking construction activities here.

People also demanded some solution for the messy Jayanagar Shopping Complex. Meena also assured that the RWAs in Jayanagar would be involved in all the developmental works and their suggestions would be taken seriously. He told them that they could call him directly if they found that the works were of substandard quality and also sought the public’s suggestion as to what saplings can be planted and which tree could be trimmed.

Garbage raises stink in HSR Layout

Garbage raises stink in HSR Layout
AKANKSHA MEHROTRA
DC | BENGALURU


Article Rank








LACK OF HYGIENE LEADS TO FEAR OF EPIDEMIC OUTBREAK We have no pavements.
The few that are around are uneven, making life very difficult for pedestrians.

Lakshmi, resident of HSR Layout, sector 7 Vacant plots must not become public urinals. The BBMP must construct public toilets here.

Retired Brigadier R.S.

Murthy, president of sector 2, HSR Layout Residents' Welfare Association -In the absence of a waste management sys tem, the garbage is dumped on vacant plots and in lakes in HSR Layout.

A.N. Yellappa Reddy noted environmentalist

With summer approaching, the people of HSR Layout are more worried than usual. The relatively new colony off Hosur-Sarjapur Road with its many techies lacks both a proper drainage and garbage collection network.
While people here have now become accustomed to seeing heaps of uncleared garbage on the roads, which draw not just stray dogs and cows , but also a large number of flies, they are worried that with the weather getting hotter soon, they could see a breakout of diseases in their midst due to the unhygienic conditions .
Another huge problem in the locality is the absence of public toilets.

Men tend to use the vacant plots to relieve themselves as a result, forcing people to live with the stench and unseemly sight they present. Already having to deal with dogs and cows on the roads, commuters here grumble that traffic has become heavier after the diversion was introduced from the ring road via HSR Layout. To make matters worse, pedestrians find there are few pavements in the locality, forcing them to use the roads in the face of the oncoming traffic.

The people are hoping the corporation elections will change their lives for the better.

"We want the elected corporator to be proactive and do something constructive rather than merely make false promises. He needs to be efficient," says retired Brigadier R.S. Murthy, president of sector 2, HSR Layout Residents' Welfare Association.

Mr Rama Shankar who also lives in the area, says door to door garbage collection is a must.

The residents are also crying out for desilting storm water drains and for a proper drainage network to ease their living conditions. If you face any problems on the street where you live that need to be highlighted in Deccan Chronicle, email editorblr@deccanmail.com.

Make reading fun for children

Make reading fun for children

There's much joy to be found in reading. It is up to us to come up with creative and fun ways in which our children can discover this joy early in life, say the founders of Hippocampus Reader Foundation, Umesh Malhotra and Vimala Malhotra

Sindhu Murthy



* Reading facilities are inadequate
Umesh: We thought of Hippocampus in 1998-99, when we were in the US. We were exposed to public libraries there. That's when we noticed that the Western world typically had fantastic libraries for children and for adults. Large spaces were beautifully done to attract crowds. The place where we lived overlooked the lake and that was a great reason for children to come in there (to read). Plenty of activities happened in the evenings; that made children frequent the place. Would it be too much to have a good library in India, we wondered.
Vimala: Our five-year-old son had just started to read and we noticed how much he enjoyed it. The children's book market wasn't great in India then. We understood that we don't have a great library system here — the collection is just not there. In the US, you have many distractions but that didn't matter to our son. He still loved reading.

* Reading is all-important

Umesh: Reading is the first R of the three Rs — reading, writing and arithmetic. Education is built on these. Reading is also very pivotal for a child to build an imagination — to build knowledge of what's happening in different worlds. There is disrespect for other cultures because you do not have an understanding of them. Books in that sense have a role to play in culture, in imagination, in teaching how to handle emotions and in education, of course, directly.
Vimala: Interestingly, a parent who was talking to me shared that she was slightly confused about whether to leave her child in the school she was in. Although the school was very good, the child was just not challenged enough. The child was too intelligent to require inputs. The parent noted that there was no need for a school, once a child has learnt reading. Even parents feel that reading takes a child a long way.
Umesh: Besides, there is a joy in reading. We look at it this way: when a child goes to school, all he does is read his textbooks and write his examinations. If a child does not have the habit of reading and he finds reading a distasteful, painful exercise, imagine what would happen. If I were in Class X and I were to prepare for a science exam and I hated reading, a history textbook is not going to be the most appetising thing for me. If I had the habit of reading instead, it would become that much easier to handle academics. Look at the changes in the CBSE system where they are moving into no-exam mode. We are achieving now, what the US had, nearly 10 years ago. Now, look at the international education system, it is based on projects that are based on research which is in turn based on reading. Reading can be anything—Internet, Kindle or iPad as long as interest is inculcated.

* Induce excitement

Umesh: We work with diverse sections of the society — close to 65,000 children across Tamil Nadu and Karnataka. One like this in Koramangala caters to the top 5% and in the rural areas, the bottom 25%. We have to use a different strategy for each. We promote reading by giving them access to fantastic books.
Vimala: We aren't forcing children or consciously taking them to books to make them read but when they are ready, books are there for them. That's what we do. Eventually they start reading, once you provide access.

* Storybooks aren't so bad

Umesh: In schools, children fond of reading are considered to be storybook readers who shun academics. Few parents also fear that too much reading will distract the child from studies. But if you don't have the habit of reading, how would you get through exams?
Vimala: Parents should inculcate the habit of reading amongst children by reading out to them early in life. I did that to my son, and today, he is all of 16 and is a voracious reader. Parents should help children understand that reading is pleasurable and beneficial in the long.

JNNURM projects await clearance

JNNURM projects await clearance

Nagesh Prabhu
The 18 pending schemes are estimated at Rs. 19,21 crore
Panel has not cleared nine projects for Bangalore

Modifications in detailed project reports for several projects sought

Bangalore: Even as Congress leaders criticise the State Government for its alleged under-performance in utilising funds sanctioned under the Jawaharlal Nehru National Urban Renewal Mission (JNNURM), the Union Government is yet to clear 18 projects formulated for Bangalore and Mysore estimated at Rs. 1,921.53 crore under the scheme.

The share of the Central and State Governments in these pending projects is Rs. 988.48 crore and Rs. 253.13 crore respectively, while the remaining has to be raised by the implementing agencies.

Under the JNNURM, the Union Urban Development Ministry approved a Rs. 22,536-crore City Development Plan (CDP) for Bangalore and Rs. 1,969-crore CDP for Mysore in 2006 for seven years.

So far, the Centre has approved 66 projects for both cities involving an investment of Rs. 4,254.46 crore. The Centre has released its share of Rs. 753.28 crore and the State has contributed Rs. 269.06 crore, according to official sources in the State Urban Development Department.

The Central Sanctioning and Monitoring Committee (CSMC), headed by the Union Urban Development Secretary, has not cleared nine projects for Bangalore.

The Bruhat Bangalore Mahanagara Palike has submitted four project proposals for the appraisal of the Centre in 2007 and 2008 at a cost of Rs. 569.17 crore.

The projects are remodelling of storm water drains in Byatarayanapura (Rs. 117 crore), Krishnarajapura (Rs. 118 crore), Rajarajeshwaringar (Rs. 142.74 crore) and development of 17 lakes (Rs. 191.43 crore).

The Bangalore Development Authority has submitted four project proposals (Rs. 590 crore) while the Karnataka State Road Transport Corporation one (Rs. 60.23 crore) for construction of a transit centre at Peenya in Bangalore. The Centre has asked the KSRTC to explore the PPP model to implement the project.

Several reasons have been cited for non-approval of the projects by the Centre. In several projects, the Centre has asked for modifications in detailed project reports (DPRs) submitted by executing agencies, technical details and exploration of PPP in projects. In the case of development of 17 lakes, the CSMC has asked for a comprehensive DPR for all the 17 lakes and the same was submitted by the BBMP in October last.

Mysore
The Union Urban Development Ministry has not approved nine projects for Mysore. Of the proposals, five are under appraisal of the CSMC and the rest have been returned to agencies directing them to give more details.

The cost of these nine projects is Rs. 702.03 crore and the share of the Centre and the State is Rs. 561.62 crore and Rs. 70.20 crore, respectively.

The Mysrore City Corporation (MCC) and the Mysore Urban Development Authority (MUDA) have submitted three proposals each. The Tourism Department has submitted a proposal in 2007 on Tourist Infrastructure at Chamundi Hills (Rs. 34.96 crore) seeking approval while the Zoo Authority of Karnataka (ZAK) sought approval for the water management through surface and rainwater harvesting at Chamarajendra Zoological Gardens in 2009 (Rs. 3.3 crore). Approval was also sought on a proposal on Heritage Asset Management and Development Plan (Rs. 2.9 crore).

The MCC has proposed to implement conservation of natural lakes in Mysore in two packages (four lakes each) and comprehensive underground drainage scheme for city including providing sewer network for uncovered missing links.

The cost of all three projects is Rs. 405 crore and the share of the Centre and the State is Rs. 324.54 crore and Rs. 40.57 crore, respectively.

The MUDA has submitted three DPRs on construction of six-lane ring road (Rs. 90.70 crore) and construction of houses for economically weaker sections (Rs. 144 crore) and development of the Heritage Park on 35 acres of land in front of Lalitha Mahal Place (Rs. 20.5 crore). But the CSMC said that for clearing the heritage park project a mechanism for proper appraisal of the project should be constituted.

All-night party at Indiranagar police station

On Thursday night, there was a party on the terrace of Indiranagar police station. The occasion and the guest list? Read on to know ...
PRAVEEN KUMAR


Afew days ago, at the annual police officers’ meet, east division of Bangalore police was adjudged the best jurisdiction in the state for crime detection and recovery of stolen goods. A cash prize of Rs 40,000 was given to east division’s Deputy Commissioner of Police (DCP) M Chandrasekhar by Chief Minister B S Yeddyurappa.
On Thursday, an official party was held on the terrace of the Indiranagar police station, which is part of east division, to celebrate the award. As the evening wore on and the DCP and ACP left, the remaining cops decided to go on a night-long binge.
Liquor shops and eateries in the area obliged them with free booze and choice dishes. A head constable, who was there, revealed to Bangalore Mirror, on condition of anonymity, that by midnight itself at least two dozen bottles of Scotch and cartons of beer had been consumed. Plates of kebabs, biriyani and naati koli were similarly polished off.
People with dubious antecedents reportedly rubbed shoulders with senior police officers not only from Indiranagar police station, but from the entire east division. In the event, the only thing missing was bar girls serving liquor.
PARTY TIME
According to eyewitnesses, it was a quiet affair initially. The DCP and ACP gave some formal speeches and pep talk, had dinner and left the venue. Interestingly, Bangalore Mirror was tipped off by a retired DGP who resides in the area. On being alerted by a neighbour about something untoward happening at the police station, the former top cop walked down to the station to see for himself. He saw a host of government and private vehicles parked near the station. “There was some hell of a party going on on the terrace. From the sound and the atmosphere you could make out that booze was flowing,” the former DGP said.
DCP CLAIMS IGNORANCE
This is what DCP Chandrasekhar had to say on the incident: “I invited police officers from my division for a dinner party to celebrate the award. It was a simple dinner party. I left the place after dinner at 8.30 pm. I do not know anything about the serving of alcohol and the party going on beyond midnight. At 11 pm, I called up all the police officers working under me over wireless to find out their location, and most of them were on duty. I have doubts about the liquor party story.’’
Assistant Commissioner of Police G B Manjunath, who was also present at the dinner and is in-charge of Indiranagar police station, said: “I left the venue at 8.30 pm along with the DCP. I had some other engagement. I do not know what happened after 8.30 pm. The liquor party story is news to me.’’

Pollution levels dropped on Bus Day

Pollution levels dropped on Bus Day
S Lalitha, Bangalore, Feb 6, DHNS:

There is clearly a need for more ‘Bus Days’ in the City as the first such venture by the BMTC on Thursday saw a marked slump in the level of pollutants in the atmosphere.

As many Bangaloreans, particularly software professionals, hoped on to the buses, three vital air pollutants –– Residual Suspended Particulate Matter (RSPM), Sulphur dioxide and oxides of nitrogen (NO), which cause heart and lung diseases, dipped considerably at Marathahalli (Old Airport Road).

According to the Karnataka State Pollution Control Board, the reduction in pollution levels range from 8 to 21 per cent. Other pollutants like oxides of carbon and ozone too have showed marginal depreciation.

The findings were arrived at after an analysis of ambient air quality levels before, during and after the ‘Bus Day’. The KSPCB mobile laboratory was stationed for eight hours on February 2, February 4 (Bus Day) and February 5. The monitoring was carried out from 10 am to 6 pm on all the days.

The Board initially planned to monitor the pollution level along Hosur Road too but the possession of just a single mobile lab unit forced it to record readings in one area alone. “We will monitor the pollution levels along a different stretch during the next Bus Day,” the official added.

The level of pollutants clearly shot up the subsequent day and this has come as a shot in the arm for BMTC.

Reacting to the findings, Member Secretary of the Board, M S Gowdar said this novel effort by BMTC was “a very welcome one”. The figures clearly reveal the need for many more such ‘Bus Days’ in the City, he opined. “If Bangaloreans voluntarily decide to commute by buses for one day in a week, it could improve the quality of air considerably,” he added.

Testing time for citizens

Testing time for citizens
Bangalore, Feb 6, DHNS:

The development mantra is proving to be a hurdle for the residents with all the major roads either dug up for widening or the footpaths under renovation.

In several places granite slabs are removed to be replaced by the relatively fragile cement slabs and wherever there were cement slabs, they are being replaced with old stone slabs. In both the cases, the longevity of the pavements is not guaranteed as filter sand, PPC cement, and substandard slabs are used. In some places pavements have given away in just one week after it was laid. A glaring example is the slab in front of the old Indian Coffee House on MG Road where the slabs caved in within a few weeks after it was laid. Good stone slabs were removed on Dr Rajkumar Road behind a two-wheeler show room.

In Annapurneshwari Nagar, Nagarabhavi 2nd stage, a similar experiment was done. On HAL Airport Road too, the BBMP constructed pavements with substandard stones. On Sampige Road in Malleshwaram.

A common complaint on Sampige Road in Malleswaram is that the work on the pavement is sub-standard and not completed. On many occasions the work remain pending for several months.

Complaining about the low quality work, Vatsala Vedantam, a resident of Malleswaram 7th Main said the walls of the storm water drains are raised so much that it gives an impression that people are living in a hill besides a valley and the height of the footpath has been raised to two feet making it difficult for the elderly people to climb and walk. This is the reason that many pedestrians prefer walking on the road but the roads too are narrowed by the road-side parking.

Metro work hits KSCA hurdle

Metro work hits KSCA hurdle
Bangalore, Feb 6, DHNS

The Namma Metro work ran into legal rough weather at the Chinnaswamy Stadium on Saturday evening.

Armed with a High Court stay order on the acquisition of land, the Karnataka State Cricket Association (KSCA) confronted the Metro workers busy with the earth excavation work at the spot.

The Bangalore Metro Rail Corporation (BMRCL) later maintained they were unaware of the stay order at that time.

KSCA secretary Brijesh Patel said the BMRCL had deviated from the original plan that was stated in the preliminary notification and gone in for an elevated track. “We were informed that the Metro would take a right from Anil Kumble Circle and cut across the Police Parade Grounds and go underground at the stadium land earmarked for acquisition.

“The change in notification will hamper the functioning of the stadium and affect entry for the public for upcoming matches. When this was brought to the notice of the BMRCL officials, they responded in an arrogant way. They suddenly arrived here at 6.30 pm with excavators,” Patel said.

But BMRCL spokesperson B L Yashavanth Chavan said they were not aware of the stay order till the closure of their offices in the evening. Once the KSCA officials showed the order copy, the work was stopped and the area barricaded.

“BMRCL is in possession of the said land after issuing several notifications to KSCA. The Karnataka Industrial Areas Development Board has taken possession of government land and handed it over to us. We will examine the court order and file objections if necessary,” he said.

According to BMRCL, the contract to commence work has already been awarded.

The elevated track has to go beneath the ground leading to the Minsk Square station at a designated spot. Those objecting to the alignment, should understand the engineering aspects of a Metro. The design has to have a ramp downward at the necessary point, joining the elevated track,” added BMRCL officials.

HC stays land acquisition

Earlier, the High Court stayed the acquisition of land adjoining the Chinnaswamy Stadium for four weeks. KSCA had contended in its petition that the land shown in the preliminary notification issued in March 2009 was different from the one in the final notification of December 3, 2009.

The difference came to light only when they took possession of the land a couple of days ago. An area of 3,000 sqm on the eastern side will be lost and it would also affect the part of the stadium, the petitioners contended.

Earlier, in the meetings held with the petitioners it was promised that there will be no acquisition as such and co-operation was sought.

It was also told there will be an underground track and now they are building an elevated track. Because of this two gates through which entry is provided for General stand will have to be removed, they submitted.

Justice S Abdul Nazeer, who heard the matter, stayed the acquisition for four weeks.

Bonsai donor and Lalbagh at odds

Bonsai donor and Lalbagh at odds
Satish Shile, Bangalore, Feb 6, DH News Service:

Like the dwarf trees that comprise it, the bonsai park at Lal Bagh refuses to grow.

Set up eight years, the park which comprises the collection of the dwarf trees donation by Bonsai Srinivas, an enthusiast, has remained stunted even after eight years.

The inordinate delay in realising his dream project, coupled with the State government’s failure to keep up its promises has disillusioned Srinivas who regrets his act to hand over the plants to the government.

Srinivas is an acknowledged aficionado of bonsai, the art of growing trees on trays and keeping them dwarfed. He developed a huge collection and in 2002, donated it to Bangalore Garden Trust, a body under Horticulture Department.

The trust had orally assured him a bonsai park would be set up in 2.5 acres. Besides, he would get a monthly honorarium of Rs 15,000 and a resolution was passed to this effect.

Did not materialise

A memorandum of understanding (MoU) was to be signed by Srinivas and the trust but it did not materialise. One of the conditions of the was that the park should be named after his parents - H S Seetharam and Rathnamma. Seetharam was mayor of Bangalore.
The trust has stopped paying Srinivas the honorarium since August 2006 without an explanation. During his visit to the US in 2006 Srinivas met with an accident, which required surgery and take rest for many months.

“I could not follow up the issue because of health reasons,” he said. Many plants he donated to the government were 35 to 40 years old. Although an American firm had, had estimated the worth of his collections at Rs 2.5 crore for insurance purpose, he did not expect money for his collection from the government.

Srinivas expressed the apprehension that many of the trees were being stolen from the park. The government did not even made an inventoryof his plants. Horticulture Department director N Jayaram has denied Srinivas’s allegations. He said the government had assessed the worth of the plants, while accepting them for the department, at Rs 5.25 lakh. So far, he had already received Rs six lakh as honorarium.

Not turned up

“The honorarium was given for his advice to maintain the park. For the last two-three years, he had not turned up to the park to advise on maintenance,”, he said.
Further, he said the department had not agreed to name the park after his parents. No resolution was passed in this regard.

New lease of life for Bellandur Lake

New lease of life for Bellandur Lake
G Manjusainath, Bangalore, DH News Service:

The sea of filth could soon turn into a beautiful lake, if the Bruhat Bangalore Mahanagara Palike’s (BBMP) project to give a facelift to the City’s biggest water body, the Bellandur Lake, gets the government’s nod.

Spread over 900 acres, the Bellandur Lake is many times bigger than any other lake in the City. While many big lakes have been encroached upon, a vast portion of this lake remains free from encroachment barring 18 acres, where an illegal settlement has come up in the recent years.

Ironically, what appears to be a bane has turned into an advantage for this lake. The unbearable stench caused by the sewage let off into this lake from all directions, has kept the land sharks at bay. Once beautiful, the Bellandur Lake stinks so badly that life is miserable for people living in the vicinity including the residents of Koramangala, one of the posh areas of the City.

Now that the government has taken up the City Lakes Rejuvenation Programme on priority basis, the revival project of this lake got a fillip.

The biggest challenge however, is the inflow of sewage. According to BBMP officials, this lake receives around 400 to 500 million litres of sewage everyday and cleaning and diverting the sewage inflow could be a Herculean task.

“The government has asked us to prepare an action plan for saving the lake. Accordingly, we have prepared a plan, which will be sent to the government for its approval,” said a senior BBMP official.

According to the plan, two 66-ft wide drains would be bulit on the north and south side of the lake to divert the sewage coming from Ulsoor Lake side, KR Market side, Agaram and Madiwala Tank. These drains will run around the bund of the lake and will have outlets at Yamalur village and Bellandur village. But the water will go through a filtering process, comprising silt trap, barrier screen, constructed wetland spread in 2,72,000 square metres and aeration, before being drained out. The filtering materials will include gravels, vegetation to take the Nitrogen Phosphorus and a polishing pond to cleanse the water.

During rainy season, the filteration process will not be carried out because of heavy inflow. “We want to develop it as a model lake in the City, which will be fenced. It will have a garden in the bund area. Besides, people living in the nearby villages will finally be rid of the foul smell,” said the officer

IT hub has Devanahalli up in arms

IT hub has Devanahalli up in arms

The state government's proposal to set up an Information Technology Investment Region on a 12,000-acre plot in Devanahalli and Doddaballapur taluks has created unrest among farmers who stand to lose their land in the process, report Santosh Kumar RB and Sunitha Rao R

Santosh Kumar RB and Sunitha Rao R



The much-hyped Information Technology Investment Region project in Devanahalli is facing hurdles even before it has acquired its final shape on the drawing board.
On Friday, over 700 farmers from various villages near Devanahalli staged a dharna to protest against the proposed land acquisition for the project.
The Bhoo Horata Samithi, a farmers' organisation floated by the Karnataka Rajya Raitha Sangha and Hasiru Sene, led the protest. At the end of the protest, a memorandum was submitted to the governor and deputy commissioner through the tahsildar of Devanahalli taluk.
"The government intends to acquire 12,000 acres of land in 29 villages of Devanahalli and Doddaballapura taluks. It is not yet clear on the compensation. There are rumors that the compensation might be fixed at Rs 10-50 lakh per acre. We have no clue what the government is thinking. But we are against giving away our lands," an agitated farmer said.
The state government had, last week, given the green signal for the land acquisition process in Devanahalli and Doddaballapaura taluks for the project.
IT/BT minister Katta Subramanya Naidu had said on Wednesday last that the state government proposed to set up the IT hub at an investment of Rs1,00,000 crore near Devanahalli to create 20 lakh jobs.
Naidu stated that the state government had already identified a 40 sq km plot for the project in Devanahalli and Doddaballapur taluks for the purpose. "The hub will be a boon for builders and developers. It will be ready for occupation within six months," he had said.
The massive project is proposed to be completed on a public-private partnership model and would provide all amenities and facilities for IT, IT-enabled services and electronic hardware manufacturers.
However, the farmers in the area are not ready to fall in line and give away their lands for the project.
"Huge tracts of land had been earlier acquired by the government for the Bengaluru International Airport (BIA). In fact, most of this acquired land has not been used for the airport. Land reserved for the hotel hub is also lying vacant. The government has become a real estate agent," said Dr Srinivasa Reddy, vice-president, Karnataka Rajya Raitha Sangha.storm in a shell: Farmers are not ready to give away the land for the project. Huge tracts of land from Devanahalli had been already been acquired for BIA, they say

KEEP IT GREEN

KEEP IT GREEN
This five-star hotel has just won an award from The Mysore Horticultural Society for its lush landscaping and high maintenance standards
SHILPA BANSAL, Kumara Krupa


Step into The Lalit Ashok and you will be blown away by its lush green surroundings. The hotel’s green stretch spans 7.5 acres, covering almost one-fifth of its 10-acre plot. Little surprise that The Lalit Ashok, Bangalore, was recently awarded The Best Ornamental Garden accolade by The Mysore Horticultural Society. This award was given during the January 2010 horticultural show, under the Special Outstanding
Garden (ornamental category). “In this show, one can register either under the ornamental category or vegetable category. We opted for the ornamental one, which had three sub-categories, divided as per the total land area. We registered for all three sub-categories and showcased our main lawn, garden by the poolside and the lawn opposite the business centre. And, we won awards for all three,” says Meena Lochani, executive housekeeper, The Lalit Ashok.
The green landscape has more than 100 species of exotic, indigenous, perennial and flowering plants and trees, managed by a dedicated team of horticulturists. Meena, along with the horticulture officer, Mayappa is responsible for maintaining all this. “In the show, we highlighted the araucaria tree in our main lawn; it is about 150 years old. We have many other trees just like this one. We have also planted a small cluster of flowering beds on the edges of the lawn. There are many flowering plants like red salvia, marigold, asters and genus, which are all seasonal. They blossom in August and January and we sow the seeds just three months before the season,” says Mayappa.
Apart from these lawns and gardens, The Lalit Ashok boasts a greenhouse behind the tennis court where the hotel cultivates various hybrid fruits and vegetables. “For the past six months, we’ve been growing orchids and red anthurium in our greenhouse. Basic vegetables like tomatoes, radish, brinjal, cucumber, bottle gourd and greens like spring onion and celery, which are used in our kitchens are also cultivated in this greenhouse,” explains Meena.
And the hotel plans to go completely organic and eco-friendly. “We already practice various eco-friendly measures to maintain the park’s lushness. Our Sewage Treatment Plant (STP) recycles huge amounts of sewage water daily; this is used to maintain our landscape. In addition, we use products like STP sludge cakes, which are utilised in-house as garden fertilisers. We have a full-fledged horticulture department that produces ecofriendly fertilisers by decomposing dry leaves and garden waste (leaves manure). We are even planning to work on worm compost, which will also be used as garden fertiliser,” explains Meena. What exactly is worm compost? “This is one method of making your own manure in an organic way. For this, there are tanks that contains peels of vegetables and fruits mixed with red soil. To this, we add worms, the excreta of which turns into manure over a period of time,” explains Mayappa.
In the coming months, the hotel will also boast a herb garden. “This garden will be next to the green house. Here, we plan to cultivate various organic fruits and vegetables, especially all the herbs required for our Oko kitchen,” smiles Meena.

Worlds apart and missing something

Worlds apart and missing something

The divide is clear as youth want Govindarajanagar to be more lively, while elders love peace and greenery around

With as large as nine wards in its ambit, Govindarajanagar cries for facilities that will give it a modern face. But a clash of perception as to what constitutes a good life goes on between the young and the old. Although amenities are not so bad here, youth are fed up of eating from dhabas and wish they had a far easier life with decent restaurants around, reports Bosky Khanna

Bosky Khanna



Govindarajanagar is where two worlds meet to disagree — the young Gen and Babyboomer Gen. They have different perspectives of development but they do agree that life here is pleasant except for some irritants.
Although the general verdict is that basic amenities are not bad, the aspiring youth wish they had a far easier life than they have at present. Revathi Kumar of Nagarbhavi ward represents them. "I wish we had better transport connectivity and decent eating joints. We woefully lack recreation facilities," the fourth year law student says.
"Yes, I'm pleased that our area has a greener hue than the rest of the city and we also have lesser traffic problem. But we need shopping facilities and places to hang out with friends," says she.
The newly added area of Bruhat Bangalore Mahanagara Palike (BBMP), Govindarajanagar provides an ideal mix of old world charms displaying clear signs of development and new lifestyle.
"We have to depend on dhabas and bakeries for eating out," complains Manoj Kumar, a post-graduate student living in Govindarajanagar ward.
"There are no decent restaurants where one can spend value time with friends. Even for a good cup of tea, we have to travel three kilometres to the Mysore Road or Basaveshwaranagar or Vijayanagar,'' says Kumar.
Ramesh S, a 22-year old student, who was waiting for his friends in Kaveripura, has no quarrels with civic managers on basic amenities. But when it comes to an evening out, he feels that the place is as bald as an egg.
"Roadside joints and dhabas provide some relief but they are no alternative to spending a pleasant time with friends in a reasonably good coffee house or a garden restaurant," says Ramesh.
But he concedes this is a new area attached to the BBMP and it may take time and patience to set up infrastructure. "But there is no reason why they (BBMP) can't deliver us from growing dog menace," says he.
Nagarbhavi ward, a new ward in the BBMP list, comprises a large number of educational institutions. The list includes Bangalore University, National Law School of India University, Dr BR Ambedkar Institute of Technology, MES School, St John's School, Nikhara School, Sheshadripuram Law College, Bhagavan Buddha First Grade College, KLE School, Aryan School, Oxford Universal Public School and PVP Polytechnic. They have bred a sizeable young population. Yet the modern trappings that make the youth happy are lacking.
"There is no active night life or recreation centres in the west of Bangalore as the centre of commercial activities and entertainment is in City centre alone. We have to either go to Majestic or to Commercial Street for shopping or to enjoy our evenings. There are only petty shops and small restaurants here. For entertainment, we have to travel all the way to Mysore Road which is over eight kilometres from here or to the City centre, roughly the same distance,'' says Vishall Singh, a resident of Kamakshipalya.
But wait. Before concluding that Govindarajnagar is populated by discontented residents, listen to Anikta Kangil, a student and resident of the area. She says the ambience here is good for living. Of course, she does not have the food problem as she stays in the college hostel.
"On holidays, I go out with my friends to Mysore Road or to Commercial Street," she says.
She agrees the young are lacking in recreational facilities. But the air is cleaner and place is greener for a healthy living.
For a place with a big population of youth, problems like eve-teasing is surprisingly low. But theft and petty crimes are rampant, says Sanghamesh M, another student living in Nagarbhavi.
Mohammed Salman, a student and resident of Nagarbhavi, says with facilities for entertainment and shopping, Govindarajanagar could beat all other areas of new Bangalore.
"We have enough small shops and stores but their wares are far less than one finds in a supermarkets or malls. Branded goods which the young long for are there in the core city. Bar, pizza, authentic beauty shops, dance and disco are distant propositions," says Salman.
Seniors see red in the youths' views.
"They don't know what they are talking about," says N Shyam, a resident in his thirties. "When they say good time, they probably refer to late night outings, standing on roadsides in groups making catcalls at passersby, and idling away hours before bakeries and dhabas. They should know the crowded parts of the city are crying foul and yearning for a cleaner and more peaceful ambience."
Residents in Nayandahalli, Nagarbhavi, Moodalapalya, Kaveripura, Govindarajanagar, Agarahara Dasarahalli, too display symptoms of the generation divide where the young want the place to be more lively while their seniors love peace and greenery around.

UNENDING WOES

UNENDING WOES
Incomplete Civic Work, Improper Coordination Leave Residents Helpless And Fuming
TIMES NEWS NETWORK

Bangalore: There’s no end in sight to the wait for BBMP elections. But residents of some parts of the city are not even bothered about it. They’re just waiting for some way out of their immediate woes.
Many of these problems have been caused by the hectic work started in recent times. The sudden start, never-ending delays and improper coordination and implementation of plans and policies have left them seething with rage.
Venkatesh’s plight perhaps tells the story better. The huge pipeline work at Banaswadi 80-Feet Road has been in progress for the past 10 days. The deep trench is ready and residents along 7th Main, 7th Cross, in Subbaianapalya Extension are bearing the brunt. With no proper interim arrangement, some can’t even step out of home. What’s worse, they don’t know which agency is handling the project.
“We understand major work always requires some cooperation of the people. But, we should also be informed about it, if not in advance at least when it happens. Women and children find it so difficult,” says Venkatesh.
NANDINI LAYOUT
Apart from new work, unchanged garbage clearing practices continue to irk residents in many other areas. Curiously, this continues even after intense publicity and awareness programmes listed for a ‘clean’ city. At a time when the BBMP hopes to rope in more residents into the system through segregation of garbage at source, pourakarmikas in many areas still dump the collected waste in vacant sites.
K Karthikeyan, an NRI and owner of a row house in Nandini Layout, was in for a shock when he visited his house recently. There were stinking heaps of waste, feet away from the master bedroom window in front of the house.
“I’ve been suffering for years now,’’ he says. Due to the garbage around his house, he’s kept the place locked without tenants for two years. “Neighbours tell me it happens due to non-availability of garbage containers. People are forced to dump garbage in open grounds. Unfortunately, I have become a victim and lost considerable returns from this property,’’ he says.
Karthikeyan, who plans to move back to the city after 13 years, is keeping his fingers crossed. “It’s unbearable. I can’t imagine staying here,” he says. He has written to the BBMP commissioner about his plight and hopes the mess is cleared soon.
Is there any way out?
Never-ending delays and improper coordination and implementation of plans trouble residents They don’t even know which agency is handling the project Garbage heaps continue to pose a threat in many areas Pourakarmikas in many areas still dump the collected waste in vacant sites