Agenda for Namma Bengaluru

Agenda for Namma Bengaluru
Even as the city surges ahead, there are issues aplenty, almost as much as vehicles on the road. But naturally, the core issues addressed at the panel discussion were traffic problems, the need for better accessibility for all to English education, recovering the once verdant and neat environs, preserving heritage and promoting culture, and strengthening infrastructure.


ENGLISH EDUCATION
Just three months left for the Bangalore-to-Bengaluru transition and English language schools got a thumbs-up at the panel discussion organised as part of the Times of India’s Refresh Bangalore campaign on Wednesday.
Infosys chief mentor N R Narayana Murthy, consciously raising the language policy issue of the state, said that his vision is to see every child in the city go to an English medium school. “I would like to see this start from Bangalore. We need to enhance access to English medium schools. May be we could even have certain number of seats reserved for poor children. Can you issue an order that anyone can start an English medium school? The poorest of the poor should be able to go to an English medium school, it's not difficult, Mr CM.”
Chief minister H D Kumaraswamy said he would endorse Murthy's words but was apprehensive about the outcome of allowing more English medium schools as it would add to the donation menace. “When the schools come asking for permission, they say they are service-minded. But once permission is granted, the school is turned into a commercial enterprise.” Countering Murthy’s suggestion was Prachi Kaiswal, a citizen, who felt that the emphasis should be on education rather than English education. To which Murthy said: “I advocate learning English for two reasons. One, that opportunities are better for those who know English and second, English medium education enables the student to move from one state to another.”
The chief minister said he would ask the BMP to explore the possibility of setting up 100 schools in Bangalore, which would offer English from the primary level.
GARBAGE
There was a whole gamut of civic issues raised and crusade for transforming Bangalore into a litter- and garbage-free city was the hottest. Biocon chairperson Kiran Mazumdar-Shaw suggested the need for a clean-green Bangalore and said the effort to clean-up the city will not be expensive. Civic sense is the need of the hour. Ramachandra Guha, historian and writer, called for a ban on plastic. “It was the excessive dumping of plastic that caused clogging and floods in Mumbai.” The CM said citizens should take the initiative to discipline themselves to keep the city clean. “Even educated people lack civic sense.” He was all for reducing the extent of plastic use but said a complete ban would perhaps not be feasible. He lamented that even national flags are made in plastic.
TRAFFIC
At the centre of Bangalore’s growth is the enormous and immediate problem of traffic overcrowding and the complete absence of discipline among road users. Whether it was 700 vehicles being registered every day or roads chock-a-block with vehicles in the city, traffic congestion and parking woes were pet peeves deliberated at the Refresh Bangalore campaign.
A grievance among most of the participants was that there has been no corresponding increase in infrastructure with the voluminous intake of vehicles. Though suggestions poured in from individuals, the audience was divided - whether it was using car pools, legislating one car per driving license or even reintroducing parking fee.
“Private firms must run buses for their employees. Individual buses plying for employees will reduce number of private vehicles on roads,” was a suggestion from a lady. But when Arnab Goswami of TIMES NOW asked the audience if car pooling was a solution, most retorted saying the underlying issue was about a lack of good public transport system and also well-maintained roads.
CM H D Kumaraswamy was, however, quick to interject: “Fifty Volvo buses have been introduced. No other metropolitan city has such buses. Hundred more buses will be introduced shortly.”
He said that a survey was on to develop satellite towns to ease pressure off the city. “The survey will be completed within a few months. Also, the Metro and Mono Rail projects will improve the system,” he said.
Biocon chief Kiran Mazumdar-Shaw suggested that a toll be collected for accessing central business districts. The audience, however, were not for it.
HERITAGE
Heritage city, culture, language and the arts. Can a city, which is nearing global status, afford to ignore all this? This was writer-historian Ramachandra Guha’s one-point agenda for Bangalore, with all its sprawling heritage structures.
In his 250-second speech for Vision Bangalore, Guha pointed out how Bangalore had neglected its heritage status. “For Brand Bangalore, this is not good, will the brand survive?” he questioned. This elicited a prompt response from the who recounted, “I agree with him. Yesterday (Tuesday) I visited Gandhi Bhavan, which was inaugurated by the late Radhakrishna. I saw the condition of that place and felt really bad. To date nobody has given any representation on renovating Gandhi Bhavan. I went there and on the spot ordered that it be renovated at a cost of Rs 1 crore.”
Guha continued the thread of heritage status by pointing out that, whilst the government did its exercise of decongesting Bangalore by developing two-tier cities, God forbid that Mysore degenerates. “It would be a colossal disaster if Mysore with its heritage status were to emerge as a commercial hub. Same with the other cities and towns.”

VENKAT VARDHAN
Managing Director, DNA Networks
I see a general lack of civic sense among the citizens and this should be addressed. In London, the lanes are as narrow as in Bangalore. And their floating population is twice as much. But they manage because they stick to the rules. Even we follow rules in foreign countries but not back home. Implementation is the key.


VISHAL BALI
CEO, Wockhardt Hospitals
We need to look at examples around us, if we need to refresh ourself. I am not talking about Shanghai. Look at Delhi. You can feel the difference when you walk on these roads. The flyovers, Metro and the successful implementation of CNG has made all the difference for the country's capital. Can't Bangalore seek inspiration? Create a committee to chalk out an action plan for this and execute it within a deadline.


CAPTAIN G R GOPINATH
Managing Director, Air Deccan
I think the biggest challenge is the inner city decay. Our footpaths are treated like garbage dumps. The city must be clean and for this we need to check the leaking sewage pipes. We must chart out a civic plan and stick to it. Also, I think clean drinking water is another issue. We talk of traffic and roads, but we mustn't forget the basics. Clean water is, after all, the basic necessity to every citizen.


JAYAKAR JEROME
Former Bureaucrat
I wish the citizens could develop a strong civic sense instead of blaming the system. For instance, they should develop the good sense to not dump anything on the roads, or even in drains. Civic sense and awareness must be heightened. Only then will the city become a better place. Agenda for Namma Bengaluru
Even as the city surges ahead, there are issues aplenty, almost as much as vehicles on the road. But naturally, the core issues addressed at the panel discussion were traffic problems, the need for better accessibility for all to English education, recovering the once verdant and neat environs, preserving heritage and promoting culture, and strengthening infrastructure.


ENGLISH EDUCATION
Just three months left for the Bangalore-to-Bengaluru transition and English language schools got a thumbs-up at the panel discussion organised as part of the Times of India’s Refresh Bangalore campaign on Wednesday.
Infosys chief mentor N R Narayana Murthy, consciously raising the language policy issue of the state, said that his vision is to see every child in the city go to an English medium school. “I would like to see this start from Bangalore. We need to enhance access to English medium schools. May be we could even have certain number of seats reserved for poor children. Can you issue an order that anyone can start an English medium school? The poorest of the poor should be able to go to an English medium school, it's not difficult, Mr CM.”
Chief minister H D Kumaraswamy said he would endorse Murthy's words but was apprehensive about the outcome of allowing more English medium schools as it would add to the donation menace. “When the schools come asking for permission, they say they are service-minded. But once permission is granted, the school is turned into a commercial enterprise.” Countering Murthy’s suggestion was Prachi Kaiswal, a citizen, who felt that the emphasis should be on education rather than English education. To which Murthy said: “I advocate learning English for two reasons. One, that opportunities are better for those who know English and second, English medium education enables the student to move from one state to another.”
The chief minister said he would ask the BMP to explore the possibility of setting up 100 schools in Bangalore, which would offer English from the primary level.
GARBAGE
There was a whole gamut of civic issues raised and crusade for transforming Bangalore into a litter- and garbage-free city was the hottest. Biocon chairperson Kiran Mazumdar-Shaw suggested the need for a clean-green Bangalore and said the effort to clean-up the city will not be expensive. Civic sense is the need of the hour. Ramachandra Guha, historian and writer, called for a ban on plastic. “It was the excessive dumping of plastic that caused clogging and floods in Mumbai.” The CM said citizens should take the initiative to discipline themselves to keep the city clean. “Even educated people lack civic sense.” He was all for reducing the extent of plastic use but said a complete ban would perhaps not be feasible. He lamented that even national flags are made in plastic.
TRAFFIC
At the centre of Bangalore’s growth is the enormous and immediate problem of traffic overcrowding and the complete absence of discipline among road users. Whether it was 700 vehicles being registered every day or roads chock-a-block with vehicles in the city, traffic congestion and parking woes were pet peeves deliberated at the Refresh Bangalore campaign.
A grievance among most of the participants was that there has been no corresponding increase in infrastructure with the voluminous intake of vehicles. Though suggestions poured in from individuals, the audience was divided - whether it was using car pools, legislating one car per driving license or even reintroducing parking fee.
“Private firms must run buses for their employees. Individual buses plying for employees will reduce number of private vehicles on roads,” was a suggestion from a lady. But when Arnab Goswami of TIMES NOW asked the audience if car pooling was a solution, most retorted saying the underlying issue was about a lack of good public transport system and also well-maintained roads.
CM H D Kumaraswamy was, however, quick to interject: “Fifty Volvo buses have been introduced. No other metropolitan city has such buses. Hundred more buses will be introduced shortly.”
He said that a survey was on to develop satellite towns to ease pressure off the city. “The survey will be completed within a few months. Also, the Metro and Mono Rail projects will improve the system,” he said.
Biocon chief Kiran Mazumdar-Shaw suggested that a toll be collected for accessing central business districts. The audience, however, were not for it.
HERITAGE
Heritage city, culture, language and the arts. Can a city, which is nearing global status, afford to ignore all this? This was writer-historian Ramachandra Guha’s one-point agenda for Bangalore, with all its sprawling heritage structures.
In his 250-second speech for Vision Bangalore, Guha pointed out how Bangalore had neglected its heritage status. “For Brand Bangalore, this is not good, will the brand survive?” he questioned. This elicited a prompt response from the who recounted, “I agree with him. Yesterday (Tuesday) I visited Gandhi Bhavan, which was inaugurated by the late Radhakrishna. I saw the condition of that place and felt really bad. To date nobody has given any representation on renovating Gandhi Bhavan. I went there and on the spot ordered that it be renovated at a cost of Rs 1 crore.”
Guha continued the thread of heritage status by pointing out that, whilst the government did its exercise of decongesting Bangalore by developing two-tier cities, God forbid that Mysore degenerates. “It would be a colossal disaster if Mysore with its heritage status were to emerge as a commercial hub. Same with the other cities and towns.”

VENKAT VARDHAN
Managing Director, DNA Networks
I see a general lack of civic sense among the citizens and this should be addressed. In London, the lanes are as narrow as in Bangalore. And their floating population is twice as much. But they manage because they stick to the rules. Even we follow rules in foreign countries but not back home. Implementation is the key.


VISHAL BALI
CEO, Wockhardt Hospitals
We need to look at examples around us, if we need to refresh ourself. I am not talking about Shanghai. Look at Delhi. You can feel the difference when you walk on these roads. The flyovers, Metro and the successful implementation of CNG has made all the difference for the country's capital. Can't Bangalore seek inspiration? Create a committee to chalk out an action plan for this and execute it within a deadline.


CAPTAIN G R GOPINATH
Managing Director, Air Deccan
I think the biggest challenge is the inner city decay. Our footpaths are treated like garbage dumps. The city must be clean and for this we need to check the leaking sewage pipes. We must chart out a civic plan and stick to it. Also, I think clean drinking water is another issue. We talk of traffic and roads, but we mustn't forget the basics. Clean water is, after all, the basic necessity to every citizen.


JAYAKAR JEROME
Former Bureaucrat
I wish the citizens could develop a strong civic sense instead of blaming the system. For instance, they should develop the good sense to not dump anything on the roads, or even in drains. Civic sense and awareness must be heightened. Only then will the city become a better place.