REFRESHING BANGALORE

REFRESHING BANGALORE
Over six weeks, experts and citizens alike brainstormed in panel discussions and in these columns on what we need to do to put the bang back into the city. Here are some interesting solutions suggested. Keep the faith and let’s ensure Bangalore regains its old glory

INFRASTRUCTURE

The city should get adopted or be closely monitored by the Supreme Court or the High Court in line with, say, New Delhi. Today, Bangaloreans are left with a Lalbagh, a Cubbon Park and a few lakes. We need to create more lung space and develop more water bodies. —Venkat Kedlaya,
president, Bangalore Chamber of Industry & Commerce

I feel Bangalore should soon consult global city planners, infrastructure experts and industrialists like Shanghai did recently to draft a long-term master plan and a concrete city development policy, that will not become outdated with political changes. It should be an extremely futuristic plan that can take care of Bangalore's changing business and development dynamics till 2020 and beyond. — Pradeep Kar,
MD, Microland

Bangalore needs multiple airports and not just one international airport. Look at London. There are five airports or so, and everyone goes to these airports depending on the proximity levels and their destination. — Capt Gopinath,
Air Deccan

TRANSPORT

Many existing roads can also be converted into toll roads during certain periods. The tolls and fees collected can be reinvested in infrastructure development. Toll roads are within everyone's means. I think there is simply no justification to ignore this. This is where political interference gets in the way of adopting such effective measures. The government can also encourage private companies to build new toll roads which would provide additional access.
— Vijay Mallya,
chairman, UB Group

We should forget big infrastructure projects for the time being and focus on making the city more motorable. There is a tendency to lose sight of the smaller immediate picture for a longer picture. We need to educate our people to instil discipline. Parking has become a huge problem and I think we need to make shopping areas pedestrian-friendly. For this, infrastructure has to improve so that people can walk up to malls. — Irfan Razack,
CMD, Prestige Group

CHILDREN

Nursing is the only profession where a girl from a lower socio-economic background can earn Rs 1.5-lakh salary at the age of 24. For this, we have to get affiliated to overseas universities and offer them the curriculum and degree acceptable to them.
— Dr Devi Shetty,
chairman, Narayana Hrudayalaya

Education should not only focus on academics but also on programmes where students imbibe a commitment towards the country. There should be stress on ethics and values;
youth should grow up knowing their responsibility towards society.
— Krishnadas Nair,
former chairman, HAL

BOUQUETS & BRICKBATS

Hats off to each and everyone who made Refresh Bangalore possible. It is one of the best websites I have ever come across. The various articles and stories about the great city are indeed very interesting and highly informative. I am sure Refresh Bangalore will set the ball rolling to put the Bang back into Bangalore.
— M S S Murthy,
recd via e-mail

Overall the Refresh Bangalore initiative was good. But I had to include my two-bit worth of suggestions on how to improve the situation in Bangalore, vis-a vis traffic planning, road design etc. Unless you have someone from the BDA, BMP, BWSSB, BMRC etc., also involved in this exercise, I can only say that it has been an opportunity to let off a little steam and nothing more.
Madhusudhan N R,
recd via e-mail

CONGESTION

Paid parking should be introduced on congested roads so that shopkeepers and company employees do not use limited roadspace for parking vehicles for the full day. — R K Mishra, member, state government-empowered panel on infrastructure

Bangalore has to be developed as a walkers’ city, like London, Singapore or downtown New York. This will ease traffic congestion. Bangalore has earned respect for India. Indians abroad will not be respected if we don’t respect the city.
— T V Mohandas Pai, director, HR, Infosys Technologies

One of the prescriptions is to disperse the growth of Bangalore. There has been a move to relocate industry to peripheral areas. However, the industry needs ready-to use infrastructure and looks for comfort with which it can do business. — Mahendra Jain, commerce & industry secretary, Karnataka govt

CLEAN CITY

A conscious, proactive and time-bound action plan needs to be put into operation for slum upgradation and not slum rehabilitation. One should never forget the economic contribution of slum dwellers to any city, and Bangalore is no exception. Any neglect of this important segment will widen the rich-poor divide with disastrous consequences.
— Jayakar Jerome,
former chairman, BDA

Garbage, education and other basic services should be addressed first. It's time to think about development of the system we live in. It needs to be modernised with little more accountability and responsibility.
— Samuel Paul,
founder, Public Affairs Centre

The city is a heap of rubbish and rubble. I want Bangalore to be a clean and green city. We must have an efficient waste management system.
— Kiran Mazumdar Shaw, CMD, Biocon

We must have a role for the under-privileged in Bangalore. This could include people like rag-pickers who can play a key role in community policing, garbage management, etc.
— Harish Bijoor,
CEO, Harish Bijoor Consults

ADMINISTRATION

The bureaucracy has been supportive, but could be a lot more action-oriented. It is time to act. If not, the future generations won't forgive us. There has to be a single authority to address multiple issues concerning our living and working conditions. — Som Mittal,
worldwide head of Application Services Operations, Hewlett Packard

The way forward is through PPP. No one individual can appropriate to himself the exclusive right to decide the future of this great city. Bangalore is a national asset that petty politics should not fritter away. Notwithstanding to whom the credit is due, we must celebrate success. — S M Krishna,
former CM of Karnataka and current governor of Maharashtra

Great cities are about planning. We must plug these leakages immediately as much or more attention we pay to roads and flyovers. We need to understand better the sewage flow patterns.
— Capt Gopinath,
MD, Air Deccan

A Union Territory status could be a strong option. In this case, political devices are more focused towards governance of cities in a homogeneous manner. — Harish Bijoor,
CEO, Harish Bijoor Consults

First of all, we should work towards forming a singlewindow agency. That should speed up matters. There is a management theory termed Quick Win. We should try to follow that and try to achieve short-term goals with respect to infrastructure. — Vijay K Rekhi,
president, McDowell & Co