Layout eats up forest land, cleared

ayout eats up forest land, cleared
TIMES NEWS NETWORK

Bannerghatta: If you are among the 160 people who booked a site at Indranagar Layout off Bannerghatta Road, you’ve lost it to the forest department. The entire layout is now part of the Bannerghatta National Park.
In a massive eviction operation by the forest department on Friday, 124 acres and 2 guntas of Bhuthanahalli (survey No. 64) under Kalkere state forest section of Bannerghatta wildlife range, including Indranagar Layout, were added back to the forest area.
Temporary structures on 19.24 acres of Indranagar Layout were demolished and what remains is a government school and Hebbalamma temple, which will also be shifted soon. During eviction, 63 people were booked for encroaching forest land and asked to evacuate at the earliest. FIRs have also been issued to layout developers, K V Krishna Murthi, Siddaiah, Puttaswamy, Mohamad Raffee and Kenchaiah, all residents of Bannerghatta and Anekal.
“The eviction has been carried out as per the directions of the joint legislative committee on land encroachments. We have already demarcated the forest boundary and about 2.5 km of Elephant Proof Trench (EPT) has been excavated on the boundary of the protected area,’’ BNP executive director Vanashri Vipin Singh, told The Times of India. What has taken into the custody is less than 15 per cent of encroached land in three ranges — Bannerghatta, Harohalli and Anekal — of the park.
About 675 acres and 8 guntas of forest land remain encroached in different parts of the forest. “We have identified the encroached land portions and about 555 cases have been booked. We’ll soon add the same land to the forest,’’ she said. Once demolition is complete, the department will go in for massive plantation of bamboo, pongamia and prosopis juliflora (Bellary jaali) in the evicted area.
The Bannerghatta National Park, smallest of all national parks in India (104 sqkm), is a major corridor for elephants coming from the forests of Tamil Nadu.
Indranagar Layout
Around 150 individuals have purchased sites in Indranagar Layout. Most of them were policemen, lawyers and government servants. A site of 30x40 sqft cost them Rs 75,000 and a 50x80 sqft site cost around Rs 1 lakh in 2005.
The forest area demarcation was identified using satellite maps. The data provided by the state remote sensing agency was used to identify the encroachments around the national park.
The BNP will soon allow wildlife enthusiasts to go on safari rides.
Two trekking paths have been marked and a safari inside the elephant kingdom would be a dream come true for Bangaloreans. A new website on BNP will be launched soon.
toiblr.reporter@timesgroup.com

A way out of traffic jams

A way out of traffic jams

Bangalore: Bangalore might soon get rid of its traffic problems. The department of transport and urban development Department is jointly setting up a centre that will integrate transport and the city’s problems to find solutions to both.
Sources said the department had sought 20 acres of land to set up the Centre for Sustainable Transportation and Urban Planning, which will concentrate both on traffic congestion and the city’s architecture. The centre — to be built at a cost of Rs 10-15 crore — will be set up along the lines of CETT, Ahmedabad and National School of Architecture, New Delhi. It will look into the the required floor area ratio, vertical growth of the city, etc and provide solutions. TNN

High-rises in Bangalore can reach for the sky now

High-rises in Bangalore can reach for the sky now
S Kushala | TNN

Bangalore: Bangalore’s skyline is all set to touch Mumbai heights. The high-rise buildings will be taller.
In tune with the changing demographics of the city which is growing vertical, the Masterplan 2015 has revolutionised the high-rise building’s height — what was just 15 mts till now will rise up to 24 mts. This will be 80 feet for both residential and commercial buildings. This is on par with Mumbai where a highrise is almost this tall.
As per the present building bylaws, a ground plus four-storied building is known as a high-rise. But now, it is stretchable up to eight floors depending on the height of each floor; it may vary between 3 metres and 3.5 metres. The Masterpaln’s new zoning regulations do not lay down a clearance or NoC from Fire Forces department for the high-rises. But the planner has to include all the fire safety norms in the structure. Also, the architect should submit an affidavit stating that the building has conformed to fire safety norms. This apart, the Masterplan has carved out new corridors for Bangalore, depending on the density and its usage. It has come up with a mutation corridor for mixed land use and Commercial Axis where development rights will be restricted for commercially exploited areas.
A core area development scheme enables additional FAR (floor area ratio) to small properties that are amalgamated into commercial buildings. This is to erase old shabby buildings in commercial business districts. The Masterplan has incorporated 85 arterial roads that have been listed for road widening.
Another attraction is some sops for three star and five star hotels. The Masterplan has allowed ancillary activities in the basement after providing sufficient space for parking. SOME HIGHLIGHTS
Service apartments identified in masterplan. To be permitted on roads with 12 m width
Valley buffer created — 50 m on either side from the centre of a primary drain should be a buffer; 25 m on either side from the centre of secondary drain and 15 m on either side from the centre of tertiary drain Rainwater harvesting made mandatory. Building owners to get 5% concession on property tax
Buildings with solar heating and lighting to get 2% concession on property tax
Private land of 100 acres abutting a 18-m road can be used for self-sustained integrated township

Iyengar cuisine experience

Iyengar cuisine experience
Kavitha Srinivasa

Puliyogare Point, an offshoot of Kadambam has lived up to its name. Ever since the restaurant started sometime ago, guests have flocked the place to tuck into a plate of puliyogare — an Iyengar specialty otherwise called tamarind rice.
When the Jayanagar branch of Kadambam ceased operations, its founders B S Kishen and wife Vyjanthimala decided to start another unit, Puliyogare Point in Basavangudi. Strategically chosen, as the Kadambam restaurant (the only one in Bangalore) is also in Basavangudi.
With a centralised kitchen at Kadambam, having Puliyogare Point in the vicinity became a practical choice.
Both restaurants have retained the authentic Iyengar flavour, which has been the winning point since inception. There may be a kilometre distance between both restaurants, but the clientele makes a greater difference. "Though Basavangudi is a south Indian locality, many households don't go beyond the staple idly-vada-sambhar. Items like ulandogare, kadugogare and nalagri sadam are delicacies. Which is why we also have Iyengars among our customers," explained Appaji Gowda, in charge of Puliyogare Point.
From June, guests will be taken on an elaborate Iyeng ar culinary experience, by introducing a weekend combo breakfast and combo lunch. These variants will enable customers to sample rarities like molagukootu sadam and ade dosa, along with regulars like thatte idly. The combo breakfast will be priced at Rs 30 and the lunch, Rs 40. And on weekdays, the eatery is sought after by IT professionals, who stop by at its self-service wing, for a plate of khara (venn) pongal, priced at Rs 16. It has obviously clicked with techies, where lunch-ons have extended to include occasional catering. Though it is home style cooking, care is taken to include treats like Kanjeevaram idly and sweets like sajjappa, athirasa and thuni thenkol.
Unlike Kadambam, whose walls are adorned with Tanjore paintings, here black and white sketches greet customers.
Until Kishen-Vyjanthimala began Kadambam, the only means of savouring an Iyengar spread was to be invited to an Iyengar home or still better, a marriage.
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Simply rail bidabedi, plan ahead too

Simply rail bidabedi, plan ahead too
Madhumitha B
Metro Rail is definitely Bangalores futuristic development project and most citizens believe its the need of the hour...

Metro Rail is definitely Bangalore’s futuristic development project and most citizens believe it’s the need of the hour. For those whose lives will remain undisturbed, it’s a dream project. Others feel the fast track will bring their lives closer to disruption.
Among the two corridors of the Metro Rail lines, the stretch covering Swastik, Maha Kavi Kuvempu (MKK) Road, West of Chord Road in Rajajinagar, Mahalakshmi Layout and Yeshwantpur will see 170 structures, including residential and commercial buildings, hospitals, educational institutions and public parks, being razed down to make way for the proposed project.
“This project is going to kill our business and destroy our lives. If the Metro Rail comes through as planned, we have to take our business elsewhere which threatens our survival. It’s not easy for any business to move beyond where their target customers live, it’s like starting from scratch, except that this time, there’s severe competition and surviving the rat race is not an easy one,” says Anand V Mailatur, president of the Residents and Traders Association, MKK Road.
Plan for future
But people clarify that this should not be misunderstood as being against the project. They only want an alternate solution. “First, if they can avoid bringing down so many structures, it will help many lives. There are several other ways for this project to come up here. Pillars to hold the tracks can be built on storm water drains. Underground project is another viable option. Also we have asked them to extend the rail upto Peenya Industrial Estate to optimise the purpose of public transport. Apart from thinking about immediate solutions, the authorities must also make provisions for future expansion, plan for the next 50 to 75 years when we will probably have to extend the Metro Rail to other areas, and allocate land. This way, it won’t be necessary to disrupt lives again,” says N L Narendra Babu, MLA and President of Rajajinagar Agenda Task Force (RATF).
Reiterating the importance of planning ahead, Balakrishna P who resides in an apartment near Harischandra Ghat, says, “Reserved road alignment for such a massive project should have been done earlier. Now, I have to give up my house. I am completely for this project but we have to think of our future as well. Justified compensation to each occupant must at least be thought of. In the case of my residential building, the notification was probably given to the owner of the building. This means compensation too, will be given to the owner and we aren’t sure how much we are entitled to.”
Sources at the Bangalore Metro Rail Corporation Ltd (BMRCL) say they are looking into proper compensation and rehabilitation of the citizens. “We sympathise with those who have to move out of their houses or give up their business centres. After careful research by PSS Thomas Committee, a professional valuing agency, we have come out with what we think is a reasonable replacement and rehabilitation package. We are also going to speak to owners and tenants to directly discuss their issues with us and hopefully it will yield positive results,” says V Madhu, MD, BMRCL.
“The BMRCL is offering compensation as per guidance value and not the existing market value. Recently BDA auctioned a small property for nearly Rs 9,500 per sq ft in 1st Block, Rajajinagar. So their offer of Rs 4,000 per sq ft comes no where close,” says D G Ashwathnarayana, a resident of Rajajinagar.
The occupants, however suggest the project go underground. “The authorities are paying Rs 4,000 per sq ft for every building they are bringing down which makes the total compensation a huge sum of money. This, they can invest in taking the project underground which will probably work out less than the total compensation package. They can also space out the stations which means occupying lesser structures including the Devaiah Park (also known as Gayatri Devi Park) that is the lung space for that area. The CM has promised to look into the matter but maybe he is being misinformed about the entire issue by the officials which is why he hasn’t done anything so far,” says Anand.
METRO RAIL
Work on the Metro Rail has begun. But like every major infrastructure project, there are stories of people affected by it. Metrolife brings to you a series of articles highlighting views of people affected by it and how they intend to cope with it. This is the concluding part of the series.
NORTH SOUTH CORRIDOR
The North-South corridor which extends from Yeshwantpur through MKK Road, Rajajinagar, West of Chord Road and Malleswaram.
Area covered: 14.9 kms
Structures required to be brought down:
*Swastik station — 15
*MKK Main Road — 16
*Kuvempu Road Station (eastern side) — 73;
*Gayatri Devi Park station (eastern side) — 17
*Western side — 23
*Chord Road — 7
*Rajajinagar station — 8
*Mahalakshmi Layout (near Iskcon) — 9
*Soap factory — 7
Families affected: 1,500
Suggestions by people:
* Underground plan at high density business areas.
* More distance between stations bringing down lesser buildings.
* Compensation package as per existing market value.
* Extend upto Peenya to benefit employees of the industrial area.
* Involve public in the project by making them stakeholders. This also reduces the burden for the government on loan repayment taken from foreign institutions.
* Make provisions on highways and other roads for further expansion plans.

Peripheral Ring Road won’t solve traffic congestion

Peripheral Ring Road won’t solve traffic congestion
Friday June 29 2007 09:10 IST

BANGALORE: With the announcement of the Master Plan-2015, which focuses on development beyond the proposed Peripheral Ring Road (PRR), the new road is likely to become as congested as the Outer Ring Road (ORR).

The PRR will bear the brunt of BDA’s current priority of developing Bangalore South and West under the Comprehensive Development Plan. The objective of constructing the PRR is to ensure smooth flow of traffic as the City’s development was unlikely to go beyond that point.

But the rapid growth underway on City’s borders might result in the construction of another PRR. The PRR is a fast-moving vehicle track which takes part of the burden off the city main roads. But the scenario is likely to be different.

The road will become something akin to the Outer Ring Road (ORR). Speaking to this website's newspaper, BDA Commissioner M K Shankarlinge Gowda said that the City will grow towards Bangalore South and West, thus the PRR will be increasingly utilised by common man for commuting.

“The PRR only marks the rim of development for the Bruhat Bangalore Mahanagara Palike (BBMP). The BDA and Bangalore Metropolitan Region Development Authority (BMRDA) can push the City further. Since there are developments beyond the PRR as per the master plan-2015, the road will be utilised for all sorts of traffic movement. Thus, one cannot ignore the possibility of the increasing traffic congestion,” he said.

Unlike the NICE Road, the PRR will be a toll free road, thus making room for all vehicular movement. There will be truck terminals and logistic zones in all parts of the PRR rather than focusing on one place.

“This is being done to ensure that there are lesser traffic snarls. Since there will be regional parks in West and South, chances of traffic movement on the PRR will also increase,” he said.

“There is a possibility that BDA will construct another PRR further from the existing one. The traffic will further be regulated with the construction of BMRDA Satellite Road,” he said.

The PRR is the hallmark of the City’s growth and is expected to be utilised not only by heavy duty vehicles, but also by other motorists.

BDA master plan-2015, Rs 10,000 apiece!

BDA master plan-2015, Rs 10,000 apiece!
Friday June 29 2007 09:11 IST

BANGALORE: The Bangalore Development Authority (BDA) commenced selling copies of the Comprehensive Development Plan (CDP) at its headquarters in the city from Friday.

Only, the document, which contains details of the land use pattern and BDA plans will cost Rs 10,000! BDA Commissioner M K Shankarlinge Gowda told this paper that the reason for the high price is because the book comprised detailed maps in colour with all the associated details spelt out.

The book is available only in the headquarters on Kumara Krupa Road. “The book is a complete guide for the people. It’s once in a lifetime opportunity for all to possess the Plan. We have spent Rs 26 crore on finalising the master plan,” Gowda said.

It includes a graphic description of all the BDA properties in the City and also explains how the BDA will develop the identified areas.

One can get a clear picture of the commercial, residential and integrated layouts. On the other hand, in other places like Anekal and Ramanagaram, the development agency are charging Rs 10,000 to 15,000 for each copy.

‘We plan to expand the definition of Bangalore…’

‘We plan to expand the definition of Bangalore…’
The Bangalore Metropolitan Region Development Authority (BMRDA) has major plans to improve the quality of life for citizens in the Bangalore Metropolitan Area (BMR) and also to cater to the growing requirements of Bangalore City. Sudhir Krishna, Commissioner, shares some plans in a chat with Times Property


What's the BMRDA's vision for Bangalore?
We plan to expand the definition of Bangalore. Today, the land under Bruhat Bangalore Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) is 700 sq km and we envision expanding it to 8,022 sq km, comprising Bangalore urban and rural districts. This vision is sought to be achieved by a three-pronged strategy that includes development of a modern road network, development of integrated townships and identifying pockets of development for effective land usage and planned development.
How do you propose to have planned development in the BMR regions?
We have prepared an Interim Master Plan (IMP) for local planning areas of Anekal, Hoskote, Kanakapura, Nelamangala, Magadi and Ramanagara-Chennapattana area planning zones (APZs). These six planning areas put together cover almost 4,000 sq km. The May 2007 Interim Plan has five local planning areas (LPAs) under consideration, out of which there are about 30 identified pockets of development for which detailed land use has been prescribed. This includes 30,000 acres of land for industry, an equal area for residential development and remaining for parks, open spaces and roads.
Care has been taken to provide green buffer between industrial and residential zones. Survey numbers have been identified for land care and IMP is available for visitors free of cost in BMRDA offices and various planning offices, and can be purchased from the respective planning authority offices at reasonable prices. Suggestions have been called for improvement. This IMP will pave the way for planned growth and development of planning areas.
Apart from this, the BMRDA has mooted five integrated townships. In Bidadi, it is in the advanced stage of settlement of bids. July 9th is the last date for settlement of bids. In Bidadi alone, 9,000 odd acres or five million sq ft of area is available for planned development.
What are the plans for developing a modern road network?
The BMR will have a total of 1,000 km of roads which will generally be designed with Right of Way (ROW) of 90 to 100 metres width and a design speed of well above 100 km per hour. The development of modern road network has two purposes. A major objective is to segregate highway traffic from local traffic. Another objective is to provide connectivity to various major and medium habitation towns in the BMR region, to Bangalore, to each other and to the upcoming International Airport.
The road network includes the Peripheral Ring Road (PRR) by the BDA, the Intermediate Ring Road (IRR) and the Satellite Town Ring Roads (STRRs) of the BMRDA. This also includes the radial roads that radiate from the Outer Ring Road to Bangalore to interconnect the Peripheral Ring Road, the IRR and the STRRs. This road network includes town ring roads within the radius of 4 to 5 km for the mofussil towns of Anekal, Hoskote, Nelamanagala, Doddaballapur, Devanahalli, Ramanagara, Kanakapura and Magadi. These roads will have adequate safety measures and service roads to segregate the low-speed traffic from high speed ones.
Another major development is the Airport Expressway - from Challakere on Outer Ring Road to the International Airport - an access-controlled corridor connecting the PRR of BDA. Many more roads of lesser dimensions measuring about 1,000 km are being developed at various stretches in the BMR. Apart from this, various STRRs have also been approved by the Government.

Land use norms in place for integrated townships

Land use norms in place for integrated townships
The BMRDA has fixed specific norms for land use in the planned integrated townships around the city to make them convenient and efficient. Poornima B V reports


In order to facilitate balanced urban growth, the Bangalore Metropolitan Region Development Authority (BMRDA) plans to take up several measures to develop integrated townships that would provide for a complete workhome environment and bring in development into these areas at the same time. These townships are being taken up at Bidadi, Ramanagaram, Nandagudi, Sathanur and Solur. Least displacement to human habitations; least disturbance to forests and water bodies, and least acquisition of valuable agricultural lands are some of the factors that were considered while selecting these areas to develop townships. Another major factor favouring their selection was the fact that these lands are in the outskirts and therefore the land rates here are low, when compared to the rates within the city.
Highlights
Around 85 villages come under the proposed townships with a total population of about 79,000. The plan is to integrate these villages in such a way that the local heritage is conserved. The idea is to make the place economically and socially viable for people living in these areas. The proposed townships will be independent, self-contained and eco-friendly human settlements that will be based on integrated land use concepts, centering around one or more specific economic activity with residential components integrated to promote workhome relationship.
The project is expected to be completed in five years. The first township will come up at Bidadi and the bidding process is already on. For the remaining four townships at Ramanagaram, Sathanur, Solur and Nandagudi, the BMRDA would have the options open on implementation through either the 'bid route' like in the case of Bidadi or by incorporating a 'special purpose vehicle (SPV)', depending upon the experience gained with the first pilot project at Bidadi.
In the SPV model, the BMRDA would hold appropriate minority stake but controlling interest and a private sector partner would be selected through a transparent global competitive bidding process, to hold majority equity either on stand-alone basis or through a consortium.
In another alternative, the SPV could be formed with appropriate infrastructure development agencies, which in turn will structure the entire project including modalities of financing the infrastructure development with private sector participation. The experience gained in the Bidadi project would be put to good use in the development of these townships.
Land use
The plan provides for various types of land use and the broad land use pattern will be:
Economic activities: 25 percent
Residential: 25 percent
Parks and open spaces: 15 percent
Civic amenity spaces: 10
percent
Others (roads, utilities
etc): 25 percent
Infrastructure
Infrastructure such as power supply, street lights, water supply, solid waste, sewerage management, and surface and underground drainage system will be provided and maintained by the developer till a statutory urban local body is constituted.
Floor area ratio (FAR)
The zonal regulations may provide additional or premium FAR for designated use within the township area for specific class of use such as star category hotels, hospitals, commercial complexes, multiplexes, shopping malls etc. The planning authority may prescribe specified fees for such additional FAR.
Land use norms
The overall planning of the integrated township will be such that the project adequately meets these detailed norms and specifications:
Residential: The residential area will be well-defined in clusters, neighbourhoods or in a plotted development with proper road grid. Out of the total area of the township, not more than 25 percent of the area may be used for purely residential development.
Commercial: The commercial area will be suitably distributed within the township area, providing for ease of trade, commerce, shopping, and community utilities.
Educational: Comprehensive infrastructure to support multi-level educational systems right from pre-schooling to higher and professional courses in diverse segments will be planned and provided for the township population.
Civic amenities
The area allocation for amenities like market, essential shopping area, recreation centres, cultural and community centres, town hall, library etc will be not less than 10 percent of the gross area with even placement. Adequate area allocation for housing comprehensive health facilities will be earmarked and provided.
Transport
The entire area of township will be well-knit with proper road pattern with bus bays at appropriate places, taking into consideration the linkages with existing roads within the township and outside areas as well.
All such roads will be developed with these specifications:
Internal roads: A minimum width of 12 metres
Main roads: A minimum width of 18 to 24 metres
Ring roads and major access roads: Four-lane with a minimum of 33 metres and a median for road safety
Footpaths: Minimum of five metres on either side
Space for avenue trees:
Minimum of three metres on either side, excluding footpath
Designated cycle path: Minimum of three metres on either side
Villages in proposed integrated townships
in the Bangalore Metropolitan Region
Bidadi Township, Ramanagara Taluk
Byramangala, Bannigiri, Hosur, K G Gollarapalya, Kanchugaranahalli, Aralalasandra, Kempaiyyanapalya, and Kanchugaranahalli Kaval.
Sathanur Township, Kanakapura Taluk
Dalimba, Kachuvanahalli, Hosahalli, Kabbalu, Kamasagara, Aluru, Thailuru Forest, Maradevanahalli, Halasinamarada Halli, Naripura, and Anamagamanahalli.
Ramanagaram Township, Ramanagaram Taluk
Kasaba, Mayaganahalli, Kempanahalli, Darapura, Kenjigarahalli, Madapura, Kethohalli, Basavanapura, and Balaguli.
Solur Township, Magadi Taluk
Lakkenahalli, Beeravara, Koramangala, Parvathanapalya, Kannasandra, Hosahalli, Marikuppe, Gudemaranahalli, Kudulur, Chikkasolur, Solur, Thubarapalya, Kalyanapura, Somadevanahalli, Thattekere, Goruru, Lingenahalli, Ramonahalli, Uddandahalli, and Byadaranahalli.
Nandagudi Township, Hosakote Taluk
Nandagudi, Chokkasandra, Geddalahallipura, Ittasandra, Ramagovindapura, Hindiganala, Banahalli, Tarabahalli, Chikkondahalli, K Sathyavara, Karappanahalli, D Shettihalli, Shivanapura, Mothakadahalli, Gullenahalli, Meduru, Giddanahalli, Kondarahalli, Beerahalli, T Agrahara, Bhavapura, Nelavagilu, M Hosahalli, Hosavenkatapura, Bisanahali, Cheemasandra, Siddnahalli, Hosadimbahalli, Srinivasapura (Be.), Obalahalli, Sarakanuru, Muddanahalli, A Vaddahalli, Bhuvanahalli, S. Vaddahalli, and Dimbahalli.

Urban areas need more green cover

Urban areas need more green cover
There’s a need to develop green landscapes in the city and a green documentation is being carried out after mapping bio-diversity, writes Poornima B V


There's a need to save the urban eco-system and conserve bio-diversity, according to A N Yellappa Reddy, Chairman, Biodiversity Management Committee, constituted by the Bruhat Bangalore Mahanagara Palike (BBMP). Emphasising the importance of preserving rare flora and fauna, he said there's a need to establish healthcare eco-systems in order to trap suspended particulate matter and improve air quality. A healthcare eco-system and a spiritual landscape are also being planned in Lal Bagh, according to him.
Stressing the need for development of green landscapes that allow for free movement of people, he said the need of the hour is to develop jogging tracks, shade-giving trees and more green landscapes for people to relax, as lawns are high on maintenance and cannot be trampled upon. There's a need to have parks with native trees and not exotic species like crotons.
Green documentation
A green documentation is being carried out after mapping bio-diversity in the city. The idea is to evolve a proper eco-management concept based on both on-site and off site studies. An ecological audit of Ward No 2 (Mathikere) is being carried out and after documenting these studies, these will be replicated in other wards as well. The study involves resource management, waste disposal, stormwater drains, rain water recharging and study of existing ponds, indoor pollution and tree species in the city. The study will also look into effective lake management systems, bio-diversity of lakes and how pollution has changed the aquatic systems.
The study is being conducted by the Department of Environment Science in collaboration with other departments of Bangalore University. A multi-disciplinary core group with an inter-disciplinary group of students and teachers, headed by Dr N Nandini, Department of Environment Science and experts from other departments will map bio-diversity and prepare a green documentation or people's bio-diversity register.
Trees
There are 200 different tree species that have the ability to absorb toxic gases. The concept of five trees or panchavati should be established and promoted in neighbourhoods in the city, according to Reddy. Trees like the Bilva (aegle marmilos), Ashoka (saraca indica), Ficus (ficus bengalensis) and (philanthis emblica) and the Ashwatha (ficus religiosa) have medicinal properties.

Taxis to go off roads from July 1

Taxis to go off roads from July 1
TIMES NEWS NETWORK

Bangalore: Children going by school buses and those who commute by taxis will have to look for alternative modes of transport from July 1. Reason: Thousands of commercial vehicles including luxury taxis, lorries, schoolbuses (vehicles which schools hire) and maxicabs will be off the roads.
The Bangalore Tourist Taxi Owners’ Association has decided to go on an indefinite strike from July 1 to protest the state government’s move to make it mandatory for commercial vehicles to install speed governors.
The state government has set July 1 as deadline for installing the equipment. Further, the government has said no yellow-board vehicle be registered without speed governors starting July. And RTOs across the state will halt the registration process of new vehicles and issuing fitness certificate to old ones. The department has authorised several agencies to supply the kit. The kit costs Rs 15,000. Those vehicles found without the unit would be fined Rs 10,000.
Members of the various heavy motor vehicles’ associations are not happy with the initiative. They contend that it should be uniform throughout the country. “By making only Karnataka vehicles comply with this rule, it will prove disadvantageous to us in the long run. The tourist taxi segment feels that by clamping speed, tourists will feel handicapped travelling in these vehicles,’’ said K S Thantry, president of the association.
The move is to reduce the number of increasing accidents on the roads of Karnataka. Here, the unit will not allow vehicles to speed beyond 65 kmph at any stage.
VEHICLES TO BE HIT
Taxis, at airport and railway station Call centre vehicles Schoolbuses
What is a speed governor?
A small device which clamps the speed of the vehicles and restricts the speed to 65 kmph
Cost: Rs 15,000 to Rs 18,000

How can anyone mortgage a lake?

How can anyone mortgage a lake?
TIMES NEWS NETWORK

Bangalore: Lake mortgage made news on Wednesday too when the joint legislature committee inquiring into land encroachments went on an inspection.
This case came to light when the Lok Ayukta launched a preliminary investigation this week.
A private developer had mortgaged Byrasandra Lake to a private bank as guarantee for a loan to build apartments. MLA A T Ramaswamy, who is heading the joint legislature committee, described the mortgage not merely an encroachment or grabbing, but as “dacoity.’’
“How is it possible to mortgage a lake? Isn’t it public property? What was the BBMP doing? It is obvious that different departments and officials are involved. How else could it have happened?’’ Ramaswamy asked.
The private developers — Siera Developers — had presented fake documents of the lake to Indian Overseas Bank, Jayanagar, as guarantee for a loan of about Rs 5 crore to build apartments. The bank duly extended the loan.
But when the developers did not return the loan, the bank got worried and went in for an auction before the Debt Recovery Tribunal.
Interestingly, the bank produced the same fake documents during the auction and sold off the lake for Rs 7.6 crore to a bidder whose identity is not known. “First, a private developer uses the documents to mortgage the lake and then a private bank uses the same to sell it off. Worse, a tribunal allows auction not knowing anything about the authenticity of the documents. How is all this possible? This is all very fishy,’’ Ramaswamy said.
The government is at fault on another count too. A 1986 Forest Department order slated the lake for development of a tree park — so there was no question of apartments coming up — which meant that the entire transaction involving the bank and the developer was illegal.
And a 1992 high court order had stayed all human habitation on the lake. “Of all the parties, why should the BBMP have been the first to violate this order? They have tried to close the lake by building a bund. How can a government agency itself do this, let alone private parties trading off the lake itself ?’’ Ramaswamy asked.
The BBMP spent Rs 1.2 crore to build a bund on the lake as it was not aware of the court order.
The lake area, spread over 15 acres and 11 guntas, is valued at Rs 200 crore, while it was bought and sold for less than Rs 8 crore by the private developer and bank!
toiblr.reporter@timesgroup.com

Tank worth Rs 600 crore just vanishes!

Tank worth Rs 600 crore just vanishes!
TIMES NEWS NETWORK

Bangalore: A tank worth Rs 600 crore has vanished into thin air!
That’s the encroachment tale of the Konenaagrahara water tank adjacent to Airport Road. Thanks to the official-builder-politician nexus, the tank has now turned into a huge concrete package and has led to further depletion of groundwater level in the area. The tank, all of 20 acres and 10 guntas, has buildings all around and on it.
The A T Ramaswamy joint legislature committee, on a Wednesday morning inspection, declared the tank-bed wholly occupied/encroached upon by a private educational institution and a number of residential apartments.
“How were developers allowed to build on a tank-bed? Who issued the licences? Why were no questions asked when construction was going on? Obviously there has been connivance by government officials. How else is such large-scale violation possible?’’ Ramaswamy asked.
Most of the residents in the area are middle-to-upper middle class residing in over 15 apartments. Officials acknowledged that it would be impractical to even think of demolishing so many structures. What do residents do if encroachments are uncovered only after the apartments have been built and sold? Residents, having invested their savings, are simply in no mood to accept arguments that they are living in an illegal space.
“So many tanks in the city have disappeared. What are the officials doing when work is going on?’’ Ramaswamy asked.
The committee put the current value of the encroached land on the tank-bed at a whopping Rs 600 crore with per square foot space valued at Rs 10,000. The government at this stage can only recover revenues via penalties or regularisation charges.
The committee also found three other violations on Airport Road. Some of these lands house prominent banks, IT companies and restaurants who pay rent to the owners. The buildings on survey 101 have encroached upon 25 guntas of land valued at Rs 25 crore, buildings on survey 104 have encroached upon 10 guntas at Rs 10 crore and buildings on survey 107 have encroached upon 27 guntas worth Rs 27 crore. The total value of encroachment on Airport Road works out to Rs 62 crore. A part of it is slum area.
“Where the poor are concerned, we will take a lenient line. They have to live somewhere. We will see what alternative arrangements can be done. But as far as the rich are concerned, punitive action will have to be taken,’’ Ramaswamy said.
The committee also visited the NIMHANS hospital area, within which, three-and-half acres were given away to a private builder. Work on apartments has, however, been stopped as the court has taken up the matter.

Restoration robs Mayo Hall of heritage value

Restoration robs Mayo Hall of heritage value
Ashwini Y S | TNN

Bangalore: Restoration is one thing, reconstruction another. While efforts are on to restore heritage buildings to their original form without disturbing the authenticity, here’s an example of the exact opposite.
The historic Mayo Hall court building has fallen prey to modernisation in the name of restoration.
This two-storey building, built in the late 1930s at a cost of Rs 2.35 lakh, was declared a heritage building by the Karnataka Urban Art Commission. It houses three court halls, a bar association and toilets on the ground floor. The first floor has eight court halls, a ladies bar association and the deputy registrar’s chamber.
All of them are in deplorable condition — with peeling walls, leaking roofs and creaking wooden stairs — and the building has been neglected for a long time.
There was a ray of hope in February 2006, when the PWD took up restoration. With Rs 1 crore at its disposal, the PWD began work, but only on the exterior. Today, you can see workers adorning it with whitewash, before they paint the walls red and white. Conservation architects say most old buildings were built with lime mortar and it must be used for restoration work too. But, the PWD has ripped off the exterior with its original carvings, just to rebuild it using cement.
“The external surface was a mess. A rough plastering was done, after which a wire mesh was laid on it and topped off with two coats of plastering. This is how we’ve done restoration work on old buildings,’’ said a PWD engineer in charge of the work here.
The building with an area of 40,064 sqft has old Italian tile flooring. “The flooring is also very bad. But we haven’t done anything yet; we are debating whether to remove it and replace it with something else. It’s difficult to restore the flooring with the same tiles,’’ added the engineer.
Indian National Trust for Art and Cultural Heritage, Bangalore convener, H R Prathibha, says the PWD restoration work does not conform to restoration taken up by conservation architects. She added that INTACH had suggested that the PWD not install a toilet at the back of the building as it spoils the look of the building.

Jai Metro! chants Jayanagar

Jai Metro! chants Jayanagar
Nina C George
Residents and commercial establishments located along the North-South Corridor are a happy lot in anticipation of soaring land prices and boom in business fortunes, and the hope that the Metro Rail will not only change the face of the City but change their lives for good.

It’s a happy feeling all the way along the 14.9-km North-South Corridor of the Bangalore Metro Rail project, traversing Majestic, Chikpet, City Market, K R Road, South End Circle, Jayanagar, R V Road Terminal and J P Nagar, as people here seem to be the least displaced.
In fact, residents and commercial establishments located along the North-South Corridor are a happy lot in anticipation of soaring land prices and boom in business fortunes, and the hope that the Metro Rail will not only change the face of the City but change their lives for good.
The wide roads in areas through which the Corridor passes are tailor-made for the requirements of the Metro. Adding to the advantage of the roads, are the parks and large open spaces dotting these areas. “The roads are as wide as 19.6 metres and we require close to that much for the Metro Rail. The stations too are coming up beside parks and open spaces. There are six stations—City Market, KR Road, Lalbagh West Gate, RV Road, South End Circle and Jayanagar. Each station will be 135 metres' long," Managing Director, Bangalore Metro Rail Corporation Ltd (BMRCL) V Madhu told Metrolife.
Giving details of the number of commercial establishments and private properties that would either be partially or completely pulled down to make way for the stations, Madhu says nine buildings at South End Circle will go, four at KR market, 11 at Lalbagh, nine on K R Road and the stretch between K R Road and Vani Villas Road will lose nine structures.
The project is slated to affect 1,500 families. According to the BMRCL officials, the compensation package will address the hardships and inconveniences due to loss of residential premises and the loss of economic activity. It will replace the assets lost, compensate the costs incurred in shifting residences and commercial establishments through provision of shifting allowances, transitional allowances and inconvenience allowance.
The compensation rates are based on the report of the PSS Thomas Committee, which studied the market rates in these areas. The committee's assessment is based on a scientific exercise. Those affected will be offered displaced market value rates, plus one per cent interest and 30 per cent of fair market value price, to help them relocate and reconstruct. The building condition survey which will also be incorporated soon will look into a structure's condition and what can be acquired in case of partial demolition. The BMRCL is considering awarding residents who lose 50 per cent of their bulk land with preferential allotment of sites at fair prices. Sources say the BMRCL has spent close to Rs 826 crore on rehabilitation packages alone.
Residents living in and around Jayanagar are a happy lot. “The Metro Rail passing through Jayanagar is great news. Part of Lakshman Rau boulevard on South End Road (aka Nanda Road) is slated to go but it'll be brought back to life. What's bothering me are the hawkers, auto and taxi drivers who will throng this otherwise quiet residential site once the stations come up," says K V Bhaskar Murthy, president of the Jayanagar Residents' Welfare Association.
But M R Ananda Rao, another resident of Jayanagar, is unhappy that part of the boulevard will be destroyed. "I hope the trees that are cut off for the stations are either relocated or translocated into the parks," Rao says and adds, "we need to know how the officials will solve the problem of cross roads and cross tracks, with the underpass basically managing traffic across the tracks. Officials must look into this. "
Madhu says the idea of translocation of trees was not part of the original plan. It was incorporated after greens raised a noise. “It's expensive to relocate every felled tree.”
It's going to be boom time for the 600-odd commercial establishments in and around Jayanagar, J P Nagar and K R Market, predicts Prakash Mandoth, founder and president of the Jayanagar Traders Association. "The Metro Rail will surely ease the traffic situation, control pollution and will introduce a new mass transport system. We can now expect people from places such as Basavanagudi and Chamarajpet to shop here," says Prakash, who, however, is not too happy with the compensation package. K Shivraj who runs a hardware shop in K R Market, says he not too bothered because his business will not be affected.
Displacement is something that has not gone down well with people who will lose part of their property. A portion of the Cauvery Petrol Bunk near Lalbagh West Gate will go. B V Williams, bunk manager sees a drastic fall in business. “We will have to redesign the office when the Metro comes. Also the 65-odd people working with us are worried about their jobs,” says Williams.
An official with the Central Silk Board who lives in the Board staff quarters near Lalbagh West Gate says that according to the alignment he will lose his property but nothing has been communicated so far. “I don’t know how much of our building is going to be mowed down. We’re still in the dark about it,” he says.
The BMRCL MD is hopeful that the Metro Rail project will be completed by December 2011 on schedule. An ombudsman will be constituted to address grievances of people.

BangaloreOne to go mobile

BangaloreOne to go mobile
DH News Service, Bangalore:
Department of e-Governance is planning to shortly start mobile collection centres, where you can pay your bills and avail services of the various government departments.

Standing for hours in long queues for paying your bills or for availing various services in government offices will be a thing of the past as the Department of e-Governance is planning to shortly start mobile collection centres, where you can pay your bills and avail services of the various government departments.
The mobile collection centres, which will offer all one stop services that are currently offered by ‘BangaloreOne’ and ‘Nemmadi,’ is currently being tested by the department and will be shortly introduced on experimental basis.
Speaking to reporters on Thursday, e-Governance Secretary Rajeev Chawla said a design of a mobile van, which will double up as a collection point centre, is ready and will be tested shortly.
“A design is ready along with application and network points. The mobile vans will be fitted with VSAT and GPS, which can be used as a mobile ATM or collection point,” he said.
Mr Chawla said such mobile collection centres and even hand-held collection devices will be extremely helpful in rural areas.
“This will help in bridging the digital divide between the rural and urban people. The mobile centres will be helpful as at present we have only about 800 Nemmadi centres for a total of 20,000 villages in the state,” he said.
The department of e-governance will shortly be opening one-stop 24/7 centres like the BangaloreOne in the tire-II cities and the first one will be set up in Hubli-Dharwad with five centres by July end, which will be followed Belgaum, Gulbarga, Mangalore and Mysore.
He added that discussions were on with the Income Tax and Commercial Tax departments for collecting taxes.
Shortly, ticket reservations for Inox Multiplex, KSRTC and Tirumala Tirupati package trips would be extended to BangaloreOne centres, he added.

20 new centres
The department will be opening 20 mini new BangaloreOne centres in all the existing BDA Complexes and one each at MS Building, National Games Village and Indiranagar, within a month. At present, there are 16 centres and 6 lakh customers visit the centres every month.

Byrasandra tank pledged, sold

Byrasandra tank pledged, sold

Staff Reporter

A developer raised loan, defaulted; bank auctioned the land for Rs. 7.6 crore

— Photo: K. Gopinathan

TRACING OWNERSHIP: A.T. Ramaswamy (left), Chairman of Joint Legislative Committee, inspecting Byrasandra tank, in Bangalore on Wednesday.

BANGALORE: Byrasandra tank, in the heart of city, had been mortgaged by an “enterprising” developer who, later failed to repay the loan, and the Debts Recovery Tribunal ordered its auction to enable the bank to recover its money. This was what the Legislature Committee on Encroachments in and around Bangalore stumbled upon during an inspection on Wednesday.

Committee chairman A.T. Ramaswamy, who visited a few places on Airport Road and Byrasandra, told presspersons that lake beds, drains and reserved forest land had been encroached by several builders and developers, in association with bureaucrats and politicians.

About 15 acres of Byrasandra tank, estimated at Rs. 200 crore, had been transferred to the Forest Department for protection in 1986. Some time later, Sierra Developers allegedly created false records and raised a loan of Rs. 5 crore from the Indian Overseas Bank in Jayanagar. When the borrower defaulted and admitted that he could not repay the loan, the Debts Recovery Tribunal ordered its auction so that the bank could recover its money. It was auctioned for Rs. 7.6 crore.

In 2005, the Forest Department filed a criminal complaint against the bank asking on what basis the loan was given. But so far no action had been taken on the complaint at the Tilak Nagar Police Station.

Earlier, three persons, M. Manohar, N. Krishnappa, Abbaiah, M. Muniraj and N. Krishnappa had filed a writ petition claiming ownership of the property but the case had been dismissed by the court. The Bruhat Bangalore Mahanagara Palike added to the confusion, when in 1992, it violated a High Court order on leaving tank beds development-free and spent Rs. 1.2 crore to build a bund and fence the tank.
Unholy nexus

The tale of the “unholy nexus” among land grabbers, politicians and bureaucrats continued at another plot abutting the NIMHANS campus, and at Konena Agrahara and Kodihalli on Airport Road.

A 3.5-acre plot of land abutting NIMHANS had been encroached by Shivakumar of Rajatha Enterprises. Each gunta of land was estimated to cost Rs. 1 crore in this area. In Airport Road, encroachment to the extent of 15 acres, 32 guntas on the tank bed, estimated at Rs. 600 crore, was detected. More than 20 individuals and groups had encroached land to build apartments and houses here. At Kodihalli, 25 guntas of land, worth Rs. 65 crore was found encroached.

The committee’s updated report would be tabled in the forthcoming Legislature session. While Mr. Ramaswamy said he would leave it to the Chief Minister to reveal the names of prominent politicians and bureaucrats, and prominent persons who figure in the list of encroachers, he said the committee would insist on swift and severe action against the officials and politicians who had colluded to encroach on prime property.

RITES-led consortium is consultant for metro

RITES-led consortium is consultant for metro

Govind D. Belgaumkar

The consortium will give advise on all aspects of the project implementation

The consortium will be responsible for any deficiency of work by contractors

BANGALORE: Bangalore Metro Rail Corporation Ltd. has appointed Rail India Technical and Economic Services-led consortium as its consultants for the Rs. 6,400-crore metro rail.

The consultancy is worth about Rs. 205 crore. The Japan Bank for International Cooperation is funding the consultancy.

The RITES-led consortium has teamed up with the PCI, Japan, PB Group, U.S. and SYSTRA of France.

The BMRC signed a memorandum of understanding with the RITES-led consortium on June 21 after the JBIC approved the BMRC selection.

Under the agreement, according to BMRC sources, the consortium will employ local talent for 8,851 months and foreign personnel for 561 months to ensure proper implementation of the project.

It will get Rs. 136 crore, $ 95.45 lakh (or Rs. 31.2 crore) and 1.1148 billion Japanese yen (or Rs. 37 crore).

The consortium will give their advice on all aspects of the commissioning of the metro. It will render project management consultancy during the implementation.

Besides monitoring the quality of work, the consultant will advise the BMRC on ongoing survey and investigation works; figure out exact location of the metro’s elevated and underground tracks; seamless travel to ensure that people can easily shift from one mode of transport to another; electrical studies for final capacity and rating of all equipment; design and development of stations; coordinating and arranging training for BMRC personnel.

The scope of work of the General Consultants includes supervision and coordinating commissioning of the system.

The consortium will be responsible for any deficiency in the performance of contractors.

The BMRC has said that urgency of taking corrective measures, including removing deficiencies, lies with the General Consultant.

Jayanagar residents demand better amenities from BBMP

Jayanagar residents demand better amenities from BBMP

Staff Reporter

Civic officials face a barrage of complaints at a meeting

BBMP urged to set up an auditorium at Puttanna cinema

BDA, BBMP draw flak for vacant sites turning into eyesore

BANGALORE: Lack of an auditorium to conduct cultural programmes, improper park maintenance, chaotic traffic, haphazard parking, irregular garbage clearance and poor underground drainage system. All these and many more problems were raised by residents of Jayanagar 4th Block at a grievance meeting on Tuesday.

The meeting, organised by the Federation of Jayanagar Residents’ Associations, saw people complaining to the jurisdictional civic officials and Jayanagar MLA Ramalinga Reddy that though Jayanagar was one of the posh localities in the city, its problems were no different from those of other areas.

Though the area had theatres such as Puttanna Kanagal Chitramandira, Sanathana Kalakshetra and a Government community hall, they were being misused. “We want the BBMP to set up an auditorium in the Puttanna Kanagal theatre and also provide the other halls for conducting cultural programmes. Though we belong to such a beautiful extension, we do not have an auditorium here,” Keshava Kumar N., secretary of the federation said.

K.V. Bhaskar Murthy, president of the federation, pointed out several discrepancies in the existing self-assessment scheme (SAS) of property tax.

“The whole system is a farce as the tax depends on declaration by the owner. There are several cases where the tax for a rented building in less than that occupied by the owner. The Bruhat Bangalore Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) should conduct a survey and verify the declarations made by the property owners,” he said.

BBMP Chief Engineer (South) S. Muninagappa said that a nine-storeyed complex would be built above the Puttana Kanagal theatre.

Ramalinga Reddy, MLA, directed the officials to ensure that all the problems were redressed at the earliest.

Jurisdictional officials from Bangalore Water Supply and Sewerage Board and Bangalore Electricity Supply Company, Metro Rail, traffic police and former area corporator N. Nagaraju were present.

Big challenge for BIAL as airlines project 40 per cent traffic growth

Big challenge for BIAL as airlines project 40 per cent traffic growth

Rasheed Kappan

April 2008 is deadline fixed for Bangalore international airport’s launch

Private airlines want to improve city’s air connectivity

BANGALORE: This can be the toughest challenge yet for the Bangalore International Airport Ltd. (BIAL) project at Devanahalli. Projecting a 40 per cent annual growth in air traffic, airlines are gearing to boost their fleet and connectivity immediately after BIAL takes off next April. BIAL’s enhanced capacity to handle 10.5 million passengers a year might just prove too little too late.

The signs are ominous. Despite its strained infrastructure, Hindustan Aeronautics Ltd. (HAL) airport witnessed 43.7 per cent growth in annual passenger traffic last year. “From 5.6 million passengers in 2005-06, the traffic grew to 8.12 million in 2006-07,” a top Airports Authority of India (AAI) official told The Hindu. At AAI’s last monthly coordination meeting, private airlines reportedly revealed their plans to increase the number of flights to and from Bangal ore and add new destinations. Airlines that had started off with only two or three flights a week have introduced daily flights. State-owned aviation major HAL had asked many airlines to put expansion plans on hold because of the acute space crunch at its airport.

HAL airport handles 330 takeoffs and landings a day, generating daily passenger traffic of 27,000. The number of domestic flights registered 36.6 per cent growth last year. Compared to 61,403 flights in 2005-06, the airport handled 83,880 scheduled flights in 2006-07.

The number of international flights to and from Bangalore was 8,277 in 2005-06. That grew by 27.1 per cent to touch 10,518 in 2006-07.

International carriers operated bigger aircraft and generated more passengers.

Of the global airlines, Air France, Singapore Airlines, Gulfair, Sri Lankan, Thai Airways, British Airways, Nok Air and Lufthansa operate daily flights, while Malaysian Airlines flies six times a week. Air India has the maximum of 18 flights in a week to and from Bangalore. With at least five more global airlines keen to include Bangalore in their network, the passenger volume can rise significantly at Devanahalli.

Sources said more international airlines had set their eyes on BIAL but were yet to approach the Directorate-General of Civil Aviation.

International flights pose another taxing problem for the HAL airport. “For every passenger going abroad, there are at least 10 visitors seeing him/her off.

This adds to the traffic and congestion,” said an AAI official. . Big challenge for BIAL as airlines project 40 per cent traffic growth

Rasheed Kappan

April 2008 is deadline fixed for Bangalore international airport’s launch

Private airlines want to improve city’s air connectivity

BANGALORE: This can be the toughest challenge yet for the Bangalore International Airport Ltd. (BIAL) project at Devanahalli. Projecting a 40 per cent annual growth in air traffic, airlines are gearing to boost their fleet and connectivity immediately after BIAL takes off next April. BIAL’s enhanced capacity to handle 10.5 million passengers a year might just prove too little too late.

The signs are ominous. Despite its strained infrastructure, Hindustan Aeronautics Ltd. (HAL) airport witnessed 43.7 per cent growth in annual passenger traffic last year. “From 5.6 million passengers in 2005-06, the traffic grew to 8.12 million in 2006-07,” a top Airports Authority of India (AAI) official told The Hindu. At AAI’s last monthly coordination meeting, private airlines reportedly revealed their plans to increase the number of flights to and from Bangal ore and add new destinations. Airlines that had started off with only two or three flights a week have introduced daily flights. State-owned aviation major HAL had asked many airlines to put expansion plans on hold because of the acute space crunch at its airport.

HAL airport handles 330 takeoffs and landings a day, generating daily passenger traffic of 27,000. The number of domestic flights registered 36.6 per cent growth last year. Compared to 61,403 flights in 2005-06, the airport handled 83,880 scheduled flights in 2006-07.

The number of international flights to and from Bangalore was 8,277 in 2005-06. That grew by 27.1 per cent to touch 10,518 in 2006-07.

International carriers operated bigger aircraft and generated more passengers.

Of the global airlines, Air France, Singapore Airlines, Gulfair, Sri Lankan, Thai Airways, British Airways, Nok Air and Lufthansa operate daily flights, while Malaysian Airlines flies six times a week. Air India has the maximum of 18 flights in a week to and from Bangalore. With at least five more global airlines keen to include Bangalore in their network, the passenger volume can rise significantly at Devanahalli.

Sources said more international airlines had set their eyes on BIAL but were yet to approach the Directorate-General of Civil Aviation.

International flights pose another taxing problem for the HAL airport. “For every passenger going abroad, there are at least 10 visitors seeing him/her off.

This adds to the traffic and congestion,” said an AAI official. .

BANGALORE LIVE

BANGALORE LIVE
A recent Monocle quality of life survey has come up with parameters for rating how liveable a city is. BT looks at how Bangalore fares
ANJALI MUTHANNA & EDISON THOMAS


The city must have international long-haul connections with a well-managed, thoughtfully designed airport.
Berne and Munich topped the list in terms of how well their airports are planned and Paris scored high because of its international flight connections.
Bangalore, even taking into consideration the upcoming Devanahalli Airport, still has a long way to go. London has five airports, Paris hasn’t done away with its old airports after the new ones were built, but we’re already talking about shutting down the HAL airport. If Bangalore is to be compared with other cities in the world, not only should we keep the HAL airport, we also need another airport in the south of Bangalore. Meanwhile, the Devanahalli airport by itself is well-planned and if we have good connectivity to it by way of trains and better roads, we should be okay.
Captain Gopinath, MD of an airline
Crime: rates for murders and domestic burglaries
While Tokyo and Kyoto made the cut in this respect, most cities in the US were out of the running because of their high crime rates. Even London failed to make it because of its sub-standard housing, which meant that residents’ security was compromised.
In Bangalore, crime has doubled in the last 10 years. And if it’s plywood doors in the UK, it’s the lack of socialising that’s upped crime here. Lots of people migrate to Bangalore and practise a nuclear lifestyle where you don’t know your neighbours. Burglars walk in and out of homes without raising any suspicion. Affluent techies have become soft targets and a booming real estate market has created mafias. Police are short-staffed and helpless.
Prakruti Banwasi, special police officer
The quality of state education
The most liveable city would have Zurich and Helsinki’s level of state education.
Bangalore measures up quite well in terms of its educational institutes. We have the best institutes in terms of quality education and international recognition with IISc and IIM. Bangalore is a sought-after place for higher education in this country because of the weather and its tolerance to outsiders. However, it is this longstanding tolerance that is now causing the debate about whether English should be permitted to be a first language in government schools.
Dr MS Thimappa, former vice-chancellor of Bangalore University
Quality of health care
Zurich and Helsinki top the list again.
The main reason none of the cities in India qualifies is because of the way our health system is structured. We have no national health care systems. Even though there are several quality doctors and hospitals in the city, there are not enough channels for them to be absorbed. This means that several of them get into private practice and start charging exorbitant fees, prescribing brand drugs instead of their generic counterparts, and conduct unnecessary tests. So large numbers of people cannot access health care unless they can pay because they have no insurance and are not covered under a government programme.
Dr Ravi Narayan, community health advisor
Hours of sunshine and average temperatures
Sydney and Honolulu offered the best weather, whereas Zurich had a more rounded climate because it has four seasons.
The weather in Bangalore is comfortable overall. It’s not as extreme as Delhi or some other major world cities. But again, we are very close to the equator and are prone to sudden temperature changes and even rains. Still, since Bangalore is a hill station, the temperatures compare favourably with other cities. As far as daylight hours are concerned, Bangalore has plenty throughout the year.
Puttanna, meterologist
Communications and connectivity
Tokyo tops because of its Wi-Fi plans and so does Hamburg for its electronic media outlets.
We’re comparable with any of the top cities in the world like London, New York and San Francisco. We may however lag behind in public WiFi networks. But with mobile and line communications and connectivity, we’re up there with the best.
Rajesh Reddy, technocrat
UK cities have Cloud networks that make connectivity available anywhere. But with telecom, we are well networked and almost on par with the rest of the world.
Pradeep Kar, chairman & MD of an IT group
Tolerance
This was one aspect in which London did very well, as did Stockholm and Copenhagen, though the latter two admit to problems with integrating immigrants.
Bangalore has many faces. In the lower economic strata, there’s a lot of violence and ostracism. But among the upper classes, you have gay parties, albeit covert, taking place all over the city. But this may not be real tolerance, as it is more economically divined.
Vinay Chandran, gay rights activist
We’re tolerant because we are lazy and have a don’t-care attitude. That’s not real tolerance.
Rex, activist
Ease of getting a drink at 1 am
Madrid, Tokyo and Barcelona are THE places to be, if you want to experience a rocking nightlife.
We’re way down the ladder in this respect because of the 11.30 pm deadline. One of the things that makes a city vibrant and and liveable is entertainment, which Bangalore doesn’t have at all. I’m not talking only about being able to get a drink; even if you just want to sit down, have an iced tea and listen to a band at 1 am, you can’t do that. One of the biggest selling points for a city like New York is that it’s a city that never sleeps. Bangalore seems to do nothing but sleep.
Rohit Barker, entertainment Pro
Cost and quality of public transport and taxis
If you need to get around, a city must have Munich’s public transport and Copenhagen’s bike network.
Thanks to bad planning and lack of foresight on the part of our recent town planners our city suffers on this count. While creating transport infrastructure they haven’t taken into account the density of traffic. We have public transport, but it is inadequate and badly managed. Hopefully, as the city grows, better planning will prevail. We may not become a Toronto or even a Dublin, but we’ll be there.
Neeraj Chinnappa, automobile expert and e-governance consultant
Access to nature and key environmental issues
Geneva, Stockholm and Zurich have proximity to nature. At least 10 cities have made parks and trees a priority in their planning.
We had it all, but poor planning and haphazard growth has taken it away. No city in the world alters its city to accommodate a railway, but we’re doing it. No city touches its parks, but we are taking away parts of Lalbagh for our Metro. And once it comes up its going to damage our environment even more. But nobody seems to care. I think this is the worst attribute of Bangalore.
Leo Saldanha, environmentalist

ARCHIVES WILL BRING ALIVE IISC’S 100-YEAR EVENTFUL JOURNEY. YOU, TOO, CAN JOIN THE PARTY

ARCHIVES WILL BRING ALIVE IISC’S 100-YEAR EVENTFUL JOURNEY. YOU, TOO, CAN JOIN THE PARTY
Amit S Upadhye | TNN

Bangalore: You, too, can be part of the premier IISc’s centenary celebrations if you have a newspaper cutting, a rare photograph of the institute, a videotape or a recorded speech or letters of correspondence with IISc. All you have to do is submit them to the archive cell of IISc centenary celebrations.
Even if you have none of the above, you are still in demand. Do you have any special memories about the institute? Inform the archive cell members and they would record it.
Though the institute library itself has tons of documents, letters, audio and videotapes about the institute from 1890, it’s still making an effort to collect every bit of information from across the globe.
Soon, the archive members will tour Europe to acquire some of the old documents about IISc. The team would visit the India House in London, and a few universities where the early faculty of IISc taught. The team is also in touch with National Archives in New Delhi, Palace Archives in Mysore, Ramakrishna Math in Malur, Kolkata, and Tata Foundation in Mumbai.
“The IISc concept began offshore when J R D Tata interacted with Swami Vivekananda on his way to Chicago. Some excerpts were printed in the Math newsletter. We are positive about collecting some early newsletters of the Malur Math printed in Bengali,’’ explains Prof S Venkadesan, chief librarian, IISc.
“We’ve also contacted Tata Foundation in Mumbai to provide us with letters on IISc. After a brief announcement a few months ago, we’ve received positive response and old-timers and alumnus are already sending in photographs and other correspondence to us,’’ he added.
IISc is planning a memorabilia exhibition during the centenary celebrations. Mail that piece of history to: iisc.archives@ gmail.com; venky@library.iisc.ernet or call 080-22932408.
IN THE MEMORABILIA
Sketch of IISc building Group photo of workers who built the structure Rare photos of Mahatma Gandhi, Pt Jawaharlal Nehru, Vallabhbhai Patel and young Indira Gandhi at the institute A letter of an old student about his life on the campus during 1930s

Lake mortgaged to raise loan

Lake mortgaged to raise loan
TIMES NEWS NETWORK

Bangalore: Ever heard of a water body being mortgaged to raise a loan? If this sounds weird, the worse is yet to come. The loan is defaulted and the bank auctions the water body to raise the money. This is a tale of a lake encroached upon by an unscrupulous builder who fabricated documents of this 12-acre water body valued at Rs 200 crore and used it as a collateral to raise a loan. He filled up a portion of Byrasandra Lake in Uttarahalli with earth and rubble and got documents done in collusion with the authorities. However, the builder defaulted the loan and the bank recovered the property, put it up for auction and raised Rs 7 crore.
The encroachment escaped the government’s notice until the Lok Ayukta unearthed it. The scam was brought to the notice of Lok Ayukta Justice N Santosh Hegde who held a preliminary investigation. “There is a prima facie collusion and negligence on the part of the BBMP and forest department who turned a Nelson’s eye to the encroachment,’’ he said. Justice Hegde also initiated an investigation into the encroachment of Kempapura, Bellandur and Byrasandra lakes in Bangalore. It came to light when Upa Lok Ayukta Patri Basavana Goud ordered a suo motu investigation into the encroachment of 5 acres of Kempapura Tank near Airport Road and discovered that 4 acres of Bellandur lake too had been similarly encroached. The value of the encroachments of these water bodies has been estimated at Rs 500 crore.
The Lok Ayukta held a meeting of the deputy commissioner Bangalore Urban, chief engineer minor irrigation and other officers to take up this issue.

Govt not to sell land near airport

Govt not to sell land near airport
TIMES NEWS NETWORK

Bangalore: For once, the state government is not in selling mode!
It has decided against selling 408 acres of excess land in the Bangalore International Airport Area Planning Authority (BIAAPA) area. The move to save ownership over the prime land has come as a respite for Bangalore city, which is witnessing a shrinkage of public spaces.
Chief minister H D Kumaraswamy said on Tuesday: “We will not auction the land, instead will give it on lease. The decision has been taken as there is not much difference between auction and leasing it out in terms of revenue earnings now. In fact, by not auctioning the land, the final ownership would remain with the government.’’
Ironically, the decision to auction the 408 acres was taken in a previous cabinet meeting chaired by Kumaraswamy. He had said then that the money obtained from the auction would be utilised to fund the development schemes announced by the government. Deputy chief minister B S Yediyurappa had also cheered him, hoping for an easy flow of funds to implement his budget. But Kumaraswamy’s volte-face on Tuesday raised many eyebrows in political circles.
The decision to give the land on lease was taken in the absence of Yediyurappa and infrastructure minister B Sriramulu.

Metro Rail land-losers likely to get BDA sites

Metro Rail land-losers likely to get BDA sites
DH News Service, Bangalore:
For land owners who will have to part with more than 50 percent of their holding for the 'Namma Metro' project, there's good news in store.

For land owners who will have to part with more than 50 percent of their holding for the 'Namma Metro' project, there's good news in store.
Sources in the Bangalore Metro Rail Corporation Limited (BMRCL) and the Bangalore Development Authority (BDA) told Deccan Herald on Tuesday, a proposal is being mooted to allot sites on priority basis to those land losers who stand to lose more than 50 percent for the project.
Though, talks on this proposal have been held between BDA and BMRC, concrete plans will emerge shortly, said officials in BDA.
BMRC sources add, the proposal involves BDA either allotting sites from its new layouts or BMRC developing sites measuring 60/40ft and 30/40 ft from land acquired from the BDA.
Meanwhile, about 20 property owners including those from Swami Vivekananda Road in Ulsoor and CMH Road in Indiranagar met the BMRC land acquisition officer Mr Nagendra on Tuesday and sought clarifications on the compensation package to be awarded as per recommendations of the PSS Thomas Land Committee Report.
Some owners suggested that BMRC extend the FAR (Floor Area Ratio) along the seven km stretch of Reach One of the project from Anil Kumble Circle to Byappanahalli. At present the revised master plan of the BDA allows an FAR of 150 sq mts around metro stations in the City, to construct high-rises and promote vertical growth, while others sought a three-month time to vacate their homes/commercial establishments after award of compensation. These suggestions will be submitted to a ombudsman committee to be headed by a retired high court judge. The committee that will be set up shortly, will oversee land acquisition in a hassle free manner. V Madhu, managing director BMRC says, "After the BMRC-property owners interaction, valuation of properties on reach one would begin. Approved valuers will assess properties and arrive at the cost of buildings depending on its age. This exercise will be completed within a month" he said.

Theyre choked with problems

Theyre choked with problems
Bangalore, dhns:
Choked drains, dumping of debris, haphazard parking of vehicles, absence of traffic signals at important junctions and illegal activities in parks were some of the grievances aired by residents of Jayanagar 4th Block at a meeting on Tuesday.

Choked drains, dumping of debris, haphazard parking of vehicles, absence of traffic signals at important junctions and illegal activities in parks were some of the grievances aired by residents of Jayanagar 4th Block at a meeting on Tuesday.
The meeting, chaired by MLA R Ramalinga Reddy and attended by officials from the civic and police department, saw scores of complaints against officials.
K V Bhaskar Murthy, President, Jayanagar 4th Block Residents’ Welfare Association, said despite repeated complaints, BBMP officials were “not cooperative”, while the police were ineffective in clearing eateries on footpaths.
“Police seem to be ineffective in clearing such eateries, which are hampering traffic on busy roads. Bescom officials don’t seem to be bothered about those having illegal connections,” he said.
Similarly, there were complaints about dumping of debris and sewage in front of their houses. “The BWSSB workers, after clearing drains and manholes, dump sewage and other waste saying it is the duty of the BBMP to clear it. When the BBMP is approached, they pass the buck on BWSSB,” said S Venkatraman, a resident. Residents also aired their grievances on the law and order, and traffic situation.
They said the parks in the locality were being used for illegal activity and there were traffic jams due to the haphazard parking of vehicles and setting up of commercial malls in residential areas. The Association suggested that Puttanna theatre be converted into a public auditorium as there was none in the locality. Reddy asked officials to attend to the problems and be in touch with residents.

New areas posing newer challenges, says Jairaj

New areas posing newer challenges, says Jairaj
DH News Service, Bangalore:
Senior IAS officer K Jairaj, who assumed the office of Bangalore Mahanagara Palike commissioner 14 months ago, had the challenge of improving infrastructure in the City.

Senior IAS officer K Jairaj, who assumed the office of Bangalore Mahanagara Palike commissioner 14 months ago, had the challenge of improving infrastructure in the City.
Now, he is leaving office and his successor Dr S Subramanya is going to face the same challenges as those faced by Mr Jairaj.
Mr Jairaj was commissioner of the Palike at the time when Bruhat Bangalore Mahanagara Palike was formed with a total area of 800 sq km.
Apart from improving infrastructure, he had the task of catering to the needs of people in new areas.
Besides, he had to mobilise more resources and improve public service delivery as well.
In an interview with Deccan Herald on Tuesday, Mr Jairaj said though 14 months in the Palike is a short period, he has succeeded in making a good beginning towards growth in all sectors. Here are excerpts of the interview.

Review your stint as BBMP commissioner
Jairaj: I am happy with what I have done. Collection of property tax improved at the rate of 35 per cent in 2006-07. With the introduction of fresh advertisement by-law, the Palike will be getting additional income of Rs 20 crore this year.
The current year target for property tax is Rs 607 crore.
As many as 10 roads taken up under World Bank-funded Karnataka Municipal Reform Project are ready for inauguration. Many projects have been taken up under Jawaharlal Nehru National Urban Renewal Mission.
Spillover works have been completed. Introduction of Suvarna Paravanagi and health tenders to clear municipal waste were also important steps in improving public service delivery.
Constraints that you faced
Lack of resource and absence of qualified technical staff were major constraints.
I tried to improve public service delivery system despite these odds. However, it was a team approach towards doing good for the City.
Support from State government...
I received excellent support from the State government.
Challenges before new commissioner
Major challenges before the new commissioner is to improve resources. Now, the jurisdiction of the Palike has been increased. Providing basic amenities in new areas is another major challenge before the new head. In addition, he has to concentrate on improving infrastructure facilities in Bangalore city limits.

You had sought transfer out of the Palike?
No, I did not. But I am happy to work as principal secretary for RD&PR.
I will assume new office by end of this week.

It pours, but T G Halli reservoir remains dry

It pours, but T G Halli reservoir remains dry
DH News Service, Bangalore:
Drinking water crisis is looming large in the City, especially in west Bangalore, with the Thippagondanahalli reservoir almost going dry.

Even as heavy rains are wreaking havoc in several parts of the State, Bangalore remains ‘parched’.
Drinking water crisis is looming large in the City, especially in west Bangalore, with the Thippagondanahalli reservoir almost going dry. In fact, not a single drop of water for drinking will be available from the reservoir from July 1. Water level at the reservoir is now 1 feet, which will be enough only for next four days, Bangalore Water Supply and Sewerage Board (BWSSB) Chief Engineer Venkatraju told Deccan Herald.
Some of the areas likely to be affected in west Bangalore are: Vijayanagar, Basaveshwarnagar, Manjunathnagar, Nandini Layout, Mahalakshmi Layout, Kamalanagar, Yeshwanthpur, Mathikere, Rajajinagar and Gayatrinagar. Some areas in east zone are also fed through T G Halli reservoir.
BWSSB had been pumping 35 million litres per day (MLD) of water from T G Halli reservoir to meet requirements of residents of western parts. Though Cauvery water is pumped to the western division, the reservoir has been the main source of water.
T G Halli reservoir has dried up as there is no rain in its catchment areas. There is no hope of it getting filled in the near future, Mr Venkatraju said.

Cauvery water
So, what next? “We have to cut down the frequency of water supply in all areas falling in the west parts from the present three hours to one hour. The available Cauvery supply in this part will be distributed equally to all areas,” official sources said.
According to Mr Venkatraju, there may be some problem for two or three days.
But it will be set right by diverting water from southern parts of the City. If necessary, water will be supplied through tankers also, he added.

Green belt area shrinks to 419.50 square km of Bangalore Metropolitan Area

Green belt area shrinks to 419.50 square km of Bangalore Metropolitan Area

Staff Reporter

State Government notifies Revised Master Plan 2015

55.94 sq. km of residential area has been opened up for mixed land usage
Commercial area stands at 34.6 sq. km and public and semi-public spaces at 39.13 sq. km

BANGALORE: It is official. The green belt area is down to 419.50 sq. km. and urbanisable area has gone up to 800 sq. km. in the 1219.5 sq. km. of Bangalore Metropolitan Area, the planning area of the Bangalore Development Authority (BDA).

The State Government on June 26 issued a Government Order notifying the long-pending Revised Master Plan (RMP) 2015, more than three years after the BDA initiated the process of preparing it. The notified RMP has been modified to a minor extent after public and government suggestions were incorporated.
Residential area

As much as 55.94 sq. km of residential area has been opened up for mixed land usage, which means certain commercial activities would be allowed in these areas. About 42.3 per cent, that is 338.41 sq. km., has been earmarked as residential area, up from 243 sq. km earmarked in the Comprehensive Development Plan 1995.

Commercial area stands at 34.6 sq. km and public and semi-public spaces at 39.13 sq. km. Nearly 39.78 sq. km has been earmarked for industrial development and 47.25 sq. km. has been opened up for hi-tech industrial development, mostly between Mysore Road and Magadi Road.
Changes

Speaking to The Hindu on the changes from the draft master plan, M.K. Shankarlinge Gowda, BDA Commissioner, said: “In the notified RMP, about 3,500 acres have been opened up for industrial development in the southern and weste rn sectors of the city, in accordance with government suggestions. Earlier, in the draft master plan, only areas in the northern and eastern sector had been opened up for industrial development.” Further, he added,

“We have now retained the green belt area in the northern area which had been opened up for industrial development in the draft plan.”

On suggestion from the Karnataka State Pollution Control Board, the BDA has earmarked buffer zones of 50 m, 25 m and 15 m respectively on either side of the primary, secondary and tertiary canals respectively in Vrishabhavati, Arkavathy, Bellandur and Hebbal valleys. The draft master plan had earmarked the entire region as buffer zone and therefore allowed no development, Mr. Gowda said.
Long-term development

Encapsulating the development process around the city and reasoning the approach adopted in the Master Plan, the Government Order states that the population is likely to be around 9.9 million in the year 2021.

“With the emergence of the Bangalore-Mysore Infrastructure Corridor, the Bangalore International Airport, planned ring roads and satellite townships, urbanisation is no longer confined to the Bangalore Metropolitan Area and is expected to spread into the Bangalore Metropolitan Region,” the Government Order states.

The BDA enlisted the help of SCE, a French consultancy firm, and prepared a draft master plan which was placed for public objections on June 10, 2005.

The city is witnessing a vertical growth

The city is witnessing a vertical growth

Sharath S. Srivatsa and Swathi Shivanand


BANGALORE: The increased demand on housing and the fallout of the information technology boom in Bangalore threw up a landscape of illegal layouts, arrival of the private developers and a more pronounced apartment culture.

Just when the Bangalore Development Authority (BDA) had become dormant in the late 1980s, the outskirts of the city witnessed formation of illegal layouts or the so-called revenue layouts, as the need for housing coupled with the ignorance on revenue matters encouraged the development of such layouts.

According to housing industry sources: “Though securing approval for layouts was not as stringent as it is today, layouts without requisite approvals and lacking basic amenities mushroomed with increasing demand from people.”

At least 10,000 sites in Bangalore are in revenue layouts, which have been either regularised or in the process of being regularised.
Illegal layouts

Tracing the growth of these semi-legal layouts, a study “Of Master Plans, Laws and Illegalities in an Era of Transition” by Alternative Law Forum, (ALF), a lawyers’ collective, states that since the 1980s the city’s peripheral areas have evolved as revenue layouts with minimal infrastructure and civic amenities and cater to middle income groups and small scale enterprises. The arrival of private developers in early 1990s also witnessed formation of private layouts and approximately about two lakh sites have been formed so far. Karnataka Land Developers Association General Secretary R.V. Someshwar says: “The process of developing another lakh site is in the pipeline. The industry grew without any support from the government.”

He said that land developers had taken the risk of investing and securing all the approvals before selling them to the public. Though the illegal revenue layouts had come down drastically now, they were still thriving, he added.
Apartments

As the city was growing horizontally, the apartments provided residents an option to stay within the city, and a large number of the migrant population preferred to live in apartments.
Demand

One of the ways of meeting the increasing demand was through building apartments, says Balakrishna Hegde, the President of Karnataka Ownership Apartments Promoters Association.
Estimate

According to a rough estimate, around 10 lakh dwelling units have been constructed in Bangalore so far, Mr. Hegde said. “The demand for apartment units is as high as ever with at least 1,50,000 units set for completion in the next three years,” Mr. Hegde added

Only 11.26 acres of recovered land auctioned

Only 11.26 acres of recovered land auctioned

Staff Reporter

BANGALORE: Thirteen of the 20 blocks did not receive any bids from developers at the auction of government land recovered from encroachers that was held here on Tuesday. Of the 42.37 acres put up for auction, only 11.26 acres was auctioned, fetching a mere Rs. 7.2 crore. All lands put up for auction were from Jigani and Kasaba hoblis in Anekal taluk.

Blocks in Ragihalli, Bhoothanahalli, Shivanahalli villages of Jigani hobli and Menasiganahalli, Kalanayakanahalli, Setmangala, A. Medahalli and P. Gollahalli of Kasaba hobli were the ones that did not find favour with bidders.

Of the seven blocks auctioned, three pieces, two at A. Medahalli and one at P. Gollahalli, went for lower than the guidance value set by the Government. Thirty guntas and 1.24 acres of land at A. Medahalli went for Rs. 5 lakh and Rs. 3 lakh respectively when the guidance value was Rs. 9 lakh each. The bid was won by Sahairaj.

Two acres at P. Gollahalli went for Rs. 5 lakh when the guidance value was set at 10 lakh for the block. The block went to B.L. Properties.

The next auction is slated for June 28.
Protest

Joining the list of voices against the auction of recovered lands by the government, the Bangalore Forum for Street and Working Children held a protest in front of the Deputy Commissioner (Bangalore Urban district) office on Tuesday.

BBMP work on disputed site holds up traffic

BBMP work on disputed site holds up traffic
Tuesday June 26 2007 11:37 IST

BANGALORE: Commuters and office-goers were greeted by platoons of policemen at the Shivajinagar bus stand on Monday.

Even as a long pending land dispute between Bowring Hospital and Sultan Shah Dargah led to a tense situation, traffic in the area was affected for nearly six hours.

The commuters’ woes began when the BBMP requested protection from the police while they commenced construction work on the property adjacent to the hospital on Monday.

The RMO’s quarters and nurses quarters on the property had been demolished in April to make way for a hostel for the post-graduate students of the hospital.

The five-and-a-half acres of land worth crores has been in dispute for quite a long time. While the Government says the property belongs to it, the dargah committee claims that the land was given to ruler Hyder Ali to Sultan Shah.

Priya, a student of Jyoti Nivas College, said: “The diversion of traffic took us by surprise. Monday mornings are a usually hectic and this incident has only added to it.”

Another commuter Ramaswamy felt that traffic diversion was needed to avoid any unruly incidents. “This might have caused inconvenience to people but ultimately it is the public who would be in trouble,” he said.

Bangalore Metropolitan Transport Corporation (BMTC) Chief Traffic Manager (Operation) Dastagir Sheriff said that BMTC buses had to be parked on Cubbon Road, Queen’s Road, Infantry Road and Balekundri Circle instead of Shivajinagar bus terminus between 8 am and 2 pm.

The buses, however, were on schedule. According to traffic police officials, there was no interruption of traffic except near Bowring hospital.

Police Commissioner N Achutha Rao said that no trouble was reported.

“The situation is under control. The traffic had been diverted in order to avoid any untoward incident. We were requested to provide protection by the BBMP and we have ensured there is adequate police presence in the area where the construction is on,” he said.

BBMP embarks on tree cutting spree, plants saplings

BBMP embarks on tree cutting spree, plants saplings
Tuesday June 26 2007 09:53 IST

BANGALORE: After the Saturday tree branch crash that killed V G Kulkarni, RTO Inspector, the Bruhat Bangalore Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) has intensified the tree cutting and pruning spree.

The civic agency has, in the past two months, felled 113 trees and pruned 416 branches.

The BBMP’s Forest Cell had earlier axed 1,500 trees from the past one year on one pretext or the other.

“We have received over 221 complaints and requests from people about trees posing danger to their lives and property. In the last two days, the department has attended to six trees. We have cut all 27,000 trees in the peripheral areas,” Tree Officer, BBMP Forest Cell, Udupudi Krishna told this website’s newspaper.

In the past two days, the pruning operations have been stepped up on Dr Rajkumar Road, near High Ground Police station, Vijayanagar Club Road, Srinagara, Sankey Road, Indiranagar HAL 3rd Stage, Padmanabhanagar and Anil Kumble Circle.

“All this apart, the drive has been intensified in many arterial roads as well. We have enlisted the support of many NGOs. They will survey the trees on the main and arterial roads and submit a detailed report to the department in a couple of days. Based on the report action will be initiated,” he added.

The department is merely not felling and pruning trees. They are simultaneously planting saplings as well.

In one year the department has planted a lakh saplings across the City, whereas last year it has planted 25,000. Since World Environment Day (June 5) till date 27,000 saplings have been planted by the BBMP.

“We have also distributed 4,500 medicinal plants to various individuals to be planted. Organisations and individuals since June 5 have collected over 500 saplings and planted them in various parts of the City,” Udupudi added.

Translocated trees are doing well

Translocated trees are doing well
Tuesday June 26 2007 09:52 IST

BANGALORE: The initiative of the Bruhat Bangalore Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) to translocate adult trees for road widening and construction of Metro, seems to have yielded good results.

Despite the skepticism of the environmentalists and nature lovers, the civic agency had gone ahead with the plan.

Till date, it has translocated nine fully grown Tabubia (native species) and Pride of India trees which were standing tall and strong on M G Road.

They have been transplanted near the Manekshaw Parade Grounds. Speaking to this website’s newspaper, Tree Officer, BBMP, Forest Cell, Udupudi Krishna said that the nine trees have been fastened to iron rods with ropes so that their roots firmly hold the new soil and withstand the strong winds and the southwest monsoon showers.

‘They will remain tied up for two months.” he said. The civic agency has identified 40 trees which could obstruct Metro construction.

“Two of them have been axed since they were old, and the remainder have been pruned,” he said.

Same work was initiated on Race Course Road for road widening. But it’s at present on hold as the 11 KB BESCOM line is interrupting the work.

“The BESCOM department is presently shifting the high volt cables, after which the work by BBMP will be initiated,” Krishna added.

Trees may face chopping block

Trees may face chopping block
TIMES NEWS NETWORK


Bangalore: The collapse of a tree last Saturday due to heavy rains, which resulted in the death of RTO V G Kulkarni, has made the BBMP rethink seriously on pruning branches or removing trees which may be vulnerable to heavy rain or winds.
The BBMP held a series of meetings with various agencies and ‘green’ organisations to tackle the sensitive issue of cutting and pruning trees. The BBMP on Monday decided to involve six city-based NGOs to inspect all trees on 214 arterial and sub-arterial roads that stretch along 400 kms in the city, to either prune dangerous branches or remove the trees vulnerable to winds.
According to BBMP’s deputy conservator of forests Krishna D Udapudi, around 200 trees may be removed over the next week following the report of the NGOs. Around 1,000 volunteers will engage in inspecting each and every tree that poses a threat to life and property. Under this programme, in the last one year, around 1,500 trees which were identified as dangerous, deceased or dry have been removed, with the focus being on trees on arterial and subarterial roads.
In April and May, the authorities pruned 113 dangerous trees.

Trees may face chopping block

Trees may face chopping block
TIMES NEWS NETWORK


Bangalore: The collapse of a tree last Saturday due to heavy rains, which resulted in the death of RTO V G Kulkarni, has made the BBMP rethink seriously on pruning branches or removing trees which may be vulnerable to heavy rain or winds.
The BBMP held a series of meetings with various agencies and ‘green’ organisations to tackle the sensitive issue of cutting and pruning trees. The BBMP on Monday decided to involve six city-based NGOs to inspect all trees on 214 arterial and sub-arterial roads that stretch along 400 kms in the city, to either prune dangerous branches or remove the trees vulnerable to winds.
According to BBMP’s deputy conservator of forests Krishna D Udapudi, around 200 trees may be removed over the next week following the report of the NGOs. Around 1,000 volunteers will engage in inspecting each and every tree that poses a threat to life and property. Under this programme, in the last one year, around 1,500 trees which were identified as dangerous, deceased or dry have been removed, with the focus being on trees on arterial and subarterial roads.
In April and May, the authorities pruned 113 dangerous trees.

Jairaj goes, Subramanya is BBMP commissioner

Jairaj goes, Subramanya is BBMP commissioner
TIMES NEWS NETWORK


Bangalore: In a major overhaul of the bureaucracy, the state government on Monday night transferred 81 officials including Bruhat Bangalore Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) commissioner K Jairaj.
The new BBMP commissioner is 1983-batch IAS officer S Subramanya, the brain behind deputy CM B S Yediyurappa’s budget. Jairaj, who took over as commissioner in May 2006, has been posted as principal secretary, rural development and panchayat raj department.
In another major move, the government has filled the post of principal secretary (finance) that was lying vacant. Senior IAS officer MR Sreenivasa Murthy will hold the post. Commissioner for public instruction M Madan Gopal has been replaced with G Kumar Naik, who was tourism commissioner.
BWSSB’s new chairman is Latha Krishna Rau. BBMP joint commissioner T A Parthasarathy has been posted as deputy secretary (municipal reforms) and given additional charge of the new post of director, Urban Transport Cell (urban development department).
While the total number of IAS officers transferred is 35, that of IFS is 7, IPS 3 and KAS 36. Subramanya is the fifth commissioner of Bangalore’s municipal corporation since 2002. The previous commissioners, besides Jairaj, were Ashok Dalwai, MR Sreenivasa Murthy and K Jothiramalingam.
The BWSSB, too, has got its fifth chairman in five years. MN Vidyashankar, SK Pattanayak, Ashok Kumar Manoli and NC Muniyappa were the previous chairmen