Friday, February 29, 2008

Steering a roadworthy story

Steering a roadworthy story
Stephen David
February 21, 2008
India Today

For a harried city traveller, the idea of utopia—a smooth ride with minimum stoppage at traffic lights—is doomed to remain just that. With millions of cars being added on roads every year and public transport a near failure in the best Indian cities, decongestion of roads looks like a distant dream.

In the country’s cyber capital, Bangalore, narrow roads and two-million twowheelers made for a nightmare combination and national headlines. But the remodelled Bangalore Metropolitan Transport Corporation (BMTC) has to rectify the situation.

In a bid to encourage public transport, it has introduced a slew of passenger-friendly initiatives like smart pre-paid cards, global positioning systems (GPS) in buses and, unbelievably posted a profit of Rs 224 crore in 2006-07. A recent report in the Indian Journal of Transport Management declared: “the BMTC is the best-performing urban state transport undertaking in India.”

If the BMTC Managing Director Upendra Tripathy, 51, has his way, commuting in India’s Silicon Valley may soon turn into a joyride. He has also proposed creating a dedicated bus lane called the Bus Rapid Transit corridor and a Rs 38-crore seven-floor traffic transit centre to monitor and reduce traffic snarls.

Managing Director Upendra Tripathy
Managing Director Upendra Tripathy
The corporation recorded a minuscule 0.14 accidents per one lakh km rate which is the lowest in the country. Today, the buses ply one million km and carry three million passengers daily. “With Bangalore’s population expected to touch eight million, I hope to run two million km and carry six million people a day,” Tripathy says.

Of the corporation’s 4,700 buses close to 1,200 are now fitted with a GPS device which comes in handy not only in regulating speed and monitoring their movement, but also helps them recover in case of theft. Not just this, the managers at all the 35 Bangalore depots keep their chief posted about the operations of the buses through an e-mail.

“No matter where I am, I still get to know the status of my buses on a daily basis,” says Tripathy, who also is pursuing a doctorate on the political economy of India’s ozone management policy from Carleton University in Ottawa, Canada.

The corporation’s recent track record has attracted the attention of the World Bank which is conducting a study on the BMTC model. It is also vying for an environment-friendly tag with initial plans to operate 280 buses on bio-diesel and earn carbon credits under the Kyoto Protocol. Evidently, the day when all its buses run on eco-friendly fuel and public accolades is not far off.Steering a roadworthy story
Stephen David
February 21, 2008
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For a harried city traveller, the idea of utopia—a smooth ride with minimum stoppage at traffic lights—is doomed to remain just that. With millions of cars being added on roads every year and public transport a near failure in the best Indian cities, decongestion of roads looks like a distant dream.

In the country’s cyber capital, Bangalore, narrow roads and two-million twowheelers made for a nightmare combination and national headlines. But the remodelled Bangalore Metropolitan Transport Corporation (BMTC) has to rectify the situation.

In a bid to encourage public transport, it has introduced a slew of passenger-friendly initiatives like smart pre-paid cards, global positioning systems (GPS) in buses and, unbelievably posted a profit of Rs 224 crore in 2006-07. A recent report in the Indian Journal of Transport Management declared: “the BMTC is the best-performing urban state transport undertaking in India.”

If the BMTC Managing Director Upendra Tripathy, 51, has his way, commuting in India’s Silicon Valley may soon turn into a joyride. He has also proposed creating a dedicated bus lane called the Bus Rapid Transit corridor and a Rs 38-crore seven-floor traffic transit centre to monitor and reduce traffic snarls.

Managing Director Upendra Tripathy
Managing Director Upendra Tripathy
The corporation recorded a minuscule 0.14 accidents per one lakh km rate which is the lowest in the country. Today, the buses ply one million km and carry three million passengers daily. “With Bangalore’s population expected to touch eight million, I hope to run two million km and carry six million people a day,” Tripathy says.

Of the corporation’s 4,700 buses close to 1,200 are now fitted with a GPS device which comes in handy not only in regulating speed and monitoring their movement, but also helps them recover in case of theft. Not just this, the managers at all the 35 Bangalore depots keep their chief posted about the operations of the buses through an e-mail.

“No matter where I am, I still get to know the status of my buses on a daily basis,” says Tripathy, who also is pursuing a doctorate on the political economy of India’s ozone management policy from Carleton University in Ottawa, Canada.

The corporation’s recent track record has attracted the attention of the World Bank which is conducting a study on the BMTC model. It is also vying for an environment-friendly tag with initial plans to operate 280 buses on bio-diesel and earn carbon credits under the Kyoto Protocol. Evidently, the day when all its buses run on eco-friendly fuel and public accolades is not far off.

Will BBMP walk the talk?

Will BBMP walk the talk?
Author: Sanchita Sen Date: 29 Feb 2008
Mid-day

Employees of IT companies on Koramangala Ring Road are still waiting for a skywalk



danger zone: Heavy traffic on the Koramangala Ring Road is a hazard for people who have to go across to the business park. Companies housed in the business park have requested for a skywalk pic/omprakash
Over 15,000 people are waiting for the BBMP to sanction a skywalk opposite the Embassy Golf Links Business Park on the Koramangala Intermediate Ring Road.

Employees of firms such as IBM, Microsoft India, Yahoo, and Goldman Sachs had submitted a memorandum on July 31, 2007 to the Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagar Palike (BBMP), requesting for a skywalk since crossing the road during peak hours was proving to be a time-consuming and risky business.

“Forget responding to the memorandum, BBMP officials have not even met us,” said an employee of a firm housed in the business park.

Too risky

The business park is accessible only from the Koramangala-Indiranagar Intermediate Ring Road and since 30 per cent of the employees use public transport, they have to cross the busy road to reach their workplace.

“The business park has around 40,000 people working in more than 20 companies. It also provides indirect employment to approximately 10,000 people. Nearly 30 per cent of the people have to take public transport and they have to cross the busy ring road where high-speed traffic is the norm,” said Amit Ahuja, executive (corporate affairs), Embassy Group.

“Some of the employees have been involved in minor accidents while crossing the road. A skywalk for pedestrians seems to be the only option to ensure safety,” he added.

No help

“We tried to meet the BBMP commissioner several times but he keeps rescheduling our appointment. However, we did meet the joint commissioner (east) who promised to visit the spot, but he has yet to turn up here,” said Ahuja.

Firms think that a skywalk would be a good business proposition for BBMP as it offers ample advertising opportunities.

Cops want it too

M K Thammaiah, inspector, Airport Road traffic police, said, “Pedestrian safety is of utmost importance especially in an area with so many offices. Only last week, there were many accidents near that particular spot. Six people were killed and 24 were injured. Cab drivers tend to accelerate on ring roads, so a skywalk is necessary.”

Wait and watch

When MiD DAY contacted Nagraj, joint commissioner (east), he agreed that skywalks ensure pedestrian safety.

“I do recall that some people met me about a skywalk. I will try to look into it and see what can be done,” he added.

Road closed at night for work

Road closed at night for work

Staff Reporter

Bangalore: Movement of all vehicles at night will be banned from Friday to Sunday at the stretch between Windsor Manor junction up to BDA junction. The ban will be effective from 10 p.m. to 6 a.m., traffic officials said.

The Bruhat Bangalore Mahanagara Palike had requested the traffic police for the complete ban of vehicles at night so that it could expedite work on the underpass which is to begin from Friday. The BBMP hopes to finish the work in the next 45 days.

However, light motor vehicles can ply on this stretch during day taking diversions as announced by the traffic police earlier.

BBMP engineers said that excavation work would be carried out at night and for this purpose banning of entry of vehicles near the construction site is necessary to complete the excavation work at the earliest.

BBMP now wants public to dispose off waste!

BBMP now wants public to dispose off waste!
By Satish Shile, DH News Service, Bangalore:
Disposing municipal solid waste has been a long-pending problem for BBMP. Now the Palike has found a new way to shake its hands off from this problem.

The Palike’s plan is to hand over the responsibility of disposing waste to garbage generators and service providers. In other words the public and garbage contractors should make arrangements for disposal of wastes. However, the Karnataka Municipal Corporations Act does not approve this.

The Palike has invited tenders from qualified contractors to handle solid waste generated in commercial establishments in the East, West and South zones. The tender document says the service providers have to collect, transport and also dispose wastes.

It also adds “generators of wastes should be able to dispose off the waste generated effectively and regularly.”
These conditions keep the Palike free from the responsibility of providing either landfill sites or dumping yards to dispose wastes.

However, according to section 58 of the Karnataka Municipal Corporations Act 1976, collection, removal, treatment and disposal of waste generated in the city is one among the obligatory functions of the corporation.
Then, how can the Palike ask the public to dispose the waste, question office-bearers of Bangalore Mahanagara Sanitation, Lorry Owners and Contractors’ Association.

HC order
Association general secretary S N Balasubramani said, it is the duty of the Palike to provide landfill sites to dispose municipal solid wastes. For the last two years, contractors have been demanding that the Palike should provide enough dumping yards. But the demand has not been met.

Balasubramani and 28 others had moved the Karnataka High Court in 2003, seeking the court to direct the Palike for necessary action to provide dumping yards for garbage contractors.

Justice Ram Manohar Reddy in his judgement dated September 15, 2005 directed the Palike to provide dumping yards within 30 days.

However, the Palike has failed to act as per the High Court’s order even after more than two years of judgement being pronounced.

TENDERS OPEN TODAY
The Palike has called for tenders for collecting and disposal of municipal waste generated by commercial establishments in three zones of the erstwhile BMP.

The commercial establishments which are covered under this project include kalyan mantaps, party halls, government offices, private offices, apartment complexes with more than 20 houses, education institutions, places of worship, exhibitions, fairs, clubs and other such amusement sites, shops and establishments, mutton, chicken and related shops.

Tender proposals will be opened on Friday.

Palike allowed encroachment by UB City: Hegde

Palike allowed encroachment by UB City: Hegde
Thursday February 28 2008 08:34 IST

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BANGALORE: Karnataka Lokayukta Justice N Santosh Hegde has pulled up Bruhat Bangalore Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) for allowing builders of upmarket office complex UB City to flout the rules.

Justice Hegde said in his notice to the Palike Commissioner that the width of the Vittal Mallya road, on which the building stands, is shown to vary from 13.6 metres to 19.6 metres while the Land Records Department show the dimensions as varying from 14.65 mtrs to 21 mtrs.

Despite the Land Records Department survey, BBMP officials had approved the modified building plan by allowing encroachment, the notice said.

The building was in the news last year when BBMP surveyed it for nearly a fortnight and identified various deviations.

The residents in the neighbourhood had complained of encroachment of the sidewalk by the builders.

Further, the office space was occupied in the multi-storeyed building even before the Palike had issued an occupancy certificate.

Subsequently, builders of UB City (a joint venture between Prestige Group and United Breweries) paid a penalty of Rs 2.6 crore and applied for a modified building plan. BBMP issued a partial occupancy certificate and approved the modified building plan which is now being questioned.

BBMP Special Commissioner K R Srinivasa told this paper that he has asked the Joint Director (Town Planning) to look into the matter and restore the road width as per records.

Vice-president (Public Relations) at Prestige told this paper that the builders had gone by the road width according to the latest survey by land records department and that there was no encroachment.

“We don't understand why we are subjected to repeated embarrassment. Last year we met all legal obligations,” he said.

Devanahalli: Ministry team in City today

Devanahalli: Ministry team in City today
From B S Arun, DH News Service, New Delhi:
Concerned over the delay in the Devanahalli international airport fully adhering to the required norms for the project to become operational, a high-level team of the civil aviation ministry is visiting Bangalore on Friday for an on-the-spot inspection.

The ministry had made an inspection of the airport on February 8 and made several suggestions on various aspects of the project, which will be thrown open to commercial traffic on March 30 after inauguration by the prime minister on March 28. The team will now see whether these suggestions have been implemented.

Ministry sources told Deccan Herald here on Thursday that the team is being led by joint secretary K N Srivastava and comprises Airports Authority of India chairman K Ramalingam and Director General of the Directorate General of Civil Aviation Kanu Gohain.

The DGCA, the regulatory body, has to give the licence to the airport before making it functional. But for that, several parameters have to be adhered to. As for AAI, the air traffic control (ATC) will be manned by its personnel although the airport is a greenfield project.

In its previous inspections, the ministry had made 54 observations on the various aspects of a functional airport.
Most have been complied with by the project developer and operator Bengaluru International Airport Limited.

However, there were 14 parameters which remained outstanding. It is these issues the ministry will examine for compliance. These 14 comprise issues relating to the ATC including the control tower and the equipment.

During its last visit, the ministry was not happy as the equipment had landed on the day the inspection took place.

The team will find out whether it has been installed as per set norms. The AAI will have to certify that the ATC is in operating condition, a chief requirement for aircraft to land and take off.

During its last visit, the team was understood to have found that there was a delay in the ATC tower construction and was not happy over the equipment landing late. Now efforts are on to instal the equipment in time for the first test flight.

Other parameters include delay in the second circuit of runway lighting as well as continued construction activities inside and outside the airport.

The team will decide which of the activities on the airside of airport need to be stopped.

The Centre will take up another inspection on March 7. That visit will be led by ministry secretary Ashok Chawla.

Thursday, February 28, 2008

‘Land sharks, politicians took airport far away’

‘Land sharks, politicians took airport far away’
Author: Savie Karnel Date: 28 Feb 2008
Mid-day

Transparency International believes fliers are in for a hard time, and wants aviation minister to probe shifting of airport from Bangalore to Devanahalli


LISTEN UP: M F Saldanha (above) feels the new airport should be connected to the HAL airport through monorail file pics

Land sharks took the airport 60 km away from the city, and politicians colluded with them, an international corruption watchdog is convinced.

Transparency International believes real estate speculators made a killing by getting the airport shifted away from Bangalore to Devanahalli.

Justice M F Saldanha, Transparency International chairman in India, has urged civil aviation minister Praful Patel to hold an inquiry into why the airport was built so far from the city.

Saldanha has asked the minister not to inaugurate the airport without first making sure it has the necessary infrastructure. He has also urged the minister to retain the HAL airport for domestic flights.

Faraway flights

“When the whole world is striving to bring facilities closer to people, we are taking it far away. This decision was taken by governments certainly to benefit some land sharks and corrupt politicians,”
Saldanha told MiD DAY.

Saldanha feels the infrastructure to the airport is not ready and will make people waste a long time in transit.

“Ultimately, this will drive people away from Bangalore. People will prefer other cities to set up businesses or hold meetings,” he said.

He has urged the minister to retain the HAL airport for domestic flights. “It makes no sense travelling for three hours to the airport and then taking a flight to Chennai. One may as well take a train. Moreover, the new airport will levy heavy taxes,” he said.

Mall a waste

HAL is a public sector company, and the existing infrastructure will go waste if the airport is shifted, he
said.

“The HAL authorities are thinking of converting the airport into a shopping mall to make use of the infrastructure. Since the airport was built with public money, it is not right to use it for some other purpose,” he said.

Connect them

He suggests the HAL airport be connected to the new BIAL airport through monorail.
“Kuala Lumpur covers 98 km in 20 minutes. It doesn’t take long to build a monorail system, and it can be done on a build-operate-transfer basis,” he said.

Saldanha plans to hold public protests and garner support for the cause. “Many feel this way,”
he said.
Take a chopper

Kingfisher Airlines vice-chairman Capt Gopinath was one of the main crusaders for the retention of HAL airport for domestic flights.

He recently told MiD DAY that he had lost hopes the government would listen to him.

“They have signed some agreements with BIAL, and will stick to it. It is best we stopped fighting for it and looked for options to make travel easier to Devanahalli,” he said.

Capt Gopinath plans to offer helicopter services from Bangalore to Devanahalli.

“We will pick people from somewhere in the centre of the city and ferry them to the new airport,” he said.

Short-haul flyers shun new airport

Short-haul flyers shun new airport
Poor Road Link Sees Steep Decline In Air Bookings
Anshul Dhamija | TNN

Bangalore: Fears are coming true. The new Bengaluru International Airport appears to be putting off travellers flying on short-haul routes — those that have a flight time between 30 minutes and an hour.
Reason: the airport is around 40 km from the city and the accessibility is poor. Most are dreading the commute to and from the airport and the expense involved. The rail and road options could be more attractive for many.
According to a senior official of a low-cost airline, ticket sales for April and May between Bangalore and Hyderabad, Kochi, Chennai and Coimbatore have dropped between 30% and 35% compared to the same period last year.
“Those who are travelling before March 30, when the new airport opens, and plan to come back after March 30, are booking onward flight tickets but are wary about booking their return tickets,” said the official. “Passengers having to fly out of the city from the new airport are thinking twice if their chosen destinations are on the short-haul sectors.”
Over 40% of the flights out of Bangalore are to short-haul destinations. Low-cost airlines fill up close to 70% of their capacity through bookings made one to two months in advance, as prices of tickets increase closer to the date of travel.
A majority of these advance bookers are visiting-relatives-and-friends segment of passengers who plan their travel well in advance.
Observers say airlines may now have to rethink their shorthaul strategy. “If people find train and bus travel to be a smarter option, then airlines will have to discontinue certain short-haul routes or rationalize their frequency on some,” said an industry observer.
Full-service airlines say they haven’t seen a dip in sales post-March 30. But a Jet Airways official said sales on short-haul routes could take a beating until passengers get attuned to travelling the long distance to the new airport.
At a recent press briefing, Albert Brunner, CEO of Bangalore International Airport Ltd, had said the new airport would witness a 26% increase in domestic flights compared to what HAL airport currently handles. HAL now handles over 300 domestic flights a day.
This is on account on the availability of additional slots. But airlines operating across the price spectrum have told TOI that the additional slots will be used to increase traffic on long-haul routes like Bangalore-Mumbai and Bangalore-Delhi, as well as open newer long-haul routes from the city. Short-haul routes are unlikely to increase.
No FLYING Start
Over 40% of flights out of Bangalore are to short-haul destinations Airlines see a drop in bookings Poor accessibility to new airport reason Airlines may have to rethink strategy

Underpass work: Traffic diversions from today

Underpass work: Traffic diversions from today
DH News Service, Bangalore:
The work on the underpass near the BDA Office, which was postponed from February 24 in the wake of indefinite truckers strike, is likely to commence from Thursday.

For the smooth flow of traffic, the BDA had planned to construct another underpass near the BDA office using the magic boxes on the lines of underpass near Cauvery Theatre.

However, due to the truckers’ strike the work could not begin. The reason was that no trucks were available for transportation of construction material and removing soil from the construction site.

Because of the postponement, the traffic police had not enforced diversion of the vehicles in the area.
The police have announced that the traffic would be diverted for 45 days in view of the works.

Wednesday, February 27, 2008

Bengaluru: Tale of 2 airports

Bengaluru: Tale of 2 airports
Vicky Nanjappa in Bengaluru
Rediff
February 27, 2008
Is the new Bengaluru International Airport (see images) jinxed? This was a question asked by several people looking at the number of hurdles it faced till the completion of the project.

First, the Tatas walked out of the project, and then there were problems regarding the acquisition of land and finally a stinker from the Union government, which said it was unhappy with the design.

But the implementers of the project managed to overcome all these hurdles. A week ago, Albert Brunner, chief executive of the Bangalore International Airport Ltd was all smiles when he announced that the first flight would take off on March 29.

Bengaluru had finally got a full-fledged international airport and no longer did it have to rely on a make shift arrangement it had all these years.

But the ride is not as easy as it seems.

Several people in the city have now moved the court seeking a direction to, both, the Karnataka and the Union governments to keep the HAL (Hindustan Aeronautics Ltd) airport open at least for domestic operations. The Karnataka high court has now directed the BIAL (Bengaluru International Airport Ltd), the Union and the Karnataka governments to file a reply on the petition.

The new airport is spacious, can accommodate more flights, has state-of-the-art facilities, but people are worried about the distance of the airport from the city. Picture this -- travel for nearly three hours to the new airport, which has a two hour check-in for domestic flights for a flight to Hyderabad or Chennai to cover that distance in just around 45 minutes! Sounds strange, but this is true.

The travel time to reach the new airport has irked people as it seems like a never ending journey. Before the High Court it was contended that passengers will face lot of problems to reach the new airport. Taking a cab to the new airport would cost at least Rs 1,000. While domestic passengers have to pay a user development fee of Rs 675, international passengers have to pay Rs 955. However, this fee has been slashed by 50 per cent only till May 2008.

It is being contended that since Mumbai and Delhi airports do not impose such a fee and why should Bengaluru be any different?

Talking about distance, the persons who will be hit the most will be those from the IT sector. People who have to reach the airport from the Electronic City or International Technology Park where most of the major IT firms are located will have to travel at least 43 kilometres to reach the airport. The traffic snarls will make the journey worse for IT professionals.

The closure of the old airport is bad news for the HAL also. It is estimated that HAL airport will lose revenues to the tune of about Rs 150-170 crore (Rs 1.5-1.7 billion) every month. Given a choice HAL would have no problem in keeping the old airport open at least for domestic flights. As a backup, there are various plans in case the HAL airport is shut down. There are plans of setting up a shopping complex, a helicopter charter service or an aviation academy.

The closing down the HAL airport would result in more losses. It was only recently that the HAL airport was remodeled by spending crores of rupees to handle international flights.

However, there are a host of benefits at the new airport. Once within the airport one would not have to worry about traffic jams, which are a part of the HAL airport. There would be more flights, more space in the airport and facilities for passengers.

Once the trumpet flyover connecting the new airport and the metro rail link comes up then the traffic woes and the issues regarding the travel time will be sorted out instantly. But these projects may take at least a while to come up.

While several people from the city feel that the old airport should be retained for domestic operations the BIAL feels otherwise. Albert Brunner says that there is no question of keeping both the airports open. He says that operating two airports simultaneously would be disastrous.

To operate two airports on a long term basis is a bad idea and would also be disastrous for the airline operators, passengers and for the overall business. Cities which have dual airports like Hong Kong and Munich have turned out to be a disaster as the airports have never grown.

The London airport sees passenger volumes of 140 million, while New York has 150 million air passengers per year, Bangalore has just 10 million. "Here is a unique opportunity for Bangalore airport to be a major hub in south India by having one big and strong airport," Brunner says.

Regarding the petition before the high court, Brunner says that they will be filing a reply shortly. For now, it is an interesting battle between two airports in the same city.

‘Right to property’ cannot be invoked: Metro Rail

‘Right to property’ cannot be invoked: Metro Rail

Staff Reporter

BANGALORE: Bangalore Metro Rail Corporation (BMRC) on Monday submitted before the Karnataka High Court that the “Right to Property” is no longer a fundamental right and that traders and residents of CMH Road in Indiranagar could not invoke this right to seek realignment of the metro rail.

The court was dealing with petitions from traders and residents of Chinmaya Mission Hospital (CMH) Road seeking a stay on the metro project. The petitioners contended that the metro would have many more users if its alignment was

changed from CMH to Old Madras Road.

Appearing for the BMRC, senior counsel and former Advocate-General R.N. Narasimha Murthy said the petitioners could not seek realignment merely because part of their property was being acquired for the project. He said the fundamental rights of the traders for trading or having licences or running their business were not taken away. He also said that the alignment had been proposed after obtaining opinion of the experts and conducting scientific studies. Senior counsel and former chairperson of the Karnataka State Commission for Women, Pramila Nesargi, questioned the rationale in having the metro rail link running from CMH Road. She said the objections of the traders and residents of CMH Road were not considered by the authorities before the metro project commenced.

She said the CMH Road is narrow and that this would entail acquisition of properties on both sides of the road. The Old Madras Road is 180 feet in breadth and just 1,000 metres away from CMH Road. There would be no problem if the alignment is changed, she argued.

On its part, the State filed a counter defending the alignment. It said that it is not practicable at this stage to change the alignment from the CMH Road to Old Madras Road.

EX-JUDGE SEES RED OVER BAL BHAVAN 'MESS'

EX-JUDGE SEES RED OVER BAL BHAVAN 'MESS'
Bangalore, DHNS:

Justice Michael F Saldanha, retired judge of Karnataka High Court, has demanded that the government take strict action against those responsible for disfiguring Bal Bhavan area in Cubbon Park.

In a letter to Bal Bhavan director, a copy which has been released to the media, he said while dealing with a PIL concerning Bal Bhavan nine years ago as a judge, he had passed strictures against an institution for disfiguring Bal Bhavan area.

He said he had directed the State government to terminate the arrangement and restore the area to the Park.

Promises made to State not kept

Promises made to State not kept
DH News Service, New Delhi:
Railway Minister Lalu Prasad perhaps failed to live up to his promise made just three days ago that he would do justice to Karnataka in his railway budget presented to Parliament on Tuesday.

There is not much to rejoice if new trains or projects within Karnataka are any indication.

However, there are quite a few new trains going to destinations outside Karn ataka: two tri-weekly Garib Raths (AC trains with reduced fares) from Bangalore to Kochuveli (Thiruvananthapuram) and Yeshwantpur-Puducherry.
Lalu also announced the introduction of the Bangal ore–Machalipatnam tri-weekly and Yeshwantpur-Jodhpur weekly trains. The Mysore-Nanjangud passenger will ply after gauge conversion. The Bangalore-Coimbatore express will be extended to Ernakulam, Chennai- Bangalore Express to Prashanti Nilayam, Solapur-Bagalkot Express to Gadag after gauge conversion and Dharwad-Gadag passenger to Bijapur.

The frequency of Bagalkot-Yeshwantpur Basava Express will be increased from tri-weekly to daily.

Work on the Harapanahalli-Harihar section of the Kottur-Harihar new line, Bagalkot-Gadag of Solapur-Gadag new line and Anandpuram-Talaguppa gauge conv-ersion will be completed during 2008-09.

With the last project, the Bangalore-Hubli and Birur-Shimoga-Talaguppa will be completed.

The minister said regarding the Kadapa-Bangalore gauge conversion project, the state governments have come forward to share the cost.

Of a host of new surveys announced, Karnataka will have only one, that too partly – the Srinivasapura-Madanapalli new line.

The minister announced that following encouraging results of the pilot project of Anti Collision Device (to stop head on and rear end collisions between trains), the system would be extended in the next two years to three zonal railways including the South Western Railway. In allocations too, there is nothing much to speak of. Among the new line projects, the Gulbarga-Bidar line (140 km) has been given Rs 20 crore out of the required Rs 184 crore. Only Rs 5 crore will be spent for the Munirabad-Mahaboobnagar line as against a whopping Rs 451 crore more required.

Indian Railways will spend Rs 30 crore — in addition to Rs 60 crore from the Karnataka government — on the 65-km Kottur-Harihar line. Only Rs 10 crore has been allocated for the decade-old Kadur-Chikmagalur-Sakleshpur line which still requires Rs 198 crore.

For the Hassan-Bangalore project (via Shravanabelagola), Rs 55 crore has been given but it still requires Rs 116 crore. Funds allocated for the Hubli–Ankola, Banglaore-Satyamangalam and Rayadurga-Tumkur are too meager to mention. Among the gauge conversion projects, Kolar-Chikkaballapur has been given Rs 70 crore and only Rs 9 crore more is required for its completion. The Hospet-Guntakal line has been given Rs 21 crore and it still requires Rs 83 crore.

The 300-km Solapur-Hotgi (Gadag) line has been given a royal sum of Rs 5 crore – though it requires just Rs 43 crore for completion.

The Rs 608-crore Mysore-Chamarajanagar line has been allocated Rs 20 crore as against Rs 459 crore required.
A good sum of Rs 50 crore has been given to the Arsikere-Birur doubling which needs Rs 47 crore for completion. Another lucky project is the Ramanagaram-Kengeri doubling and electrification which gets Rs 50 crore. The Rs 96-crore Dharwad-Kambarganvi too has been given Rs 50 crore.

The Bangalore-based Rail Wheel Factory gets Rs 25 crore for augmentation of its Rs 99-crore capacity project. It still requires Rs 28.3 crore for completion.

State craves for more, but lets its rails rust

State craves for more, but lets its rails rust
Wednesday February 27 2008 06:44 IST

Ashwini M Sripad

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BANGALORE: Railway Budget 2008 may be another reason for Karnataka to moan, but over the years, the State had done little to utilise its existing infrastructure.

The most glaring is its failure to use the network of rail lines, both electrified and non-electrified, around Bangalore city to ease congestion on the City's roads.

Prof M N Sreehari, chairman Traffic Engineers and Safety Trainers (TEST) a consultancy on traffic and infrastructure, commuters in and around Bangalore travel long distances to reach their work places, amounting to around 50 lakh passenger kilometres, which is a measure of passenger traffic.

According to him, a multi-modal integrated transport system is ideally suited for such passenger density. This is possible with an augmentation of metro, mono, high-capacity buses with dedicated lanes and a commuter rail system (CRS).

At present, Bangalore does not have either of these transport facilities. Even the metro rail will take a while to become a reality.

“Utilising existing electrified railway lines within a 30-kilometre radius from the city centre and operating diesel-electric multiple units (DEMUs) constitute CRS,” he said. “Even though India stands third in the length of railway lines after Russia and the US, it is in the 18th position in term of utilisation,” he added.

Each DEMU can have five to 10 coaches and can operate at speeds of 75 kilometres an hour. “Operating DEMUs can reduce 25 percent of traffic,” Sreehari said.

Southern Railway (now South Western Railway) had proposed a CRS to the State Government in 2001, which in turn was handed over to RITES Ltd, a Government of India enterprise engaged in consultancy and project management, to conduct a feasibility study. RITES had submitted the final feasibility report in January 2003.

The project had proposed to provide mass urban transportation on the existing 63-km railway lines between Bangalore City and suburban areas like Whitefield, Kengeri, Yeshwantpur, Lottegollahalli and Byappanahalli via Hebbal. The report had recommended that CRS was a necessity.

But the Government, after commissioning the study to RITES, didn't find it necessary to implement it.

Speaking to this website’s newspaper, Prakkaash Mandoth, ex-member, Zonal Railway Users Consultative Committee, Southern Railway said railways can at least operate three DEMUs, which can reduce traffic congestion to some extent.

Tech city fortifies against terror

Tech city fortifies against terror
DNA
State-of-the-art security gadgets worth Rs6 crore will be installed in Bangalore by year-end

BANGALORE: Security has become the buzzword in the IT hub of Bangalore after the recent arrest of suspected terrorists revealed that the tech city figures on the terror hit list.

The road leading to Hewlett-Packard in Bangalore will have a barricade with radio frequency identification (RFID) sensors and all vehicles belonging to employees of the 117 IT firms affiliated to electronic city industries association (ELCIA) will sport RFID stickers for identification.

Over 18 CCTV cameras will monitor the traffic and people entering and leaving the electronic city. Hi-tech security gadgets, including hand-held metal detectors, vehicle inspection system with bollards, bomb detection and disposal equipment, will be installed.

Similarly, certain entry points such as the approach road to HP and Timken will be barricaded and manned by security personnel to prevent entry of people from nearby settlements in Konnappana Agrahara. The rear-side road of Wipro Health Care will be sealed.

The electronic city will become the first tech hub in the country to have state-of-the-art security gadgets worth Rs6 crore. “A vulnerability analysis study was conducted to assess the threats that the tech hub face. The recommended security measures have been approved. We are now going through financial feasibility checks,” said joint director of ELCIA Bevin Thomas.

A vulnerability analysis that was conducted by the Central Industrial Security Force (CISF) in early 2006 found that the electronic city faced threats from terrorists as it houses multi-national companies from the US and the UK. Besides, rowdies from surrounding villages gain easy access to the tech hub through its unmanned entry points. “The installation of security gadgets will be completed in a year,” Thomas said. The employees will also be trained to address emergency situations such as fire and bomb threats, he added.

Tuesday, February 26, 2008

Realty Check?

Realty Check?
Mi-day

Water and power scarcity put the brakes on real estate dreams around the new airport



TROUBLE AHEAD: Without guaranteed water and electricity supply, builders and developers in Devanahalli are in a fix file pic
Builders have bought acres and acres around the new airport, but aren’t building.

Gated communities, integrated townships, villas and high-end-apartments are all on the cards, but are unlikely to see the light of day in the near future.

Developers bought agricultural land paying fancy prices up to Rs 1,300 a square foot hoping to cash in on the demand once the airport came up. But the harsh reality is that their hands are tied by many factors.

No clearances

The government has yet to release a development plan for the Devanahalli area. Without such a plan, approvals are impossible to come by.

Government agencies such as the pollution control, water and electricity boards are not ready to clear projects as they are in no position to provide service. Farmers no longer own land in the neighbourhood, and housing layouts can’t come up because of a lack of basic amenities.

Water woes

“Water is a major problem,” said Capt Raja Rao, former chief engineer and water resources expert. “The water board can’t supply much, and ground water in the region is already overexploited.”

A developer said the situation had pushed him to pessimism. “Even if the government allows us to dig borewells, where is the water? We have dug up to 900 feet, but it’s no use. We are in a real crisis.”
Premium builders like Shobha, Mantri, and Prestige have lined up mega projects, but nothing is moving. Only GMR has made a leap of faith and built its corporate office in Devanahalli.

Re-cycling of drainage water is one remedy, according to the BWSSB. But experts such as Raja Rao and A N Yellappa Reddy say it is contaminated beyond permissible limits.

Pay up for power

The power situation isn’t much better. A Bescom source said, “It is not as critical as the water problem, but we can’t assure uninterrupted power supply as the IT and BT industries demand. We can try to provide power at high rates, but industrial and domestic consumers may not be able to afford it.”

No IT hub

The software industry is reluctant to go to Devanahalli. No IT company is building an office in the region. Some plan townships for their employees but are demanding a satellite town ring road (STRR) that connects Dodballapur, Devanahalli, Hoskote, Ramanagar, and Magadi. But that is a costly wish.

“STRR calls for massive investment,” said Sudhir Krishna, BMRDA commissioner. “It is estimated to cost a whopping Rs 3,000 crore, or Rs 10 crore a km.”

Though the project has been planned as a public-private venture, no investor has come forward with the money. “With no IT company in the vicinity, our hope for real estate growth is receding. I am afraid we are heading for big trouble,” a developer said.

Some hope

However, the larger developer community is not so despairing. “With older airports running out of space, Bangalore is going to be a major aviation hub. And that will kick-start growth,” said K Sriram, chairman, Builders Association of India, Karnataka chapter.

20 new B1 centres open

20 new B1 centres open
DH News Service, Bangalore:
Twenty new BangaloreOne centres were inaugurated on Monday by Governor Rameshwar Thakur, taking the total number of the integrated citizen service centres to 39.

The new centres, located in the densely populated areas of the city and in the extension areas like Kengeri, HBR Layout and HSR Layout, are expected to serve more than three lakh people every month.

This will take the number of beneficiaries of BangaloreOne to over eight lakh per month. The citizens can avail themselves of 29 services out of which 21 belong to government departments and eight belong to private companies.

Speaking on the occasion, IT and BT, Principal Secretary M N Vidyashankar said that the new services like KSRTC ticket bookings, payment of LIC premium, provident funds premium and commercial taxes will be extended shortly at the BangaloreOne centres. In addition to the 39 existing centres, he said 20 more centres will be added before December 2008.

As part of the expansion plans to other cities across the State, he said integrated citizen service centres on the lines of BangaloreOne centres will start operations at Hubli-Dharwar during the first week of March, which will be followed by new centres in Gulbarga, Belgaum, Mysore and Mangalore.

Governor Rameshwar Thakur, in his address, said that information and communication technology has transformed the service delivery mechanism and Karnataka is a front-runner in adopting cutting edge technologies. “I assure you that the government will provide full support for the extension of such services. The Government departments and private service providers should integrate and offer their services at BangaloreOne centres,” he said.

Praising the services offered by BangaloreOne, Karnataka Legislative Council Chairman B K Chandrashekar stressed the need for IT to be diversified to different fields especially, rural development.

He also said that the citizens should actively take part in giving suggestion for improving the existing service systems and that the BangalorOne centre should make the delivery system more effective and be prepared to pay penalties if there is a delay in offering services.

New centres
Sadashivanagar, Kumaraswamy layout, R T Nagar, HBR layout, RMV 2nd stage, Nandini layout, Rajajinagar, Vijayanagar, Nagarbhavi, Kengeri, Basaveshwaranagar, Banashankari 2nd Stage, Banashankari 3rd Stage, J P nagar, Jayangar, HSR layout, Koramangala, Austin town, BTM layout and Indiranagar.

Campaign against excessive honking

Campaign against excessive honking
Monday February 25 2008 09:19 IST

ENS

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IT is a traffic jam and not a single vehicle is moving. Yet, there are a few who insist on honking, as if it would help ease traffic. There are some others who are obsessed with honking even in silent zones.

This unnecessary honking is a form of road rage and with the crumbling infrastructure and endless traffic jams, it is a real menace.

To raise awareness about the nuisance of excessive honking, Ranjit Narayan, a college student, and a group of friends have organised 'Horn Not OK Please' rally here on Sunday. The campaign had several volunteers on six bikes and one car with banners and stickers conveying the message on the road.

The rally started from Anil Kumble Circle and proceeded through MG road, Brigade Road, Residency Road, Commercial Street and Cubbon Road.

Speaking to this website’s newspaper, Ranjit said: “With the ever-increasing traffic in the city, excessive honking has become a menace.

This campaign aims to curb the menace of unnecessary honking, which includes honking at signals and areas declared silent zones.”

He said that many vehicles use horns which are shrill and multi-toned, flouting the rules. He said that if people travelling by cabs and other vehicles insist on not honking, it would help in reducing the menace.

BMRCL: No violation in Metro Rail works

BMRCL: No violation in Metro Rail works
DH News Service, Bangalore:
The Bangalore Metro Rail Corporation Ltd (BMRCL) on Monday told Karnataka High Court that the Metro Rail works on CMH Road was going on as per the original alignment and that the corporation has not violated any law in executing the same.

The corporation made this submission, while a writ petition objecting to Metro Rail work on CMH Road was heard in the court.

The counsel representing the corporation said when the public were asked to file objections to the alignment, none reacted. Opposing the alignment when the work has been started is not right, he argued.
CMH Road shop owners filed the writ petition demanding that the alignment be shifted towards Old Madras Road and that would save close to Rs 1,000 crore for the State government. Justice K L Manjunath adjourned hearing on the petition to Tuesday.

Affidavit
The High Court on Monday directed the City Crime Branch and Hennur Police station to file affidavit on the investigation proceedings in connection with criminal charges against Joseph Chacko. Chacko is facing charges of cheating many NRIs to the tune of Rs 35 crore, on assurance of providing them flats in Bangalore. The divisional Bench comprising Chief Justice Cyriac Joseph and Justice B V Nagarathna ordered the filing of affidavit on the status of investigation.

Government advocate Srinivasa Gowda said Chacko had been absconding and not cooperating with the police in investigation. He also alleged that Chacko had not been adhering to conditions put forth while he was granted bail.

However, advocate representing denying the State government’s statement, argued that Chacko was not arrested when he himself presented before the police and that he would return the money and settle the issue.

Saturday, February 23, 2008

Traffic curbs for 45 days...

Traffic curbs for 45 days...
DH News Service,Bangalore:
The BBMP have taken up the construction of underpass at the T Chowdaiah Road-Palace Cross Road Junction (BDA Junction), from Sunday, because of which only a small portion of road will be available for the traffic...

The BBMP have taken up the construction of underpass at the T Chowdaiah Road-Palace Cross Road Junction (BDA Junction), from Sunday, because of which only a small portion of road will be available for the traffic. The proposed time for completion is 45 days. The Bangalore traffic police have introduced the following diversions from Sunday, till the work is finished.

* Heavy vehicles like KSRTC, APSRTC, private buses and trucks plying on Bellary Road from Mekhri circle towards Cauvery junction and palace cross junction will be diverted on Bellary Road at the Up Ramp point to move on Up Ramp and turn left at Mekhri circle towards CV Raman Road and move towards BHEL junction- Maramma circle- 18th Cross Malleshwaram and on to Margosa Road. Light motor vehicles (LMVs) and BMTC buses can come up to Cauvery Junction and have to turn left on Palace Cross Road at the Palace Cross Junction.

* LMVs coming from Windsor Manor junction are allowed to move towards Mekhri circle at the Palace Cross junction. Heavy vehicles will be diverted from Majestic and will not be allowed to ply on that road. Auto-rickshaws and LMVs can turn left at Railway Parallel Road and proceed further.

* Vehicles coming from Mekhri circle are allowed only up to Palace Cross and not till the Windsor Manor junction. All traffic will be diverted to the left on Palace Cross Road-Mount Carmel College, Railway under-bridge and on to Palace Road towards High Grounds police station junction.

* The stretch of V S Raju Road from Serpentine Road junction up to Palace Cross Junction will be No-Entry. LMVs can move on Serpentine Road Junction and join Railway Parallel Road.

* At PG Halli circle, all the heavy vehicles are compulsorily directed towards NTI Compound corner road at the 1st Main Sheshadripuram from Swastik Junction and to join T Chowdaiah Road. Light vehicles may head to 2nd Main PG Halli or move towards T Chowdaiah Road.

* LMVs coming from Malleshwaram over Link Road are diverted at 2nd Main Seshadripuram or Sirur Park Road and on to join Subedar Chatram Road. Further it can take turn left on Subedar Chatram Road and join Swastik Junction.

* Heavy vehicles on Link Road are diverted at Malleshwaram area to move on Link road and turn left towards Sirur Park Road and join SC Road junction at Nataraj Theatre and turn left.

* The diverted heavy vehicles coming from Anand Rao circle to Swastik junction should move on to 1st Main Road Sheshadripuram and further join T Chowdaiah Road via Jataka Stand junction.

* Subedar Chatram Road stretch from Rajiv Gandhi junction up to Swastik Junction is made two-way.

* The diverted heavy vehicles have to take left turn on SC Road and move towards Swastik Junction.

* All vehicles proceeding towards High Grounds police station junction and on to Avinash Petrol Bunk and further are diverted at Basaveshwara circle towards Miller Road LRDE junction, Chandrika junction and on to Udaya TV Junction.

* There is no entry for all vehicles at High Grounds PS Junction. Vehicles coming from Avinash Petrol Bunk have to compulsorily turn left and move on to LRDE Junction.

* Vehicles coming from Thimmaiah Road, going towards 1st Main Road Vasanthanagar is diverted towards Jayamahal Road via Railway Under Bridge at Udaya TV Junction. Traffic coming from Chandrika junction taking left turn is diverted towards Jayamahal junction.

* All the vehicles are diverted towards Cunnigham Road Junction and towards Udaya TV junction at Palace Road and 1st Main Road Vasanthnagar Junction.

* No heavy vehicles will be allowed towards Windsor Manor junction on KK Guest House Road at Shivananda Circle. Similarly heavy vehicles are prohibited to ply towards BDA junction from Windsor Manor Junction.

Sakrama: Fee for small sites slashed

Sakrama: Fee for small sites slashed
DH News Service,Bangalore:
The State Executive Committee on Friday gave its approval for a major slash in the regularisation fee for small sites under the Sakrama scheme.

Mr S Krishna Kumar, one of the advisors to the Governor, said the regularisation fee for 20x30 sites has been reduced by 80 per cent of the original fee. The fee for 30x40 sites has been slashed by 60 per cent.
The regularisation fee for larger sites remain unchanged. The penalty for building bylaw violations has also been untouched and the rates will remain the same.

The decision to slash the regularisation fee was taken after considering suggestions from the public that the penalty for small sites was unaffordable.

Krishna Kumar said the draft notification with the changes made in the Sakrama scheme would be published in a couple of days. The public would be given 30 days to file objections.

The rules have also been amended to clarify that Master Plan-2015 for Bangalore will be applicable for the Sakrama scheme.

In another relief, the Executive Committee resolved that if betterment fee has been paid to the local authority previously then the same would be deducted from the regularisation fee if relevant documents are furnished.
Ashraya, Urban Ashraya Slum Clearance Board and Housing Board layouts need not apply under the Sakrama scheme.

Those who have applied for regularisation under a scheme announced in 1995 also need not apply again, he said.

Once the revised scheme is notified, the Palike will take steps to refund the additional regularisation fee (for small sites) for those who have already applied, a BBMP official said.

Friday, February 22, 2008

Twenty more BangaloreOne kiosks to open

Twenty more BangaloreOne kiosks to open
TIMES NEWS NETWORK

Bangalore: From March, KSRTC bus tickets of over 6,500 buses plying in six Indian states and a Union Territory will be available at BangaloreOne counters and kiosks.
On February 25, 20 new BangaloreOne kiosks will be inaugurated by governor Rameshwar Thakur, starting from R T Nagar. The new services like premium payments of private insurance agencies are expected to be announced then.
The new centres will be called BangaloreOne kiosks with three counters each. Initially, they will operate between 8 am and 8 pm and depending on public demand, the timings can be extended.
The EDCS directorate was sanctioned space for a new centre in Yelahanka, which will come up at the Karnataka Housing Board (KHB) complex. “Efforts are being made to establish some in Kengeri and on Bannerghatta Road. But space allocation is the main constraint,’’ an official said.
BangaloreOne centres have recently started booking bus tickets of 250 private bus operators in India spread over 3,600 routes.
SERVICES AT CENTRES
Bill payments of Bescom, BSNL, BWSSB, CellOne, Airtel, Reliance, Tata Indicom and Spice companies. Payment of property tax and issue of birth and death certificates Railway reservations and domestic flight bookings Renewal of learner’s licence and payment of road tax Renewal of BMTC monthly pass Payment of traffic fines Worldwide money transfer service Sale of passport applications, registration for new passports and renewal of passports Renewal of registration certificate for shops and commercial establishments Market value assistance for property registration Insurance payment for INGVysya customers.
FEATURES
BangaloreOne centres operate throughout the year and open 24/7 Cash not accepted between 8 pm and 8 am. BangaloreOne helpline — 22955400 /01.
NEW KIOSKS
The 20 kiosks will come up at R T Nagar, Indiranagar, Vijayanagar, Nagarbhavi, J P Nagar, Kengeri, Banashankari, Katriguppe, Kumaraswamy Layout, New BEL Road, Basaveshwaranagar, near Iskcon temple in Rajajiangar, Koramangala, BTM Layout, R V Road, Nandini Layout, HSR Layout, Sadashivnagar, Austin Town and HRBR Layout.

‘I will be relieved when airport opens’

‘I will be relieved when airport opens’
Anshul Dhamija & Mini Joseph Tejaswi | TNN

Bangalore: Overseeing the development and construction of a mega project is no mean feat. And Albert Brunner, CEO, Bengaluru International Airport, has met his commitment of opening the new Rs 2,500-crore airport on March 30, despite numerous hurdles.
Brunner says some major challenges had been negotiating on various concession agreements with all stakeholders including the government; negotiating and getting sanctions from various ministerial bodies like civil aviation, defence and finance; and completing the project within the given time even as he was compelled to incorporate various changes in design and related adjustments at the airport. “I’ll be relieved when the airport opens,” said Brunner. However, the challenge will get tougher as the expansion of the airport entails doubling the investment with another round of negotiations on the cards. Brunner was appointed as CEO of BIAL in 2002. He’s been in the airport business for the last 16 years and has played a key role in planning the $2 billion Zurich airport expansion in Switzerland.
Sources said the most painful experience for Brunner has been the whole experience with the government’s apathy towards the airport infrastructure, connectivity and logistics. The government had enough and more time to develop adequate connectivity, as the project was mooted almost ten years ago.
It has been an uphill task for Brunner and there has been speculation that he may relinquish his post as CEO after the airport takes off on March 30. When TOI checked with him, he denied it: “At the moment, I have no plans of relinquishing my post. My contract with BIAL ends in April 2009. If I get a better offer before or later, I’ll definitely consider it.’’
Brunner was one of the first to moot the idea of a mass transportation Metro rail link, which the government is now working on.

Customs staff strength unchanged

Customs staff strength unchanged
TIMES NEWS NETWORK

Bangalore: As the Bengaluru airport gears up for grand opening on March 30, the customs wing is being readied for relocation from HAL airport to Devanahalli airport.
However, the relocation will not pose any big problem. Reason: No increase in customs staff has been planned as of now. At present, there are 41 custom personnel at HAL airport; the same number will move to the Bengaluru International Airport.
“We are able to handle the work with the present staff. The department would increase the staff there (Bengaluru airport) when the situation arises,’’ customs sources told The Times of India. One joint commissioner, 3 assistant commissioners, 15 superintendents, 13 inspectors, 6 sepoys and 3 contingents will be deployed at the new airport. The customs counters at this site have been designed on the lines of the one at the Zurich airport.
The international baggage claim area has four large arrival baggage claim belts. These state-of-art belts are equipped with x-ray screening systems that facilitate examination of international arrival bags. The baggage claim area provides enough space for movement of passengers to collect their bags and exit through red or green channels.
Both automatic as well as manual screening processes are tested. The reverse process is also tested for arriving baggage where it is transported through the conveyor belt to the baggage carousel in the baggage make-up area.
BIAL has selected SATS/Air India and Bobba Group/Menzies Aviation as its strategic partner for the new airport’s cargo operation. The combined investment is approximately Rs 150 crore and the duration of the contract is 20 years. The combined area for both warehouses is approximately 15 acres with an initial capacity to handle three lakh tonnes of cargo annually.
The main cargo handling company at the HAL airport for many years, Mysore Sales International Ltd (MSIL), was not considered for managing cargo at the new airport. “The main reason being that (MSIL) did not meet the required standards,’’ remarked Albert Brunner, CEO, Bengaluru International Airport.

Immigration wing gets a makeover

Immigration wing gets a makeover
Anil Kumar M | TNN

Bangalore: The immigration wing of the police at Bengaluru International Airport will have more personnel than the current airport as well as a new chief.
Once the airport starts operations on March 30, a DCP-rank officer designated as Foreign Regional Registration Officer (FRRO) will independently head the immigration wing. Currently, the wing comes directly under the Bangalore city police commissioner, also known as Foreign Registration Officer (FRO), but is technically monitored by a DCP-rank officer. “The department sent the proposal to the government. We hope it will be approved before the new airport opens,’’ police sources told The Times of India. The FRRO system is operational in the international airports at New Delhi, Mumbai and Chennai.
In a move to augment immigration staff, the department moved a proposal asking the government to sanction total personnel strength of 257. This includes one DCP, three ACPs, 12 PIs, 124 PSIs, nine ASIs, 42 HC/AHCs and 66 PCs. The one at HAL airport has a staff strength of 144 personnel with one ACP, six PIs, 30 PSIs, 10 ASIs, 17 HCs, 65 PCs and 27 AHCs.
The police have expressed concern over provision of housing quarters by BIAL to them for working round the clock. “We don’t need any special facilities now as HAL airport is in the heart of the city. However, as the new airport is 30 km away, we need some housing facilities like the Central Industrial Security Force (CISF),’’ sources said.
The new airport has state-of-the-art infrastructure and brand-new facilities. It has 32 immigration counters, 18 at the departure terminals and an equal number at arrivals. “Space allocation at all processing points matches IATA standards even during peak-hour occupancy,’’ a BIAL representative said.
The space provided in front of immigration counters to accommodate passenger queues is based on peak-hour movement and said to exceed current requirement. “This space can accommodate future growth as well. Space has also been earmarked for detention rooms (for deportees and inadmissible passengers),’’ authorities said.
Immigration offices are equipped with LAN ports, cabling and power points based on requirements.

All for the GLOBAL SOUL...

All for the GLOBAL SOUL...
Runway to airport
TIMES NEWS NETWORK

Bangalore: There’s some good news for passengers driving up to Bengaluru airport. After failing to convince the government, BIAL authorities have taken up the approach road network connecting the international airport.
Termed as Trumpet road network, taken up on NH 7 near the airport, it will lead smoothly to the airport terminal once completed. “The network is expected to complete on schedule and will be open by March 30,’’ BIAL CEO Albert Brunner told reporters.
With little more than a month for flights to take off and land from the new airport, the BIAL has taken up the airport readiness programme (ARP) consisting of core and complementary processes. “BIAL follows guidelines termed ‘FISH’ to ensure that each of these processes are addressed and ready. Explaining this aspect, Brunner said ‘F’ includes different facilities required for different processes; ‘I’ involves information, for work orders, manuals, checklists and standard operating procedures; ‘S’ stands for systems and ‘H’ means human resource.
The identified six core processes are categorised into: aircraft guidance; aircraft handling; passenger process; baggage process; cargo process and operational airport management. The BIAL authorities earmarked landside airport access, commissioning and utilities, safety, security, licensing and relocation from HAL airport on complementary side.
Elaborate transport arrangements have been made to reach the airport. BMTC has will be pressing in 40 Volvo buses for dedicated shuttle services between the airport and seven destinations across the city. A trip from M G Road is expected to cost a passenger Rs 130, while non-luxury buses would cost Rs 65.
Around 900 taxis would be available for travel when the airport begins operation. Brunner expects that the taxi service would provide employment opportunities to at least 1,800 local families. “More than 50% of the employees here are locals,’’ he said.
The taxis are said to be affordable and equipped with GPS and GPRS to track the journey for safety and transparency.
PARKING HIGHLIGHTS
In addition to 700 car parks for staff, the new airport can accommodate 2,000 cars. This would be fully automated with an efficient and transparent management system. A 10-minute free parking would be given to all drop off passengers. Two wheeler parking, valet parking, dedicated zone for tour operator buses and premium areas to pick up hotel guests are also available. Car parking fee include Rs 50 for the four hours and Rs 40 for two hours.
And perhaps for the first time in Indian airports limousines and rental operations for premium cars would be made available in Bengaluru airport. High-end cars could be rented professionally for self drive.

Book before March 6, beat airport user fee

Book before March 6, beat airport user fee
In Two Months, Rs 675 Levy Kicks In
Anshul Dhamija & Anil Kumar M | TNN

Bangalore: For those flying out of here, this is the time to book your flight tickets. If you want to travel after March 30 and yet escape the user development fee (UDF) that will come into force, book your tickets before March 6.
Once the new Bengaluru International Airport opens on March 30, a user development fee (UDF) of Rs 240 plus taxes and Rs 520 plus taxes will be levied on domestic and international travel, respectively. This is an introductory offer by BIAL for two months, after which the UDF will be doubled. Airlines are not passing this additional charge to the consumer as yet. “Our pricing remains the same. We have not increased the prices of our tickets on travel post March 30,’’ said a Deccan spokesperson.
However, a spokesperson of a leading full-service carrier said after March 6, airlines will be taking a call on increasing airfares keeping the UDF in mind. “BIAL will release the full details of flight schedules and the various taxes it will be levying on March 6. Only after that will we look at increasing fares,’’ said an airline official. On domestic sectors, airfares will go up by Rs 240 and on international sectors by Rs 540 for a period of two months. Thereafter passengers will have to bear a UDF of Rs 675 on domestic flights and Rs 955 on international routes.
Currently, HAL Airport charges an airport tax of Rs 200, which airlines pass on to the consumer.
“UDF is used to refinance the huge investments made by us. There are definitely no free services and free lunches. At the end of the day, we have to make money,’’ said BIAL CEO Albert Brunner. According to him, all airlines have been alerted about the UDF charges to make the required airfare corrections.
“The current UDF charges will be vetted by the regulatory authority that is to be set up soon by the civil aviation ministry. We will abide by whatever they recommend,’’ said Brunner.
UDF is meant to maintain high infrastructure quality and safety. It had been included in the detailed project report when the airport was being set up at Devanahalli. Brunner said the issue of revising UDF will be left to an independent regulatory authority to be set up later.
Expressing satisfaction at the pace of work on the airport site, Brunner said Bengaluru airport would be better than its Hyderabad counterpart, as it was expected handle 70% more traffic than the latter. “Hyderabad wanted to beat us in inaugurating the airport. Though there were suggestions to complete the work here faster than Hyderabad, we stuck to our schedule,’’ he maintained.
Referring to poor connectivity to the airport, Brunner said the state government had approached BIAL to woo private investors for the proposed high-speed rail link project. However, airport authorities are said to have told the government BIAL would invest 10% if a special purpose vehicle were to be created to monitor the project.
The state government, which is a stakeholder in the airport project, has prepared the ground work to introduce a high-speed rail network connecting BRV Grounds on M G Road to the new international airport.

Transporters to withdraw vehicles in Karnataka from midnight today

Transporters to withdraw vehicles in Karnataka from midnight today

Bangalore Bureau

Transporters of essential commodities not to join

School van operators to ply as usual

BANGALORE: Commercial vehicle operators in Karnataka will withdraw vehicles from roads beginning Friday midnight owing to their “inability” to install speed governors in the vehicles.

However, they have not called it a strike as it could attract contempt of court proceedings. Nearly seven lakh commercial vehicles in the State and an equal number of vehicles from other States will not run on Karnataka roads.

The Karnataka High Court on February 12 directed the State Government to ensure that all commercial vehicles plying in the State are fitted with speed governors by June 30.

The State Government issued a notification on March 28, 2005 making installation of speed governors mandatory for commercial vehicles, the deadline of which was periodically being extended. The operators have decided to appeal against this order before the Supreme Court.

Apart from hitting trade and industry hard, the protest will affect operation of IT and BPO companies as cab owners have decided to join the protest. With private bus and tourist bus operators also joining, thousands of intra-State and inter-State passengers are likely to be affected.

However, operators of school vans have decided to ply their vehicles so as not to affect the interest of students. Similarly, commercial vehicle operators have said transporters of essential commodities, namely milk, vegetables, newspapers, fuel and medicines, will not join the protest.
Alternatives urged

Karnataka Maxi Cab and Motor Cab Welfare Association president K. Siddaramaiah told The Hindu that the association has intimated IT/ BPO companies to make alternative arrangements as the operators will not be able to provide services from Friday midnight. Nearly 15,000 cabs are at the service of these companies.

A similar view was expressed by K.T. Rajashekhar, CEO of Bangalore-based SRS Travels, which offers a few thousand vehicles to IT/ BPO companies in the city. He said the companies are contemplating other options, including hiring BMTC buses.

Bangalore Tourist Taxi Operators’ Association president K.S. Thantri said taxi operators have no other way but to go with their “big brothers.” “Though withdrawal of vehicles severely affects our relationship with customers, we do not have any choice,” he told The Hindu.

What awaits the passenger inside...

What awaits the passenger inside...
Bangalore, dhns:
On March 28, the residents of Bangalore will wake up to a new airport, while the doors of the old HAL airport would close down

The media was introduced to what lies in store for the public at BIAL on Thursday.
Here’s what passengers can do once they walk in hours before the flight (six hours for international and three for domestic airlines): Sip hot coffee at Cafe Coffee Day or chill out at Baskin Robbins over a chocolate fudge, shop at LaModa for trendy fashion apparel, purchase accessories at Tommy Hilfiger, buy books and gifts/toys at Odessey before passing through one of the security gates to finally board the aircraft, taking one of the aerobridges.
The BIAL has chosen three food & beverage operators to provide Indian cuisine which include Radhakrishna Hospitality Services (RKHS), for South Indian delicacies, KaatiZone and Gangotree, for North Indian food. Subway will also open outlets at the Airport. The connectivity however may be progress at a snail’s pace.
Other facilities
In addition to 700 car parks for staff, BIAL’s car park can accommodate 2000 cars. A 10-minute free parking will be given to all drop off passengers. BIAL will also provide two wheeler and valet parking, dedicated zone for tour operator buses and premium areas to pick up hotel guests. Car parking fees include Rs 50 for the four hours and Rs 40 for two hours.
BIAL has selected Hertz and Akbar Travels as its strategic partner in Limousine and Car Rental operations for premium cars. For the first time at Indian Airports, cars can also be rented professionally for self drive. The cars for Limousine and Car Rental are in a dedicated premium zone close to the terminal building.

YOUR SET OF WHEELS

Bus Service: Forty air-conditioned Volvo buses will ply as a dedicated Shuttle Services between the Airport and seven destinations across the City. A trip from MG Road is likely to cost Rs. 130 (proposed). In addition, BMTC has procured 116 Ashok Leyland Non AC buses to connect the airport to the City; at Rs. 65 (proposed). BIAL will provide free professional bus bays.
Taxi service: BIAL has selected MERU & EASYCAB to provide basic taxi services. The taxi operators will have basic AC box cars, all equipped with GPS and GPRS to track the journey for safety and transparency. Over 900 taxis will be available when the airport begins operations. This is slated to grow gradually, providing employment opportunities to at least 1800 families.
Pre and post paid taxi facilities: will be available on meter charges at Rs.15/- per km (subject to Govt regulation). BIAL has offered the incumbent taxi operator, KSTDC, 100 taxi licenses as subcontractor to above operators, subject to fulfiling the same quality and service levels as defined between BIAL and those operators.
Autorickshaws: BIAL has allocated parking bay for autorickshaws at the trumpet Flyover and will provide a regular shuttle service from the airport .

Twin airports will be disastrous

Twin airports will be disastrous
DH News Service,Bangalore:
Defending the Bangalore International Airport Limiteds (BIAL) stand to shut down commercial operations at the HAL Airport after the Bengaluru International Airport opens on March 30, BIAL CEO, Albert Brunner said ...

Defending the Bangalore International Airport Limited’s (BIAL) stand to shut down commercial operations at the HAL Airport after the Bengaluru International Airport opens on March 30, BIAL CEO, Albert Brunner said that operating two airports simultaneously would be disastrous.
Replying to a query on the PIL filed in the Karnataka High Court on the retention of the HAL airport he said, “ To operate two airports on a long term basis is a bad solution and would also be disastrous for the airline operators, passengers and for the over all business activity. Cities which have dual airports like Hong Kong and Munich have turned out to be a disasters and the airports have never grown.
While international airports in London sees passenger volumes of 140 million, New York has 150 million air passengers per year. Bangalore has just 10 million. Here is an unique opportunity for Bangalore airport to be a major hub in south India by having one big and strong airport,” he said.
As part of the next expansion plans he said that an estimated Rs 2,000 to 3,000 crores will be invested which include the construction of a second runway and terminal buildings and other infrastructure facilities .

Pipe leak near underpass

Pipe leak near underpass
DH News Service,Bangalore:
A water supply line near the Cauvery junction underpass got severed around Wednesday midnight and water started leaking from it.

The problem was set right on Thursday morning, said BWSSB Chief Engineer Venkataraju. Denying rumours that it had affected the underpass, he said the pipeline was about 500 metres from the underpass and the leak was a “minor” one.
There were no major traffic hold-ups on the stretch, although drivers took time to adjust to the new traffic regulations.
The rupture of a BWSSB pipeline had caused severe problems for the underpass while it was being built.
The three-day deadline set to complete the work could not be met because of this and the work got extended to 36 days.

Bid to gobble up school land

Bid to gobble up school land
By R Venkatesh,DH News Service,Bangalore:
A 76-year-old school in the heart of the City is in the eye of a storm as attempts were made on Saturday to gobble up a part of the land belonging to the school.

Kamala Bai Girls School on Connaught Road, off Queen’s Road, functioning since 1930, has title deeds to the land measuring 7.8 acre, worth several crores of rupees. But, some persons allegedly tried to occupy a portion of the land belonging to the school.
Compound pulled
On Saturday night, the school security guards and trustees noticed some ‘trespassers’ pulling down a part of the compound of the school.
They began digging the earth, apparently to build some structure.
Following a complaint with the High Grounds police, the work was stopped. Police have confiscated a few JCBs, excavators, building material and other equipment. No arrests have been made so far.
The trustees of the school told Deccan Herald, “Our school was built on 7.8 acres of land and is functioning since 1930. More than 2,200 students are studying from kindergarten to college. There has been no hassle with regard to the titles to the land.”
The school authorities suspect a person in the neighbourhood behind the attempt. A case of trespass was registered against him in 1998, as he was in the habit of letting his cattle graze inside the school.
The school claimed that it has a permanent injunction against the trespasser.
Civil dispute
DCP (Central) B N S Reddy said, “It is a civil dispute and we don't have any say in it. We have told both the parties to maintain status quo. Let them get the relevant records and settle it themselves.”
Meanwhile, a police official said, a person by name T Harry Dias had produced a letter dating back to 1908, in which it was claimed that land measuring 3 acres 29 guntas had been given to his grandfather Subedar Paul Sabestian by the Ministry of Defence.
The police are verifying the claim.

BIAL in final phase of trial

BIAL in final phase of trial
Friday February 22 2008 08:51 IST

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BANGALORE:Its 37 days from zero hour for the Bengaluru International Airport(BIA) to become operational at Devanahalli.

The airport at present is in its final trial phase which involves the integrating of various processes to simulate real life airport operations. The integrated trail phase commenced on the Thursday and will continue till next month.

Talking about the first flight, Marcel Hungerbeuheler, Chief Operation Officer said: ''The calibration flight will begin on February 26 which is essentially testing of every commodity and service. This trial will continue till the end of February. The actual landing of the aircraft will be in the first week of March. The airlines contending for the first test flight are Kingfisher-Air Deccan, Jet Airways or Indian.''

TERMINAL BUILDING

The area has 54 check-in counters along with separate check-in counters for hand baggage. Within the terminal building there are eight security gates at the domestic flight counters and about five security gates at the International flight counters.

About six Common Use Self Service(CUSS) devices are also placed at the building.

The entire terminal building is wi-fi enabled, thus there will be no difficulty in facilitating check-in. About 18 counters are established for immigration check in the international flight area.

TRANSPORT SERVICES

Bus Service: The Bangalore Metropolitan Transport Corporation(BMTC) has procured 40 high quality, air-conditioned Volvo buses with dedicated shuttle services between the airport and seven pick-up points in the city. In addition, BMTC has procured 116 Ashok Leyland non ac buses to connect the airport to the city.

Taxi Service: About 900 taxis will be available when the airport becomes operational. The taxi operators will have AC box cars, equipped with GPS and GPRS to track the journey for the safety of passengers along with professional call centres.

Auotrickshaws: BIAL has allocated a parking bay for autorickshaws at the trumpet flyover and will provide a regular shuttle service from the airport to the city.

Parking Facilities: BIAL will provide a fully automated and parking facility for about 2000 cars along with 700 staff car parks. The car parking fees include about Rs 50 for four hours and Rs 40 for two hours. Parking facility for two wheelers, valet parking and dedicated zone for tour operators will also be provided by BIAL.

REVISED ESTIMATES - Bial to invest Rs2,500 crore in expansion

REVISED ESTIMATES - Bial to invest Rs2,500 crore in expansion
Mint

B angalore International Airport Ltd (Bial), the company building a new international airport in India's technology hub, will invest more than Rs2,500 crore in its second phase of expansion, including an additional runway to accommodate passenger traffic expected to grow by a third to 13 million in the first year of operation.

The new Bengaluru International Airport will open on 30 March for passengers; the firm plans to simultaneously begin work on expansion to keep up with one of the world's fastest growing civil aviation markets.

"It will be higher than what we have invested so...it will happen over the next threefour years," said Albert Brunner, chief executive of Bial, the holding company for the private-public project. "The final investment details would be known in four months."

Bial is a consortium of German infrastructure company Siemens Projects Ventures; Larsen and Toubro, India's largest engineering company; and Unique Zurich Airport, which operates the international airport in Zurich, Switzerland. The Airports Authority of India and the Karnataka government hold 13% equity in the project, built at a cost of Rs2,530 crore.

The consortium had earlier estimated the project to cost Rs1,420 crore, when it began work in 2005. Passenger traffic estimates have been revised three times, more than doubling from five million to 13 million over the same period.

"International airlines have projected an increase of 26% in their operations from Ban galore, while the new schedules of domestic airlines say growth of 30%," said Marcel Hungerbuehler, chief operating officer of Bial.

The existing airport of stateowned aircraft maker Hindustan Aeronautics Ltd, which handled around 10 million passengers in 2007-three times its capacity-would cease to operate once the new airport at Devanahalli, 35km outside the state capital, opens.

The software industry, which contributes to nearly 50% of Bangalore's net domestic product, has demanded that the existing airport be retained due to growing passenger traffic and the longer time it takes to reach the new airport from the city.

A national highway connects the city to the airport, but projects such as a six-lane highway and a transit rail sys tem are yet to take off.

"It can't be in the interest of the city to retain the old airport," said Brunner, adding that the firm wants the airport to be a hub for south India.

He added that the firm would take 10% equity in a proposed rail link costing Rs3,500 crore to the airport, to be constructed by the Delhi Metro Rail Corp. Ltd.

The airport operator has proposed a user development fee of Rs675 for each domestic passenger and Rs955 for an international passenger who flies through the airport. The firm would reduce the fee by half for the first three months, said Brunner, adding it would file the proposed levy with the airport regulator, which comes into effect from April.

Bial will take about six years to profit, despite charging the user development fee from passengers, he

Thursday, February 21, 2008

Experience the magic

Experience the magic
TIMES NEWS NETWORK

Bangalore: It was a day everyone was waiting for. When the magic box underpass at Cauvery junction on T Chowdaiah Road was thrown open to traffic on Wednesday evening, it created quite a buzz. Bikers and car drivers could not wait to drive through the ‘box’ to figure out what it was all about.
Initially billed as a three-day project, it took all of 34 days to be completed. The eager anticipation of Bangaloreans began to turn into exasperation. But on Wednesday evening, everyone — curious onlookers, residents of nearby localities and senior citizens gathered around the site during the inauguration — agreed it was worth the wait and trouble.
The BBMP decided on a quiet, informal inauguration, but that could not prevent a carnival-like atmosphere. While peakhour traffic was caught unawares, but that did not deter them from waving at the crowds, the BBMP and police personnel. Pillion riders whistled and clapped as they drove through the magic box. Motorists were quick to observe the new signages directed towards Bellary Road and MG Road at the mouth of the underpass.
The underpass might have taken over a month to be installed, but it helped BBMP plan its projects better, felt many citizens, who lauded the project.
“I have been visiting the site for the last 34 days. Often, I felt there could have a simpler solution. But with time, I began to appreciate their efforts. The junction is now signal-free. They need to be careful with their next project as utility lines are all below the road. Another aspect they need to look into is pedestrian crossings,’’ said 75-year-old K N Visveswariah, retired joint director (agriculture) and resident of Lower Palace Orchards.
Traffic cops hailed the project. But they also rued the lack of regulation of private vehicles. “Projects like this one provide a breather to us. But how long will you go on adding infrastructure? We should freeze the new registrations for some time and encourage public transport,’’ said a traffic cop on duty.
BBMP commissioner S Subramanya, who was busy supervising his team in giving a final touch to the project said: “The outcome of the Cauvery junction underpass will be evident only after both the BDA circle and Windsor Manor junction underpasses are ready. For the next 6 days, we will study traffic movement. We hope to start work on the BDA junction after February 22, as there is a truckers’ strike. With the underpass, we have prevented a pile-on and saved 180 seconds too.’’
“It took 20 minutes on Wednesday to travel from Mekhri Circle to BDA Circle. Once the works at this junction begins, commuters will be inconvenienced and further delayed on this stretch. The impact of all three underpasses can be assessed only after they are complete,’’ he added.
While the debate over the feasibility of the project continues, the BBMP officials clarified it was a better option than the conventional underpass, which would have required shifting of utility lines. “BWSSB authorities demanded Rs 30 crore to shift utilities at three junctions — Windsor Manor, BDA and Cauvery theatre. The cost of three magic boxes is Rs 7.5 crore, which is a third of the utility-shifting cost,’’ they said. The BBMP has vowed to complete the magic boxes from High Grounds police station to the Hebbal flyover before the first flight takes off from the new international airport.

BBMP opens its first ‘magic box’

BBMP opens its first ‘magic box’

Staff Reporter

Response has been good from vehicle users to the Cauvery junction underpass

— Photo: K Murali Kumar

THE WAIT IS OVER: Vehicles pass through BBMP’s magic box underpass on T. Chowdiah Road, at the Cauvery junction in Bangalore on Wednesday.

Bangalore: Bangalore’s first “magic box” underpass built under the new cost-effective technology in just 35 days was finally opened for public without any fanfare on Wednesday.

The new underpass evoked fairly good response among the vehicle users with a majority of them expressing satisfaction over Bruhat Bangalore Mahanagara Palike’s attempt to ease traffic congestion on Bellary Road.

However, absence of pedestrian crossings has become a worrying factor for those who work in the nearby business establishments as they have to risk their life for crossing the roads.

Although BBMP failed to complete the work in 72-hours as announced earlier, people said that finishing a project in 35 days, that too with a low cost of Rs. 1.5 crore, was an achievement by a government agency.

The design of the underpass reduced the speed of the vehicles to as low as 10 kmph (some time dead slow) before taking a U-turn above the underpass surface. But it has reduced the travelling time by at least 60 per cent between Mehkri Circle and BDA junction. Earlier, vehicle users were required to wait for nearly 3 to 5 minutes at Cauvery junction signal.

With the construction of the underpass, vehicles will not stop at the junction although their speed gets reduced.

BBMP Commissioner S. Subramanya said that it would take a week for people to get used to the U-turn, which was the only possible solution in shortest time. He said the BBMP would consider building a skywalk for pedestrians at the junction.

The work on “magic box” underpasses at Windsor Manor and BDA junction would commence after February 22 depending on the strike by trucks and other transport vehicles as transporting construction material had to be ensured before beginning the work, he added.

BBMP opens its first ‘magic box’

BBMP opens its first ‘magic box’

Staff Reporter

Response has been good from vehicle users to the Cauvery junction underpass

— Photo: K Murali Kumar

THE WAIT IS OVER: Vehicles pass through BBMP’s magic box underpass on T. Chowdiah Road, at the Cauvery junction in Bangalore on Wednesday.

Bangalore: Bangalore’s first “magic box” underpass built under the new cost-effective technology in just 35 days was finally opened for public without any fanfare on Wednesday.

The new underpass evoked fairly good response among the vehicle users with a majority of them expressing satisfaction over Bruhat Bangalore Mahanagara Palike’s attempt to ease traffic congestion on Bellary Road.

However, absence of pedestrian crossings has become a worrying factor for those who work in the nearby business establishments as they have to risk their life for crossing the roads.

Although BBMP failed to complete the work in 72-hours as announced earlier, people said that finishing a project in 35 days, that too with a low cost of Rs. 1.5 crore, was an achievement by a government agency.

The design of the underpass reduced the speed of the vehicles to as low as 10 kmph (some time dead slow) before taking a U-turn above the underpass surface. But it has reduced the travelling time by at least 60 per cent between Mehkri Circle and BDA junction. Earlier, vehicle users were required to wait for nearly 3 to 5 minutes at Cauvery junction signal.

With the construction of the underpass, vehicles will not stop at the junction although their speed gets reduced.

BBMP Commissioner S. Subramanya said that it would take a week for people to get used to the U-turn, which was the only possible solution in shortest time. He said the BBMP would consider building a skywalk for pedestrians at the junction.

The work on “magic box” underpasses at Windsor Manor and BDA junction would commence after February 22 depending on the strike by trucks and other transport vehicles as transporting construction material had to be ensured before beginning the work, he added.

Speed governors: taxi owners’ plea dismissed

Speed governors: taxi owners’ plea dismissed

Staff Reporter

‘Rule applicable to all categories of transport vehicles’

BANGALORE: The Karnataka High Court on Wednesday said that speed governors are mandatory for all categories of transport vehicles, including maxi-cabs and public taxis.

A Division Bench comprising Chief Justice Cyriac Joseph and Justice B.V. Nagaratna passed the order on petitions by Taximen Association of Udupi, Dakshina Kannada Taximen Association and others challenging notifications by the Transport Department making it mandatory for maxi-cabs to install speed governors.
Second-hand vehicles

The petitioners said that a majority of maxi-cabs and taxis were second-hand vehicles and that owners of these vehicles would not be able to invest Rs. 15,000 for installing speed governors.

Moreover, an adequate number of speed governors was not available in the market, they said.

The Bench dismissed the petitions saying that maxi-cabs came under transport vehicles and that there was no logic in their arguments.

It said the State had already approved speed governors of eight firms and that no hardship would be caused to the operators and owners of transport vehicles.

Road to new airport will be ready by March 15: BIAL

Road to new airport will be ready by March 15: BIAL

Staff Reporter

New airport to become operational by March 30

Plea to direct authorities to retain HAL airport

BANGALORE: The Union Government and the Bangalore International Airport limited (BIAL) on Wednesday orally submitted to the Karnataka High Court that the trumpet intersection and the road to the new international airport at Devanahalli will be completed by March 15.

Additional Solicitor-General Aravind Kumar and advocate for BIAL and former Advocate-General Uday Holla informed the court that the international airport would become fully operational by March 30.

A Division Bench comprising Chief Justice Cyriac Joseph and Justice B.V. Nagaranta was dealing with a petition by a Bangalore-based advocate, G.R. Mohan, seeking a direction to the authorities to retain the HAL airport and make use of its for short haul domestic flights.

Mr. Mohan said the concessional agreement signed between BIAL and the Government proposed closure of the HAL Airport from March 28/29. He said once the international airport at Devanahalli becomes operational on March 28/29, all international and domestic flights would be shifted to Devanahalli.

He said as per the earlier order, he had filed interlocutory applications (IA) on the concessional agreement. Allowing the IA, the Bench sought to know from the parties whether two airports could function simultaneously.

When Mr. Mohan said he was not against the international airport and that he wanted the HAL Airport to be put to use as a domestic airport, the Chief Justice sought to know whether two airports could exist simultaneously in the same city.

He asked both the BIAL and the Centre to file statements on whether two airports could exist simultaneously and other technical aspects and adjourned further hearing on the case to March 4.

Are 2 airports feasible: HC

Are 2 airports feasible: HC
Bangalore, dhns:

The Karnataka High Court on Wednesday directed the government to give a clear picture on the two airports. The Bench also asked the government for details of problems, if any, in case two airports functioned.
Chief Justice Cyriac Joseph was hearing a petition seeking a stay on the order to close down HAL airport.
Advocate G R Mohan, who argued on behalf of the petitioner, said it was much easier to reach the HAL airport than the new international airport at Devanahalli, which is about 40 km from here. Hence, it is a waste of time for those travelling to cities like Chennai and Mumbai, he argued. The hearing on the petition was postponed to March 4.
BMIC details sought
The HC directed the government to furnish details regarding the number cases pending before the Supreme Court involving the Bangalore-Mysore Expressway project. The HC Bench comprising Chief Justice Cyriac Joseph passed the order while dismissing a petition by social activist N Mune Gowda alleging the project was in violation of the original plan.

Will it ease traffic or not?

Will it ease traffic or not?
DH News Service,Bangalore:
The first underpass constructed using pre-cast elements at Cauvery junction was opened for traffic on Wednesday evening.

The first underpass constructed using pre-cast elements at Cauvery junction was opened for traffic on Wednesday evening. Vehicles moving from BDA junction to Mekhri Circle took left turn at the junction and a U-turn at the underpass to reach Bellary Road.

Drivers had to bring down the speed while taking the U-turn. Delay while taking U-turn was bound to trigger a traffic jam. There was constant movement of traffic though the speed was minimal.
Vehicles reaching Bellary Road from Bhashyam Circle passed through the underpass. Vehicles from Bhashyam Circle have been provided with both right and left turns on Bellary Road.

BBMP Commissioner Dr S Subramanya said the underpass minimises the time that travellers were spending at the junction earlier. It needs at least six days for drivers and riders to set to the new road. After a week they will develop familiarity and traffic movement will be faster.

Cracks developed
Roads at the underpass were asphalted only two days before the inauguration. But they developed cracks within a few minutes after vehicles started plying. The commissioner said roads developed cracks at some points where the land was dug to shift utilities. The Palike has identified such points and repair work will be taken up soon. Will it ease traffic or not?
DH News Service,Bangalore:
The first underpass constructed using pre-cast elements at Cauvery junction was opened for traffic on Wednesday evening.

The first underpass constructed using pre-cast elements at Cauvery junction was opened for traffic on Wednesday evening. Vehicles moving from BDA junction to Mekhri Circle took left turn at the junction and a U-turn at the underpass to reach Bellary Road.

Drivers had to bring down the speed while taking the U-turn. Delay while taking U-turn was bound to trigger a traffic jam. There was constant movement of traffic though the speed was minimal.
Vehicles reaching Bellary Road from Bhashyam Circle passed through the underpass. Vehicles from Bhashyam Circle have been provided with both right and left turns on Bellary Road.

BBMP Commissioner Dr S Subramanya said the underpass minimises the time that travellers were spending at the junction earlier. It needs at least six days for drivers and riders to set to the new road. After a week they will develop familiarity and traffic movement will be faster.

Cracks developed
Roads at the underpass were asphalted only two days before the inauguration. But they developed cracks within a few minutes after vehicles started plying. The commissioner said roads developed cracks at some points where the land was dug to shift utilities. The Palike has identified such points and repair work will be taken up soon.