bIA on top!

IA on top!
Dave Evans, a seasoned traveller, in a letter to Bangalore Mirror expresses his bewilderment at all the negative publicity surrounding the Bengaluru International Airport. For him, BIA is the best!
DAVE EVANS


I’ve been closely following the recent coverage of the Bengaluru International Airport. I am quite surprised by all that I have been reading and in particular, the negative comments regarding the airport and its operations.
As someone who has spent time in far too many domestic and international airports—dozens of cities in as many countries—I have been consistently impressed with the Bengaluru International Airport. My favorable impression continues to this day, having been through the airport twice in the past two weeks alone.
When I first visited India in June of last year to lead a series of social media marketing workshops in Delhi, Mumbai and Bangalore, I was pleasantly surprised when my check-in bags were available in less than ten minutes after landing at the airport. Compare this with the 30 minutes or more it takes elsewhere. I have re-told this experience in subsequent workshops, and written about it in my regular online column at ClickZ.(LINK:http://www.clic kz.com/3634309). My line of work is teaching businesses how to effectively tap the power of the social media by creating favorable customer experiences that people will talk about. The Bengaluru International Airport creates an exceptional experience for travellers, by design.
Consider the following:
1. Typical flight check-in times are ten or fifteen minutes, and often less than five.
2. Security staff move travellers very quickly—my time on line is generally under five minutes—and provides a thorough, professional screening.
3. While waiting in the airport, there is a wide range of concession services. I recently purchased a holiday gift for my wife. The waiting area itself is very pleasant and relaxing.
4. The airport provides complimentary Wi-Fi, a practice that I wish was followed at home in the US!
5. On arrival, bags are ready for pickup in less than ten minutes.
6. On leaving the airport, there is a clean and well-organized pick-up area and an excellent access road leading to the main highway.
Taken together, you can understand my surprise given what I’ve been reading recently. I’ve become quite a fan of the Bengaluru International Airport and look forward to traveling through it. I’ve seen many online conversations by young people and families choosing to spend a weekend day relaxing in the green area surrounding the airport. A quick search of Twitter reveals plenty of positive talk about the airport, to the credit of Bangalore and Karnataka.
From my perspective, the airport itself and the surrounding grounds are worldclass: It is a facility that Bangalore and the employees of the airport together can take pride in. The experience provided to travellers, and in particular, the very important initial experience provided to people on their first arrival to Bangalore, is one that sends a clear message about India and its vision for the future and its role as a technological and social superpower.
To conclude, while improvement is always possible, people and the things people create are never perfect. The Bengaluru International Airport is a striking example of how well an airport can actually run and offers an experience for travelers that Bangalore as a city can be truly proud of.

Ill-timed lake projects will end bird visits

Ill-timed lake projects will end bird visits

December 30th, 2009
By Our Correspondent
Tags: bird visits, protection of lakes

December 29: Instead of the whoops of joy it had expected, the government is being hooted at for badly timing its project to protect lakes and rejuvenate the city 's depleting groundwater table. It has apparently got the season wrong for the conservation project as this is the time of year that birds arrive in large numbers at many of the lakes around the city. There is now concern that the bird census which takes place every January may not be possible this year as many of the migratory birds which arrive at the lakes from European and other Asian countries this season, may keep away while various agencies work to give the water bodies a fresh lease of life.
Seeming quite unaware of what its project could do to the birds, the goverment has in good faith joined hands with the BBMP and BDA to rejuvenate 32 lakes by freeing them of sewage and garbage. While conservationists are happy that the authorities have finally woken up to the need to protect the city's lakes, they feel the project could have waited till June, explaining that while the migratory birds come in search of warmer climates this time of the year, local species flock around them for breeding. Biodiversity and bird expert Harish Bhat is worried that local bird species may now find it difficult to find a safe place for breeding and feeding their young ones.
“Local species like the pelican, painted stark, open billed stark, night heron, grey heron, white ibis and others need a proper habitat, safety and availability of food for breeding, which they may now not find due to the work going on around the lakes,” he says.
Mr Bhat suggests that only lakes which are in dire need of rejuvenation or which are hardly visited by birds should be handled this season, leaving the rest for later.
“Alternatively the government could go in for wet dredging which allows desilting of lakes without draining them,” he maintains. Although this technique is expensive , it could be used in at least some of the lakes in the interests of the migratory birds and local breeding species, he feels.
Draining the lakes means depriving the birds of food, even though not all of them feed on fish, Mr Bhat argues.
“There are several vegetarian species of birds which feed only on aquatic plants, but if the lakes are emptied of water, these too will not be available,” he points out. Fortunately in the case of Puttenahalli Lake, bird watchers were consulted and their advice taken into account, according to him.

Metro to be on track next year

Metro to be on track next year
Bangalore, Dec 29, DHNS:

Commuters can finally heave a sigh of relief in 2010 as the Bangalore Metro (Reach-1) from Baiyappanahalli to Cricket Stadium is expected to be operational in the new year.

Having waited for three long years, a stretch of ‘Namma Metro’ will finally run in December of next year, on a 7.5 kms route and fulfil the need for a dedicated commuter train for a ever-growing City such as Bangalore.

However, the traffic weary Bangalorean will have to wait upto the end of 2012 or early 2013 for the entire Phase-1 of the project to be completed.

With progress and development, comes a price, states an adage. True to this will be the real test of endurance for motorists in 2010 as the Bangalore Metro Rail Corporation Limited (BMRCL) will begin work on the underground stretch in the first half of the new year. Effects of carrying out excavation work from Minsk Square, via Vidhana Soudha, Central College to K R Market is likely be the test of patience as traffic bottlenecks are expected to increase in 2010.

At present, the Rs 8000 plus crore project has achieved 70 percent completion on Reach-1, with the BMRCL expected to begin segment/girder launching work on 100ft Road, CMH Road in Indiranagar and Swami Vivekananda Road, Halasoor in January/February. Track laying work is also expected to begin from M G Road to Old Madras Road in January.
The much awaited rolling stock/passenger coaches of the Namma Metro is expected to arrive from Korea in September of 2010 and would be put on test run, before commissioning in December.

Metro to be on track next year

Metro to be on track next year
Bangalore, Dec 29, DHNS:

Commuters can finally heave a sigh of relief in 2010 as the Bangalore Metro (Reach-1) from Baiyappanahalli to Cricket Stadium is expected to be operational in the new year.

Having waited for three long years, a stretch of ‘Namma Metro’ will finally run in December of next year, on a 7.5 kms route and fulfil the need for a dedicated commuter train for a ever-growing City such as Bangalore.

However, the traffic weary Bangalorean will have to wait upto the end of 2012 or early 2013 for the entire Phase-1 of the project to be completed.

With progress and development, comes a price, states an adage. True to this will be the real test of endurance for motorists in 2010 as the Bangalore Metro Rail Corporation Limited (BMRCL) will begin work on the underground stretch in the first half of the new year. Effects of carrying out excavation work from Minsk Square, via Vidhana Soudha, Central College to K R Market is likely be the test of patience as traffic bottlenecks are expected to increase in 2010.

At present, the Rs 8000 plus crore project has achieved 70 percent completion on Reach-1, with the BMRCL expected to begin segment/girder launching work on 100ft Road, CMH Road in Indiranagar and Swami Vivekananda Road, Halasoor in January/February. Track laying work is also expected to begin from M G Road to Old Madras Road in January.
The much awaited rolling stock/passenger coaches of the Namma Metro is expected to arrive from Korea in September of 2010 and would be put on test run, before commissioning in December.

Metro to be on track next year

Metro to be on track next year
Bangalore, Dec 29, DHNS:

Commuters can finally heave a sigh of relief in 2010 as the Bangalore Metro (Reach-1) from Baiyappanahalli to Cricket Stadium is expected to be operational in the new year.

Having waited for three long years, a stretch of ‘Namma Metro’ will finally run in December of next year, on a 7.5 kms route and fulfil the need for a dedicated commuter train for a ever-growing City such as Bangalore.

However, the traffic weary Bangalorean will have to wait upto the end of 2012 or early 2013 for the entire Phase-1 of the project to be completed.

With progress and development, comes a price, states an adage. True to this will be the real test of endurance for motorists in 2010 as the Bangalore Metro Rail Corporation Limited (BMRCL) will begin work on the underground stretch in the first half of the new year. Effects of carrying out excavation work from Minsk Square, via Vidhana Soudha, Central College to K R Market is likely be the test of patience as traffic bottlenecks are expected to increase in 2010.

At present, the Rs 8000 plus crore project has achieved 70 percent completion on Reach-1, with the BMRCL expected to begin segment/girder launching work on 100ft Road, CMH Road in Indiranagar and Swami Vivekananda Road, Halasoor in January/February. Track laying work is also expected to begin from M G Road to Old Madras Road in January.
The much awaited rolling stock/passenger coaches of the Namma Metro is expected to arrive from Korea in September of 2010 and would be put on test run, before commissioning in December.

Metro to be on track next year

Metro to be on track next year
Bangalore, Dec 29, DHNS:

Commuters can finally heave a sigh of relief in 2010 as the Bangalore Metro (Reach-1) from Baiyappanahalli to Cricket Stadium is expected to be operational in the new year.

Having waited for three long years, a stretch of ‘Namma Metro’ will finally run in December of next year, on a 7.5 kms route and fulfil the need for a dedicated commuter train for a ever-growing City such as Bangalore.

However, the traffic weary Bangalorean will have to wait upto the end of 2012 or early 2013 for the entire Phase-1 of the project to be completed.

With progress and development, comes a price, states an adage. True to this will be the real test of endurance for motorists in 2010 as the Bangalore Metro Rail Corporation Limited (BMRCL) will begin work on the underground stretch in the first half of the new year. Effects of carrying out excavation work from Minsk Square, via Vidhana Soudha, Central College to K R Market is likely be the test of patience as traffic bottlenecks are expected to increase in 2010.

At present, the Rs 8000 plus crore project has achieved 70 percent completion on Reach-1, with the BMRCL expected to begin segment/girder launching work on 100ft Road, CMH Road in Indiranagar and Swami Vivekananda Road, Halasoor in January/February. Track laying work is also expected to begin from M G Road to Old Madras Road in January.
The much awaited rolling stock/passenger coaches of the Namma Metro is expected to arrive from Korea in September of 2010 and would be put on test run, before commissioning in December.

Metro to be on track next year

Metro to be on track next year
Bangalore, Dec 29, DHNS:

Commuters can finally heave a sigh of relief in 2010 as the Bangalore Metro (Reach-1) from Baiyappanahalli to Cricket Stadium is expected to be operational in the new year.

Having waited for three long years, a stretch of ‘Namma Metro’ will finally run in December of next year, on a 7.5 kms route and fulfil the need for a dedicated commuter train for a ever-growing City such as Bangalore.

However, the traffic weary Bangalorean will have to wait upto the end of 2012 or early 2013 for the entire Phase-1 of the project to be completed.

With progress and development, comes a price, states an adage. True to this will be the real test of endurance for motorists in 2010 as the Bangalore Metro Rail Corporation Limited (BMRCL) will begin work on the underground stretch in the first half of the new year. Effects of carrying out excavation work from Minsk Square, via Vidhana Soudha, Central College to K R Market is likely be the test of patience as traffic bottlenecks are expected to increase in 2010.

At present, the Rs 8000 plus crore project has achieved 70 percent completion on Reach-1, with the BMRCL expected to begin segment/girder launching work on 100ft Road, CMH Road in Indiranagar and Swami Vivekananda Road, Halasoor in January/February. Track laying work is also expected to begin from M G Road to Old Madras Road in January.
The much awaited rolling stock/passenger coaches of the Namma Metro is expected to arrive from Korea in September of 2010 and would be put on test run, before commissioning in December.

Metro to be on track next year

Metro to be on track next year
Bangalore, Dec 29, DHNS:

Commuters can finally heave a sigh of relief in 2010 as the Bangalore Metro (Reach-1) from Baiyappanahalli to Cricket Stadium is expected to be operational in the new year.

Having waited for three long years, a stretch of ‘Namma Metro’ will finally run in December of next year, on a 7.5 kms route and fulfil the need for a dedicated commuter train for a ever-growing City such as Bangalore.

However, the traffic weary Bangalorean will have to wait upto the end of 2012 or early 2013 for the entire Phase-1 of the project to be completed.

With progress and development, comes a price, states an adage. True to this will be the real test of endurance for motorists in 2010 as the Bangalore Metro Rail Corporation Limited (BMRCL) will begin work on the underground stretch in the first half of the new year. Effects of carrying out excavation work from Minsk Square, via Vidhana Soudha, Central College to K R Market is likely be the test of patience as traffic bottlenecks are expected to increase in 2010.

At present, the Rs 8000 plus crore project has achieved 70 percent completion on Reach-1, with the BMRCL expected to begin segment/girder launching work on 100ft Road, CMH Road in Indiranagar and Swami Vivekananda Road, Halasoor in January/February. Track laying work is also expected to begin from M G Road to Old Madras Road in January.
The much awaited rolling stock/passenger coaches of the Namma Metro is expected to arrive from Korea in September of 2010 and would be put on test run, before commissioning in December.

Metro to be on track next year

Metro to be on track next year
Bangalore, Dec 29, DHNS:

Commuters can finally heave a sigh of relief in 2010 as the Bangalore Metro (Reach-1) from Baiyappanahalli to Cricket Stadium is expected to be operational in the new year.

Having waited for three long years, a stretch of ‘Namma Metro’ will finally run in December of next year, on a 7.5 kms route and fulfil the need for a dedicated commuter train for a ever-growing City such as Bangalore.

However, the traffic weary Bangalorean will have to wait upto the end of 2012 or early 2013 for the entire Phase-1 of the project to be completed.

With progress and development, comes a price, states an adage. True to this will be the real test of endurance for motorists in 2010 as the Bangalore Metro Rail Corporation Limited (BMRCL) will begin work on the underground stretch in the first half of the new year. Effects of carrying out excavation work from Minsk Square, via Vidhana Soudha, Central College to K R Market is likely be the test of patience as traffic bottlenecks are expected to increase in 2010.

At present, the Rs 8000 plus crore project has achieved 70 percent completion on Reach-1, with the BMRCL expected to begin segment/girder launching work on 100ft Road, CMH Road in Indiranagar and Swami Vivekananda Road, Halasoor in January/February. Track laying work is also expected to begin from M G Road to Old Madras Road in January.
The much awaited rolling stock/passenger coaches of the Namma Metro is expected to arrive from Korea in September of 2010 and would be put on test run, before commissioning in December.

Metro to be on track next year

Metro to be on track next year
Bangalore, Dec 29, DHNS:

Commuters can finally heave a sigh of relief in 2010 as the Bangalore Metro (Reach-1) from Baiyappanahalli to Cricket Stadium is expected to be operational in the new year.

Having waited for three long years, a stretch of ‘Namma Metro’ will finally run in December of next year, on a 7.5 kms route and fulfil the need for a dedicated commuter train for a ever-growing City such as Bangalore.

However, the traffic weary Bangalorean will have to wait upto the end of 2012 or early 2013 for the entire Phase-1 of the project to be completed.

With progress and development, comes a price, states an adage. True to this will be the real test of endurance for motorists in 2010 as the Bangalore Metro Rail Corporation Limited (BMRCL) will begin work on the underground stretch in the first half of the new year. Effects of carrying out excavation work from Minsk Square, via Vidhana Soudha, Central College to K R Market is likely be the test of patience as traffic bottlenecks are expected to increase in 2010.

At present, the Rs 8000 plus crore project has achieved 70 percent completion on Reach-1, with the BMRCL expected to begin segment/girder launching work on 100ft Road, CMH Road in Indiranagar and Swami Vivekananda Road, Halasoor in January/February. Track laying work is also expected to begin from M G Road to Old Madras Road in January.
The much awaited rolling stock/passenger coaches of the Namma Metro is expected to arrive from Korea in September of 2010 and would be put on test run, before commissioning in December.

Metro to be on track next year

Metro to be on track next year
Bangalore, Dec 29, DHNS:

Commuters can finally heave a sigh of relief in 2010 as the Bangalore Metro (Reach-1) from Baiyappanahalli to Cricket Stadium is expected to be operational in the new year.

Having waited for three long years, a stretch of ‘Namma Metro’ will finally run in December of next year, on a 7.5 kms route and fulfil the need for a dedicated commuter train for a ever-growing City such as Bangalore.

However, the traffic weary Bangalorean will have to wait upto the end of 2012 or early 2013 for the entire Phase-1 of the project to be completed.

With progress and development, comes a price, states an adage. True to this will be the real test of endurance for motorists in 2010 as the Bangalore Metro Rail Corporation Limited (BMRCL) will begin work on the underground stretch in the first half of the new year. Effects of carrying out excavation work from Minsk Square, via Vidhana Soudha, Central College to K R Market is likely be the test of patience as traffic bottlenecks are expected to increase in 2010.

At present, the Rs 8000 plus crore project has achieved 70 percent completion on Reach-1, with the BMRCL expected to begin segment/girder launching work on 100ft Road, CMH Road in Indiranagar and Swami Vivekananda Road, Halasoor in January/February. Track laying work is also expected to begin from M G Road to Old Madras Road in January.
The much awaited rolling stock/passenger coaches of the Namma Metro is expected to arrive from Korea in September of 2010 and would be put on test run, before commissioning in December.

Metro to be on track next year

Metro to be on track next year
Bangalore, Dec 29, DHNS:

Commuters can finally heave a sigh of relief in 2010 as the Bangalore Metro (Reach-1) from Baiyappanahalli to Cricket Stadium is expected to be operational in the new year.

Having waited for three long years, a stretch of ‘Namma Metro’ will finally run in December of next year, on a 7.5 kms route and fulfil the need for a dedicated commuter train for a ever-growing City such as Bangalore.

However, the traffic weary Bangalorean will have to wait upto the end of 2012 or early 2013 for the entire Phase-1 of the project to be completed.

With progress and development, comes a price, states an adage. True to this will be the real test of endurance for motorists in 2010 as the Bangalore Metro Rail Corporation Limited (BMRCL) will begin work on the underground stretch in the first half of the new year. Effects of carrying out excavation work from Minsk Square, via Vidhana Soudha, Central College to K R Market is likely be the test of patience as traffic bottlenecks are expected to increase in 2010.

At present, the Rs 8000 plus crore project has achieved 70 percent completion on Reach-1, with the BMRCL expected to begin segment/girder launching work on 100ft Road, CMH Road in Indiranagar and Swami Vivekananda Road, Halasoor in January/February. Track laying work is also expected to begin from M G Road to Old Madras Road in January.
The much awaited rolling stock/passenger coaches of the Namma Metro is expected to arrive from Korea in September of 2010 and would be put on test run, before commissioning in December.

Metro to be on track next year

Metro to be on track next year
Bangalore, Dec 29, DHNS:

Commuters can finally heave a sigh of relief in 2010 as the Bangalore Metro (Reach-1) from Baiyappanahalli to Cricket Stadium is expected to be operational in the new year.

Having waited for three long years, a stretch of ‘Namma Metro’ will finally run in December of next year, on a 7.5 kms route and fulfil the need for a dedicated commuter train for a ever-growing City such as Bangalore.

However, the traffic weary Bangalorean will have to wait upto the end of 2012 or early 2013 for the entire Phase-1 of the project to be completed.

With progress and development, comes a price, states an adage. True to this will be the real test of endurance for motorists in 2010 as the Bangalore Metro Rail Corporation Limited (BMRCL) will begin work on the underground stretch in the first half of the new year. Effects of carrying out excavation work from Minsk Square, via Vidhana Soudha, Central College to K R Market is likely be the test of patience as traffic bottlenecks are expected to increase in 2010.

At present, the Rs 8000 plus crore project has achieved 70 percent completion on Reach-1, with the BMRCL expected to begin segment/girder launching work on 100ft Road, CMH Road in Indiranagar and Swami Vivekananda Road, Halasoor in January/February. Track laying work is also expected to begin from M G Road to Old Madras Road in January.
The much awaited rolling stock/passenger coaches of the Namma Metro is expected to arrive from Korea in September of 2010 and would be put on test run, before commissioning in December.

Metro to be on track next year

Metro to be on track next year
Bangalore, Dec 29, DHNS:

Commuters can finally heave a sigh of relief in 2010 as the Bangalore Metro (Reach-1) from Baiyappanahalli to Cricket Stadium is expected to be operational in the new year.

Having waited for three long years, a stretch of ‘Namma Metro’ will finally run in December of next year, on a 7.5 kms route and fulfil the need for a dedicated commuter train for a ever-growing City such as Bangalore.

However, the traffic weary Bangalorean will have to wait upto the end of 2012 or early 2013 for the entire Phase-1 of the project to be completed.

With progress and development, comes a price, states an adage. True to this will be the real test of endurance for motorists in 2010 as the Bangalore Metro Rail Corporation Limited (BMRCL) will begin work on the underground stretch in the first half of the new year. Effects of carrying out excavation work from Minsk Square, via Vidhana Soudha, Central College to K R Market is likely be the test of patience as traffic bottlenecks are expected to increase in 2010.

At present, the Rs 8000 plus crore project has achieved 70 percent completion on Reach-1, with the BMRCL expected to begin segment/girder launching work on 100ft Road, CMH Road in Indiranagar and Swami Vivekananda Road, Halasoor in January/February. Track laying work is also expected to begin from M G Road to Old Madras Road in January.
The much awaited rolling stock/passenger coaches of the Namma Metro is expected to arrive from Korea in September of 2010 and would be put on test run, before commissioning in December.

Crackdown against cheating in Volvos

Crackdown against cheating in Volvos
Surprise drive reveals pilferage by conductors and ticketless travelling
SUCHITH KIDIYOOR


Asurprise drive against ticketless travelling in Volvo buses revealed that conductors, including on those plying between Bangalore International Airport (BIA) and Electronics City, are no different from their counterparts in ordinary buses when it comes to pilferage.
At the end of the 24x7 drive that went on for three days, more than Rs 6,000 was collected as penalty from ticketless travellers and cases were slapped on 62 conductors.
Bangalore Metropolitan Transport Corporation (BMTC) sources said, During the drive, our officials made 1,064 checks on Majestic to ITPL route, Majestic to Electronic City and all the routes from the city to the airport. To our surprise, we found conductors pilfering, like in any other service. We also found passengers travelling with tickets of lesser denomination or using invalid passes. We issued notices on the spot to conductors involved in pilferage and collected penalty from ticketless passengers. The drive was undertaken after BMTC started receiving complaints about unscrupulous conductors.
Since a majority of those travelling by these high-end buses are working professionals, they do not tolerate such things. Moreover, Volvo services are designed to overcome the shortcomings of ordinary buses when it comes to crew etiquette, sources said.
After the drive, higher-ups in the BMTC decided to take stringent action against errant conductors.
Unlike other services, conductors and drivers in Volvo buses get incentives every day. It is not correct to cheat the BMTC. Hence, we decided on stringent punishment. First, errant staff would be shifted from premium services to common services. Punishment for habitual offenders will vary from a fine to suspension. We have decided ensure zero pilferage in Volvo buses, an official said. Those caught without a ticket on BIA route Volvo buses can invite a penalty of Rs 500.
ETMS TO CHECK PILFERAGE
The BMTC plans to use Electronic Ticketing Machines (ETM) to curb pilferage. We operate nearly 400 Volvo buses. All conductors in Volvo buses have been issued ETMs. In future, ETMs will be introduced in buses coming under JNNURM scheme and the Big 10 buses. ETMs can issue daily passes and also read smart cards issued by the BMTC, an official said.
Advantages
of ETMs
Easy for conductors to issue tickets. Easy to issue tickets to groups. Date, time, embarkment point and destination printed on tickets, making it easy to detect ticketless passengers. Conductors need not note down fare collection at every stage. Random checking of fare collected is easier. At the end of the day, very easy to find fare collected.

Two track-doubling projects for Bangalore

Two track-doubling projects for Bangalore

Special Correspondent
Subways at road over-bridges in Lingarajapuram, Banasawadi, Hebbal and other places planned
Two projects will be implemented at a cost

of Rs. 125 crore

Surveys for new railway lines are on,

says Muniyappa

BANGALORE: Minister of State for Railways K.H. Muniyappa on Wednesday announced several projects for the State, including track-doubling on two sections in the city with a view to easing congestion on roads.

He told presspersons that track-doubling would be taken up on Yeshwanthpur-Yelahanka and Yelahanka-Channasandra sections at a cost of Rs. 125 crore. The railway authorities had taken up the final location survey.

Subways at road over-bridges in Lingarajapuram, Banasawadi, Hebbal, Fraser Town and other places in the city for easing traffic congestion had been planned in association with the Bruhat Bangalore Mahanagara Palike. Road over-bridges would be built at Kodigena Halli, Sarjapur and Boopasandra crossings. Road over-bridges and under bridges would be built at Jalahalli across the ring road, Nagawara, Byappanahalli, Kengeri, Bapujinagar and Allalasandra.

Work on the road over-bridge at Whitefield would be completed by March 2010 and widening of Bennigana Halli road under-bridge on Bangalore-Krishnarajapuram (NH 4) would be completed by May 2010. The Bangalore-Whitefield-Krishnarajapuram track-quadrupling work could not be implemented as the State Government had not decided on commuter rail transportation and cost sharing, he said.

Mr. Muniyappa said that surveys for Chickaballapur-Puttaparthy, Madanapalle-Srinivasapura, Anekal-Bidadi, Shimoga-Harihar, Gadag-Wadi, Almatti-Koppal and Almati-Yadgir lines, which were sanctioned in the budget, were in progress. A report would be finalised shortly.

He said the 65-km Kottur-Harihar line would be ready for goods services by March 31 and for passenger services by September 30. Gauge conversion work on the 97-km Shimoga-Talaguppa section (Shimoga-Anandapuram 57 km and Anandapuram-Talaguppa 40 km would be completed by March and June 2010, respectively.

The Minister said that patch-doubling work on the 26.15-km Dharwad-Kambarganvi section (Dharwad-Mugad 13 km and Mugad-Kambarganvi) was likely to be completed by March and December 2010, respectively.

Work on the 44.28-km Arsikere-Birur section (Arsikere-Devanur and Devanur-Birur) would be completed by March 2010 and 2011, respectively.

He said the Kadur-Chikmagalur line via Sakleshpur (93 km), Hassan-Bangalore line via Shravanabelagola (166 km), Rayadurga-Tumkur via Kalyandurg (213 km), Munirabad-(Ginigera)-Raichur (170 km up to Mehabubnagar) could be completed in four years if land was made available by the State Government.

Work on the 167-km Hubli-Ankola line was held up because the Central Empowerment Committee had to give clearance for acquisition of 727 hectares of forestland. The committee had denied permission for conducting a survey on the 260-km Bangalore-Sathyamangalam line as it came under the forestland, he said.

Stop
He said that Kakinada-Bangalore Seshadri Express would stop at Malur and Mysore-Tirupati Fast Passenger at Tykal from January 1.

Residents here want playgrounds and stadiums City ballot Problems

Residents here want playgrounds and stadiums City ballot Problems

M.T. Shiva Kumar
But their quality of life is better than that of other Bangaloreans
— PHOTO: SAMPATH KUMAR G.P.

NOT ENOUGH: The Kuvempunagar playground is one of the few lung spaces in BTM Layout Assembly constituency.
Bangalore: The BTM Layout Assembly constituency, encompassing eight Bruhat Bangalore Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) wards, is a blend of developed and under-developed areas. Though the wards in this constituency are comparatively better off in terms of civic amenities, the absence of sufficient playgrounds for the children and sportsmen of the area is sorely felt.

The area is also home to not only glass-and-chrome high-rises housing information technology (IT) companies and shopping malls and posh apartments, it is also home to the residents of a few under-developed wards and slums that clamour for basic amenities.

Sportspersons too
Yet, lung space and playgrounds are conspicuous by their absence across the eight wards of the constituency, i.e., Audgodi, Lakkasandra, Jakkasandra, Madivala, BTM Layout, Suddaguntepalya, Ejipura and Koramangala. Not only do children here have no playground, a good number of sportspersons staying in National Games Village, Koramangala, BTM Layout and other areas are deprived of proper stadiums here, forcing them to go to other areas.

However, local MLA Ramalinga Reddy said a full-fledged stadium, for which land has been identified, will be built at a cost of Rs. 12 crore near the Udupi Garden shortly.

Traffic snarls
The areas rapid development has brought with it the usual problems: its commercialisation has led to parking problems, particularly haphazard parking of autorickshaws near the Forum mall, Silk Board junction, Adugodi Main Road and other arterial roads posing serious inconvenience to pedestrians. These areas, mainly Koramanagla and BTM Layout, are always crowded with vehicles and traffic snarls are routine.

Mr. Reddy said there are plans for an underpass near the Forum soon but the need of the hour is prepaid auto counters at the mall and the Silk Board junction as autorickshaw drivers fleece the passengers here.

Residents here are thankful for one thing though: unlike their counterparts elsewhere in Bangalore, there are no major ongoing infrastructure works to upend their lives.

Many railway goodies chugged into Bangalore

Many railway goodies chugged into Bangalore
S Lalitha, Bangalore, Dec 29, DHNS:

The year saw the fulfilment of two long standing demands of Bangaloreans - an Inter-City express between Shimoga and Bangalore and a day train between the City and Mangalore.

Railway Minister Mamata Banerjee has also announced the launch of a Doronto (non-stop, superfast) Express between Bangalore and Howrah. The train will make its inaugural run from Yeshwantpur on January 3.

Other big launches during the year include the Yeshwantpur-Mysore Express and Yeshwantpur-Solapur Gol Gumbaz Tri-weekly Express. Notable among the train extensions introduced are the Mumbai-Karwar Express to Mangalore and the Yeshwantpur-Mangalore train to Kannur.

Steps to transform Byappanahalli into a world-class railway station are proceeding. A Chinese team visited the station early this year and submitted a proposal. Another novel decision for the Bangalore Division was the move to permit multi-storeyed complexes on unutilised railway land to fetch extra revenue for Railways.

A major move for passenger safety was replacing mechanical and electrical signalling systems with a modernised, automatic signalling system.

Moves to upgrade security at railway stations all over Bangalore went on throughout the year. One initiative was to stop issual of platform tickets at City station. Though this succeeded in reducing congestion, it earned much flak from the majority. More surveillance cameras and sniffer-dogs were pressed into service. A request for a major increase in Railway Police and Government Railway Police for the Bangalore Division is expected to be sanctioned this year.

Areas that need improvement continued to be inadequate water facilities at railway stations and initiatives to reduce the rush for tickets during vacations and festivals.

SWR division
The South Western Railway Division ‘s problem with the Archaeology Department over shifting of the Tipu Sultan Armoury concluded on an amicable note. The armoury that came in the way of the doubling work between Mysore and Ramanagaram is getting shifted.

Parking at Majestic: Rs 250 per day

Parking at Majestic: Rs 250 per day

Y Maheswara ReddyFirst Published : 29 Dec 2009 04:53:00 AM ISTLast Updated : 29 Dec 2009 11:42:34 AM IST
BANGALORE: So you thought you have your own conveyance and that saves you a lot of trouble.
Well, not completely if you are planning to park your two or four-wheeler at the Majestic bus stand parking lot, especially if you have to keep your vehicle there for over four hours. The reason is that the Karnataka State Road Transport Corporation (KSRTC) has doubled the parking fee for two as well as four-wheelers here, thus inconveniencing people who regularly park their vehicles there.
Though there is no change in parking fee for two-wheelers for up to one hour, car owners have to pay double the amount for the same time. Earlier, the parking fee for a four-wheeler was Rs 5 for up to one hour and Rs 10 from one hour to four hours, Rs 20 for four to eight hours and Rs 20 for above eight hours to 24 hours.
Now, the KSRTC has fixed the parking fee at Rs 10 for an hour, Rs 20 for one to two hours, Rs 60 for two to three hours, Rs 100 for three to four hours and Rs 250 for anything above four hours (till 24 hours). The maximum limit for parking is 15 days. If the owner fails to take his vehicle after that, it will be handed over to the traffic police.
The parking fee for two-wheelers has also increased from Rs 20 to Rs 50 for four hours and above.
Till now, parking vehicles at Majestic Bus Stand has been convenient for those who commute from Bangalore to nearby places. They park the vehicles in morning and take buses to the respective places. While returning, they ride home on their vehicles from there.
“I want to stop parking here because I can’t afford to pay Rs 50 as parking fee for my two-wheeler,” said Ramakrishna, who commutes to Ramanagaram every day.
However, MP Prabhudas, Divisional Controller, KSRTC, said that the objective of the hike was to avoid misuse of the parking place by people who are not KSRTC commuters or visitors. “We came to know that many railway passengers and others who have no parking place at their office premises used to park their vehicles here. We want to stop this,” he said.
On the inconvenience to daily commuters who park their vehicles here, Prabhudas said, “So far no one has complained to me. I can recommend the parking contractor to give some concession in parking fee if any commuter approaches me.”

Relief for Brigade Jn is three months away

Relief for Brigade Jn is three months away

Senthalir S. Bangalore

Ever since work on the Metro station began, commuters have been having a hard time passing through the Brigade Road junction. However, respite will still take some time coming because the Bangalore Metro Rail Corporation Limited (BMRCL) has declared that the temporary structures, which are causing traffic problems, can be removed only after three more months.
According to Darshan V, a commuter, traffic piles up at the junction during peak hours. "The Metro pillars have reduced the space on the road, making it difficult for vehicles to move freely. While we get delayed by at least 15 to 20 minutes everyday at the junction, the wait extends to nearly half an hour on certain occasions," he said.
Another commuter, Latha Sreenivas, said that it is difficult to turn towards Kamaraj Road from MG Road. Stating that the four pillars erected there have crunched the space, leaving room only for one or two vehicles to move at a time, she said, "Earlier, there was ample space for vehicles to move smoothly. But this became increasingly difficult after the Metro work began."
Underlining the fact that the BMRCL could have provided more space for vehicles to move on the Brigade Road Junction, MN Sreehari, advisor to the Karnataka government for Traffic, Transportation and Infrastructure, said that instead of erecting four temporary structures, the authority should have restricted themselves to three. "This would have left some more space on the road for vehicular movement," Sreehari said, adding that some planning on traffic management can also help.
Stating that the passenger car unit on MG Road was 3,000 to 4,000 earlier, the expert said that things have turned really chaotic in recent times.
A traffic cop said that he has a very hard time handling the haphazard traffic flow in the area. "Commuters are made to wait for a very long time here. It gets worse whenever the traffic signal stops functioning," he said.
Meanwhile, a senior official with BMRCL justified the need to let the temporary structures remain for another three months. "This is necessary as the span is 50 metres wide. Individual segments have to be cast at the site itself. Though it may seem a little cumbersome now, the patience of Bangaloreans will pay off in the long run," he said.

Cut water supply to meet demand?

Cut water supply to meet demand?
Aarthi R | TNN

Bangalore: Some small repairs by BWSSB in August have hit water supply in eight houses on a lane in HRBR Layout: the monthly average of 45,000 litres is now less than 20,000 litres.
The work is over, road relaid — and they are still waiting for their normal stock, despite the many assurances by BWSSB local engineers. However, such water woes in this small area of Bangalore reflect a similar crisis in other parts of our growing city. The new projects for more water apart, is it time the city’s water supply is monitored, considering that it is almost being rationed.
DROP BY DROP: THE SPOT STORY
Supply was fine in HRBR Layout II Block till August 2. An average monthly stock of 40,000 litres was billed around Rs 550-600; water was supplied every alternate day. Each day, they could store 3,000-3,500 litres. Trouble began when pipe repair and modification works were taken up by BWSSB at the junction of 5th Cross and 5th Main road. But once work was complete, instead of improvement, even their regular water supply was drastically cut. Now, water is supplied only on eight days a month, at an average of just 1,000 litres. Worse, they had no proper water supply since December 5 for almost a week.
“We can understand if supply is cut by 20-25%, but such a massive cut has put us in the lurch. Is there anybody to take note of such issues as the local engineers don’t even take our calls now?’’ asks a resident on this lane.
They say complaints are regularly recorded in the complaint book, but in vain. “No action has been taken to rectify matters, but only worsened the situation. Some of them are planning to take it to the consumer court,’’ they say.
PRICE OF COMMERCIALISATION?
The frustrating wait for water got these residents to check out what went wrong and where. BWSSB had taken up repairs to redress the water supply problem of 5th C Main, and a newly-constructed apartment on 5th Cross at 5th C Main. Having fixed their problem, BWSSB caused another one.
Residents fear that shortage of water could also be due to the growing commercial establishments around. “A lot of new eat-outs and shops have come up in the area. These days, tankers don’t supply water there. How do they manage their huge water needs? We feel our stock is going to them,” say residents.
After 2002, the net water supply has not increased, but the number of connections have gone up by at least two lakh. The rising number of commercial establishments is also forcing BWSSB into a fine balancing act.
Partially ruling out fears, BWSSB minister Katta Subramanya Naidu says: “Water works is a routine activity. There can be no assurance on when they get completed as it depends on many factors. While the wait for water in the new areas continues, consumers will continue to get their share. Repair work might bring in some variation. However, with such complaints, we will review supply soon.’’
BWSSB chief engineer Venkatraju said: “Sanctioning water for commercial establishments does not mean we are diverting water. We cannot completely refuse water to commercial establishments as they also help us in subsidising the cost of supply for domestic consumers. However, it’s restricted at a minimum. At any point, variation in supply cannot go beyond 10-15%. But, regular maintenance and repair works might bring in some changes. We will look into this case.”

For tap full of water

For tap
full of water
There are no plaints about water supply, but contamination is for real, while work seems never-ending
Aarthi R | TNN

DAY THREE WATER, HEALTH AND SANITATION
BANGALORE EAST ZONE 35 WARDS
Bangalore: While the wait for Cauvery water dominates the new areas of BBMP, it’s quite a relief to see almost all areas of East zone get regular stock now. Barring major repairs and shutdowns, supply is normally once every alternate day.
The East division of BWSSB caters to an overall 82,316 connections that includes 76,325 domestic connections. This covers areas like Ulsoor, Indiranagar, HAL II Stage, JB Nagar, Machalibetta, Fraser Town, Pillanna Garden, NGEF East, Cox Town, Cooke Town, HRBR and OMBR Extensions, Banaswadi, DJ Halli, Kalyana Nagar, Domlur, Johnson Market, CLR, Ejipura and surrounding areas. The total consumption across these areas is 22.74 lakh kilolitres per month.
However, one of the main concerns of residents in many areas is ‘water contamination’. The many repair works also add to the cases.
The huge open drain work near Kamaraj Road has been a rising health concern for locals here. “MLA Roshan Baig started it, breaking a coconut on November 2. We were told it’s month-long work. But four months later, it still continues. Worse, we are yet to see the MLA here, despite our repeated complaints,’’ says an angry businessman. They now await the last deadline promised to them by the BWSSB — February 25, 2010.
The increasing mosquitoes and stench is also causing health concerns. The work site is very close to a dispensary. The medical shop owner right opposite is also going through a frustrating experience. Apart from 80% loss in business, even the medicine stock is now reaching expiry date, he complains. Even the temporary crude bridge was laid after a small protest by the residents.

Buses add to growth of public transport

Buses add to growth of public transport
Bangalore, Dec 29, DHNS:

The public transport sector led by the Karnataka State Road Transport Corporation (KSRTC) and the Bangalore Metropolitan Transport Corporation (BMTC) too contributed to the growth of the Transport sector, by adding more buses to their fleet and announcing massive bus station/terminal infrastructure plans.

While, the KSRTC introduced new models such as the Mercedes Benz in the premium segment and the Ambaari in the sleeper segment, the BMTC augmented its strength by utilising funds drawn from the Jawaharlal Nehru National Urban Renewal Mission (JNNURM) and introduced more Volvo buses in the City.

Another service that caught the fancy of commuters was the introduction of the eye-catching green colour ‘Big-10’ buses by BMTC to connect various parts of the City, to the Central Business District (CBD). However, another service, also introduced simultaniously in early 2009, ‘Kendra Sarige’ Volvo buses turned out to be cropper, failing to attract the upwardly mobile of the City and was merged with the Vajra Volvo fleet . BMTC also introduced the ‘Atal Sarige’ brand of buses to cater to economically backward sections of society. Named after the former prime minister, this was labelled as a populist measure of the ruling BJP government.

Infrastructure at bus stations also received a boost, with the inauguration of the BMTC Traffic and Transit Management Centre (TTMC) at Jayanagar 4th Block, in September. This is part of an ambitious plan under the JNNURM to upgrade and rebrand existing bus stations and make travel by public transport more feasible.

An unique feature of TTMC’s is a ‘Park and Ride’ facility for commuters and commercial space, that is expected to generate commercial revenue for BMTC.

Work on construction of nine more TTMC’s viz - Banashankari, Vijayanagara, Koramangala, Shanthinagar, ITPL (Whitefield), Bannerghatta, Kengeri, Yeshwantpur and Domlur are underway and would be completed by late 2010. The total cost of construction of these TTMCs is Rs 333 crore while Rs 166 crore has been released under the JNNURM scheme for the project. BMTC also proposes to construct 35 more TTMC’s under a public-private-partnership (PPP) model in phase-2 of its infrastructure improvement initiative.

Not to be left behind, the KSRTC too has embarked on a slew of projects in 2009. Among these, is the construction of an Inter Modal Transit Centre (IMTC) at Majestic, that aims to link bus connectivity to the Bangalore Metro project. Development of this project is expected to begin in early 2010.

Other projects that will see development next year are Satellite Bus Terminals at NGEF, Peenya and Hosur Road. These are envisaged to ease congestion at the Kempegowda Bus Station in Majestic.

Transport sector makes big strides

Transport sector makes big strides
S Praveen Dhaneshkar, Bangalore, Dec 29, DHNS:

The year had a lot going for the transport sector, with several new buses launched, new train services flagged off and the Metro Rail work gathering pace. Here’s a comprehensive look at these developments.

As the year 2009 draws to a close, the Transport Department will be among the happiest of State government departments, having fulfilled various new initiatives/schemes, right from adopting a new logo for itself to the issue of ‘Smart Card’ based driving licences and vehicle registration certificates and total computerisation of all its 55 regional transport offices (RTO) across the state

Having embarked on a technologically savvy drive to bring about much needed reforms and transparency in its functioning, the department hopes to continue its reforms into 2010 as well. The department also initiated a massive infrastructure improvement plan to modernise its offices, construct own buildings, including much needed electronic driving tracks for the benefit of driving license applicants. Notable among them include construction of a vehicle fitness testing centre at Nelamangala. Construction for this is expected to begin in 2010.

The Transport Department was also in the news in 2009 for special drives like, initiating road safety programmes through lectures and conducting awareness programmes for teens in schools and colleges across the City and distribution of booklets containing road safety signs and guidelines to educational institutions.

A speed post service was also introduced for hassle free delivery of driving licences to the doorstep of the applicant as also a project of permit computerisation for goods transport and yellow board vehicles.

Eco awareness stressed
With a view to stress the ill-effects of vehicular pollution, the Transport Department organised various programmes to mark pollution awareness month in November. Street plays, bicycle rallies, cartoon and drawing competitions and an eco-walk formed part of these programmes.

However, on the flip side the department was in the news for dilly-dallying on the the issue of ‘Green Autorickshaws’ with four-stroke engines and digital meters. It was vociferously opposed by automen and unions, who saw it as an unnecessary expenditure for them.

Finally, the Transport Minister R Ashok relented and allowed its implementation for only new autos. Another thorn for the department in the year gone by was the frequent strikes called by truck operators led by the Federation of Karnataka State Lorry Owners and Agents Association over the issue of sand mining permits.

To end the year on a positive note, the Commissioner for Transport and Road Safety Bhaskar Rao participated in a 900 km cycle rally from Bangalore to Nilgiris in December to spread the message for promoting the ubiquitous cycle as an alternate mode of transport.

Describing the year gone by as very eventful for the Transport Department, Bhaskar Rao said: “2009 was one, in which winds of change were visible as we recruited 104 motor vehicle (MV) inspectors, after a long gap of 19 years. This helped us conduct more enforcement drives and raked in additional revenue. In 2010, the public can expect better and more information transparency from the Department. We will also make driving tests more stringent.”

FOREST DEPT DOESN’T KNOW EXTENT OF ITS LAND

OREST DEPT DOESN’T KNOW EXTENT OF ITS LAND
NIRANJAN KAGGERE


The forest department, which is supposed to oversee and protect the State’s green cover, does not know the extent of forest area in Karnataka! The startling revelation came in reply to an Right to Information (RTI) Act application filed by Bangalore Mirror.
The question asked was: ‘What is the total forest area in the State?’ The reply, from the forest departments headquarters in Malleswaram, was: the total forest area in the State is not available in this office and no such data is being maintained in this office.
What is worse, the reply came from the office of the chief conservator of forests (working plan), which is supposed to be drawing plans and allocating funds for forest development.
The reply reveals just how serious the forest department is about doing its job. If the forest department does not know how much land is under its jurisdiction, who else will?
Don’t bother to ask Chief Minister B S Yeddyurappa because he is the head of this department.
Mirror filed the RTI application on Nov 25, 2009 after the CM said on Nov 10 that the forest and mineral resources of the State were being looted by vested interests.
He, and the forest department, knew about it, but are unable to stop the loot. As the BJP was facing a crisis at that time due to dissidence by the Bellary-based Reddy brothers, it appeared that the CM was hinting at the mining lobby.
Well, if the CM is serious about protecting the State’s forest, he could start by asking the department to find out the extent of the forest cover.
Surprisingly, the forest department’s official website has the answer. It says, Karnataka has a recorded forest area of 43,356.45 sq km, which is 22.60 per cent of the total geographical area of the State. Sixty per cent of the Western Ghats are located in Karnataka.
The land actually covered by forest is 33,238.47 sq km, open forest (10 to 40 per cent) and scrub forest (less than 10 per cent density) is 15,212 sq km; and mangrove forest is 3 sq km. The rest of the forest land is not covered by forest. However, the problem is that the website does not specify on what date these numbers were recorded or the year-wise break-up.
WASTE OF TAX-PAYERS’ MONEY
Moreover, the reply also points to the colossal waste of tax-payers’ money. The department has 158 Indian Forest Service (IFS) officers, whose pay ranges from Rs 25,000 to Rs 80,000 per month.
Apart from them, there are hundreds of Range Forest Officers (RFOs), guards and watchers. Including the various projects undertaken, both the State and Central governments spend crores of rupees every month to maintain the forest cover of Karnataka.
According to Union Minister of State for Environment and Forests Jairam Ramesh, in the last three years starting 2006, Karnataka has been given Rs 70.02 crore under the Forest Development Agency (FDA) for regeneration of degraded forests and adjoining areas. However, his ministry did not carry out a study to assess the exact increase in forest cover after the funds were released.
Questions we sent (Nov 25, 2009):
What is the total forest area in the State?
What is the total area of forests in the State as of November 24, 2009? Please give district-wise breakup according to natural forest, plantation forest, mangrove forest etc.
Reply we received (Dec 21, 2009)
As requested in your letter ... the total forest area in the State as of 24th November 2009 is not available in this office (Aranya Bhavan, Malleswaram) and no such data is being maintained in this office. This is for your information.

Banaswadi station: only tracks, no platforms

Banaswadi station: only tracks, no platforms
TIMES NEWS NETWORK

Bangalore: Just a few minutes from Namma Metro’s Byappanahalli depot stands the ancient station of Banaswadi — a ramshackle ill-lit area with incomplete platforms and broken walls. It needs some urgent attention.
In recent times, passenger traffic here has increased by 40-60%, say railway staffers. It is the preferred stop for many passengers chugging in from Chennai and Kochuveli, and those hopping off trains going towards Yeshwantpur and K R Puram.
A spot survey shows that at least three or four bogies of the train stop well away from any kind of platform. There is panic and chaos during those few seconds. Children, women and senior citizens struggle down, jumping and sliding with their luggage. It’s worse at night, as there is no proper lighting either.
The huge vacant land all along is littered with garbage, where stray dogs feast. There’s absolutely nobody to stop trespassers and anyone can ride over the tracks anytime, even when the train is seconds away. Many points here serve as short-cuts to surrounding areas like Sevanagar and Bharatinagar. Incidentally, few months ago, a trespasser was seriously injured on the tracks here.
According to station staff, work is in progress on both platforms, but no one knows when it will be complete. There are all of two platforms — one passes off for a regular platform, the other side is an uneven, sandy stretch.
Work is on at the station entrance to set up more counters. But what’s the point of having platform ticket counters when there are no proper platforms and even walls to enclose the station?

LITTER ZONE

BANGALORE EAST ZONE 35 WARDS
LITTER ZONE
Garbage dumps plop in the middle of posh localities, and persistent stink, will have you covering your nose
Aarthi R | TNN

Bangalore: Garbage trucks litter this zone, any time during the day. But what stand out like eyesores are vacant sites and open drains loaded with garbage. While many new areas are coming up in a slapdash manner, without proper footpaths, other areas have long stretches of wide pavements, but which have been converted into public urinals!
Blame the BBMP or locals, but the truth is what stinks out there. Even the oldest areas of Namma Bengaluru are yet to learn the basic lessons of solid waste management.
A classic example is grand old Broadway, which has no path for pedestrians. Neither do several other areas, a majority of them in Shivajinagar.
The Colonel Hill Road is a short but important residential road that connects Cockburn Road leading to Cox Town via Miller’s Road, Queen’s Road and the Cantonment Railway Station. Located on this narrow stretch are private residences as well as three public institutions: Bangalore Friend-in-Need Society, a home for the aged; the Colonel Hill High School within the same compound, educating children from LKG to Standard X, and the Al-Ameen Kumbal Posh Kannada Higher Primary School at one end of the road.
This quiet, residential hub is now practically taken over by garage owners, who keep up a din with noisy repairs, and rusting hulks of cars are piled up all along the road and even the pavement, almost blocking the high school and seniors’ home. The road has almost turned into a garbage dump.
Nearby on Broadway Road is a slum near the Church of South India (CSI)Hospital. Despite more than one direct order from the chief minister and a former governor, relocation is yet to happen.
This slum is a perpetual fire hazard as the women do most of their cooking on the road and even beside inflammable materials, sometimes within their narrow, dingy sheds where the flames leap high. Their children run all over the road, and are a traffic hazard. Children and adults use the pavement right beside the hospital as their openair latrine and washing area.
Locals here also complain of women leasing out their babies and children for roadside begging, charging Rs 100 per day per child. The menfolk steal electricity, diverting the Bescom main line to light up their shacks. “The slum is also falsely registered as being located on Colonel Hill Road, when it is actually usurping public pavement space on H K P Broadway Road on both sides,’’ is what a few others have to say.
“It’s high time civic authorities such as BBMP, the police and Slum Clearance Board moved these slum-dwellers to some alternate accommodation and freed this neighbourhood,” said Vasumathi Krishnasami, a local.

Party may not go on till 1 am

Party may not go on till 1 am

New Year revellers will have to wrap up by 12.30 am, at least half an hour before the catering joints have to close

Soumya Menon. Bangalore



This New Year's Eve, don't be offended if the management of the catering establishment you are partying in asks you to wrap up 30 minutes before the deadline. This is because Karnataka Excise officials have strictly instructed pubs, bars and restaurants serving liquor to down shutters by 1 am, which means that all the customers would be required to stop placing orders at least by 12.30 am.
One week ago, the Bangalore city police commissioner had issued an order extending the deadline till 1 am. Though catering establishments, which had to apply for an extra licence for the purpose, tried to get the deadline extended till 2am, the Karnataka Excise Department did not comply with their wish. Furthermore, they made the establishments ink an agreement stating that their doors will not be open beyond the time stipulated by the city police.
Ashish Kothare, president of the Hotels and Restaurants, Pubs and Bars Association, said it was a pity that they were refused permission for the extension of the deadline till 2 am.
"We already have a licence for the earlier deadline of 11.30 pm, but we have to get an extra licence and pay for just an hour's extension. As it stands now, the deadline extension is only till 1am, so customers will have to start moving out from 12.30 am itself," he said.
Though Kothare said that "this is the case every year," he expressed happiness that the Excise department had at least accepted the deadline set by the city police. "We do not have a choice in the matter," Kothare added.
However, the city police seem to be relaxing their lathi for the New Year's Eve celebrations. Additional commissioner of police (law and order) MR Pujar declared that they will not play party-pooper at the festivities

Cubbon Park police thana is 100 yrs old

Cubbon Park police thana is 100 yrs old

A guard room, set up in 1910, was converted into the police station during the freedom struggle

Shwetha S. Bangalore



But for the signboard that identifies the building as a police station, this decrepit structure would seldom attract the attention of busybodies in the city. Though the building may be physically dwarfed by other swanky structures that have come up in recent times, they cannot claim the historical richness that only the tile-roofed Cubbon Park police station can boast of.
However, neither the building nor its police personnel are doing any boasting. As the station enters its 100th year, the police department is yet to chalk out any celebrations.
The guard room was set up in 1910 to watch over the statue of Queen Victoria, the head of an empire where the sun once never set. The guard room gradually gained the status of a full-fledged police station as Indian freedom fighters intensified their non-violent struggle against the British. About 30% of the city was then under the jurisdiction of this police station.
The Cubbon Park station became a part of the Bangalore City Police (BCP) in 1963, when it was first formed, with C Chandy as the commissioner.
Records pertaining to the police station located on the periphery of the Cubbon Park – also know as Sri Chamarajendra Park – could not be immediately accessed. Senior police officers expressed ignorance over the early days of this century-old police station.
"Unfortunately, we do not have the complete history of the Cubbon Park police station," said G Ramesh, deputy commissioner of police (central), adding, "The strongest reason for setting up the police station then could have been the freedom struggle."
Ramesh's explanation seems plausible enough. The station was set up four years after "Aurobindo Ghose interpreted Swaraj differently in his influential English-language newspaper Bande Mataram." (Peter Heehs; The Historian, Vol. 55, 1993)
Additionally, the station was established during the second phase (between 1910 and 1921) of political prisoners being sent to the Andamans. "In 1911, (Vinayak Damodar) Savarkar was arrested (in the Nashik conspiracy case) and deported to the Andamans. But leaders like Gandhiji, Jawaharlal Nehru and Subhash Chandra Bose led the freedom movement in which commoners actively participated. During that time, the city regularly witnessed protests against the British," Ramesh added.
Though the station infrastructure is yet to be modernised, the Cubbon Park police can boast of relatively low crime rate in its jurisdictional area, which has an estimated floating population of 35,000 people.

Bow wow! BBMP posters to help public talk sense to stray dogs

Bow wow! BBMP posters to help public talk sense to stray dogs

As complaints of dog bites and canines giving motorists nightmares continue to pour in, the BBMP is going to unveil a campaign to make public aware of how to keep their encounters with the strays from going out of control, Shwetha S reports

Shwetha S

At sea over increasing instances of stray dog bites in the city, the Bruhat Bangalore Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) has hit upon a novel idea to check the menace: keep the canine-human encounters from going out of control by bridging the communication gap between the dramatis personae.
The Palike's brainwave comes in the backdrop of its efforts including the animal birth control (ABC) programme and cleaning up residential areas to keep the strays at bay having been not successful in preventing the dog bite cases.
The BBMP animal husbandry department has formulated a plan to create awareness among public on how to react when they encounter stray dogs, especially the ferocious ones.
The mainstay of the campaign will be propaganda based on posters and advertisements illustrating dog behaviour patterns in various situations and our right responses. As part of the propaganda, the Palike will be releasing hoardings and advertisements in the media.
G Parameshwara, BBMP's deputy director of animal husbandry division, told DNA that the initiative was being taken following repeated complaints from the public about increasing incidents of stray menace and dog bites.
"We are doing our best to control the dog menace through the ABC programme and administering anti-rabies vaccine to the strays. But complaints such as dogs giving the public anxious moments with their ferocious behaviour and chasing motorists are still pouring in. The new initiative, we hope, will go a long way in addressing such problems," he said.
Palike officials said the poster campaign will supplement the existing stray dog control programmes being carried out by the NGOs.
"Most of the time, it is the mother dogs that are involved in dog bite incidents. After giving birth to the pups, the mother remains aggressive for a few months and does everything from barking to growling to biting in the final instance to scare people from coming anywhere near her offspring," an official said.
The officials also pointed out that excited on seeing puppies, children innocuously try to pick them up drawing the mother's wrath.
"Our posters will illustrate what makes stray dogs angry and what people should not do to provoke them. The illustrations will be subtitled in both Kannada and English, giving tips to the general public on how to avert encounters with dogs from going out of hand," another official said.
The BBMP has finalised 12 different posters on the subject. "The posters have been designed based on the study of dog behaviour by NGOs and veterinarians," Parameshwara said.
The posters will play a prominent role in the BBMP's next package for controlling the stray dog menace. The package will also be larger in scale as it will involve 20 NGOs against 15 taking part in the current package.
"BBMP has taken up an innovative awareness campaign. I think this will be the best and the most effective way to create awareness among the public and also children. Most of the time, it's not dogs that create nuisance. Human behaviour too provokes them into reacting in a hostile way. So it's necessary for the public to understand the behavioural psychology of dogs," Dr Sheela Rao, honorary secretary of Compassion Unlimited Plus Action, said.
"I think it is for the first time that the BBMP is going creative on the issue and thinking out of the box. Conducting just ABC programme will not help in checking dog menace. Pictorial representation will be a more effective way to make people understand the behaviour of the dogs and this will surely bring down the complaints against dog menace gradually," Dr Suparna Ganguly, a veterinary doctor, said.

Mystery chemical cargo rolls in, rattles Bangalore

Mystery chemical cargo rolls in, rattles Bangalore
Forty-Barrel Load Left Abandoned; Children Fall Sick
TIMES NEWS NETWORK

Bangalore: The last thing Bangalore needs in these jumpy times is 40 barrels of a mystery chemical abandoned bang in the middle of the city. Especially a liquid which smelt foul as it burnt, and made children feel sick and breathless. The barrels were lying in the railway backyard in Srirampuram. With the Bhopal ghost still fresh, and terror attacks at the back of the mind, it put the people on tenterhooks.
The smell pervaded the surrounding areas through the night, and parts of Srirampuram, Magadi Road, Malleswaram and Seshadripuram. In immediate danger were the 4,000 slumdwellers, and around 50,000 people living in a five-km radius.
No one knew where the barrels had suddenly landed from — neither the Railways, BBMP nor local police. But the civic agencies were quite happy to pass the buck. On Monday morning, BBMP officials visited the spot and left the place by afternoon. When TOI contacted BBMP health officials, they said that since the barrels were in the Railways property, the latter should take the responsibility to shift them.
DANGER WARNING
The barrels carried a warning: ‘Highly inflammable, Imported from Israel’. One label on the barrel showed that the consignment was on its way from Dor Chemicals, Israel, to Hyderabad, while another showed the name of Hyderabad. It was apparent that the consignment had been dumped along with the tractor trailer, which carried a Hassan registration. The trailer, which was detached from its engine, was corroded due to fluid spilling over it, which must have made it impossible for the engine to take it along.
RAILWAYS TAKE ACTION
Finally, it was the Railways which decided to act after The Times of India tipped them off about the chemical leak and potential health hazard.
“Divisional regional manager Akhil Agrawal has asked the Railway Protection Force to look into the issue and find out who had dumped the chemicals in our premises. We also contacted the BBMP officials and they have agreed to come and bury the chemicals, instead of leaving it in the open air,’’ Railways spokesperson Raviprakash said.
Though the authorities got to work only on Monday evening, the barrels had created fear through Sunday night and Monday morning. It started when a strange smell swept through the slums of Sanjay Gandhi Nagar in Bangalore on Sunday evening. Tracking the source, the residents found around 40 metal barrels filled with a red, viscous fluid in the railway backyard. A few of them were burning slowly, setting off the foul stench, and the red liquid turned white as it burnt. Children began to have breathing problems and some felt nauseous, while elders needed masks to go about their work.
UNANSWERED QUESTIONS
1 How did the consignment arrive in Bangalore?
2 Where did it come from — Israel or Hyderabad? Labels on barrels suggest both
3 Who dumped it and why was it transported in a Hassan-registered vehicle?
4 Which is the enforcement agency that checks dumping of hazardous chemicals?
5 What is the role of State Pollution Control Board in such cases of transportation of chemicals?

Riding a cab to airport may be cheaper

Riding a cab to airport may be cheaper

Shwetha S. Bangalore



There are more than 2,000 cabs plying in the city; many of these belong to three or four prominent cab agencies. Commuters who wish to hire their services, however, are frequently foxed — there are no fixed fares, and these vary from one ride to the next. Examining the problems faced by commuters, the State Transport Authority is planning a move to standardise fares of taxis plying throughout the state.
HG Kumar, joint commissioner of transport and secretary, Karnataka State Transport Authority, said, "In the last four years, and especially so after the opening of the Bengaluru International Airport at Devanahalli in the past year, there has been huge competition among operators of cab services. There are different slabs of fares, different facilities on offer in the cabs. In a few months, 200 cars produced by Maruti Udyog Ltd too will be used as cabs. We have received complaints that some cab agencies have been charging exorbitant fares, and that there are vast differences in the rates from one cab to another. We will be issuing a notification to all cab companies in the city, calling for a meeting in early January to discuss revision and standardisation of cab fares."
Kumar added that the authority will fix the fare depending on the services available —whether the cab is air conditioned or not, and whether it offers radio services. The problem of uneven fares persists even though most cabs run with a meter. The minimum fare, and the rate for each kilometre vary. The State Transport Authority has been planning a downward revision in the minimum fare, from the present Rs35-40 to Rs30 for non-AC cabs. For such cabs, the per-kilometre fare, currently Rs8-9, will also be revised downward to Rs7. For AC cabs, the minimum fare that now stands at Rs60 will be reduced to Rs50; the per-kilometre fare, currently Rs14-16, will be reduced to Rs10-12.
Kumar said that this is only a preliminary plan, which could be altered after a meeting with cab owners. Also, fares will be dependent on the facilities available in the cab. The move is meant to make the cab services more easily accessible.
An official source with Meru Cabs said, "Currently, we charge Rs60 minimum up to 4km and Rs15 per kilometre after that. While revising the fares, the fact that all cabs do not offer credit card payment facility or geographical positioning systems should be borne in mind."
President of the Karnataka City Taxi Operators and Owners Association, T Prabhakar said, "There has been heavy competition in cab services. Commuters are often confused about fares; it is good that the State Transport Authority is seeking to intervene and standardise fares."

40, 39, 38... ZIP, ZAP, ZOOM!

40, 39, 38... ZIP, ZAP, ZOOM!
STANDING TOLL
The Hosur Road-Electronics City flyover will be thrown open to the public within the next 40 days, i.e., as soon as the electronic toll collection system is in place
RENUKA PHADNIS


The Hosur Road-Electronics City flyover will be ready for use within the next 40 days. There are two major tasks as yet to be executed. One, the electronic toll collection (ETC) system is not yet in place. Two, a Government of India notification is awaited by the consortium (Soma Constructions, Nagarjuna and Maytas) to permit it to start collecting toll from flyover users. Unless and until the issue of traffic management is sorted out, it cannot be thrown open to the public.
“This is unlike any other project. So even though the flyover is ready, the plazas and the equipment required to collect toll from road users have not yet been installed. Work is going on and it will take a month more to be ready,” said Brigadier Deshpande, an employee working with Bangalore Elevated Tollway Limited, which is the concessionaire (that is, the entity which has got the Build-Operate-Transfer (BOT) project). “So, even though the flyover is ready, the project cannot as yet take off,” he said, referring to the still-inprogress traffic management system. “Right now, the flyover is like a building with walls. Unless its pipes, lights and toilets work, it cannot be used,” he said.
“The toll collection is like a banking transaction — it must work correctly. It is no longer about a chap sitting at the gate and collecting cash. A company is writing a programme for us and that has to be tested,” he said.
The customised software is being executed by an Australian company called Efkon. “But the company is in no way responsible for the state of affairs or the delay,” he said.
“The second reason is that we are waiting for a notification to be issued by the Government of India permitting us to collect toll,” said Brig Deshpande. The notification is expected in a few days,” he said.
OK, BUT WHEN EXACTLY?
“I don’t think I can give an accurate answer. There is no point in giving a date. I don’t want to raise public expectations and then disappoint the people — that is unfair to the public. But we are very near there. It will very likely start within the next 40 days. We are very hopeful that it will start by that time,” said Brig Deshpande.
SOFTWARE CHALLENGES
On Saturday, Brig Deshpande had said that there were hardware and software glitches delaying the ETC. However, on Monday, he denied any such issue. “We are not handicapped when it comes to technology and work is going on in full swing. It is just a difference in public perception and reality (about the flyover). There are nitty-gritties of the project that only the consortium members are aware of (which the public is not aware of),” he said.
CONSORTIUM-ELCIA COMMUNICATION GAP
One reason for the delay in the toll collection work appears to be a lack of information as regards the exact number of users. While the consortium mailed and asked Electronic Cities Industries’ Association (ELCIA) about the exact number of people who will use the elevated roads, there was no response from ELCIA.
“We are keen to see this project start as we are most affected by it. We asked ELCIA to give us an estimate of the number of probable users but there has been no response from them. I am waiting since the last two months for a reply,” said Brig Deshpande.
He said that ELCIA has been monitoring the project from day one and that he had received several enquires from ELCIA about when the project would start. He said, “They are our target customers. This project is for E-City people and we are surprised that they (ELCIA) do not know how many people will use the road. I think they themselves don’t know the numbers.”
How will knowing the number of users help? In the ETC, the vehicle does not have to stop. There is no exchange of cash at the toll gate. An ‘onboard unit’ is mounted on the vehicle’s windshield and it is read by the scanner. If the unit is valid, the gates open automatically. “These units are expensive and knowing the number of users would have helped us immensely. Anyway, now the project is nearing completion and we no longer need that information,” said Brig Deshpande.
ELCIA CEO Prakash Rao said that it had tried assessing the number of users but got no responses from individual companies. ELCIA had done its own study and the results were handed over to the consortium. “But it is not possible to assess the exact number of users right now. We will get to know the exact number of users only 15 days after the flyover becomes functional,” said Rao.

No joy over flyover in Cox Town

No joy over flyover in Cox Town

Beneath the brand new, yet-to-open flyover at Cox Town lies a once-posh area, which has gone to seed, with no service roads, street lights and utility services. The flyover construction has turned the area into a hub of unscrupulous elements.

The flyover is being readied on a war-footing for dedication to the public, apparently with an eye on the Bruhat Bangalore Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) elections.

But it is too obvious that the poor state of affairs under the grade separator has been totally glossed over. Irked by the shoddy job, residents and traders of Cox Town have decided to stage a protest during the inauguration of the flyover.

“We will not let the inauguration of the flyover happen unless the two-side service roads, parking area and gardens under the flyover are readied. We will observe a Cox Town Bandh on the day of inauguration if our demands are not met. We also want all the utility services well in place,” said N S Ravi, president of the Bharathinagar Residents’ Forum, a resident of Cox Town.

A visit to the area reveals the less-than-desirable condition in which the residents have been living and the traders struggling to keep their businesses alive. A major business zone, this stretch from Cox Town to ITC Factory hardly has any customer, but there are anti-social elements aplenty.

“In the absence of street lights, sanitary lines, parking facilities and service roads, this area has become a favoured destination of anti-social elements,” said Kishore of Siyal Automobiles. Such shady activity has forced at least 20 shops on this stretch to down shutters.

The delay in completing the infrastructure project has made the residents name it the ‘latest’ flyover. This flyover was started on June 26, 2006 with a promise that it would be completed by December 15, 2007. With an initial estimated budget of Rs 15 crore, the cost of the project escalated to Rs 22 crore, said official sources.

The flyover was supposed to be inaugurated by January 1 but this appears to be a distant dream. Sources, however indicated that the flyover would be ready for public use by January 15, well before the BBMP elections.

Sanitation crisis
Sanitation has always been a burning issue in various areas of Bangalore. However in an area like Cox town one hardly expects that the flyover meant to add to the beauty of the city while easing traffic bottlenecks, will be complemented by heaps of garbage and the stench of urine spread all over.

The absence of service roads brings engails numerous sanitation and drainage problems making life miserable for residents and shopkeepers in the area.

The sanitation and the health department seem to be unaccountable with regard to accumulated piles of garbage growing in number by the day.

The absence of street lights in the area forces people to play hopscotch with the garbage strewn all across the roads and street corners. To add to the filth poor sewerage lines let out the raw sullage from the residential houses on to the roads.

Placement of garbage bins is the least that can be done to meet this problem in this area but this has not been considered, leave alone regular collection of garbage. The garbage and sullage are breeding grounds for carriers of many epidemics such as dengue and malaria.

Due to the extreme lack of hygiene, residents are forced to use bottled water even for meeting their basic household needs. "We the residents of this area pay Rs 3.5 per sq. ft. and Rs10 per sq. ft. as property tax for residential and commercial premises respectively since the this area falls under zone 'C", but the people here are hardly getting any benefit," said the president of the Bharathi Nagar Residents Forum.
The worst victims are the small business owners whose livelihoods have been endangered ever since the underpass project was launched. Venkatarammaiah and Brothers, a shop that has been one of the strongest concerns for more than sixty years now was left with no choice but to shut down due to the lack of business. Cox town has some of the major outlets of some big business concerns.

The waste scattered in front of these shops deters customers from entering even these shops. There are other victims too, such as the 500 students of a school in the areas.

Bangalore roads: The year ahead

Bangalore roads: The year ahead
Bangalore, Dec 28, DHNS:

Year 2010 is slated to witness many changes for Bangalore traffic. The first half will be challenging as more flyovers and underpasses will begin. Underground portion of the metro rail work will also start and BBMP will begin work on 11 signal free corridor.

The second half will be important as most of the flyovers and underpasses taken up in 2009 will be thrown open for public use. There would be more men on ground to manage vehicular movement as the Bangalore Metro Rail Corporation Limited (BMRCL) will give 600 men to assist the traffic police till the project is completed.

In the new year, the traffic police have resolved to coordinate better with civic agencies to minimise inconvenience to public, bring in further improvement in road users’ behaviour by launching campaigns with educational institutions and other offices with the involvement of NGOs, give better training to policemen on ground, and take stern action against traffic violators, besides adopting a zero tolerance attitude.

The number of traffic signals will come down drastically as more flyovers, underpasses and over bridges are to be opened in 2010. The foundation stone for a traffic training and road safety institute will be laid at Thanisadra which will take one year to be functional. The number of pelican lights and blinkers will also be increased next year.

Surveillance cameras and Blackberry

Surveillance cameras and Blackberry
Bangalore, Dec 28, DHNS:

The year witnessed massive induction of technology in traffic management with 160 surveillance cameras being installed at important junctions. These cameras helped the police in deciding on remedial measures fast wherever there were traffic woes

The police kept utilising blackberry and decided to phase out paper notice for traffic violations. These initiatives brought remarkable improvement in road users’ behaviour. Says Praveen Sood: “People changed for two reasons: fear of being caught by the police and imposition of fine. Things will change if the improvement comes from within.”

Bangalore City is at least one year ahead of Mumbai, Kolkatta, Delhi, Hyderabad and Chennai in terms of usage of technology in traffic management, says Sood.

Drop in fatal accidents:
The dip in the number of road accident related deaths has been apparent this year. Compared to the previous years, the number of accidents and deaths came down. Last year, 892 deaths were reported, while till December end this year, the number is 740. The number was 981 in 2007. This despite inclusion of areas upto Devanahalli and Chikkajala.

Stern action:
The police adopted zero tolerance in handling traffic violations. There was positive response from BMTC as the police recovered Rs 25 lakh in form of fine amount from it. Moreover, the BMTC drivers visited traffic management centre to learn more on safe driving.
Staff not enough?:

The staff strength to handle complex Bangalore traffic problems seems to be insufficient. Presently, the department has a strength of 2,500 of all ranks, besides assistance of 250 home guards. But, Sood views it differently. “It is not a question of adding more men, but that of utilising technology effectively. If we are able to utilise technology effectively, we can yield results within existing staff. The department spent 15,000 man days to train 3000 policemen for five days, he signed off.

Traffic management gets tech-savvy

Traffic management gets tech-savvy
Jagadish Angadi

The deadly mix of mounting vehicular traffic, diversions galore due to the ongoing Metro Rail work and unceasing violations had Bangalore roads in a tizzy. Here’s a look at how things were tackled in 2009.

The volume of traffic on Bangalore’s roads surged in 2009 and perhaps for the first time in City’s history the year witnessed launch of several traffic management projects. There was large-scale technology integration aimed at reducing the traffic policeman’s burden and improving the road users’ behaviour.

The number of accidents - minor and fatal - came down even as the Metro rail work began on all the four stretches. However, traffic violation cases shot up thus earning more revenue in the form of penalty to the police account.

This is how Additional Commissioner of Police (Traffic & Security) Praveen Sood sums up the year: “It has been a mixed bag for the police, with both achievements and setbacks. The work on record number of projects taken up with the objective of decongesting roads, however caused inconvenience to the public. But, these projects will bring relief to road users next year. More space on roads was consumed for construction of flyovers, underpasses, overbridges, Metro rail project and cable/pipe laying and replacing projects. This slowed down traffic movement and led to congestion in residential areas as vehicles had to take alternative route. Despite this, there were hardly any incidents of traffic gridlocks.”

Traffic projects
The year saw launching of as many as 25 road projects including construction of flyovers, underpasses and overbridges. The work on flyovers in Horamavu, Somanahalli, ITC, ‘O’ Farm, Hosur road, Peenya (both elevated), underpasses in Puttenahalli Kadirenahalli and railway overbridges in Benaganahalli and Nayandalli began during the year. This apart, the Metro rail work on all the four reaches MG Road-Byappanahalli, Jayanagar-Majestic, Peenya-Majestic and Mysore Road-Majestic also took off.

The police could ensure fairly smooth traffic movement as they adopted scientific and practical approach in reducing traffic woes due to implementation of many projects simultaneously.

“We synchronised traffic signalling system and introduced additional signal lights wherever necessary. This reduced burden on cops on the ground. We relocated ground force in those areas where there were no signals. We also deployed forces to such areas where it was absent. Installation of new traffic signals and relocation of the force ensured that the traffic situation did no go out of control. Synchronisation of signals from International Airport to Hebbal flyover and on JC Road also ensured smooth traffic flow,” said Sood.

Old Bangalorean bemoans loss of green character

Old Bangalorean bemoans loss of green character

Stafff Reporter


S.G. Neginhal: Trees are invaluable
Climate change and Copenhagen may have pushed environmental issues to the fore, and garnered some media attention, but 2009 denuded the once lush green roads of Bangalore, and saw the implementation of “development” works that are likely to further strip the city of its green character. The widening of roads and the Namma Metro project saw tree-lined avenues reduced to bare, dusty and unrecognisable stretches.

S.G. Neginhal, former Indian Forest Service Officer, grieved over the loss thus:

“Much of the work put into greening Bangalore, especially in the 1980s, has been destroyed. Lakhs of trees are being unnecessarily felled in the name of development. They could have been saved had there been some planning.

Not a solution
“The Government appears to have woken up to this problem when a Minister recently said that road widening is not really a solution to traffic woes. This sort of late thinking is destroying the city’s environment. All cities need lung spaces and roads need trees … for … city life to be healthy and sustainable. Trees absorb carbon dioxide, filter dust and reduce temperature by at least two degrees. More importantly, they are invaluable in that they provide habitat for birds and smaller animals.

“Bangalore has indeed become unrecognisable in the past two years. Owing to Metro work the face of M.G. Road has changed radically. Earlier, at least the city’s suburbs had had native trees such as neem, tamarind, ficus trees, and so on. Soon, the city will expand into Tumkur, Nelamangala and even Hoskote. And if we authorities don’t wake up to this problem, all our agricultural land, lakes, wetlands and trees will be lost forever.”

BBMP scouting for parking space, under a park

BBMP scouting for parking space, under a park

Sharan PoovannaFirst Published : 28 Dec 2009 04:34:00 AM IST
BANGALORE: It is a truth, universally acknowledged, that Bangalore has more cars than parking spaces. Multilevel parking, setting up new parking enclosures, and other measures adopted by the Bruhat Bangalore Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) have not really stopped cars from jostling for that elusive kerb to park by. However, forced by the lack of parking space on the ground, BBMP is now scouting the underground of the city’s parks for some parking room.
Bharat Lal Meena, BBMP commissioner told Express: “We are identifying locations for these basement parking and other multi-storey proposals on an experiment basis. If the projects pay off, then there will be more of the same to ease the parking congestion.” A likely space for an underground parking site is the park opposite Sampige Theatre, said H Rajhamsa, technical advisor to BBMP.
He said that his technology of building under-parks and grounds without disturbing the upper soil content could soon be implemented as the BBMP is willing to experiment with outof- the-box solutions.
Rajasimha had patented the technology to build underground parks two years ago. An area under the ground is fortified with the use of steel without disturbing the top soil, he said. “Flooding and other natural calamities can be controlled to a large extent with proper design, technology and sewage facilities,” he said.
Rajasimha said that other parking solutions include multilevel parking, basement that can be built within 26 hours, and under-road parking that can be built without disturbing traffic.

Evening rain surprises B’lore

Evening rain surprises B’lore
Shoppers, Motorists Caught Unawares
TIMES NEWS NETWORK

Bangalore: Weekend revellers and shoppers were caught unaware with a sudden shower on Sunday evening. The rain lashed most parts of the city, leaving scores of people stranded on roadsides.
This has also intensified the chilly winter breeze in Bangalore. According to the meteorological department, the temperature in the day remained above normal, around 18.3 degree Celsius. “The normal temperature during this season is 15 degree Celsius. The temperature could have fallen in evening,” a met official said.
“The rain is due to trough line or a mild low-pressure area in the Arabian Sea and the Bay of Bengal, mainly near the Tamil Nadu coast,” the officer added.
Light to moderate rain is likely to continue for a couple of days. Last week, the temperature in the city was 23-25 degree Celsius.
POWER CUTS HIT HARD
Parts of South Bangalore were plunged into darkness for many hours on Saturday. This was because maintenance work was in progress at Subramanyapura.
Also, many areas didn’t get power for several hours on Sunday too. However, Bescom denied any unscheduled power cut in the city, although Girinagar and Jayanagar (all blocks) faced unscheduled power cut throughout the day.
“For the past few days, we have faced too much unscheduled power cuts. The least Bescom should do is to inform us. Residents were unable to even pump water due to power interruption,” said a resident of BTM Layout. Even J P Nagar, Ramco Layout and other areas had to go without power till 7 pm on Saturday.
“There has not been any interruption other than the scheduled one-hour power cut between 9 am and 6 pm. We have not taken up any maintenance work on Sunday. We are not sure about the issue that residents are referring to,” said S at hyap re m a Kumar, Bescom general manager.

THE CITY BEAUTIFUL

THE CITY BEAUTIFUL
Bangalore East comprises some of the city’s best areas, including the city centre; BBMP has some positive proposals to make it ...
Aarthi R | TNN

Bangalore: One of the oldest and core areas of Bangalore, Bangalore East zone is dotted with defence campuses and calm, residential localities, with a major section belonging to the gracious old British Cantonment.
A compact zone of 35 wards, many of the old wards had never faced problems with roads — except for a few congested zones like Jogupalya and interior parts of New Thippasandra. The new layouts like Kalyan Nagar and HRBR Layout have broad and neatly-laid roads.
PENDING WORKS
The main problem here is not plans for the future, but old works which are not complete. Many businessmen in this part of Bangalore have been out of business for some seasons now, not thanks to the recession but because road works alongside grade separators have blocked all access to shops. And the work seems to be going on for years now.
The ROB at the busy Wheeler Road-Cox Town junction near Fraser Town is a classic example. It’s been a long wait for this bridge since June 26, 2006. The original plan — listed on a bent and rusted project display board on site — says it should have been completed in 18 months (December 25, 2007) and cost Rs 15 crore. But three years have passed, and Rs 20 crore spent, and the latest deadline is still January 18, 2010. The project was taken up jointly by the BBMP and Railways.
The people here are unhappy. “The flyover is happening. But where is the service lane? Further, there are still no proper water or sanitary lines. Is it worth the long wait?’’ asks N S Ravi, president of Bharathinagar Residents’ Forum. The residents are planning on a dharna in the coming days against the incomplete works on the ROB. Residents in other surrounding areas also complain about the shoddy road works. “Very often, they re-coat good roads, and miss the roads that actually need repair! Can this be changed, at least now?’’ they ask.
With time, places like Indiranagar, New Thippasandra, Fraser Town and CMH Road have almost seen a sea-change.
Prem Raj, a resident of Indiranagar, writes on issues in his area during recent times:
“Since August 2009, road works are in progress on 13th Cross. This half-km of road is still under repair, affecting traffic to Kavery Layout, GM Palya and New Thippasandra...’’
“During August, I had also requested to shift my BSNL telephone connection from Hanumanthnagar to this area. After submitting the application at BSNL office (Indiranagar), they said there was no junction bob in the area to give a connection! Quite interesting: In India, when even remote places are getting telephone connections, a prime hub in the centre of the city is not able to provide one!’’ he says.
THE GOOD NEWS
Complaints in many other areas get due importance. For instance, Reach 1 of Namma Metro work, that runs through this zone, appears to have kick-started a lot of road reforms in the surrounding areas, particularly around Byappanahalli depot area and C V Raman Nagar. Remote areas with no proper access, like Kasturinagar, now have broad, enviable stretches of road. Even CMH Road, bruised by the Metro, is seeing a facelift, with parts of it being laid again.
LOOKING AHEAD BBMP initiatives are supported by ABIDe, with inputs from leading architectural firms Plan is to bring in concept of urban design to public spaces; will also preserve few bits of heritage left Will be extended mainly to dense junctions which have a mix of pedestrian and vehicular traffic Brigade Road junction is first of four such major plans — these junctions most often have people rushing to cross roads and heritage elements being sidelined and almost lost Focus areas: pedestrian facilities, public plazas, clear facilities for public transport