Sights, sounds and smells from Bangalore

Another boycott of autos brewing

2010-09-07T07:42:00.000+05:30

Another boycott of autos brewing
Today’s strike by autowallahs has triggered angry responses from commuters, with several calling for a mass boycott of autos
Neethu.Reghukumar @timesgroup.com

With the city’s autowallahs going off the roads on Tuesday — this time, it is to press their demands for subsidies to buy digital meters and financial aid to purchase four-stroke autos — the patience of Bangaloreans is wearing thin.
There is a growing opinion that commuters should once again boycott autos on Wednesday — as they did on Aug 12 — to register their protest against tampered meters and the rude behaviour of many auto drivers.
A Bangalore Mirror reader, D Hemachandra Babu, has written asking people to boycott autos on Wednesday. He said,”By going on a strike on Tuesday, the auto drivers seem to have taken Bangaloreans for granted. They are assuming that they can strike at will. I request Bangaloreans to teach the auto drivers a lesson by boycotting autos on Wednesday, Sept 8, so that they incur a loss of income for one more day. Hope the public co-operates.”
Others are of a similar opinion. M V Nahusha Raj, honorary director, Bangalore Kidney Foundation, said, “Auto drivers in Bangalore go on strike on flimsy g r o u n d s . Fortunately, the city’s public transport system is a good standby on such occasions. Once the Metro Rail starts, demand for autos will dwindle. By resorting to such strikes, auto drivers are losing whatever goodwill they have. It will send the right message if people boycott them for two days.” Nahusha suggested that on the lines of the monthly Bus Day, citizens should boycott autos for two days in a month.
Shalini Majumdar, an IT professional, said, “Every time they keep increasing the fare and the government listens to them. We commuters have no say in the matter. Most of them are so rude. I have decided not to take an auto on Tuesday and Wednesday.”
Shruthi, a junior designer with Big Design, said,”I feel we should boycott them on Wednesday. These autowallas charge one and a half times the fare even during the daytime. They concoct all kinds of excuses to extract more money from commuters. They should be taught a lesson.”
Speaking for the auto drivers, Srinivas Murthy, vice-president of the CITU-affiliated autorickshaw drivers’ union, said, “We suspect the boycott is being provoked by some officials or individuals. No one is really against the service provided by autos. We know there is a problem with drivers’ behaviour and meters, and we are working to improve this. We too will take up checking of meters.”

BDA’s ‘dirty’ alternative to fill lakes

2010-09-07T07:41:00.002+05:30

BDA’s ‘dirty’ alternative to fill lakes
Commissioner moots filling up of rejuvenated lakes with treated sewage water before CM can be invited for their inauguration
Niranjan.Kaggere @timesgroup.com

WITH the monsoon coming to a close, the Bangalore Development Authority has come up with a ‘novel idea’ for refilling the 13 lakes that it has rejuvenated. It involves filling them up with ‘sewage water’.
The BDA, which took up lakes’ rejuvenation work at a cost of Rs 100 crore, plans to refill them with treated sewage water as the rainfall has been inadequate and the authority began cleaning up works three months late.
Chief Minister B S Yeddyurappa had kicked off the rejuvenation work on Ullal lake, one of the lakes selected for the clean-up operation, on May 27, 2009. During inauguration, he had said, “I assure you that by end of 12 months, I will be back to inaugurate the lake for public use.”
The BDA is trying hard to refill the lakes before Yeddyurappa can be invited for the inauguration. Hence, it is looking at Bangalore Water Supply and Sewerage Board (BWSSB) for help (refilling the lakes).
Though a few lakes have received good spells of rains, the water has not been enough to fill them. When asked about the mammoth task of refilling the tanks in view of the monsoon coming to a close, BDA Commissioner Bharat Lal Meena said, “If we don’t get sufficient rains, we can get it from BWSSB. There’s a lot of sewerage and it can be treated and released into these tanks. We are in talks with the BWSSB and hopeful of getting sufficient amount of water.”
The BDA is yet to complete the rejuvenation work. Ninety per cent of the work has been completed, while some minor works - fencing, laying of pavements for walkers and planting of saplings - still remain. Meena says these would be completed at the earliest. Water-logging was common in the city during rains. But the BDA promises that it would not happen again. “One of the reasons for not getting sufficient water in these lakes is because many areas become waterlogged during the rains. We are studying the pattern of water flow and trying to make sure the water collected in the catchment areas reach the lakes. The task will be outsourced to an independent agency,” said Meena.
CARETAKERS FOR LAKES
After the rejuvenation, the BDA has to hand over the lakes to the BBMP for maintenance. However, the handover is unlikely to happen for the next one year. “We cannot tell when we will hand over these lakes to the BBMP. We scaled down some of the ornamental works, thinking that it could be taken up at a later stage. Within a year, we will complete that and till then, we will maintain the tanks. But we will discuss this matter with the BBMP,” he said.
The commissioner also said the locals and villagers will be included in committees for the safe management of lakes.
REVIVAL FOR 29 LAKES
The BDA has been entrusted with the task of rejuvenating another 29 lakes. A decision in this regard was taken by the BBMP officials in May-June this year. “Though an official government order is yet to come, we will be taking up the survey work to prepare a detailed project report. If all goes well, in the next three months, we will commence work on all the 29 lakes,” said a top official of the Bangalore Development Authority.

Child’s play? NO WAY

2010-09-07T07:41:00.001+05:30

Child’s play? NO WAY
IT’S DIFFICULT FOR KIDS TO FIND SPACE TO PLAY. THEIR SEARCH TAKES THEM FAR AND WIDE, WITH DEADLY CONSEQUENCES AT TIMES
Sunitha Rao R | TNN

Bangalore: Who plays in BBMP’s playgrounds? Not children!
Strangely, many playgrounds in the city have been converted to youth clubs, making it impossible for children below 14 years to even enter the grounds, let alone playing. College students and members of clubs use these spaces for their tournaments.
Children below 14 are not allowed to join them and playing wherever they can, most often in front of their houses even as traffic flows by.
What’s worse, playgrounds in many areas are encroached upon and converted for commercial purposes. “In many playgrounds, especially in Jayanagar East, there are skating clubs, basketball, athletic, gymnasium training camps. Only members are allowed there, and children of the area are left without space to play,” says B Chandrappa, former playground officer, BBMP.
The BBMP’s plans to involve residents and corporators to give children back their space have remained on paper. “We’d planned to form a committee to monitor playgrounds but it’s still in the pipeline,’’ admit BBMP officials.
Residents point out that local politicians support youth sports clubs and encourage them to use the playgrounds. “When we come to play with children in the Jayanagar Kittur Rani Chennamma playground beside our house, it’s usually occupied by others. Many of them aren’t even from surrounding areas. Our children end up playing in front of homes or on terraces,” said Manasa Ravi, a resident of Pipeline Road in Jayanagar East.
Besides, many schools use playgrounds in their vicinity for regular physical education classes and that reduces space for games like football or cricket which children love to play with friends after school.
NO BUDGETARY PROVISION
BBMP’s Rs 8,488-crore budget has no funds for providing playgrounds, even in newly added wards where children have no space to play.
‘GIVE US SOME SPACE’
We’re a group of seven boys who come to Kittur Rani Chennamma Stadium thrice a week to play cricket. But every time, it’s the same problem — there’s no space left for us as there’s always some tournament or the other or practice session of adults or college students will be already playing there. After 7pm, it’s less crowded but our parents don’t like us playing there after dusk as it’s not safe. We play on roads but that is equally unsafe. There should be a separate playground, exclusively for children.
—Naveen K V | CLASS 8 STUDENT, JAYANAGAR
OFFICIAL LINE
There are totally 154 playgrounds in the older wards maintained by BBMP. Earlier, BBMP’s education department had appointed a playground officer who would take care of all the playgrounds. Now, with decentralization in place, eight zones of BBMP (engineering department) have taken up the maintenance of playgrounds in their limits. However, BBMP is yet to make room for playgrounds in newly added wards. Wards like DJ Halli, Shakambari Nagar and Maruthi Seva Nagar have no playgrounds though they’re in the core areas.

Autos, city taxis off roads today

2010-09-07T07:40:00.000+05:30

Autos, city taxis off roads today
TIMES NEWS NETWORK

Bangalore: Office-goers, schoolchildren, shoppers and other commuters are best advised to make their own transport arrangements on Tuesday, as autodrivers have decided to join the all-India strike. The cause: welfare and rise in prices. The strike will be on from 6 am to 6 pm.
Au t o d r ive r unions told The Times of India that they are participating in the strike to force the state government to address their demands.
The unions are demanding the establishment of an autodrivers’ welfare board that will address their needs from time to time, a house for each licensed driver from the BDA or a housing cooperative society authorized by the government, public distribution system cards to enable them to buy essential goods at lower prices and action against private financiers who are charging astronomical rates of interest for loans. The drivers also want loans to enable them to convert analog meters into digital meters.
Schools that depend on autos to ferry their pupils will decide on Tuesday morning whether to declare a holiday or not. The Karnataka Auto and Taxi Drivers’ and Women Welfare Association, as also the BJP-affiliated auto drivers’ association, won’t support the strike. Meru and Easy Cabs will ply to the airport as usual. Some autos, pvt taxis will ply No Holiday For Schools; BMTC To Deploy Additional Buses
Bangalore: Though their demand for a hike in fares was met, autodrivers are on strike on Tuesday to draw attention to their other demands of housing, PDS and loans. “Normal protests don’t seem to move the government. We have to resort to a strike to make it respond,” M Manjunath of Adarsha Union said.
He said the demands have been long pending, but no one in the government seemed to care. “How else do we tell them what we face? Else, let the government do something to reduce prices.”
SOME AUTO UNIONS AGAINST STRIKE
An auto union owing affiliation to the BJP said it won’t support the strike. “We were on protest very recently and most of our demands were accepted. Why should we go on protest again? Is this right? We suspect that some parties against the BJP are instigating autodrivers to strike,” a union member said. The Karnataka Auto and Taxi Drivers and Women Welfare Association will not support Tuesday’s strike.
In a statement issued on Monday, they said they were satisfied with the introduction of green autorickshaws being made mandatory, one-piece glass and others. “We strongly oppose the proposed autorickshaw strike on Tuesday in the interest of the three big festivals — Ramzan, Mary’s Feast and Ganesha Chathurthi. There are possibilities of untoward incidents such as attacks on drivers, damage to vehicles of those who intend to ply, and therefore we request the police department to provide protection,” the statement said.
Representatives of Lorry Owners and Agents’ Association said lorries will not participate in the strike as the state government had agreed to address their demands on sand transport and toll levy. “We will wait for another week. Then we will take a call,” a member said.
SOME TAXIS ON STRIKE
City taxis on radio call will participate in the strike, while private taxis will not. Taxis coming under Meru and Easy Cab will ply to the airport.
MORE BMTC BUSES
BMTC has said it will deploy additional buses to help commuters reach offices and business areas. “We have surplus buses. It will not be a problem to deploy them in the interest of the public,” senior BMTC officials said.
SOME SCHOOLS HIT
Schools which depend on autorickshaws to ferry their children may be hit. These schools are contemplating whether to declare a holiday or not, depending on the situation on Tuesday. “There is a possibility that the strike could be called off. We will decide on Tuesday morning after confirming about the strike,’’ the authorities said. But a majority of schools said they will function as usual.

Where are autos with tampered meters hiding?

2010-09-07T07:39:00.000+05:30

Where are autos with tampered meters hiding?
AKANKSHA MEHROTRA
DC | BENGALURU

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While commuters seem to find a number of autos with tampered meters on the roads, a recent three day drive by the transport department surprisingly came across very few such autos running in the city.
Of the 2,117 autos inspected, only 10 had tampered with their meters.
Considering the innumerable complaints received against autos running with faulty meters, transport officials expected to find several of them on the roads, but were taken aback to come across so few of them.

Speaking to Deccan Chronicle, assistant controller of the legal metrology department, M.
Gopalappa said the special drive was conducted by the transport department in collaboration with his department in response to the sev eral complaints received from commuters about auto drivers trying to cheat them by manipulating their meters to show a higher fare than they should charge for the distance travelled. “But we did not come across many such autos during our inspection. Perhaps most of these autos were off the roads or the tampered meter had been calibrated back to normal,” he said, disclosing that most of the cases that were booked were against autos that had not renewed their fitness certificate.

But the transport department intends to deploy additional staff to identify

autos plying with faulty meters to make sure that none of them get away in future. "We will conduct surprise inspections until this menace is rooted out.
Cases are being booked at the Nagarbhavi RTO and we are seizing all the faulty meters," Mr. Gopalappa added.
The departments are also trying to find other ways of trapping auto drivers running with tampered meters They are approaching the auto unions to help them out and catch the drivers red handed. Charge sheets are being filed against the auto drivers who have tampered with their meters,

Stop the noise! Bengaluru craves the sounds of silence

2010-09-07T07:38:00.000+05:30

Stop the noise! Bengaluru craves the sounds of silence
Bengaluru,

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With the festival season around the corner, the noise levels in Bengaluru are likely to go up several decibels with loudspeakers blaring music and huge processions on the streets. Health experts warn that noise pollution is not a mere nuisance, it can result in serious health disorders, report Sanchita Sen and Madhumitha B.

The city is noisy enough with traffic, but the decibel levels are about to rise with loudspeakers blaring music and processions crowding the streets as the festival season gets underway.
The city gets at least four times noisier this season, says Madhuri Gore of the Institute of Speech and Hearing, warning that while the repercussions are not immediately apparent, they are nonetheless hazardous in the long run.

Bhargavi Rao of the Environment Support Group (ESG) feels the problem is that celebrations have shifted from being simple and austere to being grand and excessively noisy today. "Festivals are not celebrated like they were some years ago. It isn't about the fun of bursting crackers anymore but more about putting up a show. People and political parties are competing with each other to see who can hold a grander celebration.

So there are more firecrackers, bigger loudspeakers and more people, all adding to the noise pollution,” she says, adding that the only way this can be curbed is to have more policemen patrolling the city to ensure that the rules are enforced. However, in her view noise pollution is high in the city all through the year and not just during the festive season. “Vehicles on roads and generators in commercial buildings are contributing hugely to the noise one has to put up with every

day,” she deplores.
Health experts warn it is not enough to see noise pollution as a mere nuisance as it can have serious consequences, sometimes even leading to permanent damage to the ears. “It may be

difficult to quantify the threat from the noise that we are exposed to along with the hazardous fumes of firecrackers this season, but it is time for the health department to step in and make more of an effort to contain it," they say.
Ask secretary for environ ment and ecology Kanwar Pal about what the govern ment is doing about noise pollution and he says restric tions are in place during the festive season to contain the noise levels, but it is hard to see that everyone follows them. "How does one ensure that the rules in place are enforced when the law breake ers outnumber the law e enforcers, he asks, pointing e out that while the regulations say firecrackers must not s make a sound of over 50 decibels, unless their manufacture ers toe the line, the people n cannot be held responsible for the noise they make. "The question here is one of self-regula tion and about indi viduals maintain ing some decorum and dis cipline in pub lic," he says. Anything beyond 60 decibel gets uncomfortable for the ears. As endurance levels are different, we see people come to us with different levels of the problem. Such cases are definitely increasingly during the festival season. We have time and again appealed to people to celebrate but with lesser noise.

DR SUNIL NARAYAN DUTT, senior consultant, ENT, Apollo Hospital We do not realise the effects of noise or the fact that the decibel levels are already high in the city. This leads to different degrees of stress that is vented out in different ways by different people. Studies have revealed that the lack of a goodnight's sleep during festivals can affect memory apart from hearing difficulties. Much of today's young generation suffers from hearing problems due to constant exposure to noise.

MADHURI GORE, Institute of Speech and Hearing Festivals are not celebrated in a proper manner anymore. There is no joy in bursting firecrackers.

It is just an exhibition of wealth.

Each community or political party is competing with one another to for a grand celebration. There are more fire crackers, big crowds and bigger loud speakers, all causing more and more noise pollution.

City loses its trees at high speed

2010-09-07T07:37:00.002+05:30

City loses its trees at high speed
AMIT S. UPADHYE
DC | BENGALURU

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: Minsk Square is a graveyard of trees. Twisted stumps stand where once an avenue of gulmohars, jacarandas and pink tabubia bloomed. MG Road is a construction site. Now, information obtained under RTI by green activists Hasiru Usiru finds the central part of Bengaluru and its enviable green canopy will see 371 fully mature trees chopped down and another 200 pruned! This is to pave the way for a controversial addition to the IT capital's transport system -a High Speed Rail Link that stretches 34 kms from BRV grounds near Chinnaswamy stadium through the Raj Bhavan Road to Hebbal lake, home to migratory birds, when it could as well start from beyond Hebbal. As if the damage Sept. 6: As if the damage caused by the massive felling of trees at Minsk Square for the Metro project was not enough, the proposed High Speed Rail Link, which will connect the city centre to Bengaluru International Airport is expected to bring down more than 500 fully grown trees in the next few years.
Apart from losing trees, there will be a huge impact on the environment in the central parts of Bengaluru.

The worst hit will be places like BRV Parade Grounds – the starting point of HSRL and Raj Bhavan Road, besides the historic Hebbal lake alongside which the high-speed lane will pass.

The information obtained by Hasiru Usiru, an NGO, after it filed an RTI on the felling of trees for the project, which was made available to Deccan Chronicle, says that 371 trees will have

to be uprooted completely while around 265 trees will have to be pruned.
“So why is the government bent on spoiling the aesthetic look of central Bengaluru,” ask green activists in the city, who say a strict no-no to the project.

Already, Minsk Square has lost its charm and there are little chances of the

famous boulevard on MG Road being restored to its original glory. "The 34-km long HSRL will be an addition to Namma Metro and the proposed suburban rail system. Do we really need three rail systems for Bengaluru"? ask the activists.
"The detailed project report(DPR) of Metro Rail says some 700 trees will have to be felled to get the project done. Not even 40 per cent of the total project is complete and already, close to 3,000 trees have vanished from the city’s map,” said Vinay Sreenivasa, a member of Hasiru Usiru.

According to him, the 324 page DPR, prepared for HSRL, shows that no prop

er Environment Impact Assessment (EIA) was done. "A project of this scale, has no mention about EIA and even an energy audit. If the train has to move at high speed, from where will the government get the required power?
Moreover, the train link will run next to the sensitive Hebbal Lake which is home to several species of birds," he said. Apart from losing trees, there will be a huge impact on the environment in the central parts of Bengaluru. The worst hit will be places like BRV Parade Grounds – the starting point of HSRL and Raj Bhavan Road besides the historic Hebbal lake.

Recharging lakes can help stop flooding

2010-09-07T07:37:00.001+05:30

Recharging lakes can help stop flooding

Staff Reporter
Twelve lakes have almost been rejuvenated, say officials

A NEW LEASE OF LIFE:Of the 14 lakes given to it, the BDA has completed 90 p.c. work on 12.
Bangalore: If the Bangalore Development Authority's (BDA) plan to recharge the city's lakes works, it could solve the perennial problem of flooding when it rains.

The BDA, which has almost rejuvenated 12 lakes, has appointed consultants to study the feasibility of channelising rain water — that otherwise accumulates on most roads and low-lying areas — into the lakes.

Talking to presspersons here on Monday, BDA Commissioner Bharat Lal Meena said STUP Consultants had been entrusted with the project. “We are also discussing with the Bangalore Water Supply and Sewerage Board (BWSSB) how to recharge the rejuvenated lakes,” he said.

Mr. Meena asserted that the idea was to treat sewage water and channelise it into the lakes apart from letting rainwater into them. “The city receives so much of rain but we don't know where it disappears. Although some of it flows into the stormwater drains. it ultimately gets mixed with sewage,” he said.

Of the 14 lakes handed over by the Bruhat Bangalore Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) to the BDA, 90 per cent of work on 12 had been completed. Work on the remaining two would start soon, he said.

More lakes

Pointing out that the BBMP had handed over 29 more lakes to the BDA for rejuvenation, Mr. Meena said detailed project reports (DPRs) on rejuvenating these water bodies were being prepared. “We will soon invite tenders for the rejuvenation and work is likely to start in three months,” he said.

The lakes would not be handed over to the BBMP soon after the rejuvenation as per the initial agreement. “After the rejuvenation, the cost of which has been scaled down from Rs. 300 crore to Rs. 100 crore, we will maintain the lakes for one year. After spending so much, we want the lakes to survive,” he said.

He added that the local residents' welfare associations and other organisations would be involved in maintaining the rejuvenated lakes.

Earlier, BDA officials, including BDA Deputy Conservator of Forests Amarnath M.V., inspected work on rejuvenation of Sompura, Konasandra, Kommaghatta, Ullal and Mallathahally lakes.

A load of garbage is destroying us

2010-09-07T07:36:00.000+05:30

A load of garbage is destroying us

Prahlad Rao

A city which woke up rest of India on cleanliness is still struggling to cobble a comprehensive policy on garbage disposal. Solid waste management rules were framed in 2000 after the SC intervention due to PIL filed by a member of an NGO from Bangalore.
Since then the city has toyed with various schemes like supporting local initiatives of the residents welfare associations or NGOs and some hi-tech projects of the civic body. Everything that the government or the civic administration claims to have done does not provide a long term vision.
During the debate in BBMP there was talk of revising garbage collection contracts. The change that was tossed around pertains to giving contracts to two or three wards instead of current eight wards per contractor. If the proposal is passed it would mean too many contractors.
This step is devoid of any rationale as garbage disposal works on volumes. More the volume of collection better will be the incentive to deploy modern means like collection trucks with lids.
Take a look at what has been achieved till now. For the start, there is no plan to acquire a permanent landfill. Even Mavallipura landfill is mired in controversy because of health hazards.
But the solid waste management is not just about land fills, collection contracts or the recent talks of garbage cess.
The garbage management starts with the households, eateries and corporate entities. It is about the culture of garbage generation at these places and its storage before disposal. The households have to develop a culture or at least a habit of generating less garbage, be it the use of tissue paper or demanding plastic bags every time one buys half a kg of sugar.
The administration is supposed to educate the citizens about the way certain types of garbage pollutes the soil and water. The public should also be told to segregate (degradable and non-degradable) garbage and ensure that the segregated garbage is not mixed by the conservancy staff.
The Supreme Court Committee report, which formed the basis for the court verdict, had also set timeframe for reforms in waste management. These reforms range from awareness programmes for citizens to establishment of landfills. Some of the mandated tasks were: minimization of garbage generation, reuse and recycle, collection, composting, energy recovery and disposal in safe manner.
The deadlines were from six months to 36 months. Unfortunately, these recommendations remain mostly on paper as the administrations play with our lives.
We also resist many ideas in reducing garbage generated in the households and the offices. And this deliberate ignorance is corroding our lives

Link the lakes through channels, say experts

2010-09-07T07:35:00.002+05:30

Link the lakes through channels, say experts

Bosky Khanna

Even as the Bangalore Development Authority (BDA) looks satisfied with its efforts to rejuvenate 12 lakes, experts are critical of the programme. They say the ideal way to go about the task is to enhance the connectivity to the lakes, as it was done earlier.
The BDA dried up the lakes completely to clear the silt. Ring tank bunds were created around to give them a distinctive shape. Though the depth increased, the size of lakes shrank. Encroachments were cleared in all BDA lakes, while wetlands and water inlets had been channelled. What remained now, according to BDA officials, is fencing, afforestation, water to fill in, construction of boat jetties and construction of sewerage treatment plants in Kommaghatta and Malathahalli.
But experts suggested creation of treatment plants in all the lakes. The flow of water should be well directed, keeping in mind the upstream and downstream, they felt.
Hasiru Usiru member Rohan D'Souza was dissatisfied by the way Rachenahalli lake structure was designed. "The idea of feeding other water bodies by channelling the overflow has not been looked into," lamented D'Souza.
"Here the BDA has completely dried up the lake. This hampered the biodiversity and also had a cascading effect," said D'Souza.
"The BDA should ensure that the plants in the wetlands are cut once in three months so that the quality of water remains good. Charcoal and carbon notches should also be maintained periodically," said Prof Sriram, who has been guiding BDA on lake rejuvenation.
Environmentalist AN Yellappa Reddy said proper infiltration should be ensured to increase the underground water table.
He added that it would take at least one or two years to restore the required dynamics of the lakes. Biodiversity elements are already being incorporated with the introduction of guppies, weeds and sediments.

Here order is needed, not widening

2010-09-07T07:35:00.001+05:30

Here order is needed, not widening

If the crowded Dharmaraj Koil Street in Shivajinagar is to be widened, thousands of people will be rendered jobless. Traders say proper signals, strict enforcement of one-way and parking rules and clearance of footpaths can help in decongesting this busy, market area stretch

Shilpa CB

The streets of Shivajinagar are generous to the hawker and the street vendor but not so much to the motorist, especially during festive seasons. It is meant to be that way. Too bad if cars wanting a smooth passage through these short routes to the city are inconvenienced, say shoppers and vendors on Dharmaraj Koil Street, one of the many crowded lanes being considered for widening.
Those who depend on the street for their livelihood oppose the plan for obvious reasons. "Widening will help. But where shall I go? The government won't give any substitute land or compensation," says Ratnavelu Chettiar who runs a shop beside the 150-year-old Sri Ekambareshwarar Dharmaraja temple that lends its name to the street it stands on.
"Widening should not be done as thousands of people will become unemployed. Besides, the government is not giving any compensation," says Suhail TA, a businessman who has been operating from here since 1975.
"I will lose 5 ft of my shop. How will the traders benefit? It will only help the traffic needs of this road," Suhail says.
Clearly, the street is more than just a transit road for vehicles that use it as a link road to move from Ulsoor, Fraser Town, Cox Town and other areas towards Queen's Corner. Most hours of the day, it stays true to its character. "It's a market area. Naturally, there will be congestion," says Chettiar, in a matter-of-fact way.
A solution that is being proposed for regular roads will not do much for a bustling market area like this one, argue traders. Instead, the onus is on the traffic police to 'control' the traffic. There is no signal at the Taj Hotel Junction and the one-way rule applicable for part of the street is violated, they say. And 'control', to those sitting inside their shops, means clearing hawkers from the footpath and keeping away autos that linger around waiting for customers.
"There is no need to tamper with this street. If the footpaths are cleared, the public will walk on them instead of on roads," says Tanvir Ahmed, a perfume shop owner who also uses part of the road to advertise his wares. Haphazard parking is also blamed for making things difficult for shoppers, traders and passing traffic. Further away from the market, illegal parking of cars eats into the little space available.
"From Methodist Mission School to Nala Road or Bose Circle, you will find cars parked on both sides. Even one-way traffic can't move easily. Obvioulsy, there will be jams on this two-way street," says Ramu K who has been around for 53 years. Sreekanth PK, a grocery shop owner, says the street's proximity to Commercial Street makes it a free-for-all parking lot.
It will, however, be wrong to assume that widening the road will automatically make it orderly. The bustling market area will continue to grapple with several issues while functioning in the manner it does today. The many persistent civic problems will contribute to chaos.
"The drains, especially at the Lubbay Masjid Street Corner, overflow during rains. All repairs have only offered temporary relief. They don't do anything permanent here," says Ramu.
"When it rains, it is hellish here. The drainage problem is our biggest and long-standing complaint," says Abdullah Basha, owner of a grocery shop operating here for 40 years.
"Water flows in one direction when it rains. After it stops, it flows in the opposite direction. Sometimes, the water is knee-high. It even flows into my shop," Sreekanth says.
While pedestrians and residents complain of having to wade through sewage water during rains, others talk of the murky water that flows out of their taps.
"The water we get is not clean," says Lakshmi Padmanabha, who runs a small canteen here. They have no choice but to use the dirty water to cook the food to keep their business going.
What about road widening?
"The larger the road, the more will be the number of vehicles. Every one wants to own a car or a two-wheeler. That being the case, how can road widening help us," she asks.

Don't bank on the autos today

2010-09-07T07:34:00.002+05:30

Don't bank on the autos today

The drivers are likely to join the nationwide strike. The autorickshaws will be back on the roads by the time dusk sets in

Shwetha S

If you depend on autorickshaws to commute to work, be prepared for a little trouble today. Over 80,000 autorickshaws in the city are expected to stay off the roads between 6 am and 6 pm, as they join the all-India strike protesting the rising prices of commodities, and the failure of the Centre as well as the state government in acceding to demands for protection from inflation.
President of the autorickshaw drivers' union, Meenakshi Sundaram, said, "We will be supporting the strike call across the country. We are demanding ration cards and housing allowances for autorickshaw drivers. We also want a welfare board for those plying autorickshaws."
Owners and drivers of autorickshaws affiliated to different unions are expected to support the strike. Among the unions that have already declared their support for the strike call are the Autorickshaw Drivers' Union (ARDU, affiliated to CITU), the Adarsha Auto and Taxi Drivers' Union, and the Bangalore Autorickshaw Union.
President of the Adarsha Auto and Taxi Drivers' Union, N Manjunath, said, "All autorickshaws will be off the roads from 6 am to 6 pm in support of the strike call. The drivers will be joining the strike as the Karnataka government has not granted various demands that were raised earlier. Drivers will take out a procession that will go from Mysore Bank Circle to Town Hall, starting at 10.30 am."
Manjunath said that the rising prices have impacted autorickshaw drivers, just as it has affected a whole host of others. "All autos are expected to be off the roads. However, there are also rumours that some unions will not be joining the strike. The auto unit of the Kannada Rakshana Vedike, the Jaya Karnataka Auto Drivers' Union and the City Auto Drivers' Union may not participate," Manjunath said

An RTO that takes you for a ride

2010-09-07T07:34:00.001+05:30

An RTO that takes you for a ride

Y Maheswara Reddy | ENS First Published : 06 Sep 2010 11:51:00 AM IST
BANGALORE: The Road Transport Office in Jayanagar Shopping Complex is
enough to know about the apathy of the authorities towards the hundreds
of people who come here everyday.
People are forced to wait for more than 20 minutes, in queue, to reach the fourth floor of the complex, where the RTO office is located. On reaching the office, they are hounded by middlemen who offer their services for a sum. They make it clear that without their help, they would be stranded in the office
for hours.
Besides, the RTO office is not spacious enough to accommodate the hundreds of visitors who come here daily.
“We are looking for a spacious premises to shift this office. We
have already shortlisted three premises. A decision will be taken to shift this office shortly,” said L Lingaraju, Road Transport Officer, Jayanagar.
Visitors also complain that the employees of the RTO keep the toilets locked, to avoid public use, thereby, forcing them to use the public toilet located on the ground floor.
“There is no sufficient water supply to the toilets. Hence, it is
difficult to allow visitors to use the toilets. The authorities concerned
are yet to take measures to improve the water supply here,” said an
RTO official.
The shortage of manpower at the RTO is adding to the never-ending wait for the common man. Recently, two assistant road transport officers - one superintendent and three clerks - were suspended for issuing driving licence to a person who provided Minister for Transport R Ashok’s residential address
as his residential address and these posts were yet to be filled.
“The shortage of manpower comes in the way of clearing the backlog of applications for permanent driving licence. We need six more employees to cater to the needs of applicants,” said Shastri, Superintendent.
However, denying the allegations on the delay in issuing driving licence, Shivakumar Aradhya, Assistant Road Transport Officer said, efforts were being made to clear the pending applications. “As of now, the driving licences are being dispatched to applicants within seven days. Earlier, the waiting period
was 15 days, due to the shortage of manpower,” he said.
Meanwhile, the much-hyped driving simulator on the seventh floor has been out of order for the last few days. Speaking to Express, Lingaraju
said, “We have already informed the service engineer about the defunct simulator. He has to come from Hyderabad.”

Rain water harvesting: Do or dry: BWSSB

2010-09-07T07:33:00.000+05:30

Rain water harvesting: Do or dry: BWSSB

N R Madhusudhan | ENS First Published : 06 Sep 2010 11:35:50 AM ISTLast Updated : 06 Sep 2010 11:55:34 AM IST
BANGALORE: Bangalore Water Supply and Sewerage Board (BWSSB)
may soon get the authority to act against building owners who have not installed rain water harvesting (RWH) system in their buildings.
A recent amendment to section 109 of the BWSSB Act empowers the utility to file cases against those who do not comply with its notices.
“We have requested the government to grant us permission to cut off the water
and sanitary connections of the buildings that are in the area of 2,400 sq ft or more if they do not have RWH system.
It might be approved in the forthcoming cabinet meeting,” said BWSSB chairman P B Ramamurthy.
“We will first cut off the connections and if the building owners do not comply
even after that, we will think of suing them,” he added. If found guilty, the building owners can be sentenced to six months imprisonment. The BWSSB has till now issued three notices to more than 54,000 building owners.
The utility has collected acknowledgements of the notice from the building owners. Therefore, it can sue the building owners whenever it
wants to. Though the last date to install the RWH system was
May 27, only 20,000 building owners have installed it. The BWSSB has started
collecting data about the buildings that have installed the RWH systems and is feeding it in its geographical information system.
The utility has conducted awareness programmes and written letters to 700 government offices, 3,000 schools and 2,300 BWSSB employees,
asking them to install the system in their buildings. Very few government offices
have approached the BWSSB, seeking assistance regarding RWH.
Around 400 BWSSB employees have already installed RWH systems in their
buildings and some of them have installed them even though their buildings are
situated in an area of less than 2,400 sq ft. The RWH park that is being
constructed at Jayanagar is nearing completion.

BDA to revive 29 more lakes

2010-09-07T07:31:00.000+05:30

BDA to revive 29 more lakes
Bangalore, Sept 6, DHNS

The Bangalore Development Authority (BDA) will take up 29 more lakes for rejuvenation in the City limits.

The revival of ten lakes of the 12 lakes taken up has almost neared completion, according to BDA Commissioner Bharatlal Meena.

The BDA had taken up revival following 12 lakes at an estimated cost of Rs 104.61 crore. Ullal lake (rejuvenation cost: Rs 4.49 cr), Mallathahalli lake (Rs 22.95 cr), Kommaghatta lake (Rs 6.44 cr), Ramasandra lake (Rs 13.4 cr), Thalghattapura (Rs 2.4 cr), Konasandra (Rs 6.1 cr), Sompura (Rs 3.85 cr), Kothnur (Rs 3.6 cr), Jakkur-Sampigehalli (Rs 21.91 cr), Rachenahalli (Rs 19 cr) and Venkateshpura lake (Rs 47 lakh).

Except the Ramasandra and Mallathhalli lake, the rejuvenation of the remaining lakes have been almost completed.

The project has resulted in recharge of the groundwater table in the surrounding areas, Commissioner Meena told presspersons here on Monday.

The BDA will take up revival of 29 more lakes in the city limits. The lakes are: Manganahalli, Nelagadirenahalli, Narasappanahalli, Lingadeeranahalli, Amruthahalli, Gubbala, Hosakerehalli, Doddakallsandra, Avalahalli, Hosakere, Chunchanaghatta, Hulimavu, Arakere, Kembettanahalli, Vasanthapura, Bheemanakuppe, Kenchanapura, Kannenahalli, Chikkabasti, Soolekere, B Narayanapura, Chikkabettahalli, Garavebavipalya, Singasandra, Konanakunte, Byrasandrakere, B Channasandrakere, Kaggadasapura and Doddanekkundi. The detailed project reports for these lakes are under preparation.

Public participation

Bharatlal Meena said the BDA intends to involve Residents’ Welfare Associations (RWAs) of respective areas to maintain the rejuvenated lakes.

Suggestions would also be invited from the RWAs on protecting the water bodies from encroachment and pollution.

He said these lakes will emerge as tourist spots for the local residents besides providing a choicest destination for the winged guests coming from far-off places. The BDA has built a silt trap, waste water diversion and screening barriers to Sompura lake. These measures will keep the lake clean round the year, claimed BDA engineer Prakash G Pawar. Konasandra lake, spread over 34.14 acres in BSK 6th Stage, will be restored to its past glory soon. Covered with weeds, the water body was reduced to a small pond before the BDA undertook rejuvenation July last.

20 yrs on, this locality gets its RWA

2010-09-06T07:31:00.002+05:30

20 yrs on, this locality gets its RWA
TIMES NEWS NETWORK

Bangalore: Dollars Layout, where BBMP commissioner Siddaiah stays, finally has a proper residents welfare association in place with 110 members and a website as well.
The association and its website www.jpn4dollars.org was launched on Sunday. The big launch witnessed the presence of Jayanagar MLA B N Vijayakumar, corporator Chandrasekhara Raju and Siddaiah. This layout in J P Nagar with 400 BDA sites was formed during 1989-90 and has close to 200 houses today. Majority of the members have been living here for more than five years.
“With rapid development post-2003, we badly needed a proper association. There was one here before, but it was unregistered,’’ said association president Neelkante Gowda. The new association’s special gift to the Palike are free pushcarts for door-to-door garbage collection, which is being finalized. Alongside, they have also joined hands with the plastic-free Jayanagar initiative launched recently. Now, every house has been asked to segregate wet and dry garbage.
According to members, one of their other main problems is contamination of stormwater drains. “We are surrounded by dirty stormwater drains. We are now working with the BBMP to close these,’’ they said. The start has sure been good. The only hope is that such initiatives and efforts don’t go down the drain with time.

Email campaign for park gets CM’s attention

2010-09-06T07:31:00.001+05:30

Email campaign for park gets CM’s attention
Annoyed at Cubbon Park’s poor upkeep, senior citizens e-mail the chief minister to see things for himself. CMO takes note of the complaint
Niranjan.Kaggere @timesgroup.com

Its name is inextricably associated with that of Bangalore, and its budget runs into crores, but some parts of Cubbon Park look decidedly run down. The sorry state of affairs in the park — its official moniker is ‘Sri Chamarajendra Park’ — has galvanised a group of elderly morning walkers into shooting off an e-mail to the chief minister’s office. The senior citizens, all residents of J P Nagar, have requested chief minister B S Yeddyurappa to see things for himself by changing the route of his morning constitutional from the Vidhana Soudha garden to Cubbon Park.
The e-mail, a copy of which is with Bangalore Mirror, says, “Chief Minister Sir, we kindly request you to spare some time and walk from the Central Library to the Mahatma Gandhi Statue entrance as part of your daily walk, and you will see for yourself how badly the prestigious park has been maintained despite huge allocation of funds.”
Group representative Ramakrishna Udupa told this paper, “Most of the walkers and joggers in the park use this particular stretch. Sadly, it is the most ill-maintained part of the park. We have been frequenting the park for the past 15 years. Over the past five to six years, we have found its maintenance abysmal. The pavement and walking paths have been damaged beyond repair. Even the rose garden in front of the Sheshadri Iyer hall is not attended to regularly.”
Another senior citizen said, “People may think that ‘these oldies’ are unnecessarily complaining. But we have been seeing this poor maintenance for more than six years, hoping all the while that the (horticulture) department will get some ‘jnanodaya’ (enlightenment) one day. Not finding any improvement, we decided to ‘trouble’ the chief minister.”
Their strategy seems to have worked. Officials in the CMO have forwarded the e-mail to the horticulture department with a noting calling for the necessary remedial measures. A senior official in the CMO said, “The chief minister has also spoken to the horticulture minister to look into the matter.”

Potholes will stay till Nov

2010-09-06T07:30:00.000+05:30

Potholes will stay till Nov
The cash-strapped BBMP can’t afford special technology that is needed to carry out repairs during the monsoon
S Kushala bmfeedback@indiatimes.com

If potholed roads are ruining your commute, learn to live to with it, at least till mid-November. Last week, BBMP commissioner H Siddaiah issued a circular not to take up any road asphalting work till November 15. The reason is the cost.
“Laying new roads or carrying out asphalting in damp conditions requires a thicker grade of bituminous mixture. We have estimated that the cost would be 180 per cent more than what it is in dry conditions. Hence, we issued a circular to stop all road works till the end of the monsoon,” BBMP chief engineer (storm water drain and major roads) Chikkarayappa told Bangalore Mirror.
While the erstwhile BMP, covering 226 sq km, had a road network of nearly 3,000 km, BBMP has to deal with about 10,000 km.
The worst sufferers will be people living in the newly-added pockets. In most such places, black top roads were laid in places that had none earlier. But, these newly-laid roads are in deplorable condition.
THE ROAD STORY
On an average, BBMP spends nearly Rs 500 crore to Rs 700 crore every year on road-related works. In the 2010-11 budget, the allocation is over Rs 1,000 crore. These works comprise asphalting, white topping (concrete roads), black topping (tar roads), high density roads, pothole clearance and ward roads.
The BBMP spends Rs 13 lakh per km to lay a new basic road (two-lane stretch) and up to Rs 1 crore per km for a high density/major corridor.
As per standards, a new road comprises a single layer of water-borne macadam (a mixture of quarry dust and jelly stones) that is 200 mm to 250 mm thick.
During asphalting (fresh coat), a 40 mm to 50 mm layer of bituminous macadam or bituminous concrete is put on the road.
In case of a high-density stretch, a combination of all three mixtures is used, a BBMP engineer explained.
Roads get damaged if the contractor does not use the correct mixture in the right proportion. The result is roads getting washed away after a single downpour or potholes

Paint peels off 'beautified' walls

2010-09-06T07:29:00.000+05:30

Paint peels off 'beautified' walls

The wall painting work was done at a cost of Rs75 lakh; one year later, the BBMP mulls over shelling out Rs12 lakh to restore them

Bosky Khanna

It was a task undertaken on Independence Day, 2009, to leave city walls beautiful. A year later, the paint is peeling, and the walls need re-touching. The initial cost of painting up city walls was Rs75 lakh; the re-touching alone would cost about Rs12 lakh. But there is no agreement, even now, on whether the repair job on the wall paintings needs to be undertaken at all. Was painting up city walls the best way to beautify the city? And were those paintings so good that they should be maintained at public cost, with fresh re-touching each year?
Clean roads, natural greenery and properly managed solid wastes would go a far greater length in keeping the city clean, say some important opinion-makers in the city. There are even those who are peeved that the decision to paint walls was taken without any process of democratic consultation by the former commissioner of the BBMP, Bharat Lal Meena.
Admitting the need for touching up the paintings, Ramesh, chief engineer of the BBMP (West), who had also been in charge of the project to beautify city walls, said, "A survey of the areas where paint has peeled off will be started soon, and we have plans to re-paint the places where the paintings have frayed. Wherever possible, contractors responsible for the first round of painting will be engaged again."
BBMP commissioner Siddhaiah said that the paint has naturally withered off in some places and it must be repainted. He added that the quality of the paint used would be upgraded, so that it would stay on the walls longer. However, there are those in the city who contend that any more money spent on painting city walls would be money thrown down the drain. Deepak Srinivasan, member of the media collective Maraa, who has been studying the paintings on city walls, said, "It was a decision that the BBMP took in an undemocratic manner. Before the walls were painted up, there was a culture of sticking posters on city walls, and scores of people earned a livelihood putting up those posters. All those people were affected by this decision."
He added that there were instances where decisions were taken to put up pictures of Hindu gods, with scant regard for the principles of either secularism or democracy.

Drive for plastic-free Jayanagar

2010-09-06T07:28:00.000+05:30

Drive for plastic-free Jayanagar

Staff Reporter
The use of plastics in the Assembly segment is prohibited
BBMP Commissioner announces waste convertor like the one in Chennai

Welfare association launches eco-friendly garbage disposal programme

BANGALORE: Do not just ban plastic; hate it, declared Bruhat Bangalore Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) Commissioner H. Siddaiah, while launching a plastic-free drive in Jayanagar Assembly constituency here on Sunday.

He was speaking at the inauguration of the J.P. Nagar 4 {+t} {+h} Phase Dollars Layout Residents Welfare Association.

The drive envisages a prohibition on use of plastic in educational institutions, parks and playgrounds, government and BBMP offices as well as non-governmental offices coming under the constituency. This move comes close on the heels of the BBMP announcing plans for a ban on use of plastic during the budget.

Being a resident of the area himself, he also gave the green signal for an eco-friendly garbage disposal programme in which residents will be asked to segregate dry and wet waste at their homes as the first step. There are immediate plans of introducing a conversion plant as well.

“It is absolutely necessary to look for solutions now. One must visit the Mandur and Mavallipura landfills and see the pathetic living conditions of the people,” he said and added that the garbage had negatively affected agriculture and land prices in surrounding areas.

The commissioner said the BBMP was planning on a project involving a waste convertor similar to the one in Chennai with which oil and power is generated from waste.

Mr. Siddaiah pointed out that cemented pavements affected the growth of trees. He said the cement flooring prevented infiltration of water required for the trees.

The welfare association, which was registered two weeks ago, will serve the residents of about 180 houses in the area. Among the goals listed by the association are greening of the area, restricting the number of apartments and initiating security measures.

Mayor S.K. Nataraj, who was elected from the nearby Sarakki ward, hailed the vast improvements in the area and remarked that it was partly because all the top officials lived there.

Meanwhile, reacting to a proposal by the association to bring in measures to reduce commercialisation, councillor of J.P. Nagar N. Chandrashekhar Raju said that it could not be stopped as the law provided for the same.

Richmond Road becomes an unsafe zone

2010-09-06T07:26:00.002+05:30

Richmond Road becomes an unsafe zone

Y Maheswara Reddy Express News ServiceFirst Published : 04 Sep 2010 05:28:06 PM IST
BANGALORE: Richmond Road, one of the well-known roads in Bangalore, is no more safe for motorists due to a huge number of potholes.
The potholes near the Army Stores are extremely dangerous and need to be fixed. “A two-wheeler rider was injured when he failed to notice the pothole here,” said a sentry at the Army Stores.
There is nothing to revel about the condition of the road after the traffic signal junction. With debris and garbage remains on the footpath for many months, the pedestrians have to use the road rather than the footpath, thus causing an inconvenience to the motorists. “Though the debris and garbage on the footpath do not pose problems for motorists, it is pedestrians who have to risk their lives since the vehicles move at high speed on this road. I have advised the pourakarmikas to remove the debris but in vain,” said a traffic police constable.
The broken manhole cover at Castle Street Junction on Richmond Road poses a great threat for motorists, especially two-wheeler riders at night.
“It would be better if the Bangalore Water Supply and Sewerage Board (BWSSB) authorities ensure replacement of the broken cover on the manhole as early as possible to avoid any casualties,” said Shanmuga Sundaram, a two-wheeler rider.
However, Raja Manohar, Executive Engineer, BBMP, has assured to take measures to fill up the potholes shortly. “We have taken up the filling up of manholes on Residency Road and Richmond Road. We will complete the work within a week,” said Raja Manohar.
On the replacement of the broken manhole cover, Manohar said that he would inform the BWSSB authorities to do the needful.

Clueless!

2010-09-06T07:26:00.001+05:30

Clueless!
By: Bindiya Carmeline Thomas Date: 2010-09-03 Place: Bangalore

Even after a 15-day deadline issued to its corporators for pothole repair, BBMP doesn't know where to begin

With the pothole menace growing with each passing day, the BBMP has taken matters into its own hands and has instructed its corporators to begin a 15-day mission to cover potholes in the city.

While the circular was issued on August 31, the BBMP has only begun covering potholes on a minor level and still has no clue as to how many potholes there are in the city.

AK Gopal Swamy, the BBMPs Engineer-In-Chief, said, "The circular has been issued to us but the work has not started in full swing because of the heavy rains.

The BBMP has granted Rs 1 lakh to each ward. However, the work has not been started on a large
scale due to paucity of funds.

We might have to start all over again if we do." He added, "We haven't conducted a study on the number of potholes.

But we expect our corporators to give us a list in their wards. Only then will we know the total number."

A BBMP official said, "Commissioner Siddaiah had said that each ward would be granted Rs 1 lakh each but right now there is no budget. Once the 15 days are over, we'll know how much we've spent."

"As a matter of principle, I cannot comment on the matter. We are all members of the same wheel. I have nothing to say," said Praveen Sood, additional commissioner, (Traffic and Security).

This is more a parking lot than road

2010-09-03T06:28:00.000+05:30

This is more a parking lot than road

When a protest in front of Town Hall blocks JC Road, MTB Road has to bear the pain. Crammed with parked vehicles and car accessory shops and trucks heading to Kalasipalya vegetable market, the road needs to be widened to escape chaos, say some. Others disagree and blame it on the 'parking mafia'

Shilpa CB

Mavalli Tank Bund Road or MTB Road does not have much going for it. Sandwiched between the manic JC Road, which is clogged most hours of the day, and a residential area, it has to cater to the demands of both. Widening the road will benefit everyone using the stretch, some believe. Others insist that it is already a broad stretch but has been reduced to a polluted and crammed one by the many businesses that abuse it. Any work on this one-way street should be complemented by efforts to make it more pedestrian-and traffic-friendly, they say.
The entire area has been turned into one big parking lot, complain residents of Thayappa Layout, Journalists' Colony, Rajgopal Garden, Amit Khan Garden, the localities that surround MTB Road. Numerous car accessory shops use the space for their business. Obviously, this does get in the way of traffic that enters from Lalbagh Fort Road and moves towards AM Road and Kalasipalya.
"This is a transport area. Most trucks that enter the city have to use this route to reach the vegetable market at Kalasipalya as they are not allowed on JC Road. Although these heavy vehicles are restricted after morning hours, it is not unusual to see them even at noon," says B Prabhakar, a businessman.
Residents say that a 'parking mafia' is the trouble-maker here. Although there are no-parking boards in the three crosses of the adjacent Journalists' Colony, cars are lined up on both sides of the road.
"Double-parking, even triple-parking is common," complains Banashankari Mohan, an employee at an establishment here.
The traffic police's apathy has aggravated the problem, commuters say. This has affected the contractors who manage the multi-level parking lot on JC Road.
"The matter has been in the court for the last five years. The contractors are demanding that the area be made a no-parking zone so that drivers are forced to use that space," a resident says.
This is in the interest of all road users who are forced to turn into these streets when JC Road is blocked; the blockage is especially severe when there is a protest or dharna in front of Town Hall. Given its location, it is crucial that the menace of illegal parking and violation of the one-way rule be checked.
Taken together, these measures will help solve traffic woes, says Ramesh V Naidu, a businessman. "I don't think that widening will help as the nature of businesses done here and the manner in which they are done are hindering traffic movement. Merely increasing the width of the road won't make much of a difference as that will again be used for illegal parking," says a resident who may lose about 15ft of land on which his three-storey building stands. Those employed in the commercial establishments fear that widening will drive them out of the city. "It will be difficult to transport the items they fabricate into the city. It will drive up the cost," says Shivanand R, an employee at a steel works establishment.
Muthurkrishnan V, a tenant who deals in old tyres, points out that widening has been planned for a long time. "They've covered the drain and done it on the right side. Widening on the left side has been pending. I have been hearing it will be done, for years now," he says.
If the BBMP goes ahead with the plan, it will have to compensate those losing property, says Naidu. "All governments have been giving compensation in exchange for land. That is the norm. There is no other way," counters Prabhakar, a local man.
He is among the few residents who continue to live here despite the commercialisation that has taken away many comforts. While the residents demand cleaner roads and regular garbage collection, those working in the shops say that doing business here will be easier if stagnant water after rains is drained off and the drains and footpaths are maintained well.

Metro: Minsk Square to be closed for two years

2010-09-03T06:27:00.004+05:30

Metro: Minsk Square to be closed for two years
AMIT S. UPADHYE and AMBARISH B.
DC | BENGALURU

Article Rank

In less than a fort night, a key portion of the city — the arterial Cubbon Road between Minsk Square and BRV Junction — will be closed off. And it will remain shut for the next two years as underground tunneling begins for the Metro. That is not all. Traffic on Queen's Road will be squeezed into one lane while the other lane will be used by construction vehicles for the Metro. The state of the roads after some 700 trucks loaded with underground excavation debris make the run every night is another matter! There's some good news -the traffic police are making elaborate plans to smoothen the way by constructing a steel underpass at Minsk Square in the next three months.
“Construction of the underpass which will allow vehicles to move from Balekundri Circle towards MG Road will begin in the next two weeks. Traffic will be diverted,” said Praveen Sood, additional commissioner of police, (traffic).

The city could be in for more traffic chaos on its roads as the Metro Rail begins to tunnel underground for its stations and tracks. The stretch between BRV junction and Minsk Square on Cubbon Road will be closed for the next 28 months to allow construction of an underground station in this section. Drivers will not be able to use the road in front of HAL till the BRV junction for the next two years, while the work is under progress.
With the Metro project falling behind schedule, both the police and the Bengaluru Metro Rail Corporation Ltd (BMRCL) are trying to ensure there is no more delay by diverting traffic where necessary to allow the work to go on uninterrupted.

As Minsk Square sees heavy traffic most days, the police is trying to make sure enough alternative arrangements are made to avoid chaos on the roads while it is out of bounds to vehicles.

The changes could begin to take shape in the next couple of weeks with the while it goes ahead with work on the underground section at Minsk Square.

Parts of the steel underpass

are already waiting to be laid at the BRV Parade Grounds and its construction could begin in the next fortnight.
"We held a meeting with Metro officials on the traffic diversions required and decided to make the underpass which will take about 90 days to complete. The underground work on the Metro will begin around Minsk Square once it is ready,” says additional commissioner of police, traffic, Praveen Sood.

“Several alternative routes have been planned and advisories will be issued to inform commuters about them. It will be best to avoid Minsk Square and use the diversions for the time being,” he explains. A new road has already come

up in front of the Central Telegraph Office to handle part of the traffic.
But one diversion to allow vehicles to enter Cubbon park from Queen's Road, near the Election Commission building and exit on Ambedkar Veedhi has been stayed by the high court on a petition which claims it is a violation of the Karnataka Parks Preservation Act. But a senior police officer warns that without this road traffic will be hard to manage around Minsk Square while the work on the underground section of the Metro Rail progresses.

With the high court having appointed a special officer to look into the matter the police is hopeful the matter will be sorted out before long.

Work on diverting traffic will start in the next two weeks. A road map for two years has been planned after a meeting with BMRCL officials. It is best to avoid Minsk Square and is best to avoid Minsk Square and use the alternative routes that are being planned.
Taking a right turn to move into Cubbon Park to reach KR Circle has been facilitated over the last few days so that vehicles which move on Minsk Square can reach K R Circle directly.
PRAVEEN SOOD, additional commissioner of police (traffic) The police and BMRCL authorities must ensure that commuters who are affected by the traffic diversions are made aware of the alternate routes.
Bengaluru has not seen an underground excavation of this magnitude and the one which was supposed to begin at Majestic is yet to takeoff.

H.S. SUDHIRA, urban planner Diverting vehicle movement towards Raj Bhavan Road from Cubbon Road and Queen's Road is significant. Creating alternate roads inside Cubbon Park is not feasible at all. Instead, the exist ing one-way traffic can be reversed and some junctions like the one at Indira Gandhi Musical Fountain can be turned into two-ways. Infantry Road, between Coffee Board junction and Income Tax Office junction, have to be reversed and vehicles coming from the city police commissioner's office will either have to take a right turn to Vidhana Veedhi and left turn to Balekundri.

BBMP stops work for want of funds

2010-09-03T06:27:00.003+05:30

BBMP stops work for want of funds

Staff Reporter
Bangalore: Several important infrastructure projects citizens were counting on may not take off just yet. For, just a few days before the Bruhat Bangalore Mahanagara Palike's (BBMP) ambitious Rs. 8,488-crore budget, Commissioner Siddaiah issued an order directing officials to immediately stop infrastructure works in the city.

The works likely to be hit are relaying of pavements, construction of grade separators and improvement of junctions. According to sources, the works estimated at Rs. 1,900 crore are in various stages.

While for some the work order had been issued, some are at the approval stage while the rest have been approved but not yet taken up.

Financial discipline

Sources justified the August 25 order saying it was issued to bring in financial discipline.

“We will take up only essential works. Emergency works such as clearing and remodelling of storm-water drains can be taken up.” The civic authority has to clear Rs. 1,763 crore in pending bills.

Leader of Opposition in the BBMP Council M. Nagaraj said such an order should not have been issued without discussion in the Council first.

Padmanabha Reddy, Janata Dal (S) floor leader, said it was ironical that the BBMP, which presented such an ambitious budget, was stopping works for want of funds. Spill-over works worth several crores were reflected in the 2010-11 budget, he said.

HC seeks SC judgement on war memorial

2010-09-03T06:27:00.001+05:30

HC seeks SC judgement on war memorial
Bangalore, September 2, DHNS:

The Karnataka High Court has sought the Supreme Court judgement on the war memorial to adjudicate on a matter related to cutting of trees to create an alternative road for the Metro project.

Hearing a petition by G K Govind Rao, Chief Justice J S Khehar directed the State to produce the Supreme Court order, in connection with Metro Rail Station and alignment in front of Vidhana Soudha.

Bear with us, the rains may just spoil your drive

2010-09-02T09:29:00.001+05:30

Bear with us, the rains may just spoil your drive

Additional commissioner of police, traffic, Praveen Sood, requests that people be patient and cooperate with traffic policemen, as some things are beyond control. He was speaking to Aparajita Ray
Why do rains pose such a big problem for traffic movement?
Water logging due to potholes or clogged sewerage lines pose a big challenge to the smooth flow of traffic on city roads. There are about 40 points across the city where the water logging level increases to such an extent that we have to close off those roads for vehicles. Near Kino Theatre, Apollo Hospital on Bannerghatta Road, and parts of Rajajinagar and Malleswaram, water logging after the rain is so bad that vehicular flow is disrupted. Our role as traffic policemen is to inform the Bruhat Bangalore Mahanagara Palike about water logging and keep traffic flowing, with the safety of people in mind. Most of the time, people come to the rescue, removing a stone, or clearing some stretches of blockade. The BBMP too rushes personnel to spots where there is trouble. These are, of course, only short-term remedies, and long-term ones will have to wait until the end of the monsoon. If a tree or an electric pole falls, safety of people using that stretch of road is what is uppermost on our minds. Sometimes, to ensure that people are not exposed to risk, we have to stop the flow of traffic.
Why is it that potholes never seem to be filled up? Now that the BBMP has stepped back from road widening, there is unfinished work on many roads.
You must understand that the BBMP's road widening project has little to do with us. Discussions of the matter have happened, but the traffic department has no business discussing the matter in public. Yes, traffic movement is delayed because of unfinished projects. We are talking to the BBMP separately.
About potholes, again, our hands are tied. When potholes get water-logged, the situation is aggravated, especially if the road is also one that sees heavy traffic movement. Vehicles get stuck in potholes, and on a day when it rains and there are at least five buses that get stuck. All this slows traffic. We are as much victims as commuters, when the infrastructure crumbles in the rains.
Metro construction too has posed a traffic problem.
Carriage width is reduced to half in some areas, which are only about 50 km away from main roads. When four-lane traffic is forced into two lanes, and even these lanes are not in good condition, traffic flow is affected. The roads that we have now are not made for such heavy vehicular motion. Until the work finishes, we have asked workers at construction sites to keep us informed if they face any problem. They have been doing so.

Infrastructure is eating us out of home and heritage

2010-09-02T09:27:00.002+05:30

Infrastructure is eating us out of home and heritage

BIG B's Blog entry set off a discussion on the things individuals lose as cities get new development projects

Aparajita Ray

After the much-publicised blog entry by actor Amithabh Bachchan saying that the Mumbai metro would "roll over Prateeksha," his house in the Juhu area, other celebrities too have remarked about infrastructure projects in urban areas. So widely were Bachchan's opinions being discussed in Mumbai that the man was forced to clarify that those charging him with valuing his privacy over the general good were mistaken; that the blog ought to be read in entirety.
In Bangalore too, in the name of city infrastructure, the state government and the Bruhat Bangalore Mahanagara Palike have displaced people and demolished heritage structures. Although the bulk of those who have lost their property to infrastructure projects are ordinary citizens, even some celebrity Bangaloreans have been affected.
Actor Tara, winner of the national award for best actor, whose home is in the Fifth Phase, JP Nagar, said, "I have been staying in this house for 25 years. I have a strong sentimental attachment to my home. One fine morning, I saw a signboard outside my house saying that a subway would be built under the road in front of my house. I was shocked. Somehow, the compound wall of my house was not broken, but construction has happened right adjacent to my house. I feel one with those whose homes have been affected."
The underpass near Tara's house is still under construction. It has still to be inaugurated. She is, however, apprehensive that the peace she enjoys at her home will soon be disturbed by the relentless flow of traffic. Ask her about the road-widening plans of the BBMP that have currently been shelved, and she says, "Yeah, a time will come when all we'll have in the city are roads, no houses."
Remarking about the ham-handedness with which many infrastructure projects are implemented, Tara said, "In many Western nations that have had to deal with traffic congestion, heritage sites have been preserved as part of the city's landscape even as infrastructure projects have been implemented. Here, not only is heritage not even considered, even those displaced by such work remain uncompensated."
Former judge of the Karnataka high court, justice MF Saldhana, said that it is time that the people acted to stop the devastation of the city in the name of development. "Under the guise of metro rail, they (the state government and the corporation) have devastated the city. It looks like a war zone. The mono rail consortium, a global organisation, had appealed to the state government that they could set up a system in 10 months, without cutting any tree or taking any land. The mono rail would have been a state-of-the-art venture, likely to serve the commuting needs of the city for at least 20 years. Fares would be lower than bus fares, and the project would be implemented at no cost to the government. But who listens?" asked the former judge, in conversation with DNA.

Potholes: Bengaluru needs long term plan not just a quick-fix

2010-09-02T09:27:00.001+05:30

Potholes: Bengaluru needs long term plan not just a quick-fix
Bengaluru,

Article Rank

BBMP has made tall promises of filling up all potholes in the city in 15 days.
But Bengalureans are sceptical as the civic body has found it difficult to keep most of its promises in the past. With craters resurfacing in most roads that were asphalted recently, the question being asked is will the city ever be free of these warts, report Amit S.
Upadhye and Chandrashekhar G. I have begun a pothole filling drive. All ward engineers have been directed to fill all potholes in the next 15 days and Rs 1 lakh has been set aside for the job in each ward.

H. Siddaiah, BBMP commissioner Even young peo ple, who are between 25 and 35 years old, are suffering from slip discs due to the bad condition of the roads. Although various factors cause slip disc and spinal problems, the bad roads are making a considerable contribution.

Dr Keyur A. Buch, surgeon

Ben galureans, who have heard it all before, are not surprisingly sceptical about BBMP's promise to fill all potholes on the roads in the city in the next fortnight. They fear it may be a rushed job, and the potholes will reappear in no time. Now that the city is looking forward to more durable concrete roads on some stretches, people don't see why other roads too should not be repaired and made to last longer. But they are not prepared to go by promises alone. BBMP commissioner H. Siddaiah's announcement that potholes will be filled in a fortnight has therefore been met at best with cautious optimism. Not only has he promised to give every ward Rs 1 lakh to fill the potholes on roads in their jurisdiction, but has also directed contractors to repair newly laid roads that may have deteriorated in rain or for other reasons soon afterwards.
No doubt the commissioner's intentions are good, but are they enough to accomplish what the city really needs -pothole-free roads for the next couple of years at least? An expert in laying roads doesn't think BBMP is up to the job. "It's an eyewash," he says, about the promise made to fill the potholes in the next two weeks, explaining that filling the crater-like holes on the roads is not as easy as it seems. "BBMP does not have the machines required to fill them up scientifically.
Only the Land Army which fills potholes on 10 per cent of the roads has the equipment necessary," he says.

This is not something Bengalureans want to hear as most are fed up with the craters that have appeared even on roads that have been asphalted four times in the last couple of years like the stretch at the Basaveshwara Circle in front of Chalukya Hotel, where vehicles are forced to slow down to avoid a huge pothole that doesn't seem to disappear, no matter how many times it is filled.

Going by BBMP there are over a 100 nearly 10 inch deep potholes in the city's Central Business District alone.

Many were filled but have resurfaced after the recent downpour, leaving traffic experts pointing accusing fingers at BBMP's highly unscientific approach to filling them up. Vinay Sreenivasa, a member of NGO, Hasiru Usiru, says the solution lies in allowing a citizens' audit of the work done to repair roads. "BBMP must involve citizens in doing an audit of the work carried out to make sure that it is of superior quality.
When the government is talking about following the Gujarat model of development for the state, why shouldn't BBMP learn something from the Ahmedabad City Corporation," he asks

Metro project gains speed

2010-09-02T09:26:00.000+05:30

Metro project gains speed
Bangalore, September 1, DHNS:

Reach One of the Metro Rail project – from Byappanahalli to Mysore Road (18.10 km) – is gathering pace, with Bangalore Metro Rail Corporation Limited (BMRCL) launching the 1,938th segment on Wednesday.

BMRCL has stated that the civil works of the Byappanahalli-Chinnaswamy stadium stretch (6.7 km) will be completed by October end.

About 25 per cent of the track (3.1 km of double track) has been laid for the stretch up to the stadium from Byappanahalli and an average of 62.1 per cent of work on the six stations on the stretch is also complete. Also, piers have been completed at all the 222 locations, and about 99 per cent of viaduct launching has been completed.

BMRCL said the stretch between Byappanahalli and M G Road, which is to be commissioned by December 2010, is expected to meet the deadline and other system works - including signalling, etc, are on the anvil in the coming months. And construction of boundary wall, etc, at the Byappanahalli depot has been completed, while works like stabling shed and repair workshop are in the process of being completed and will be over latest by November.

Stating that the rolling stocks, including the coaches, will arrive in the City by October 15, BMRCL further said that the trail run of five trains will commence by November and the official commissioning of the stretch will be done in December.

The Corporation also said that the road traffic on the stretch will be open by October.

Reach One and Two

Reach One of the project – the East-West Corridor – will begin from Byappanahalli and terminate at Mysore Road terminal, via Swami Vivekananda Road, Indiranagar, Ulsoor, Trinity, M G Road, Chinnaswamy stadium, Vidhana Soudha, Central College, Majestic, City Railway Station, Magadi Road, Hosahalli, Vijayanagar and Deepanjali Nagar.

Similarly, Reach Two – on the stretch from Magadi Road to Mysore Road – about 712 piles have been completed out of 1,104. Besides, 41 piers out of 241 and 400 segments out of the 2,106 have been casted. About 16 per cent of the work in Vijayanagar, Hosahalli and Tollgate stations are complete, about 15 per cent of work is complete on Mysore Road, Deepanjali Nagar and Magadi Road stations.

Highlights

* Civil work on the 6.7 km Byappanahalli-Chinnaswamy stadium stretch to be completed by October-end
* Five trail trains on the stretch to commence from November
* 3.1 km of track (double) already laid
* 62.1 per cent of work at the six stations on the stretch completed
* Systems work to begin soon

Road trouble of Ambedkar Veedhi

2010-09-02T09:25:00.006+05:30

Road trouble of Ambedkar Veedhi

Y Maheswara Reddy First Published : 31 Aug 2010 10:18:00 PM ISTLast Updated : 01 Sep 2010 11:14:37 AM IST
BANGALORE: If the condition of Dr B R Ambedkar Veedhi is any indication, one can imagine the miserable conditions of other low-lying areas in Bangalore city during monsoon.
The USP of Ambedkar Veedhi is that almost all important people, including ministers, legislators and government officials, use this road every day. Needless to say, they are not affected by stagnated water near the Coffee Board since they use four-wheelers to commute between their homes and offices.
However, it has become a Herculean task for pedestrians to use the footpath adjacent to the Coffee Board compound. Stagnated murky water is a major concern on this part of the traffic ridden roads.
Surprisingly, there is no facility to drain out the rain water on this portion of the road. ‘’I have to use the footpath on the other side of the road due to the stagnated water on this side. I hope the authorities concerned do something to avoid this nuisance during monsoon,’’ said Sashidharan, a government employee.
The Bruhat Bangalore Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) officials have found an easy method to drain out the stagnated water by opening a hole to a sewage manhole. However, the water remain stagnated whenever the sewage manhole is choked with silt and other waste materials.
‘’I am unaware of this problem. I have not received any complaints. I will depute an assistant executive engineer to inspect the spot,’’ said Suresh, Executive Engineer, BBMP.
However, Sateesh, Assistant Executive Engineer, BBMP, said the sewage manhole was choked with silt. ‘’I will inform the Bangalore Water Supply and Sewerage Board (BWSSB) authorities to take measures to clean the sewage manhole. If the manhole is clear, the water will flow into it and there will be no stagnation of rain water on this road,’’ Sateesh explains.

Bidadi township plan gets a push with developers

2010-09-02T09:25:00.005+05:30

Bidadi township plan gets a push with developers

Jayadevan PK First Published : 01 Sep 2010 02:45:52 AM ISTLast Updated : 01 Sep 2010 11:00:32 AM IST
BANGALORE: The Bidadi integrated township project, touted as New Bangalore and estimated to cost `60,000 crore in 2007, has got a fresh lease of life.
The township is once again generating interest among realestate developers after it was shelved because of economic slowdown.
Sources in the Bangalore Metropolitan Region Development Authority (BMRDA) said Reliance Infrastructure, Hindustan Construction Corporation, GVK, GMR, Marg and Rajesh Exports were among those keen to take the project forward.
In a bid to encourage more competition, the state government, which was supposed to open the request for qualification (RFQ) bids on Tuesday, extended the date to September 24, sources said.
"The technical advisor to the project has said it would be wise to extend the date so that other bidders can participate and bidding is more competitive," said a BMRDA official who did not want to be identified.
The source said the department has received a Request for Qualification from Reliance Infrastructure for the project.
The mega project has been planned in Bidadi, 30 kilometres from Bangalore, over 9,178 acres of land.
The project, planned with the idea to decongest Bangalore city, was awarded to Delhibased real estate player DLF in 2007.
It was shelved after DLF backed out of the project citing economic slowdown and political instability in the state. The Karnataka government revived the proposal at the last Global Investors Meet and sought investors.
The project, estimated to cost `60,000 crore in 2007, is now estimated between `70,000`80,000 crore. Officials said the increase in cost was due to increase in input costs and real estate prices.

Metro on a roll, will meet December deadline

2010-09-02T09:25:00.003+05:30

Metro on a roll, will meet December deadline

Express News Service First Published : 02 Sep 2010 02:45:34 AM ISTLast Updated : 02 Sep 2010 09:11:54 AM IST
BANGALORE: With the completion of the metro bridge work on the Reach-1 (Byappanahalli to MG Road) stretch, the Bangalore Metro Corporation claims that it will be able to have the metro on track by the end of December.
“The Byappanahalli to MG Road viaduct work has been completed and we will be able to have the metro rail on track by the end of the year, without missing the deadline,” said BMRCL deputy chief engineer, B L Yashavanth Chavan.
However, even as the officials claimed that it will have the project ready by December 2010, only 25 per cent of the rail tracks have been laid, while 40 per cent work on the metro stations is still pending.
If ‘namma metro’ is able to finish the project by December, it will overshadow the achievement of the Delhi Metro, which took four years and three months to finish the first 8.3-km stretch.
The work on the 7.5 km Reach- 1 of the Bangalore Metro started in 2007 and if it meets the deadline, it will finish the work in three years.

BBMP to give Bangloreans a breather

2010-09-02T09:25:00.001+05:30

BBMP to give Bangloreans a breather
By: Bindiya Carmeline Thomas Date: 2010-09-01 Place: Bangalore

In a bid to control pollution levels, the civic body has taken to planting saplings in cemeteries, defence land

With space becoming a luxury in the city, the BBMP has taken to planting saplings in open spaces such as cemeteries and defence land.

The BBMP is on a mission to plant more saplings by the end of September in a bid to control the damage it has caused from felling trees.

Dr NL Shantkumar, a member of the Karnataka Forest Department and conservator with the BBMP, said, "We have planted 2.5 lakh trees, but now we also want to work on parks solely devoted for trees so that the pollution levels go down. Trees consume carbon dioxide that the vehicles emit."

The BBMP has planted 2.5 lakh trees and plans to plant another three lakh saplings by the end of this month

He added, "Planting them in cemeteries and other open spaces is the only alternative right now. By the end of September we will plant another three lakh saplings. So in another three years, these saplings would have grown into small trees."

Shantkumar added, "It'll take a lot of time for the carbon dioxide levels to come down. Besides, it will take 10 years for these saplings to mature into adult trees. With this initiative, we might be able to bring back the sparrows, that have disappeared from the city."

Akshay Hevlikar, director, Eco Watch, said, "BBMP needs to think about what kind of trees to plant. After a heavy downpour a branch could just fall and cause a lot of damage."

He added, "These people have no vision. We understand that planting more saplings will make up for the felled trees but it'll take years for them saplings to grow."

Leo Saldana of the Environment Support Group said, "The BBMP has felled so many trees. They may claim to have only felled 3,000 trees but our figures show that this isn't the case. They can plant as many trees as they want to but the damage has already been done."

No room for parking at Jayanagar Metro stations

2010-08-31T04:34:00.000+05:30

No room for parking at Jayanagar Metro stations
AKANKSHA MEHROTRA
DC | BENGALURU

Article Rank

While Jayanagar seems set for better connectivity with two Metro Rail stations coming up in the area, the people here are not entirely happy with the way the stations on R.V.
Road and 30th cross, Jayanagar 4th block, are shaping up . They are upset that there is no parking space at either station for commuters arriving to board the trains.

A member of the Citizens

Action Forum, N. Mukund points out that the two stations will be used by people from several parts of Jayanagar, who will find it difficult to park their vehicles if their grounds are out of bounds to them. “The Metro plan says there will be no room for parking inside these stations. This is going to be tough on the people who will have to hunt for parking space outside,” he says.
People fear the result could be a noisy battle for parking in residential areas

or along the small service road near the 30th cross in Jayanagar 4th block. “This may only ruin the peace of our locality. The authorities must do something about it before it’s too late,” says a local resident, Kumar Naik.
Also, while there are plans to have bus bays around the two stations there is little parking space for the buses here either.“All in all the Metro project seems out to cause us trouble,” Mr. Naik laments.A Metro Rail official when contacted, confirmed the people's fears.

“The Jayanagar stations will have a generator room at one end, but there will be no vendors, no shops, and no parking at any of the stations here,” he said, adding that there will be no bus stations either, only three bus bays on either side of the road at each station. “This will not hamper traffic on the main road, nor will the service roads be blocked in any way,” he maintained.

Figures won't do, give us trees, better parks and pavements, say women

2010-08-31T04:32:00.002+05:30

Figures won't do, give us trees, better parks and pavements, say women

Sumaa Tekur

The BBMP budget is out. But there is much scepticism among the homemakers. "How will this address my immediate concerns," is the question on almost every homemaker's lips. When asked to list their problems on priority, they unleash a barrage of woes.
"The BBMP should take up road asphalting seriously. But then what is the use? They asphalt the road and the next day someone else arrives to dig it up. The cycle goes on," says Anitha Srinivas, mother of two and resident of HBR Layout, taking a break from having lunch to shares her problems with DNA.
"They should also stop cutting trees. We should live our lives around the trees. Also, there are too many stray dogs. I just cannot take my two-wheeler out on the streets," says she.
But she is relieved when informed of the BBMP's plan to set up five swimming pools. "I hope one of them is near my home so I don't have to take my kids all the way to the Basavanagudi pool," she says.
Veena Seshadri, a resident of Shankarapuram, is miffed with the lack of civic sense among the citizens. "Any little space on the pavement next to a tree is turned into a garbage bin. Why is the BBMP not imposing a hefty fine on such people," she asks.
Pavements are dug up unnecessarily and traffic system is in a mess, she says. "LED lights are fine for the city. But how about thinking in terms of alternative sources like solar lights," asks Veena.
What makes Parizaad Berlin, a resident of Diamond District on Old Airport Road, furious is the Palike's unplanned tree planting campaigns. "Such drives are good for the city. But saplings are planted anywhere, and later they have to be removed because they come in the way of wires, or the road," she says.
There is no monitoring of the laying of pavements. "One day you find the path okay but the next day, there is a gaping hole. Workers may have removed the slabs to lay cables but such a dangerous spot should be cordoned off," she says.
There are not many parks or places where Preetha D'Souza can go for her evening walk near Hutchins Road, and this bothers her. "Open spaces and a bit of green can do so much to transform an area," she says.
Resident of Whitefield, Sabah Arakkal, has a similar problem in her area. "There is space for a park, but no benches, no planned area for those who want to exercise. I cannot take the pram inside the park," she says.
The school buses that ply in the residential area drive rashly. "They almost ran me over twice. There must be some monitoring of these buses," says Sabah.

50 new flyovers and underpasses will be built

2010-08-31T04:32:00.001+05:30

50 new flyovers and underpasses will be built

The total outlay of the Bruhat Bangalore Mahanagara Palike budget, at Rs8,488 crore, has doubled, when compared to last year. Nearly 62% of that outlay is provided for civic infrastructure development. Chairman of the Palike's standing committee on finance and taxation, PN Sadashiva, who presented the budget, spoke to Shwetha S.
Road widening has been a controversial matter in the city. Does the budget make any allocation for it?
The committee has not taken any decision on road widening. We will wait and watch, to see how matters improve with the construction of the proposed flyovers and underpasses.
What plans do you have for easing traffic flow in the city?
We plan to construct about 50 new flyovers and underpasses in different parts of the city. A few sites for such construction have already been identified, Jayanagar, for instance, and Chamarajpet South End Circle. We expect that these will ease traffic flow.
Although the budget allocation this year is double what it was last year, the BBMP still faces a cash crunch. How will you manage to tide over that?
I think we should be able to manage. We get about Rs500 crore through the State Finance Commission; once Akrama Sakrama is streamlined, we expect an amount of Rs750 crore. The state government's contribution to the BBMP budget is Rs1,500 crore.
How about revenue mobilisation through property tax, or from advertisements?
There has been gradual increase of income from property tax collection during the last five years. After adopting Unit Area Value (UAV) system as the basis for assessment of property tax, the yield has been good. Efforts are also being made to bring the missing properties into the tax net by using the GIS system. As for revenue from advertising, we have detected and removed unauthorised hoardings. We are working towards a policy of auctioning advertisement rights. We are expected to collect about Rs100 crore through advertisement tax during 2010-11.
Do you have any additional means of revenue mobilisation planned?
Special developmental charges on high-value properties will be levied. Tax on heavy commercial carriages, which use public roads for loading and unloading, will be levied. Heavy charges will be imposed on those who erect towers for commercial purposes, and install dish antennae for commercial uses. Annual fees will be levied on private electrical transformers installed on BBMP properties. These are some of the means of additional revenue mobilisation this year.

SC okays the military memorial

2010-08-31T04:30:00.000+05:30

SC okays the military memorial

Many of those who earlier vehemently opposed the project have since resigned to the construction activity within the park

Bosky Khanna

The legal battle to protect an important and centrally-located park in the city from 'development' came to an end on Monday, as the Supreme Court dismissed the plea against the memorial filed by petitioner Dr Sudhir Pai, secretary of Krishna Apartments Association.
The apex court upheld the decision of the Karnataka high court, which on June 4, had said that the construction of the National Military Memorial within the Indira Gandhi Musical Fountain Park would be in the interest of the general public, and a matter of pride for the city. The high court had also observed that the park would only lose about four eucalyptus trees.
The petitioner had sought the intervention of the apex court against the June 4 ruling of the high court. The Supreme Court bench, comprising justices GS Singhvi and AK Ganguly dismissed the case on Monday. On July 26, the two judges had adjourned hearing of the case by four weeks as the respondents had said that they did not receive the court notice that sought details of the site map.
Responding to the ruling of the Supreme Court, Dr Pai said, "If the court thinks that this is not a violation of the law, then what more can we do? We can do nothing but look on as the construction continues. We hope this won't set a precedent. After this, many other parks in the city could have construction approved for various issues, including emotional ones."
Representing just the opposite viewpoint while reacting to the hearing, Major General MC Nanjappa, sub-committee member for the Rashtriya Sainik Smaraka, said that the ruling brought much joy. This is a national project, and this is one expression of gratitude to the martyrs, he said. "The cause of the construction of the Smaraka was not just an ex-servicemen's battle. It is also a victory for the state government. As ex-servicemen, we have a sentimental attachment to the project. We now hope that all, including the ones who went to court against the project, will now join hands in offering suggestions and seeing to the completion of the project," Major General Nanjappa said.
With regard to the deadline set earlier for the completion of the project, Major General Nanjappa said, "We hope that the major symbolic portion of the proposed project would be completed by Vijay Diwas, December 16. We hope that the Veeragalu and flag post will be ready by then. Minor works like the motivation hall and landscaping could take more time."
Subhashini Vasanth, founder-trustee of Vasantharatna Foundation for Art, also the wife of deceased Col Vasanth Venugopal, who died in 2007 fighting terrorists in Kashmir, said, "I am very happy for this judgment. It was beyond the power of any one person to do this, and there were certain delays, but I am hopeful that the construction of at least the basic structure would be done by Vijay Diwas. Else, it is likely that the project would be completed by Republic Day."
Environmentalists, however, who had earlier opposed construction activity within the park, are now looking forward to the greening of the entire area. Dr AN Yellappa Reddy, a noted environmentalist, said, "Though in principle I was opposed to the construction, now I am resigned to it. I hope the whole area will be made a green space."
What is heartening is that even those who earlier opposed the idea are now pitching in with suggestions. Yellappa said, "I was invited to visit the place a fortnight ago to offer suggestions on greening the area. I suggested that the six acres earmarked for the construction should be developed into a patriotic, spiritual garden."
Chief minister BS Yeddyurappa, on July 1, faced with opposition to the project, had declared that construction of the memorial would be dropped; a fortnight later, in a volte-face, he had announced that construction would go ahead. The total cost of the project is estimated at Rs15 crore.

SC dismisses plea against war memorial

2010-08-31T04:29:00.004+05:30

SC dismisses plea against war memorial

Staff Reporter
BANGALORE: The Supreme Court on Monday paved the way for the construction of the National War Memorial at the Indira Gandhi Musical Fountain Park in Bangalore.

The court dismissed a Special Leave Petition (SLP) by the Krishna Apartment Owners Association questioning the construction of the memorial in a park at Vasanthnagar.

The association and its secretary, Dr. Sudheer Pai, had approached the Supreme Court after the Karnataka High Court dismissed their public interest litigation against the construction of the memorial.

Questioning the High Court order, the petitioners said in the Supreme Court that a Division Bench comprising Justice Manjula Chellur and Justice Mohan Shantagoudar on June 4, 2010 held that the proposed war memorial was in public interest and that it was a matter of pride for the residents of the city.

The petitioners alleged that the State Government had violated the Karnataka Government Parks (Preservation) Act, 1975. Moreover, Section 4(2) of the Act prohibits the Government from alienating land in parks.

Threat to parks

They said the State and its agencies had a duty to maintain parks and not to fell any trees.

However, the project would lead to felling of trees in the park. It said no construction measuring 1,000 sq m. or more can be built in the park.

Advocate-General Ashok Harnahalli appeared for the State, while former Advocate-General Uday Holla appeared for the National Military Memorial Committee.

Rajya Sabha member Rajeev Chandrasekhar is the Chairman of the National Military Memorial Committee, which is implementing the project.

The memorial will be built at a cost of Rs. 12 crore and it comprises a museum, underground meditation hall, pathway, amphitheatre and display areas for the armed forces.

Flyovers, parking lots in BBMP budget

2010-08-31T04:29:00.003+05:30

Flyovers, parking lots in BBMP budget

Express News Service First Published : 30 Aug 2010 03:35:19 AM ISTLast Updated : 30 Aug 2010 10:25:28 AM IST
BANGALORE: After many delays and postponements, the city corporation's budget is going to be presented on Monday, August 30.
Reportedly, the budget is going to be worth `7,500 crore. According to sources, new wards are likely to get 1.5 times more grants than old wards for developmental works. Every ward will get around `36 crore. Sources claimed there would be no increase in taxes.
The budget is likely to sanction 50 flyovers and underbridges along with tree parks. Chairman of the BBMP's Finance and Taxation committee, P N Sadashiva, said the city would get hightech hospitals. He added that 20 multistoried parking lots would be built in congested areas such as Gandhi Bazaar and Freedom Park.
He said the budget would allocate funds to raise the standard of BBMP schools. Free bicycles for girls studying in BBMP schools and sweaters for all children may be issued.
Sadashiva said a portion of `115 crore, required to convert Okalipuram Khoday's Circle into an eightlane road, would be released in this budget. He said five dhobi ghats and hightech laundries, on the lines of the one in Malleswaram, would be built. He said funds had been allocated to develop lakes. A new cell would be set up to preserve heritage places in the city.
The BBMP's budget has to deal with the loans to the tune of `3,000 crore. Sadashiva had on an earlier occasion made clear his focus on revenue generation. Sadashiva said his main aim would be to bring homes into the tax net and increase the earnings by property tax.
The budget is likely to announce welfare measures for senior citizens too.

45 high-end bus stands for Bangalore

2010-08-31T04:29:00.001+05:30

45 high-end bus stands for Bangalore

Express News Service First Published : 30 Aug 2010 03:34:46 AM ISTLast Updated : 30 Aug 2010 10:23:48 AM IST
BANGALORE: Transport Minister R Ashok on Sunday said Bangalore would get 45 high-end bus stands, to be built on the lines of Traffic and Transit Management Centres (TTMCs).
He was speaking after inaugurating the TTMC at Bannerghatta Road.
He said the Bangalore Metropolitan Transport Corporation (BMTC) had already prepared a project for a highend bus stand at Hebbal.
He said that tenders for the project were ready and that Indiranagar too would get one such bus stand.
"Bangalore is an ITBT city and its residents in every nook and corner should have easy access to public transport," Ashok said.
The TTMC at Bannerghatta has been built at a cost of `5.5 crore.
It has been built under the Centre's JNNURM. Centre has paid for 35 per cent of the project cost. Karnataka government has paid 15 per cent and the BMTC has paid the remaining 50 per cent cost.
At the inaugural function, the transport minister gave free bus passes to the families of martyred soldiers. Ashok, who also holds the portfolio of food and civil supplies, inaugurated the rice mela at the TTMC.
Rice will be sold at `13 a kg here and wheat will cost `9 a kg. People can buy the grocery by producing any identity card such as BPL card, voterid card or ration card.
Altogether, Bangalore will have 10 TTMCs.
Three of them - at Jayanagar, Kengeri and Bannerghatta - have already became functional.
The TTMCs will have space for people to park their vehicles, food courts, ATMs, bus terminals and bus maintenance depots.

Rs.8400 crore budget for city infrastructure

2010-08-31T04:28:00.000+05:30

Rs.8400 crore budget for city infrastructure

IANS First Published : 30 Aug 2010 09:33:14 PM IST
BANGALORE: Seven multi-level parking slots, white topping (cement coat) for main avenues, tree parks, fencing of major open drainages are among the plans to improve the tech hub envisaged in the Rs.8,488 crore 2010-11 budget of the Bangalore civic body.
The budget makes it mandatory for all Information Technology firms to set E-waste disposal facility.
In the first budget presented by the Bharatiya Janata Party-ruled Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagar Palike (Greater Bangalore City Corporation), no tax has been levied on the Bangaloreans.
This is also the first budget of the BBMP, formed after incorporating several areas into the city. Earlier the civic body was known as Bangalore City Corporation.
Among the populist measures are free distribution of 20,000 cycles to the poor self-employed and labourers, P. N. Sadahiva, chairman of BBMP's tax and expenditure committee, said presenting the budget to the 198-member civic body.
The budget promises building of several modern shopping complexes in the city.
Elections to BBMP were held for the first time in March this year and BJP won 112 seats, with Congress getting 64 and Janata Dal-Secular managing just 15 seats. The rest were won by Independents.
BJP captured Bangalore, nearly two years after it came to power for the first time in Karnataka in May 2008.

Metro rail’s date with Bangalore in December

2010-08-30T22:49:00.001+05:30

Metro rail’s date with Bangalore in December
Mahesh Kulkarni / Bangalore August 29, 2010, 18:20 IST
Come December, Bangalore will become the third Indian city after Kolkata and Delhi to start operating metro rails.

Under the first phase of Namma Metro ("my metro" in Kannada), a 7.5-km stretch between Baiyappanahalli and M G Road on the eastern line is set to be finished in three years and eight months, thus becoming the fastest metro rail project the country has seen so far. Bangalore Metro Rail Corporation Ltd (BMRCL) had started civil work for this stretch in April 2007.

This will eclipse the astonishing success of Delhi Metro, which took four years and three months to start the first 8.3-km stretch between Shahdara and Tis Hazari in December 2002. Kolkata Metro, which is run by the railway ministry, started its commercial run in 1984.
"We would have completed the 7.5-km Reach-1 in three years flat, but got delayed by eight months due to protests by traders and shopkeepers on the busy CMH Road in Indiranagar," said a senior BMRCL official.

On the technology front, too, BMRCL is ahead of Delhi. It would be the second (after Kolkata Metro) to make use of the third rail system to draw power to run the train, which is considered environment-friendly. DMRCL uses overhead cables to supply electricity.

The first phase of Bangalore Metro will become functional in the following stages: The eastern line by December 2010, the northern line by third quarter of 2011, and the western and southern lines by the third quarter of 2012. It comprises two corridors - East-West Corridor from Baiyappanahalli to Mysore Road covering 18.1 km and the North-South corridor from Hessaraghatta to Puttenahalli covering 23.7 km.

Once completed, Bangalore Metro will have 40 stations - 33 elevated and seven underground. The only interchange station common to both the corridors would be located underground at Majestic. When fully commissioned, the metro rail will serve 1.9 million passengers per day.

However, Bangalore Metro costs more than Delhi. The cost of construction per km is estimated at Rs 276.40 crore (total cost is fixed at Rs 11,609 crore for Phase-I) as compared to the average cost of Rs 162.63 crore per km for the first phase of Delhi Metro, with a 13.01-km underground corridor and a 52.1-km elevated track.

"Our costs are higher compared to Delhi because of the soil conditions in Bangalore. We had to face the problem of rocky terrain under the earth. It takes more time to blast rocky patches when compared to alluvial soil in Delhi, which is smooth and takes less time to dig. The risk insurance rates are also high, adding to the rise in cost as well as increase in the costs of land acquisition," said U A Vasanth Rao, general manager (finance), BMRCL.

He said that another reason for the rise in costs was because the machineries to cut rock for underground stretches were imported from Japan at Rs 250 crore each. Work on the 8.8-km underground stretch is likely to start soon.

In another first to its credit, the first phase of Bangalore Metro will run on standard gauge tracks as compared to Delhi Metro, which started its inaugural run on broad gauge tracks. Also, BMRCL is yet to acquire more than 1,000 private and public properties and land, unlike in Delhi, which was contributed by the government.

According to BMRCL, civil work for Reach 1 is expected to be completed by September, while work at the repair workshop is expected to be over by November.

A total of 100 candidates have been recruited for training as station controllers and locopilots. Of them, 83 have cleared the final selection. Once they return from training at DMRCL, the trial run will start early November.

BEML Ltd, which has bagged the contract to supply coaches, will be importing the first five train sets from its partner in Korea, Hyundai Rotem. It has already put on display a mock train at Anil Kumble Circle for public viewing.

State prunes plan, but to go ahead all the same

2010-08-30T05:42:00.000+05:30

State prunes plan, but to go ahead all the same
Bengaluru,

Article Rank

Despite the opposition to its plans for Lalbagh, the government appears set on going ahead with them, only agreeing to prune them a little in tune with public sentiments.
Horticulture minister Umesh Katti says everything will be done to make the garden more beautiful without the cutting of trees or destruction of the natural rocks in its grounds.

According to him environmentalists and local residents are only really against the musical fountain and laser beam show planned for the garden.

“We are in talks with these groups. They are okay with a rock garden without a fountain and the laser beam show and support the idea of creating an artificial waterfall in the park as it will help clean the water used for gardening in its grounds,” says the minister.

Responding to the opposition to cutting of rocks in

the process of upgrading the park, the horticulture department claims no natural rocks will be destroyed, and instead plants will be grown around them to make them more attractive.
“The soil on the rocks will make it easy to grow plants and will make the garden look more beautiful than ever,” says its officials, who

also assure that the natural habitat of birds and other species in the garden will not be disturbed while the amusement park is being built.
“The construction work will be carried out with as little disturbance as possible,” they say, making a promise that will certainly be difficult to keep.

Lalbagh facelift: City not amused

2010-08-30T05:41:00.000+05:30

Lalbagh facelift: City not amused
Bengaluru,

Article Rank

Chief Minister's idea of giving Lalbagh a "facelift" by introducing a musical fountain, boating, a food court and an amusement park, has not gone down well with environmentalists and citizens who fear it may destroy a green oasis in the concrete jungle that Bengaluru is fast becoming, report Chandrashekar G.
and Shashiprasad M. The Lalbagh Walk- ers’ Association is particularly appre- hensive about the proposal to intro- duce a rock garden on 28 acres of land in the garden as it fears this could threaten the natur- al rock formation which is already a part of it. There is only opposition to our plans that involve the use of technology like a musical fountain and a laser beam show for Lalbagh.

Umesh Katti, horticulture minister The proposal for creating an amusement park in Lalbagh on the lines of the Sentosa Island in Singapore is entirely unscientific, as Bengaluru has not been planned like Singapore.

Prof. Shankar Rao We have sent the proposal to develop Lalbagh to the urban development department as promised by Chief Minister B.S.
Yeddyurappa. The project will be executed by either BBMP or the BDA.

N. Jayaram, horticulture director

The government seems to be getting carried away in its enthusiasm to develop the city. Building a Metro Rail, flyovers and subways may be a good thing, but is “developing” what is left of the city’s lung spaces really necessary? Chief minister B.S. Yeddyurappa’s recent announcement that Lalbagh will be given a “facelift” with the addition of a musical fountain, boating, a food court and an amusement park, has not amused environmentalists or those accustomed to taking their morning walks in the park’s calm, green surroundings, cocooned against the noise of a growing city.
The plan for a so-called “new and improved” Lalbagh is causing great concern among members of the Lalbagh Walkers’ Association, who rightly feel that introducing commercial activities such as boating and an amusement park in the park will destroy a green oasis in the concrete jungle that the city is becoming.

“The Lalbagh botanical garden is one of the most diverse gardens of its kind in South Asia and has a rich history, having been established during Tipu Sultan’s

regime," points out association president and member of the Lalbagh Garden Trust P. Sadashiva, who regrets that when the government should be working on increasing the green cover of the park and adding to its botanical value by planting more medicinal plants, it is coming up with more money making schemes that are bound to prove destructive in the long run. The association is particularly apprehensive about the proposal to introduce a rock garden on 28 acres of land in the garden as it fears this could threaten the natural rock formation which is already a part of it. "We will not tolerate any move that may harm the garden's natural rock formation," warns Mr Sadashiva, adding that the noise and people around a musical fountain and amusement park will only discourage birds from visiting Lalbagh.
"We would rather have it developed into an urban forest," says the concerned nature lover, suggesting that the government should show its concern for Lalbagh by making sure it is properly maintained.” “Senior officials admit they have only 50 gardeners as against the 200 required for its upkeep,” he says, also deploring the fact that no effort is made to keep stray dogs out of the botanical garden.

Former judge of the Karnataka High Court M.F. Saldanha couldn’t agree more and accuses the horticulture department of first destroying the greenery in Cubbon Park and now trying to do same in Lalbagh.

“An expert committee with citizens of Bengaluru as members should be formed to manage its parks and the horticulture department should be told to concentrate on other matters in the state,” he says.

Just what do you want from BBMP's budget?

2010-08-30T05:40:00.002+05:30

Just what do you want from BBMP's budget?

DNA brings you an experts' perspective on what the city needs

Hemanth Kumar Bangalore

Today's maiden budget of the BJP-ruled Bruhat Bangalore Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) is expected to have all the ingredients to make you happy, mayor SK Nataraj has assured while dropping clear hints that top priority would be given to solving parking problems and improving civic amenities without an additional tax burden.
Sources in BBMP said the estimated Rs8,000 crore budget would focus on providing drinking water, improving underground drainage, constructing multi-storey parking complexes and laying tree parks instead of lawn parks to increase the city's air quality.
Chairman of standing committee on taxation and finance PN Sadashiva will present the first budget of a democratically elected civic council after a gap of nearly four years today amid a severe resource crunch.
The budget would usher in stringent measures to mobilise additional resources through a comprehensive advertisement policy for BBMP and an efficient property tax collection system. The Rs1 crore per ward as ward development fund is expected to be raised to Rs3 crore.

Old Airport Road commuters do not fancy regular Volvo rides

2010-08-30T05:40:00.001+05:30

Old Airport Road commuters do not fancy regular Volvo rides

K.C. Deepika
Ordinary citizens cannot afford it, though the IT crowd welcomes it
Of the 430 Volvo buses, 100 operate on the ITPL route

‘Volvo bus services have brought down traffic density'

— FILE Photo: V. Sreenivasa Murthy

COMFORTABLE RIDE:BMTC Volvo services have brought class to the mode of mass transport
BANGALORE: The Bangalore Metropolitan Transport Corporation (BMTC) has been credited with bringing class to the mode of mass transport by introducing air-conditioned and luxurious Volvo bus services. This is especially true on routes leading to Information Technology (IT) hubs of the city such as ITPL.

Recently, the comfort factor was taken one notch higher with the introduction of Mercedes-Benz buses on this route.

While the new introductions have been applauded by the IT crowd, ordinary citizens who cannot afford to spend on air-conditioned rides everyday have had to grin and bear it as the number of Volvos is steadily increasing.

In fact, of the 430 Volvos operating within the city, nearly 100 buses have been allotted to ITPL from Kempegowda Bus Stand, Shivajinagar and Chandra Layout, among other areas.

Wait or pay extra

Commuters with shoe-string conveyance budgets or those with monthly passes for ordinary buses have been left with just two options: wait for an ordinary bus or simply hop onto a Volvo and pay extra.

Regular bus-users in areas along Kadugodi, Marathahalli and Old Airport Road are not amused.

Office-goers are the most disgruntled.

“The basis of the bus routes seems to be the comfort of those working in IT companies. I have a monthly pass which excludes Volvo rides. That costs me some extra time spent in waiting for an ordinary bus,” said Sarita Senapati who goes to work on Millers Road from Domlur. She added that the frequency of buses to Shivajinagar had also come down while those to Majestic had increased considerably.

Even some heading towards ITPL are not enthusiastic about the idea of having to spend so much on public transport. “I started taking buses because it is difficult to ride in the dense traffic. I also assumed that it would save me money that would otherwise be spent on fuel. Every day, I need a minimum of Rs. 100 for a two-way journey. I might as well just use my two-wheeler,” said Rithu H.S, who travels from Old Airport Road to ITPL.

Ordinary buses to stay

On the other hand, a BMTC official explained that there was a need to popularise public transport in such industrial areas to bring down the number of private vehicles. “We introduced Volvos to ITPL and Electronics City on the basis of demand. But there is no way they are going to overtake the number of ordinary buses, let alone replace them,” he said.

Drive against auto drivers

2010-08-30T05:39:00.003+05:30

Drive against auto drivers
Bangalore, August 29, DHNS:

Taking serious note of citizens’ complaints about tampered meters of autorickshaws and drivers demanding excess fare, the Transport Department conducted an enforcement drive against errant drivers/owners on Sunday.

It was carried jointly with the Department of Weights and Measures, with the use of portable testing equipment on the road for checking such vehicles. Drivers found guilty of the above offences will have to face the music as the department will book. Cases were booked under Section 177 of the Vehicle Act, 1988 against defaulting drivers. Cases of cheating, fraud under Sections 420, 465, and 471 (all non-bailable offences) of the Indian Penal Code were booked against them.

It’s money down the storm water drain

2010-08-30T05:39:00.001+05:30

It’s money down the storm water drain
Satish Shile, August 29, Bangalore, DHNS:

Revamping of the 842-km stretch of storm water drains criss-crossing Bangalore City is one of the major programmes taken up under the multi-crore Jawaharlal Nehru National Urban Renewal Mission.

Just 17 months are left to complete the remodelling which began in 2007. The work is limping while the money has been going down the drain.

The work on cleaning and strengthening of storm water drains (SWDs) under the Centrally-sponsored programme JnNURM is among several mega projects of the City which are languishing owing to poor planning and tardy execution.

The Centre has approved the cost of remodelling of primary and secondary drains leading to the four major valleys - Hebbal, Vrushabhavati, Koramangala and Challaghatta - at a total cost of Rs 643.06 crore. The money spent, according the records of the nodal agency, Karnataka Urban Infrastructure Development and Finance Corporation (Kuidfc) is Rs 372.24 crore.

The implementing agency, Bruhat Bangalore Mahanagara Palike (BBMP), has spent Rs 372 crore till the end of July 30. This paper accessed the information under the Right to Information Act from the Kuidfc. The records says desilting, laying chain link fencing and construction of retaining wall of the drains have been completed in stretches where there is room to take up the work.

The Palike officials, furnishing details under the RTI to this paper, stated that 14,19,033.34 cubic metres of silt had been removed spending Rs 129.84 crore.

The funds are meant for desilting, remodelling, erecting metal chain link fence along the drains and constructing retaining walls. Name any of these works and nothing has been done satisfactorily to justify the expenditure of crores of rupees.

Deccan Herald found during visits to the valleys that the drains have not been declogged as huge masses of silt deposits continue and of course, stench continues to emanate. In many places the fence is broken, facilitating easy dumping of municipal waste and debris in the drain. Encroachment of areas adjoining the drains and dumping of waste along the drains are a common sight.

The surface of water flowing in Vrushabhavathi valley, passing through Bapuji Nagar on Mysore Road, is covered with municipal waste. Similar is the scene at the Koramangala-Challaghatta valley passing through Shanti Nagar. The stench wherever the the drains pass through is unbearable because, the SWDs carry both rain water and sewerage. In many drains, the sewerage pipes are embedded in the SWDs.

Bangaloreans’ apathy too is to blame for the clogged SWDs. Unmindful of the consequences, people dump waste and debris in the drains. The people residing near the drains, in the absence of sewerage pipes, are letting out sewage directly into the rain water drains.

The worst culprits are solid waste management contractors. They have been found using the vacant space available along and close to the drains as dumping yards. During the rains, the wastes turn into silt and obstruct the flow of water.

Drains, during the rainy season, often overflow because of the encroachment of the drains itself. The encroachers include both the greedy urban rich and the roofless poor.

While the rich are found putting up commercial establishments right on top of the drain or on the sides adjoining the drains, the poor have constructed their pigeon-hole dwellings adjacent to the retaining walls of the drains.

A huge commercial complex, located on Lal Bagh road, is constructed on pillars that go deep into the drain. The complex houses a lodge, an apparel shop and offices of private firms. The building owner has escaped the axe of the BBMP despite the head office of the Palike being a stone’s-throw away from the complex.

900 Illegal buildings

It is not that the BBMP is unaware of such illegal buildings. It has already identified buildings that have come up on the drains. Devaraj, Chief Engineer (SWD) of the Palike said about 900 buildings on the drains have been identified for demolition. Surprisingly, even after commencing the revamping of the drains three years ago, the Palike is still at the planning stage when it comes to bulldozing the illegal structures, some of which are obstacles to the free flow of water in the drains.

Asked about the measures taken by the Palike to avoid over-flow of drains in the rainy season, Devaraj said the works on the SWD has been stopped temporarily as the revised details project report (DPR) was being prepared.

“There is no fresh allocation of funds. The works will begin after the allocation of funds from the council,” the Chief Engineer said.

Lack of planning

More than the funds, it is the planning which is lacking. The Palike had prepared a plan for remodelling the SWDs even before JnNURM came into existence. When the government learnt about the availability of funds under the JnNURM, the plan it had on hand was poised for funding. In many places, let alone rebuild the drains, there is no place even to move excavators to remove the silt.

Designing of SWDs should be in such a way that it should be wider at the place where it lets out water to a valley than at the place of origin because as the drain progresses more and more water gets collected. But it is not so in case of the existing SWDs. Even if the Palike decides to widen the drains, it is very difficult because the land along the drains have structures. As per the norm, at least 50 mts from the drains should have no structures.

Unless elected representatives show strong will power to remove encroachments, remodelling of the SWDs, in toto, will remain in files, officials in the Kuidfc, who did not like to be named, said.

The Bangalore Water Supply and Sewarage Board has approved a multi-crore sewerage pipe replacement plan. But with no land available to lay pipes, the Board may find it tough to implement its plan. If only rain water flows in SWDs, then the water could be collected for reuse.

Deaths in drains

Storm water drains serve many purposes except for what they are meant - free flow of rain water. It is not unusual to see people slipping into the drains and dying.

Following is a list of deaths caused due to over-flowing drains since 2007, the year in which the drains remodelling began.

* April 21, 2007: Subbalakshmi (45) drowned in Ulsoor
* May 31, 2009: Abhishek (6) drowned Lingarajapuram
* Sept 16, 2009: 18 months old Vijay Kumar drowned near Madivala lake
* May 15, 2010: Ramakrishna (48) washed away in a drain in Hosakerehalli

No review so far

The BBMP’s way of functioning is something unbelievable. It proposed an old plan for remodelling the SWDs to JnNURM in 2007 and got it approved. Later, it continued to deviate from the plan as it added new works. Karnataka Urban Infrastructure Development & Finance Corporation (Kuidfc), the nodal agency of JnNURM works in the State, has directed the Palike to prepare a revised DPR.

On top of it, the remodelling work has not been reviewed in the last three years, by the Independent Review and Monitoring Agency (IMRA), set up under the JnNURM. The revised DPR should include changes to be made till September 2010 and later it would be submitted to IMRA.

Expenditure

Valley Approved cost So far spent*

Hebbal valley - Rs 184.74 crore Rs 105.47 crore
Vrushabhavati Rs 228.26 crore Rs 165.25 crore
Koramangala Rs 111.49 crore Rs 59.50 crore
Challghatta Rs 118.57 crore Rs 42.02 crore

Total funds approved under JnNURM – Rs 643.06 crore
Funds spent so far – Rs 372.24 crore
* As on July 31, 2010

(This article is written under a Fellowship of CSE, New Delhi)

Ulsoor drain is cesspool of danger

2010-08-30T05:38:00.000+05:30

Ulsoor drain is cesspool of danger
Chethan Kumar, Bangalore, Aug 29, DH News Service :

Months after two boys lost their lives when they fell into open drains, the Bruhat Bangalore Mahanagare Palike (BBMP) does not appear to have woken up to the dangers of open sewages that people continue to be exposed to.

A retaining wall for the open drain near the Adarsha Theatre on Old Madras Road at Ulsoor has collapsed, posing a clear and present danger to the lives of pedestrians who daily tread that congested path. The vagaries of nature caused normal wear and tear in the wall which crumbled over a month ago.

In September 2009, one-and-a-half-year old Vijay lost his life to an open drain off Bannerghatta Road. Two months earlier, six-year-old Abhishek fell into an open sewage but his body could not be found. And now, in the case of the open drain at Ulsoor, the old structure that separated the sewer line from the pavement which people cannot avoid using because of the Metro rail work and traffic flow.

But the BBMP, which is not aware of the wall collapse, does not quite seem to appreciate the danger the drain poses to residents, shopkeepers and even children. Speaking to Deccan Herald, BBMP East Zone Chief Engineer Somashekar said the civic body was not aware of the development and that he would, along with Chief Storm Water Drain Engineer Munikrishna, inspect the area and take “necessary action”.

The volume of rain in the past two weeks has made the situation worse because the drain is now close to overflowing, along with the City’s wastewater, human waste, food scraps, plastic and other effluent.

Stanley Selvakumar, a pest-controller and a local resident, said: “The Bangalore Metropolitan Transport Corporation has a bus stop near Adarsha theatre and those get off from buses there have to walk past the drain.

With heavy rains in the past few days and a poor pavement surface, there is always the danger of someone accidentally slipping into the drain.” Selvakumar’s main concern is for children who use that stretch of the road as there are a couple of schools nearby.
The traffic policmen, who are eyewitness to the situation since they manage vehicular movement at the CMH Road-Old Madras Road intersection, expressed concern and disappointment with the BBMP’s apathetic attitude.

Inspector Kavitha M C, while questioning the utilisation of taxpayers’ money, said: “I am very disappointed with the manner in which the corporation prioritises its projects. I recently read that they were clearing projects in a matter of seconds without proper discussion but they cannot make this a priority even after losing two children no more than a year ago.”

While BBMP Commissioner Siddaiah could not be contacted despite several attempts, corporation sources said that a clear picture on how the engineering department would approach the problem posed by open drains across the City would emerge only after the budget is present on Monday.

A dog-free city in 3-4 years: Siddaiah

2010-08-29T18:42:00.002+05:30

A dog-free city in 3-4 years: Siddaiah

Council approves projects worth Rs55.12 crore; errant engineers to be blacklisted

Shwetha S

The BBMP has become a comfort zone for many bureaucrats and their days are numbered. These were the warnings issued by mayor SK Nataraj during the BBMP council meeting on Saturday.
Nataraj said: "For deficiency in quality of works, we will blacklist engineers who're currently on deputation from other departments. We'll review projects given to them and examine its progress. Engineers who have worked for more than three years in the BBMP will be sent back to their parent departments. After serving in the BBMP, the engineer should not come back on deputation for at least five years. New projects will not be given to them henceforth if the funds are being misused." Acting on his word, Nataraj blacklisted Karnataka Land Army Corporation Ltd officials for doing a shoddy job of filling potholes.
Addressing the menace posed by rise in the number of stray dogs, BBMP commissioner Siddaiah said the BBMP plans to make the city free of stray dogs in three years. Earlier, the councillors sought reports of the Animal Birth Control (ABC) programme's implementation from BBMP health officers.
Siddaiah said: "We have been conducting the ABC programme on a regular basis. According to a 2007 census, there are more than 2lakh stray dogs in the city. Of these, 1.7 lakh have been sterilised. We emphasise on sterilising dogs and we have increased the number of NGOs conducting this programme. CCTV cameras will be installed to monitor the programme. I assure that in another three to four years, we will make Bangalore a dog-free city."
The BBMP council meeting also passed resolutions and plans of action to improve long-pending civic amenities. Corporators raised issues such as broken sewage lines and inefficient garbage disposal. The corporators also formed a committee to follow up on projects to keep track of the approval from the offices of the chief minister and governor.
BBMP commissioner Siddaiah said: "The BBMP has identified 2,561 potholes in the city. Of these, we have filled 2,361 potholes," said the commissioner. The delay is due to rain, but the work would be completed in one month, he added.

Mercedes bus trial run over next month

2010-08-29T18:42:00.001+05:30

Mercedes bus trial run over next month
Bangalore, August 28, DHNS:

The Bangalore Metropolitan Transport Corporation (BMTC) on Saturday introduced two Mercedes Benz buses on trial basis to check the quality of the bus and the acceptance by the public before deciding on purchase.

Addressing reporters Transport Minister R Ashok said the fares for the trial trips will be on par with Volvo bus fares and added: “We’ve however decided to ply the buses for Rs 5 (start point to final destination) for the first three days.”

Routes

On Saturday, the first day, bus one (335-E) travelled between Majestic and Kadugodi while bus two (356-C) plied between Majestic and Electronic City.

On day two, bus one (500-K) will ply between Vijayanagar and ITPL, and bus two (365) will go between Majestic and Bannerghatta National Park. On day three, bus one (2) will travel between Majestic and J P Nagar 6th Phase and bus two (195) will ply between Chandra Layout and Shivajinagar.

For the next 12 days –– August 31 to September 11 –– bus one (335-E) will travel between Majestic and Kadugodi, while bus two (356-C) will ply between Majestic to Electronic City.

In the second phase of the trial run from September 12 to September 26, bus one (9) will travel between Majestic and Bengaluru International Airport with fares on par with the Vayu Vajra buses. And bus two (500-K) will go between Vijayanagar and ITPL with fares on par with the Vajra buses.

The trial run is in line with the Corporation’s tradition of conducting a viability operation through such runs before the purchase of any new vehicle.

10 more buses

Following the good response Benz buses garnered during the long route trial runs between Bangalore and Mysore, the KSRTC has decided to purchase about 10 Benz buses by September 15.

Moreover, about 40 multi-axle, eight-wheeler Volvo buses are to be purchased by the end of October.

While stating that Traffic Transit Management Centre (TTMC) at Bannerghatta and a bus depot at Chikkanagamangala will be thrown open to the public on Sunday, Ashok said a Rs 30 crore bus stand has been completed in Hassan district and will be inaugurated in the next 10-12 days.

He remarked that the department’s objective was to develop bus stations and depots of the same quality as in Bangalore at other centres in the State.

Donation

The BMTC and KSRTC has decided to donate Rs 50 lakh to the Institute of Nephro Urology at Victoria hospital for purchase of 10 dialysis units and also provide for an ambulance, Ashok said.

Of this, BMTC donated Rs 25 lakh to the institute on Saturday, and said there will be a separate block named after the Corporation at the institute. Employees of BMTC and KSRTC will get free treatment here, Ashok said.

Nod for projects worth Rs 45.73 cr

2010-08-29T18:41:00.002+05:30

Nod for projects worth Rs 45.73 cr
Bangalore, August 28, DHNS:

The General Body meeting of the Bruhat Bangalore Mahanagara Palike Council held here on Saturday gave financial approval to several projects totalling to Rs 45.73 crore.

The Palike will share the expense of road construction at Export Promotion Industrial Park (EPIP) at White Field. The estimated cost of the project is Rs 45 crore and the BBMP will contribute Rs 20.5 crore. The project entails improvements, strengthening and asphalting of internal roads (four-lane and two-lane) of EPIP zone and construction of bi-directional underpass at Graphite India Junction. The two other agencies involved in the project are Assistance to States for Developing Export Infrastructure and Allied Activities and White Field Export Promotion Park Industrial Association.

The meeting gave its nod for the Rs 14.74-cr project to widen the Old Madras Road-Kuvempu Circle stretch on Bangalore-Varthur road. A Rs 4.93-cr project to construct swimming pool at Yelahanka Air Force Station and development of the stretch from DLF Southern Homes Township to Thayappa Garden at a cost of Rs 4.01 cr were also approved.

It was resolved to spend Rs two crore this year for construction of indoor stadium at RBI Layout in JP Nagar. The total cost of the project is Rs 10.98 crore. The Council gave its consent to name the Subramanya Nagar Main Road as C M Nagaraj Road and Banashankari second phase, third stage as Hoysala Nagar. It was decided to hand over 51 acres of land at Bugganadoddi in Anekal taluk to the Karnataka Compost Development Corporation Limited for garbage disposal. The Council also gave nod to fill the posts of 12 reporters and one recording officer in the Recording section.

Appropriation

* Share in EPIP project - Rs 20.05 cr
* Rs 14.74 cr for widening of Varthur road
* Swimming pool at Yelahanaka Air Force Station - Rs 4.93 cr
* Rs 2 cr for indoor stadium at RBI Layout

Take the Bus !

2010-08-29T18:41:00.001+05:30

Take the Bus !
Bangalore, August 28, DHNS:

Despite initiatives such as the ''Bus Day,'' Bangaloreans aren’t getting onto the public transport buses in big numbers. Here’s a comprehensive look at the issue.

Everybody loves a free road, decongested and wonderfully motorist-friendly. But to realise that dream, could you flood every inch of the City’s grossly inadequate roads with private vehicles of every hue. “No,” screams the traffic strategists, and predictably propose a vastly improved public transport system. Yet, one look at the Bangalore Metropolitan Transport Corporation (BMTC), the autos and taxis and you know, they aren’t really up to the challenge.

The Centre’s urban transport strategy is clearly based on restraining the unregulated growth of private vehicles. But how do you implement it, if BMTC’s initiatives such as the “Bus Day” are still only symbolic, and about a thousand vehicles are added to the City’s roads every day.

If BMTC’s services are dubbed “unreliable” by most private vehicle owners, and the City’s auto drivers are notoriously unruly, is there a real chance for a smooth and efficient public transport system to take shape?

Last Mile Connectivity

Perhaps, if the critical aspect of “Last Mile Connectivity” is looked into. Experts are clear that Bangalore’s bane is the lack of a multiple, integrated system of public transport, unlike in cities such as Kolkata, Chennai or Mumbai. In these cities, local trains or trams support the buses or vice-versa, hugely complementing the autorickshaws.

Often, Bangaloreans are forced to use private transport since there are no bus stations in many residential areas, and short trips in autos don’t come cheap. A telling instance is that of N Padmashree of Ulsoor, who commutes to Basaveshwarnagar everyday. “I have to walk almost a kilometre to get to the bus stand to board a bus to Shivajinagar. Again, I’ve got to walk a fair bit from the bus stand to Basaveshwarnagar,” says Padmashree, ruling out the autos as an option.

High BMTC fares

High fares levied by public modes of transport including the BMTC is cited as another reason why people prefer personal transport. But BMTC disagrees, contending that the fares are reasonable and only reflects the hike in petroleum prices.

Whatever the contention, the problem of mounting private vehicles is there for all to see. Here are some startling statistics: For a population of about 9 million, Bangalore has about 41 lakh private vehicles and only 90,000 public vehicles including 6,046 BMTC buses, around 80,000 autos and 3,000 odd taxis. Only about 42 per cent of the population use public transport, with BMTC catering to 42 lakh commuters daily. Experts opine that for the traffic situation to be healthy, at least 75 per cent to 80 per cent of the population must use public transport.

MN Sreehari, advisor to the State Government on infrastructure, traffic and transport, feels such high levels of private vehicles in any city will directly result in traffic congestion. “This is particularly so in Bangalore, which lacks planning too.” The congestion has definitely caught the traffic police and the transport department in a bind. It couldn’t be otherwise, when the transport department itself informs that about 41.30 lakh of the 90 lakh vehicles in the State are in Bangalore.

BMTC measures

The transport department has been toying with different strategies to drive the public towards public transport. Introduction of different types of buses to cater to different classes of people is one such initiative, as BMTC MD Syed Zameer Pasha informs. The once-a-month “Bus Day” is another move, although its results are found wanting.

The Transport Corporation is also developing several Traffic Transit Management Centres (TTMCs) with parking facility, to encourage people to park private vehicles and use buses. This is claimed as one solution to address the lack of last mile connectivity. But the existing TTMCs are yet to record any noticeable success, the poor response to the parking facility at Jayanagar being a case in point. Perhaps, the perceived success of the AC Volvo buses could show the way.

Bus Day

Despite the publicity, the “Bus Day” initiative has largely remained a brand-building exercise. Transport Minister R Ashok admits it, but he reminds that the initiative is still in its nascent stage. “People will understand the importance of using public transport,” he says.

While many don’t share the minister’s optimism, there are experts who feel the Namma Metro might provide a breather. But they warn that its success too will depend on how well BMTC can play the role of a feeder. This crucial factor is echoed by Transport Commissioner Bhaskar Rao as well. “It is vital that the BMTC corresponds the metro and plies buses to various metro stations for people to take the metro.”

Chethan Kumar

No end to traffic chaos

Mounting vehicular population on the City roads has triggered a litany of problems, too acute for the City traffic police to handle. Besides severely straining the road infrastructure, this explosive growth has triggered a traffic situation of unmanageable proportions, in the process affecting the physical, mental and psychological health of the policemen.

Ever on the rise, cases of traffic violation, traffic jams, slow-moving vehicles, fatal and non fatal accidents and episodes of dramatic road rages have all put the police in a clueless fix. The police obviously puts the blame for all these on the sheer number of vehicles.

“The City’s public transport system has drastically failed to meet the requirements of the travelling public, resulting in an ocean of private and personal vehicles. The public prefer personal and private vehicles because they are comfortable and quick,” reasons a traffic constable, exasperated by his daily struggle.

Unscientific infrastructure

Faced with a volley of traffic woes, the police often rely on solutions that commuters find unscientific. The infrastructure too aren’t exactly world class. Unscientific road designs, improper traffic patterns, lack of practical wisdom while choosing places for construction of flyovers, underpasses and sub-ways have resulted in introduction of more one-ways.

Urban planner and architect, George K Kuruvilla notes that Bangalore’s is a ‘confused traffic planning’. “There is confusion everywhere, thanks to engineers who finalise traffic planning for the City instead of traffic planners. Ideally, we should have a group of trained traffic planners to plan for one-ways, places to construct flyovers, bridges, introduction of alternative public mode of transportation other than buses like mono rails, sky trains and sky buses,” he stresses.

A lack of understanding of traffic patterns by engineers, and unscientific decisions on major issues concerning road infrastructure have resulted in consumption of more time and energy and improper connectivity. These have naturally forced people to depend on personal vehicles, contends Kuruvilla.

Free Parking

The free parking system is another critical factor, reminds Additional Commissioner of Police (Traffic & Security) Praveen Sood. “Why we see more private and personal vehicles on the roads is due to the free parking system. Nowhere in the world is parking of vehicles free,” he says.

The parked vehicles consume more space on roads forcing authorities to convert such roads into one-ways. Sood suggests that the one-ways can be abolished ensuring more space on roads if the parked vehicles are shifted to parking lots. “The abolition of one-ways will ensure proper connectivity, which will encourage people to use the public transport system,” that’s his recipe.

Jagadish Angadi

Solutions aplenty

There has never been a dearth of solutions offered for the taxing traffic congestion of Bangalore roads. It is in the implementation of various plans that the City has faltered. The spiralling growth of vehicles has only made adopting plans even more tougher. Yet, there is a need to revisit the solutions suggested by traffic experts, long time road users and think tanks.

Car-pooling

Sharing a private car by people heading to the same destination was an idea proposed by a team of techies a few years ago. It was a simple yet practical way to reduce the number of cars on the road. When the traffic police backed it and did a formal launch in November 2008, car-pooling looked big.

Yet, despite the police claims that the response has been “very good,” it hasn’t picked up pace beyond the IT/BT sector employees. It definitely calls for a more aggressive push.

Bus-route re-rationalisation

“Re-rationalisation”of the bus routes will be a starting point for the government to attract citizens to use public transport, feels traffic expert and founder of Gubbi Labs, a private research enterprise, Sudhira. “Any person travelling from Banashankari to Malleshwaram need to change over at K R Market. Instead, they can ply direct buses in large numbers to ensure that such transit points are not a hindrance to people,” he explains.

Relook at fares

Since public transport also implies economical commuting, experts feel that ticket fares should be moderately priced. This goes for BMTC buses, autorickshaws and taxis. Pocket-friendly daily passes could be another option. While the Namma Metro is being cited as an alternative public transport, many feel the pricing should be moderate and integrated with other modes of transport. Many world cities have adopted the practice of a single daily ticket that will help the commuter travel by bus, metro or tram.

Deterring taxes

High decongestion taxes have vastly deterred car owners from entering the heart of the city in many countries. The tax might appear draconian to some, but has been a success worldwide. London and Singapore are cases in point. Additional Commissioner of Police (Traffic), Praveen Sood is in favour of such as system for Bangalore.

JA

Rs 5-ride on Mercedes Benz buses for 3 days

2010-08-29T18:40:00.000+05:30

Rs 5-ride on Mercedes Benz buses for 3 days

Express News Service First Published : 29 Aug 2010 01:51:51 AM ISTLast Updated : 29 Aug 2010 09:50:42 AM IST
BANGALORE: In an attempt to woo the city crowd to opt for public transport system, Transport Minister R Ashok flagged off the Mercedes Benz buses at Shantinagar bus station on Saturday.
"Public transport system should gain momentum in the city and more people should opt for public mode of transport. With such initiatives, we are offering commuters international standards of transport," he said.
The minister said the minimum fare for the first three days (trial run) would be Rs 5. He said after that, fares similar to Vayu Vajra and Vajra would be applicable.
Besides this, the minister said he wanted to extend such services to other districts of north Karnataka.
"Districts such as Bellary, Koppal, Raichur, Gangavati and other north Karnataka districts will also have hitech city buses. We are in discussion with the state (government) and the final decision will be taken soon," he said.
The minister also said that the Karnataka State Road Transport Corporation (KSRTC), which undertook the trial run of the Benz buses on BangaloreMysore route, would get its first fleet of 10 buses by mid September and another 40 multi-axle Benz buses by October end.
He also revealed that the Volvo bus service was making profit in the city, as they had already crossed their set target for the month of May. "We have achieved the financial target for the month of May and we can say that the Volvo buses are making profit. In fact, they are doing much better than their counterparts in Mumbai or Chennai," he said.
The Benz buses' trial run will conclude on September 26, following which, the transport department will assess the success of the run, based on the overall performance.
Each Benz bus has cost the department Rs 65 lakh. Presently, the BMTC has 432 Volvo buses, which according to sources, has caused the transport department a loss in crores of rupees. But the minister has claimed otherwise.

Namma Metro work should not hit Cubbon Park, says CJ

2010-08-28T06:28:00.002+05:30

Namma Metro work should not hit Cubbon Park, says CJ

But the work on the station at Vidhana Soudha could go on, the Karnataka high court observed

Odeal D'Souza

The proposed Metro station work at Vidhana Soudha should go on. But it is also important that nothing should happen to the Cubbon Park.
These were the words expressed by chief justice JS Khehar on Friday while hearing the case challenging the proposed metro station work at Vidhana Soudha.
The issue of the proposed station has been in much debate over a few months since it falls under the purview of one of Bangalore's best lung spaces, Cubbon Park.
Stressing on the seriousness of the case, the bench headed by chief justice JS Khehar and justice Manjula Chellur observed, "Cubbon Park is very precious to the city. Its importance is known only to the people who have come from outside Bangalore. What we want is the work should go on smoothly but nothing should be done to destroy the previous environs of the park."
The division bench appointed senior counsel DLN Rao to assist the court in this matter. The court also said that the details of the project and all the records should be handed over to the counsel.
Advocate general Ashok Haranahalli submitted that alternative roads will be used to divert traffic before starting the Metro work.
The petitioner's advocate MG Kumar had earlier argued that the underground station near the high court could be dangerous for the heritage building. He also said that a station at the Minsk Square and at KR Circle is enough which could be 1km in distance. Passengers can walk up to these stations while there is absolutely no requirement for the station opposite the Vidhana Soudha.
In the petition filed by the horticulture department, it has stated that the BMRCL requires 11,160.86 sq mt area temporarily and 2,126.71 sq m area permanently for Vidhana Soudha Underground station and ancillary buildings.
The department also sought permission for felling 116 trees, 22 for traffic diversions through alternative roads, 65 for stations and 29 for ancillary buildings.
The Cubbon park area is 260 acres. The actual area required (permanently) for the 800-metre alignment in front of high court and KGID building is 0.5 acres or 0.2% of the entire Cubbon Park area as the rest of the greenery will be restored. The horticulture department stated this in its petition based on the letter written by BMRCL on August 26, 2009 seeking its permission.

You are drinking pollution, not water

2010-08-28T06:28:00.001+05:30

You are drinking pollution, not water

Reports indicate that over 62% of underground water in the city is contaminated by industrial effluents, leading to a potentially alarming healthcare situation

Srikanth Hunasavadi Bangalore

Your corporators want at least 10 new borewells dug in each of the 198 wards in Bangalore – 1,980, if their wishes are granted. But consider this: a shocking 62% of the city's underground water is contaminated by industrial effluents and pollutants, posing a health risk as it is unfit for drinking. This water replenishes the borewells even as corporators want more of these dug.
Environment minister J Krishna Palemar announced this on Friday while citing the latest survey report of the Karnataka State Pollution Control Board (KSPCB) after a meeting with officials of KSPCB, Bangalore Development Authority (BDA) and Bruhat Bangalore Mahanagara Palike (BBMP).
According to a 2008 KSPCB survey report, 58% of underground water in Bangalore was contaminated. Disturbingly, two years later, the water contamination levels are found to have gone up to 62%, and it has been attributed to a large number of industries discharging waste waters into open drains and lakes, throwing environment concerns to the winds. The minister said that despite repeated directions to set up effluent treatment plants, several industries had not bothered to do that; instead they were letting the wastes run into the water bodies of the city.
On surveillance, 46 defaulting industries in Bangalore, mainly making dyes, were issued closure orders and 18 criminal cases were filed against them.Three criminal cases against BWSSB and 10 cases against CMC and TMCs were filed for discharging untreated sewage into water bodies. The board has also restricted industrial projects in the Tippagondanahalli catchment, he said.

Mysore Road widening going on at a slow pace

2010-08-28T06:27:00.000+05:30

Mysore Road widening going on at a slow pace

Staff Reporter
Road users, pedestrians are put to severe hardship
— Photo: K. Murali Kumar

Instant fix:A policeman helps to fill up potholes with bricks and building debris near the BMTC satellite bus terminal to ensure smooth flow of traffic
BANGALORE: With the Bruhat Bangalore Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) going slow on the widening of Mysore Road, the woes of road users have multiplied with the civic authority leaving behind long stretches of pot-hole ridden roads for the motorists to endure.

The stretch between Muslim Burial Ground (just after the down ramp of Sirsi Circle Flyover) and Hosaguddadahalli has been the worst affected. Fed up with the lackadaisical attitude of the civic authority, residents of the surrounding area filled the potholes and craters with debris recently. However, their temporary measure soon created cesspools on the road, worsening the situation.

‘Why delay?'

Once the vehicles move towards Sirsi Circle cross Hosaguddadahalli, they start crawling as the traffic moves at a snail's pace till they reach the Muslim Burial Ground. Altaf Ahmed, a resident of Hosaguddadahalli, wondered why the palike has not speeded up the widening work. “They chop one tree this week, another after a fortnight and one more after a month. Later, they pull down some structures. Weeks thereafter, they take up work on the shoulder drains that goes on endlessly,” he lamented. Manjunath R., a resident of the Azad Nagar, said it was more than six months since the road widening work started. “However, except chopping several huge trees and demolishing some buildings, the work does not appear to have progressed much,” he said. The worst affected are the pedestrians who have no way to walk from the Toll Gate to the Muslim Burial Ground, Mr. Manjunath pointed out. Added to the potholes, sewage flows in makeshift open drains magnifying the problems, he noted.

Pothole-ridden

Rajanna, a BMTC bus driver, said that it requires at least 20 minutes to negotiate the 500-metre stretch between Toll Gate and the Muslim Burial Ground. The two-lane road has now become single lane thanks to the widening process and is completely pothole-ridden, he rued. With this, not only has the commuting time increased, but the crew also are forced miss at least two trips every day due to traffic snarls, he said.

Rain-washed, city crawls on Thursday

2010-08-28T06:26:00.004+05:30

Rain-washed, city crawls on Thursday

Express News Service First Published : 27 Aug 2010 02:21:34 AM ISTLast Updated : 27 Aug 2010 08:50:38 AM IST
BANGALORE: Once again, rain brought Bangalore traffic to a halt and uprooted trees in several parts of the city.
Though no damage to life and property was reported, power supply at several places in the city was affected due to the line failures.
Power supply was disrupted at Lingarajpuram, Banaswadi, Kalyanagar and HBR Layout due to 20mm rain received by the city.
According to BESCOM officials, this happens whenever the city receives continuous rains and said a team was deputed to set everything right.
Uprooting of trees was reported from RT Nagar, Kammanahalli and Dinnur Main Road. The BBMP control room said four trees were uprooted.
The worst-hit were the commuters who faced traffic jams all over the city due to waterlogging.
The worst-hit were Jayamahal, JC Nagar, Mekhri circle, Mysore Road, Peenya and Yeshwanthpur.
Traffic near Chinnaswamy stadium and Cubbon Park, going towards Raj Bhavan, was also severely affected.
At the NIMHANS stretch near Diary Circle a marriage procession added to the problems. An ambulance had to seek the help of the traffic control room to reach BTM Layout.
Hosur Road was also in complete chaos.
The other affected areas were Palace Road, Hebbal, Nagavara main road, KR Puram, Old Airport Road, Thippasandra, besides Jayanagar, BTM II stage, Adugodi and Johnson Market.

City to have multi-level basement parking soon

2010-08-28T06:26:00.003+05:30

City to have multi-level basement parking soon
Bangalore, Aug 27, DHNS:

The parking problem in the City will finally see a permanent solution if the Bruhat Bangalore Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) considers the non-invasive basement creation technique to create multi-level basement parking system.

Speaking on the advantages of this technique, H Raja Simha, Technical Advisor to Commissioner, BBMP, explained that this technique is cost-effective, makes optimum usage of open land and most importantly does not disturb the activities on the surface above.

“One-third of the road is utilised for parking vehicles. By providing multi-level basement parking more space can be created to make room for the growing vehicular population,” added Raja Simha, who invented this technique along with Prof B R Sreenivasa Murthy, Professor Emeritus, IISc.

In this technique, a land space is created of any desired depths under an open surface like roads, vacant land, parks without disturbing the movement of vehicles and people above. To create basement parking space, bullet beam jacking technique is adopted in which beams are inserted underground.

Following this mild steel plates are inserted between the flanges to create a platform for parking. In the same manner, this process can be extended in the longitudinal direction to create multiple levels.

On a public private partnership model, the BBMP is considering the construction of multi-level parking system in areas which have high density of vehicular movement. “We have identified a few areas in the City which requires additional parking space. Within a span of two to three months BBMP will commence the construction of the pilot project which will cost Rs 2,300 per square feet,” said K R Niranjan, BBMP Special Commissioner (project).

Apart from the basement parking system, the BBMP is also planning to construct skywalks with elevator facility at road junctions for safer pedestrian crossing. The BBMP has identified 365 roads specially around hospitals and schools across which skywalks will be constructed at a cost of Rs 1.5 crore each.

As night descends, auto-crats rule

2010-08-28T06:26:00.001+05:30

As night descends, auto-crats rule
Ruman Qamar, Bangalore, Aug 27, DHNS:

Pre-paid auto stands, opened by the City police with much fanfare, seem to have failed to achieve their objective - of addressing the problem of autorickshaw drivers charging passenger excess fare, refusing to come to certain location and impolite behaviour.

The autorickshaw drivers have mastered the art of getting around even this system by targeting commuters during late evenings.

The pre-paid auto stand on MG Road is a telling case in point. Passengers take as many 400 autos during the weekdays and an extra 200 during weekends from the auto stand.

A traffic sub-inspector along with two or three constables are deployed at the stand to issue tickets indicating the fares. The queue of commuters waiting for the autos at the stand is seen till 11 pm to midnight.

But, soon after nightfall there would be no sign of these diligent traffic police personnel to monitor the auto stand. Instead, a gang of visibly arrogant auto drivers takes over, demanding exorbitant fares from the commuters, who have no choice but to cough up the extra bucks.

“I had to travel from MG Road to Old Airport Road at 10 pm. To my surprise I saw auto drivers asking the price instead of the traffic police. I silently agreed to pay Rs 150 as there was no other option,” said Meet Singh, an advertisement executive.

Traffic police personnel are supposed to be at the auto stands from 9.30 am to 9.30 pm after which the autorickshaw drivers start fleecing the passengers.

Some of the passengers wanted the police to man these pre-paid centres till late night as the police do to curb drunk driving in the night.

When his reaction was sought for this, DCP Traffic (East) B A Muthanna said: “We will look into the wrong doings taking places at the pre-paid stand. We will make necessary arrangements and try to deploy at least one constable at the spot till 11 am.”

Autorickshaw drivers in the City have a reputation of being rude and cheating the passengers by blatantly charging more than the meter fare and in many cases, doctoring the meters. Most commuters complain that the drivers often refuse to go to certain destinations and on many occasions, don’t return the change.

While unions have been claiming that they are trying to educate their members values such as polite behaviour, not overcharging the passenger, such claims do not pass muster on the ground. The autocracy continues.

From bad to worse

2010-08-28T06:25:00.000+05:30

From bad to worse
G Manjusainath, Bangalore, Aug 27, DHNS:

Looks like the Bruhat Bangalore Mahanagara Palike’s drive against illegal road humps has done more harm than good, for now there are uneven surfaces in place of road humps.

Following complaints about illegal and unscientific road humps that were leading to accidents and damaging vehicles, the BBMP launched a drive to remove them.

BBMP Commissioner Siddaiah instructed that road humps be constructed in a scientific way and only where there was a need like proximity to schools, hospitals, major shopping junctions and government offices. He directed the officials to construct high-rise pedestrian crossings, paint them with luminescence paints and put cat-eye reflectors to alert motorists.

However, the task was executed so shabbily that dangerous grooves and uneven surfaces have emerged on roads across Bangalaore. Repairing of roads were also not undertaken and the recent spell of rains washed away the tar leaving behind grooves that assumed the shape of craters, posing an even bigger threat to commuters.

An example

The road from Konankunte Cross to Kengeri had many illegal road humps. But now, after their removal uneven roads have emerged. While the contractors who tarred the roads have no qualms as these uneven surfaces are doing the same job as that of the road humps, residents’ welfare associations are angry about the substandard works carried out by the BBMP.

Wing Commander M R Shirazi of Langford Town Residents’ Welfare Association complained that in his area the road humps were not levelled properly after removal and the BBMP filled the roads with mud.

Same is the case at J P Nagar 7th Phase near Brigade Millennium. An annoyed Ananthapadmanabha of J P Nagar Residents’ Welfare Association (RWA) complained that the status of the road remained the same even after a month.

Hamsa Govind Raj of Domlur RWA holds the “nexus” between contractors and BBMP engineer responsible for the poor shape of roads. She remarked that the damage to the roads were done intentionally so that repair works could be carried out every now and then. When Commissioner Siddaiah was contacted in this regard, he said he would look into the matter.

Ad agencies prune trees

2010-08-27T04:14:00.000+05:30

Ad agencies prune trees
BENGALURU

Article Rank

The city continues to lose its green cover with advertisement agencies pruning tree branches crudely just because they have been preventing commuters from getting a clear view of the hoarding erected by them.
The BBMP has already done enough damage to the city’s greenery by axing trees for infrastructure projects with Namma Metro lending a helping hand by felling hundreds of trees on the rail route.

On Thursday morning, green lovers were in for a rude shock when advertisement company workers arrived on Thursday morning to chop tree branches on Richmond Road near Sacred Heart Church.

The apparent reason for chopping the tree branches: They were preventing a

frontal view of the advertisement hoarding. “On Wednesday I was shocked to find some tree branches being cut. The ad company workers lied saying they had taken the permission of the BBMP, when they actually had not,” said a security guard at the Church.
Shantalanagar corporator K. Shivakumar has lodged a complaint with the mayor and the BBMP’s forest cell.

Mr Shivakumar said the tree branches were being cut illegally without obtaining permission. Traffic flow came to a grinding halt for nearly an hour in this busy locality because of the pruning, he said.

The BBMP’s forest department has lodged complaint against Rainbow advertisement company for illegal tree cutting. “No permission was sought from BBMP for tree cutting,” said BBMP range officer (East) E.R. Ravindra.

It is a difficult choice for planners

2010-08-27T04:13:00.000+05:30

It is a difficult choice for planners

Being an important link road, widening Chandni Chowk Road will certainly help commuters. But it will also uproot the lives of common people who have homes and shops located along the stretch. Where will they go if their property is acquired for road widening? BBMP will have to take a tough decision

Shilpa CB

Bangalore has its own Chandni Chowk, and it is in dire need of emergency care. Chandni Chowk Road or CC Road deserves a better deal, residents say. But they are not sure if widening is the solution. Adding width to the stretch will benefit only those passing through this important link road, they say. Those with properties on both sides of the road will be left with little and they will have to continue living in poor conditions. "Our life will be shattered," bemoans a small trader.
The road is congested, true. It should be made a double road, says Siddique Hussain, a resident. He argues that it will benefit those living in the many tiny streets going inside. "The houses and shops will be easily accessible," he says.
But, while the residents benefit, those with properties on the roadside will be hit hard. Businessmen like Aftab Misri who owns a 98-year-old book shop will have to give up their land.
"We don't want the widening to happen if it means that people will be left without a means to earn their livelihood," says K Mohammed Sardar, president of Stephen's Square Merchant Association that has about 1,200 members.
The association is not clear on what the alternatives are; neither does it dismiss the proposed widening. Any measure will affect the market that dates back to the British period.
"Wheels of horse carts are made and repaired here. Now, one can find all kinds of old parts of two-wheelers and four-wheelers here. Nowhere in the city do you find these items all in one place. The market is also known for tarpaulin," says Khajanawaz Mohammed who has a stake in the thriving scrap business here.
"Clear the scrap market and everything will be fine. No need to widen the stretch," says Mohammed Younus who has been living here since 1947.
But his neighbour Munir Ahmed is open to the idea of their beloved CC Road being widened. Of course, the tenant has nothing to lose. He will pay lower rent for a small space, he says.
Two mosques also stand by the roadside. Hussain assures that those who own the land will not object to widening as it is long overdue.
Those living around the market and those from Frazer Town, Coles Road using this road to get to Vidhana Soudha, High Court and GPO blame the market for the congestion during peak hours.
"Bureaucrats, councillors, advocates, and those working in Vidhana Soudha and Visveswarayya Tower pass this way. They have been demanding that the road be widened," says Hussain.
Move that market and things should be fine, says Premila P, a resident. Families like hers have lived here for generations and have also renovated their houses at a huge cost. Moving from here is out of the question, they say.
"We've managed to build a house after years of toil and deprivation. Now, the government wants to evict us for the benefit of those who have three or four cars parked in their bungalows. Is this fair? We don't even own a cycle. All we have is this house. We will not leave," she says.
Ragini C is angry that the area has been neglected, the living conditions are bad, there is none to listen to their grievances.
"We get by with rent that we earn from four shops. There are about four families living in this building which is about 10 years old. We've just managed to pay off the loan we took to build it. Now they want to take it away," she says.
"The ancestral property affords us shelter inside the city, we can't let it go," she adds.
Residents repeatedly complain that the drains, footpaths, garbage problem need fixing.

Helipad crowns city's tallest building

2010-08-27T04:12:00.002+05:30

Helipad crowns city's tallest building

Staff Reporter
Thirty-storey World Trade Center, Bangalore, to house both businesses and residences

TOP OF THE TOWN:Those who can afford it can skim over the city's notorious traffic jams.
Bangalore: With a helipad as its crowning glory, India's second World Trade Center (WTC) located within the Brigade Gateway, the 40-acre mixed use project at the Rajajinagar-Malleswaram junction here, will be operational by the first quarter of 2011.

Licensed

“The Brigade Group has obtained the licence from the World Trade Centers Association (WTCA) to classify and manage its one million sq ft office tower, as the World Trade Center, Bangalore,” said M.R. Jaishankar, Chairman & MD, Brigade Group, at a press conference in the city.

Symbol of trade

“The World Trade Center certification is awarded after rigorous assessment and scrutiny by WTCA whose primary objective is to promote ‘prosperity through trade,” said Robert J. Frueh, Director of Member Services, WTCA.

“WTC Bangalore will soon be a symbol of international trade for the Greater Bangalore Region,” he said “The establishment links this great city with around 311 World Trade Centers in nearly 100 countries.”

International trade providing services as trade information, global networking with WTC clubs, teleconferencing, exhibit facilities, consulting and office services and trade policy research, amongst others, will be available at the WTC Bangalore.

World-class

WTC Bangalore is 128 metres high (437 feet) with a glass façade, is built to LEED standards by HOK, New York, has world-class architectural features. Twenty-one high-speed elevators take visitors up 30 floors while 90,000 sq ft have been set aside for the nine-level car park.

The 29 {+t} {+h} floor, the Observation Deck, will have a 360-degree view of the city's skyline. Capping it is the 10,000 sq ft helipad.

The 1,260 residential units inside the integrated enclave will overlook an artificial lake. They will co-exist with a large retail space facing the road, a Sheraton Hotel with interconnected bridge for easy movement, PVR multiplex, Columbia Asia Hospital, club and sports services, and a Brigade Foundation School.

“This will be the first-of its kind privately run WTC in the world, unlike the Council of Management running the show at the WTC in Mumbai,” said Mr. Jaishankar.

BBMP's ambitious Vana Mahotsav a failure?

2010-08-27T04:12:00.001+05:30

BBMP's ambitious Vana Mahotsav a failure?

Staff Reporter
Instead of 1 lakh saplings, only 10,000 were planted on Tuesday
BBMP plans to plant five lakh saplings this year across the city

Forest and Horticulture departments jointly implementing the programme

CONCRETE JUNGLE:Bangalore could do with some serious greening efforts.
Bangalore: The Bruhat Bangalore Mahanagara Palike's (BBMP) ambitious plan to green the city by planting five lakh saplings is in danger of wilting.

The Vana Mahotsav programme was launched with Chief Minister B.S. Yeddyurappa planting a sapling at the proposed Tree Park in Domlur on Tuesday amid proclamations that the BBMP would plant one lakh saplings that day.

However, it now emerges that only 10,000 saplings were planted, including the 350 at the Tree Park.

Passing the buck

A civic authority source said the Forest Department has been entrusted with the greening task, with the BBMP's Horticulture Department assisting planting saplings in parks.

“The Horticulture Department has limited purview. Almost 90 per cent of the plan has to be implemented by the Forest Department,” sources said.

Moreover, the source said, the department had failed to involve the 198 councillors. The BBMP could have met the one lakh target on a single day if 500 saplings had been planted in each ward. “This was possible had all the councillors been involved,” the source said.

Shanthakumar, Conservator of Forests, BBMP, told The Hindu the department had shortlisted 10 tree species to be planted across the city, including mahogany, jackfruit, neem, jamoon, honge and flowering varieties such as nagasampige.

Conceding that only 10,000 saplings had been planted so far, he claimed that from June till now, around 2.5 lakh saplings had been planted. “We will complete planting the one lakh saplings in about 15 days. We will plant canopy trees in open spaces and hardy species such as ficus along the roads,” he said.

‘Too slow'

In a frank admission, Mayor S.K. Nataraj agreed the Vana Mahotsav programme was going slow. It was postponed as the Chief Minister was not available to launch it earlier. The officials should have strategised it better, he said, adding he would ask them to expedite the programme.

Continuous rainfall hits traffic in city

2010-08-27T04:11:00.000+05:30

Continuous rainfall hits traffic in city

Staff Reporter
City records 21.8 mm rainfall

Rain and thundershowers expected today

BANGALORE: Bangaloreans woke up on Thursday morning to nippy weather and a cloudy sky which turned into intermittent rainfall by early evening.

The rain, which began at around 3 p.m., continued till late in the night with some parts of the city witnessing nearly continuous downpour. The city recorded 21.8 mm rainfall and a minimum temperature of around 19.8 degrees Celsius. The Meteorological Department has forecast cloudy sky and spells of rain and thundershowers on Friday. Predictably, arterial roads were choked with traffic. Vehicles moved at snails' pace on M.G. Road, Cubbon Road, K.G. Road, J.C. Road and Sheshadripuram Road, to name a few. Office-goers returning home found that their drive home took a good half-hour longer than usual.

While three tree-falls were reported in Bangalore South BBMP zone, one each in Srinagar, Banashankari and Tilaknagar, one tree fall was reported in Ramaiah Layout in Kamanahalli, Banaswadi. BBMP officials said the trees had been cleared. Other reports of branches having fallen on byroads were also dealt with, the official added.

Rain takes its toll on City roads

2010-08-27T04:10:00.000+05:30

Rain takes its toll on City roads
Bangalore, Aug 26, DHNS:

Incessant rains on Thursday spoilt the evening plans of most Bangaloreans.

But what was more worrisome for them was how the showers peeled away the tar from the newly-asphalted roads in many areas. Motorists, who braved the rains, found huge potholes emerging on the roads. It only got worse in the night on poorly-lit streets.

With the roads virtually breaking apart under the onslaught of the rains, it was getting increasingly clear that the asphalting was only an annual ritual. Motorists were forced to negotiate even big ditches. Two-wheeler riders found it too risky to venture close to these ditches.

Picture this: Hardly a year back, the road near Hosmat Hospital was tarred. But even the below normal rainfall in August has left a trail of ditches, some big enough even to overturn vehicles. After Thursday’s downpour water got stagnated there.

Several commuters, caught in a choc-o-block rush hour traffic, in the evening were left with no other option but to wade through the pools of water that had filled the pot-holes. Trinity Circle, in the very heart of the city was water-logged due to the rough patch of road, a clear symbol of tar being washed away.

The Old Madras Road and other roads leading to Indiranagar from Ulsoor were also in bad shape, although the Bangalore Water Supply and Sewerage Board (BWSSB) had carried out some repair work on those stretches.

For almost two months, the situation is similar and no initiatives have been taken to repair the area. Residents from across the City called this office, complaining the poor shape of roads after the rains.

Mercury dips further

Thursday evening showers saw the city’s temperature dip further by another two degrees. The City recorded 17.4 mm rainfall. The maximum temperature recorded was 25.1 degrees and the minimum was 19.8 degrees celsius.

Meteorological department officials said that due to low pressure in the Bay of Bengal and depression in the East Central Arabian Sea, the western coastal areas from Maharasthra to Kerala will experience heavy rains and Bangalore will face only cloudy weather.

"Although the south-west monsoon has been very active in the coastal areas, Bangalore will continue to receive only drizzles accompanied with cold cloudy weather," he added. In the month of August alone, Bangalore has so far received 103.8 mm of rainfall.

Autorickshaw meters still show old fares

2010-08-26T06:20:00.000+05:30

Autorickshaw meters still show old fares
Auto drivers, looking to exploit passengers, are reluctant to recalibrate meters
Suchith.Kidiyoor @timesgroup.com

Over a month ago, auto drivers in the city stormed heaven and the government to have fares increased and succeeded, but a huge majority are reluctant to recalibrate their meters.
Bowing to demands from auto drivers and auto unions, the government had revised fares, increasing the minimum payable to Rs 17 from Rs 14 and Rs 9 per kilometre thereafter from the earlier Rs 7.
The revision in fares had come into effect at the start of this month, but drivers were given two months by the Regional Transport Authority (RTA) to recalibrate meters.
With almost a month gone, only about 18 per cent of autos in the city run on recalibrated meters, while the others are making hay while the sun shines. RTA authorities believe auto drivers are waiting until the deadline nears as they can exploit passengers by demanding excess fares in the interim.
M Gopalappa, assistant controller of legal metrology department, said, “The last time fares were hiked, we had recalibrated meters for 63,000 autos. With the latest revision, only about 14,000 drivers have come forward to recalibrate meters. The majority of them have not done so yet. We expect long queues as the deadline approaches.”
Auto drivers have to recalibrate their autos at authorised meter technicians and the process costs Rs 225. There are over 60 authorised meter technicians in the city, each capable of recalibrating between 100-150 autos a day. Once recalibration is complete, government metrology officials seal the meter so that it cannot be tampered with by drivers. About 1,500 meters can be sealed every day.
NO EXTENSION PLEA
More than 20 lakh people use autos every day in the city and most of them have had to deal with either rude drivers, ones demanding excess fares or others refusing to ply.
Leaders of auto unions have planned a crackdown on these errant drivers. “We have decided not to ask for the deadline to be extended,” said M Manjunath, president of Adarsh Auto and Taxi Drivers’ Union.
“We think passengers will end up paying more if meters are not recalibrated. Moreover most of the drivers run tampered meters and do not carry a tariff chart with them. To teach them a lesson, we will urge the department concerned to take stringent action if they fail to recalibrate within the deadline.”
250 AUTO DRIVERS BOOKED
In a test drive, transport department officials have taken action against more than 250 auto drivers in the city. RTO officials have acted based on the complaints received from passengers through emails.

No one’s parking at Jayanagar TTMC

2010-08-26T06:15:00.002+05:30

No one’s parking at Jayanagar TTMC
That’s because parking lots are on top of the building and commuters don’t like huffing and puffing up and down since the lifts are not yet operational
Suchith.Kidiyoor @timesgroup.com

The Rs 12.9-crore Traffic and Transit Management Centre (TTMC) at Jayangar 4th Block has not made life any easier for commuters. The idea of the TTMC, which was inaugurated by Chief Minister B S Yeddyurappa last August, was to get people to park their vehicles here and travel around the city by public transport. But parking here is easier said than done.
For one, the parking lot – which can accommodate 60 cars and 150 twowheelers – is located on the roof of the building and people are reluctant to use it because Bangalore Metropolitan Transport Corporation (BMTC) which owns TTMC has not provided lifts yet. When this reporter visited the TTMC, only four vehicles were parked.
STAIRS ARE TIRESOME
S Keerthi, a business developmental manager with an MNC, said, “Using parking lots in the building is tiresome when people have to use the stairs to go up and down. Adding to the problem, parking attendants are collecting more than the rates fixed.
“The Corporation has spent crores on the TTMC. If this is the state of the city’s first TTMC, what about the others being constructed,” Keerthi asked.
A corporation official said, “Initially, we received good response from the public. But as the lifts are not operational, people hesitate to use the parking lots. But the two lifts will start operating in two months.”
EMPTY SPACE
It’s not just the parking lot that is empty. Space on the first and second floor that the BMTC had planned to rent out is vacant even after a year. For instance, the transport department had planned to shift its RTO office from Jayanagar complex to the second floor but that has not yet happened.
The official said that a restaurant would come up on the first floor shortly and there was also a proposal to rent out space for a health centre, Bangalore One Centre, cyber cafe, banks, ATMs, air-ticket booking, departmental and book stores and the Corporation was working on it.

The cost of parking at the Jayanagar TTMC is Rs 8 for a minimum of two hours for two-wheelers and Rs 10 for four-wheelers

8 underpasses on Hosur Road

2010-08-26T06:15:00.001+05:30

8 underpasses on Hosur Road

Express News Service First Published : 25 Aug 2010 03:21:21 AM ISTLast Updated : 25 Aug 2010 09:24:23 AM IST
BANGALORE: Chief Minister B S Yeddyurappa said on Tuesday that eight underpasses would be constructed to make Hosur Road - between Vellara Junction and Silk Board Junction - signal-free.
He was speaking after inaugurating the newly-constructed underpass near Aiyappa Temple in Madivala.
"In order to make Hosur Road signal-free eight underpasses will be constructed at the cost of Rs 58 crore. The government is determined to ease traffic congestion in the city and in another three years, 11 roads will be made signal-free," he said.
Yeddyurappa also said the white topping technology - used to lay road at the newly-constructed underpasses - would last for 25 to 30 years. "This technology costs just 20 per cent more than asphalting. Therefore, I have instructed officials to adopt this technology while laying roads in the future."
"Blueprint for projects worth Rs18,000 crore is ready and they will be completed within three years. The government is also closely monitoring works on the Mono Rail and circular train projects. The city will have world-class facilities within three years," he said.
The newly inaugurated underpass was constructed within 58 working days at the cost of Rs 8 crore. Yeddyurappa also inaugurated a pedestrian subway, constructed at the cost of Rs 2.3 crore, near Town Hall and inaugurated a Vanamahotsava programme, below Domlur flyover.

Concrete plan for city, but where is the money?

2010-08-26T06:12:00.000+05:30

Concrete plan for city, but where is the money?
Bengaluru,

Article Rank

The Chief Minister has put for ward an ambi tious proposal to construct concrete roads in the city as they last longer and are more durable. But does any civic body have the funds to execute the plan? What happens to the roads that were asphalted recent ly? Experts say concretising the 11 proposed signal free corridors first would be a good starting point reports, Concrete roads last longer and minimise wear and tear of vehi- cles. However, a pro- vision must be made for rain water harvest- ing by installing recharge pits at regular intervals along their length. Concrete roads are essential for a city like Bengaluru. More roads will be identified for providing white topping and improv- ing traffic conditions in the city.

almost sounds too good to be true. Will Bengaluru be finally rid of its potholefilled roads as promised by Chief Minister B.S. Yeddyurappa? To Bengalureans, who have grown accustomed to living with bad roads, Mr Yeddyurappa’s brainwave of laying concrete roads in the city, which are more durable and unlikely to be damaged by one spell of rain, seems nothing short of a mirage.
The city has around 10,000 km of roads, of which 923 km are arterial roads carrying high density traffic, according to BBMP. These arterial roads are under threat of frequent wear and tear, especially during the monsoons, giving commuters a harrowing time.

Accidents and traffic jams are the order of the day on these stretches. It stands to reason that if

these arterial roads are treated with white topping, they will be more durable, cutting down drastically on BBMP’s annual maintenance bill.
And fortunately, the Chief Minister has instructed BBMP and BDA to tackle major roads to begin with on a public private partnership basis. When private companies come forward to

at least 25 years.
participate in building concrete roads, they will be allowed to advertise along them, he assured on Tuesday, clearly encouraged by the results of the concrete overlay used at the Hosur-Madiwala junction.
As the Chief Minister pointed out, white-topping on roads can last for two or three decades as against the three years or less that the asphalted roads survive for.

It was nothing but music to the ears of Bengalureans to hear Mr Yeddyurappa say that although the concerte roads may be 20 per cent more expensive, the fact that once laid they would require little maintenance, made the whole project worthwhile.

But the worry is that will the government take care of frequent road cutting too by one agency or the other for laying pipelines, repair work and so on? A senior engineer C.S.

Vishwanath suggests that road cutting can be prevented by providing utilities on either side of the road.

Use of suitable technology can also obviously help to make sure that the concrete roads once laid are not disturbed for any reason whatsoever, giving Bengalureans a smooth ride through the city, at long last.

High Court clears path for high-speed rail link

2010-08-26T06:10:00.000+05:30

High Court clears path for high-speed rail link

Staff Reporter
It refuses to interfere; dismisses petition by NGO Samarpana against the project
The proposed high-speed rail link is between Bangalore city and BIA at Devanahalli

Samarpana claims the SWR route from Bangalore to Devanahalli would be more cost-effective

BANGALORE: The Karnataka High Court on Tuesday refused to interfere with the proposed high-speed rail link (HSRL) between Bangalore city and the international airport at Devanahalli and dismissed a petition by a non-governmental organisation (NGO) of Bangalore against it.

NGO Samarpana had petitioned the High Court against the high-speed rail link project connecting M.G. Road and the Bengaluru International Airport at Devanahalli.

Samarpana said Bangalore Metro Rail Corporation Ltd. (BMRCL) had taken up the East–West Metro project from Dasarahalli-Peenya-Yeshwanthpur to J.P. Nagar via Rajajinagar on West of Chord Road-Navrang Circle-Malleswaram area. It said work was going on for the last one year and it is slated to be completed by 2012.

The BMRCL is also planning to connect BIAL by extending the Metro from Yeshwanthpur and also from Byappanahalli towards Banaswadi and further.

Even as the Metro authorities have taken up extension work of the project, the State issued a global invitation notification on June 30, 2008, for taking up the high-speed rail link to BIAL on build operate and transfer (BOT) basis and sought expression of interest on the project.

It said there was a debate on the project and cost factor at a meeting held on September 26, 2008, under the chairmanship of Ananth Kumar, vice-chairman of ABIDe. The meeting sought to know why the existing metro alignment could not be extended up to BIAL so as to ensure that passengers did not switch over from one mode of transport to another. Samarpana highlighted the problems that would be faced by the residents of Bangalore, including cost of the HSRL project which may go up to Rs. 10,000 crore. It requested the State to take up the South Western Railway (SWR) route from Bangalore to Devanahalli, which it said, would be cost effective. Moreover, if this route is agreed upon, acquiring land around Hebbal lake which is a water body, could be avoided

Concern for water body

It said the State had not analysed the gravity of traffic that may pass through the existing roads to the BIAL. The State was also going against the decision of the Supreme Court and the Karnataka High Court in acquiring land in and around Hebbal lake for the HSPL station.

Any acquisition, it said, would affect the water body.

It quoted the Railway Minister's statement that he would provide low cost rail transport service (by SWR) and construct a commuter rail station near the trumpet interchange at Devanahalli. Besides, the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) was also constructing an expressway from Hebbal to BIAL. When these projects are already on the anvil, there was no need for the HSRL, it said.

A Division Bench comprising Chief Justice J.S. Khehar and Justice Manjula Chellur dismissed the petition, saying that there was no ground to interfere with the proposed project.

NGOs hunt for ideas to revive Bangalore's green glory

2010-08-26T06:07:00.000+05:30

NGOs hunt for ideas to revive Bangalore's green glory

Aparajita Ray

Various non-governmental organisations (NGOs), under the banner of The Urban Vision, have rolled out a mega campaign in an effort to conserve the city's environment.
The campaign envisages holding competitions, mainly involving educational institutions, for evolving ideas for a green and resourceful Bangalore.
The competitions will be held throughout next month and the final results will be declared after 30 days. Partners in the campaign include NGOs like Go Green, Keep it Clean, Rain Water Club, Saahas, Saytrees and Indian Youth For Climate Network.
The campaign is aimed at helping citizens set up watchful local agencies to solve their civic problems.
The competitions, which begin from September 1 in various educational and commercial institutions, have several prizes on offer including "most active civic reporter", "best city strategist" (student and professional) and "civic leader institution" award for the most active group in the contest.
The prize winners will win a tour package to Paradise Isle Beach Resort in Karnataka and Windows 7 operating software from Microsoft. All submissions of the participants will be available on the website of Urban Vision where people can vote and discuss civic-related matters in their neighbourhood. Registrations for the contest need to be done at the Urban Vision website.
The event partners held a meeting to plan the campaign at Jaaga in Langford Town on Wednesday.
The meeting observed the lack of initiatives among educated people who are aware of the laws to make their city clean and green. "When I started cleaning my street my neighbours thought I have gone crazy. But then they also got embarrassed and started doing their bit too. Later, we expanded our campaign through websites and the media," said Myriam Shankar from Keep It Clean.
"The tool is also in essence redistributing governance in the hands of people and we believe that it allows citizens to constructively work with the government to solve civic problems. We would also web enable the community to come together to fix smaller issues in their community," said Prathima Manohar, founder, The Urban Vision.
The Indian Youth For Climate Network rued that even educated people indulged in activities that adversely affect the environment leading to climate change and global warming.
With the competitions, the NGOs are aiming to bring together a civic sense in citizens. They believe that the campaign has to begin from the youth, students and children. The whole exercise, they felt, is to bring back Bangalore's past glory of being a green and clean city.

Underpass: 25-day work, long-lasting technology

2010-08-25T05:55:00.000+05:30

nderpass: 25-day work, long-lasting technology
White Topping will give roads of this type a life span of 30 years, while conventional roads hardly last 5 years
Niranjan Kaggere niranjan.kaggere@timesgroup.com

Bangalore is set to witness a ‘white revolution’. As opposed to tarred roads, which are black in colour, the city will have ‘white roads’ that use the US technology on important stretches and last more than 30 years. Our roads hardly last four to five years.
The ‘White Topping’ technology is expected to be used in 11 signal-free corridors. It uses special concrete and a chemical substance that gives vehicles a firm grip on the road.
This technology has been used for the first time in Bangalore on the Madivala Underpass, which was inaugurated by Chief Minister B S Yeddyurappa on Tuesday.
The underpass, worth over Rs 80 lakh, was funded by the Cement Manufacturers’ Association of India as a demonstration to the state government. It caught the attention of the CM, who ordered use of this technology on 11 other signal-free corridors.
WHITE TOPPING
Conventional roads are asphalted with tar along with other materials and look black. In these roads, highquality concrete is used and they look white. Hence the name.
While conventional roads need retarring once in four to five years, roads using this technology will last 30-35 years. The normal roads use a lot of sand and crushed stones. This technology prevents wastage of natural resources. “In this technology, even a half-a-feet thick road gives a lot of strength,” says Nagesh Puttaswamy, regional head (technical), Ultratech Cement.
COST FACTOR
Cost-wise, the new technology is 5-8 per cent more. On an average, it will cost Rs 400-600 per square metre of road. However, it can withstand any degree of friction.
The cost doesn’t seem to have deterred the government. “Keeping in mind the fact that it lasts longer, we should use the same technology for building other underpasses too,” said the chief minister.
In future, roads will be laid using sophisticated equipment called ‘paver machines’. According to sources in the BBMP, these machines come with rollers for levelling the concrete bed. This machine was used during the construction of Madivala underpass and it costs Rs 94 lakh.
A senior official from the BBMP’s major roads wing, said, “The quantity of water used to build these roads is very less. Only 280 ml of water is used per kilogram of concrete along with other compositions.”
Once the concrete is laid on the stretch, a wax-like concrete-curing compound will be sprayed on it to prevent loss of water. This compound will form a thin film above the road and helps concrete to set firmly in three days. “The Madivala junction, measuring 330X28 metres, has been built within 25 days with 20 hours of work every day,” said Nagesh.

SCHOOL, HOSPITAL AND TRANSPORTER TURN ROAD INTO PRIVATE PROPERTY

2010-08-25T04:49:00.002+05:30

SCHOOL, HOSPITAL AND TRANSPORTER TURN ROAD INTO PRIVATE PROPERTY
The entire 390-ft stretch of Hombe Gowda Nagara Cross Road, near Shantinagar, has been encroached upon by three private establishments. There is no access to motorists, public
T S Sreenivasa Raghavan bmfeedback@indiatimes.com

Hombe Gowda Nagara Cross Road, which runs parallel to K H Road and connects BTS Road and H Siddaiah Road, is out of bounds to the public with a ‘No Trespassing’ sign at one end. There are three major establishments on this road: Outreach School and Parijma Neurodiagnostic & Rehabilitation Centre on either side of the BMTC (earlier BTS) Road end and KPN Travels on the Siddaiah Road end. These three establishments have divided the road into two equal portions by erecting a compound wall in the middle of the road.
Interestingly, Hombe Gowda Nagara Cross Road has a first cross, a third cross, a fourth cross and more. However, it doesn’t have a second cross. Siddaiah Road BBMP Sub Divisional Office Assistant Executive Engineer R Anandam confirmed that the cross road in question is BBMP property and has been encroached upon jointly by Outreach School, Parijma Hospital and KPN Travels. “This cross road is actually Hombe Gowda Nagara first street. So, the cross road next to it should become II cross road which is now mentioned as first. So, it’s very clear that while usurping the property someone removed the first cross road signboard and kept it in its present place while the actual signboard of second cross road has been thrown away,” he told
Bangalore Mirror.
LAND WORTH RS 16 CRORE
The motive of the encroachers is not hard to calculate. The school and the hospital now have exclusive entrances, while at the other end, the bus operator has got considerable parking space for its fleet and a special entrance to its bus station. This road is of course prime property with a total area of 10,920 sqft. With the current price being Rs 15,000 per sqft, the property could easily be worth around Rs 16 crore.
CHARGES DENIED
However, Dr Suresh Rao Aroor, Director of Parijma Hospital, denied this charge. “We’ve documents showing it is a private road. That’s why we’ve put up the board warning people not to trespass,” he said.
Anandam revealed that a few months ago, the BBMP had tried to get back this road, but failed.
He added that BBMP was in the process of examining the parent documents of the property to ascertain the facts.
“Till a few years back, this road was open to motorists. Later, the three owners partitioned the road between themselves,” he said.
An activist, who didn’t want to be named, has sought the ownership details of the property under Right to Information Act from the BBMP.

Their prayer to Palike: leave us alone

2010-08-25T04:49:00.001+05:30

Their prayer to Palike: leave us alone

Citizens wonder how Dr Rajkumar Road will become a signal-free corridor when five underpasses come up on this 80-ft, 3.6km stretch which has 15 major intersections and as many minor ones. It will only disfigure this beautiful tree-lined thoroughfare and destroy a 60-year-old ecosystem, they argue

Shilpa CB

Houses and commercial properties on Dr Rajkumar Road are under threat thanks to the civic authorities' grand idea to make it a signal-free corridor by building five underpasses.
Owers and tenants, who have been notified and told to make way, are shocked the Palike conceived such an elaborate and destructive plan without consulting them, studying the problems or collecting facts to support their drive.
There is absolutely no case for embarking on this exercise which will only disfigure this beautiful tree-lined road and destroy an ecosystem that has been growing for over 60 years, they argue.
"We are not against development. If this exercise will benefit users of this road, we will not oppose it," say residents. They have formed the Citizen Support Group to studying the plan threadbare.
"There are 15 major intersections and 15 minor ones on this 80-ft road which is about 3.6km long. How will it be signal-free with five underpasses? When we asked the engineers this, they said it would be a semi-signal-free corridor," says N Prasad, a members of the group.
If that is the objective, the Palike should invest in an elevated road which would cost Rs280 crore. Land need not be acquired, over 271 properties can be saved, and most of the 700 trees could be spared, the group says. But there are no takers for this suggestion. For a long elevated road, engineers will have to engage a large construction company. But for the underpasses, they can hire small-time contractors. The money that will change hands as kickbacks will be much more in the second scenario, they allege.
There are numerous reasons why building underpasses of roughly 600 metres every few hundred metres is not going to help the cause of traffic. It will make the road resemble a camel's back with many ups and downs. Also, a few important intersections have been skipped which means that vehicles coming out of these underpasses will end up right at a traffic signal again. The quantum of traffic will also be the same. The Metro comes in at the Navrang Junction.
"We filed two RTI applications seeking details on what is being planned here. To one, the answer was underpass, to the other it was overpass. Technically, neither is possible," says ASN Kumar, a trader.
The group discovered more such anomalies by filing 30 RTI applications. The information they gathered was analysed by experts. It does not, however, take an expert to point out that signal-free corridors do not belong inside the city in the first place.
"There are schools, hospitals, banks, and shops along both sides of the road. There are houses too. How will a person living on one side cross over to the other to avail these services? Should he or she go all the way to the beginning of the road to enter it? Besides, with speeding vehicles, the road will become accident prone and inhospitable for any business," says Suresh Chandra, the landlord credited with starting the movement against the ill-planned underpasses.
"Don't take our houses and buildings and make a mess of the road. At least, make good use of it. Our sacrifice should benefit road users," says restaurateur Sridhar D.
The group also mentions that Dr Rajkumar Road is one of the smoothest roads to cruise through, most hours of the day. In the late hours, however, a private travel agency turns it into a bus stand by lining the road connecting Tumkur Road and Yeshwantpur to Majestic with tourist buses. Unfortunately, noise and pollution are fallouts residents have to live with.
Containing this menace is as important as improving the condition of the roads, the footpaths and the street-lighting.
Corporator Shashikala Krishnegowda has not cared to visit the road after she got elected. The many MPs and MLAs too have turned their backs on their voters. The issues surrounding the proposed transformation of Dr Rajkumar Road are numerous. One that cannot be missed is the connection between the Palike's plan and the sprawling township that has been built on industrial land located at one end of the road.
"There are 1,254 apartments, 6lakh square feet of office space, an 'international' school, a 5-star hotel, a mall with 11-screen multiplex and a hospital in that township. We have found out that the office space is not finding takers because of connectivity issues. Civic agencies could also be objecting to the space being occupied as infrastructure needs such as roads have not been met," says Prasad.
A 7-acre space opposite this township is lying vacant for developers to build on. However, the road cannot host such mega projects.
"The BDA's master plan has clearly said this road is only suitable for small buildings and single dwelling units. A sprawling campus of high-rises would be out of place here," says Kumar.
The civic authority is robbing Peter to pay Paul. Building owners are already suffering after the BBMP marked their properties.
Rents have dropped, a few buildings have been lying vacant for more than a year although the landlords have slashed rents drastically.
"It's the most insulting thing the BBMP did. Once proud residents of Dr Rajkumar Road, we now walk with our heads hung low," says Prasad in a dejected way..

Govt to rethink TDR proposal

2010-08-25T04:48:00.000+05:30

Govt to rethink TDR proposal

A seven-member panel will reassess the compensation scheme for road-widening after gauging public opinion on the contentious issue

Srikanth Hunasavadi Bangalore

The state government is finally taking steps to re-consider implementing the controversial Transfer of Development Rights (TDR) scheme, which is likely to be the final nail in the coffin for this scheme, perceived as infamous by Bangaloreans.
As the first step in that direction, the urban development department has organised a state-level workshop on TDR on September 7 in Bangalore which will include town planners, non-government organisations and other experts, said urban development minister S Suresh Kumar.
The state government had proposed the TDR scheme to citizens who will lose their properties due to road-widening. The scheme offers compensations through payments or through provision of alternative sites. But past experiences indicated that in most cases such citizens were either paid inadequate compensation or provided undervalued properties elsewhere in the city. This had led to anxiety among the residents set to lose their properties and a series of campaigns to oppose these plans.
Now, the government has set up a high-level seven-member committee headed by A Ravindra, advisor to the CM on urban development, to study the TDR issue.

CM wants `concrete' plan for Bengaluru's traffic woes

2010-08-25T04:47:00.000+05:30

CM wants `concrete' plan for Bengaluru's traffic woes
BENGALURU

Article Rank

DIRECTS CIVIC BODIES TO CONSTRUCT ROADS WITH WHITE TOPPING WHICH LAST LONGER AND ARE MAINTENANCE FREE

Are concrete roads the answer for a city grappling with potholed and damaged roads? Chief minister B.S. Yeddyurappa seems to think so. After the inauguration of the Madiwala underpass and planting of one lakh saplings on Tuesday, Mr Yeddyurappa suggested to BBMP, the BDA and other urban local bodies to go for concrete roads as they are long-lasting and virtually maintenance free.He said though concrete roads use soil nailing technology and the cost is 20 per cent higher, they should be encouraged as they are known to last for at least 25 to 30 years. The conventional black topping on the roads lasts for only three years or so, he said.
After BBMP and BDA identify roads with high density traffic, white topping will be used on them under Public-Private-Partnership (PPP) as many cement manufacturing companies have evinced interest in the project. The white topping will ensure that the roads are smoother as compared to the conventional concrete roads. There is no dearth of funds for executing the project across the state, he added. The underpass at Madiwala junction has been completed at a cost

of Rs 8 crore. The road will be widened to 30 metre at a cost of Rs 27 crore. This will help reduce commuting time by 30 minutes, Mr Yeddyurappa said. To solve the parking woes in the city, the BDA has been entrusted with the work of building 10 multi-level parking complexes at a cost of Rs 1,000 crore, he said. "The state government has prepared the blueprint for investing Rs 19,000 crore in infrastructure projects to make Bengaluru a world class city," Mr Yeddyurappa said.
METRO BY 2010 END Reach one of Metro Rail stretching 7.1 km between Byappanahalli depot to Anil Kumble Circle will be completed by the end of 2010, Mr Yeddyurappa said, adding that the Opposition must support the government to complete projects on time. The media interaction with him could not take place as he had a busy itinerary.

CM favours concrete roads in City

2010-08-25T04:46:00.000+05:30

CM favours concrete roads in City
Bangalore, Aug 24, DHNS:

Chief Minister B S Yeddyurappa has asked the civic agencies to consider laying concrete roads for for durability.

“The Bruhat Bangalore Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) and Bangalore Development Authority (BDA) should consider laying concrete roads with white topping.

Though they cost 20 per cent more than conventional tar roads, concrete roads last for anywhere between 25 and 30 years and need minimum maintenance. As opposed to this, tar roads last for about three years,” Yeddyurappa said while speaking after inaugurating an underpass at Madivala here on Tuesday.

High density corridors

The Chief Minister said the BBMP and BDA have been asked to identify corridors with high traffic density, where concrete roads could be laid on a Public-Private-Partnership (PPP) basis. He said several cement manufacturing companies have evinced interest in the proposal. In return for laying roads, they will be given advertisement display rights, he said.

He revealed that the BDA has been entrusted with the work of constructing 10 multi-level parking complexes at a cost of Rs 1,000 crore. The pedestrian subway near Town Hall was also thrown open for public on Tuesday. The Rs 2.37-crore project, which was commissioned in 2007, was to be completed in a year’s time from inception.

Endless wait for K R Market subway

2010-08-24T17:40:00.001+05:30

Endless wait for K R Market subway
The project, started four years ago, is nowhere near completion. It's a mess at the busiest junction in the city and a risk for pedestrians & motorists alike
Manasi Paresh Kumar manasi.pk@timesgroup.com

Step aside Puttenhalli and Kadirenhalli, the two projects said to be the most delayed in Bangalore. They appear to be facing stiff competition from another project: The pedestrian subway at K R Market.
As the project turns four years old this September, the incomplete 'relic' has suddenly been thrust into the spotlight again. About a month ago, its implementation was handed over to the BBMP Major Works department. Earlier, the project was with the BBMP Projects (Central) department, which barely completed less than 30 percent of the work in four years.
With the bustling and very crowded K R market bus stand on one side of the incomplete subway and the busy traffic from Old Fort Road on the other side, it is a common sight to see pedestrians fighting for right of way. Add to this, the heavy influx of traffic going towards the Central Business District through SJP Road. Besides, thousands of people throng this transit point for retail purposes.
So a pedestrian subway to ensure the safety of the huge number of pedestrians was a must. The BBMP came up with a plan to build a 123-meter pedestrian subway in February 2006. The tenders were called and details were finalised in August 2006. The Rs 5.8 crore tender was won by Maruthi Construction and its Malaysian partner. The Malaysian partner, however, walked out after a year when the project appeared to be going nowhere. It was meant to be a pre-cast subway and was to be completed in 18 months flat (a deadline that the BBMP sets for all its subway projects). Four years and counting, what you have, is a mess at the busiest junction, making it also extremely dangerous for both pedestrians and motorists alike.
The half dug up road has remained in that condition for close to two years and the Palike has done virtually nothing during the period. But why is the project dragging endlessly? The biggest problem, the officials say, is a 900mm sewage line running from Majestic to Gandhinagar under the subway. "We paid the BWSSB Rs 70 lakh to shift the line last year. But they are as yet to act," say BBMP officials.
In response, BWSSB officials say they found no takers for the tender to shift the pipeline."Getting private contractors to do any kind of work in the market area is difficult. We are trying our best," they say.
But, when will the project be completed? "We can't give you a date just yet, but we will complete it at the earliest," says T N Chikkarayappa, Chief Engineer, Major Works department.

BBMP ‘seizes’ vacant sites!

2010-08-24T17:39:00.000+05:30

BBMP ‘seizes’ vacant sites!
Nagapura ward corporator instructs BBMP to ‘confiscate’ and clean vacant sites to check spread of chikungunya and dengue
Praveen Kumar praveen.kumar6@timesgroup.com

All you vacant site owners of Nagapura ward (67) — Mahalakshmi Layout assembly constituency— beware! Your corporator is after for you.
In a major drive, corporator S Harish has instructed BBMP officials to clean vacant sites in his ward and plant boards with the curt command: This site belongs to the BBMP.
The initiative began a few days ago after Harish’s office was flooded with calls from residents complaining about the rise in chikungunya and dengue cases in the area.
“Our helpline was flooded with these complaints and queries on how to treat the diseases,” Harish told the Bangalore Mirror.
“We then undertook a tour of the ward and found most of the victims stayed either close to or a short distance from vacant sites. These sites were being used as garbage and debris dumps while some of them were even used as public toilets. They made ideal conditions for mosquitoes to breed.
“I immediately instructed the BBMP to deploy gang men to clean all these sites and to plant boards saying these sites are now the property of the BBMP. Some of these sites have not been cleaned for years,” Harish said.
Harish claims at least 70 sites in the ward have been cleaned at the expense of the BBMP.
The BBMP has a revolving fund of Rs 1 lakh and this is being utilised for the purpose, Harish said. “On my instruction, gang men, who have daily routine cleaning duties in the ward, are employed for a couple of hours on these sites. They also use the JCBs and tractors allotted to my ward.”
WHY THE BOARDS?
Harish believes the planting of boards claiming the property belongs to the BBMP would get the owners to take concrete action. “I can easily find details of the owners of the sites from the land records, but I will not do that,” he said. “The idea is to get the owners to take concrete measures to ensure their sites are clean.
“We hope to educate vacant site owners about the problems caused because of their land. Owners might feel happy to see their sites cleaned, but this is not being done for free. A penalty will be imposed on the owner.
“We have directed residents to ensure the boards we have put up are not tampered with. Owners will have to prove ownership at the BBMP office, pay the penalty and only then have use of their land. We want them to regularly clean these sites or else they would face action,” he said.
The move has pleased residents in the area. “For years we were unable to open the windows of our house because of the stench emanating from a vacant site in front of our house,” said Geetha, a resident. “Now we have some relief. I hope the BBMP continues to put pressure on the owners to ensure the site is clean,” she said.
Dase Gowda, a retired government employee, praised the BBMP for their action, while Chandrappa, another resident said he had even complained to former chief minister HD Kumaraswamy but to no avail. “I had complained during one of the Janatha Darshan sessions, when Kumaraswamy was the chief minister. But nothing was done. Now, its a big relief that the site has been cleaned,” he said.

Development should not hit urban commons that help in binding society

2010-08-24T17:38:00.004+05:30

Development should not hit urban commons that help in binding society

Solomon Benjamin and Carol Upadhyay

Bangalore's streets are not just for traffic: many are vibrant bazaars that form the cultural and economic essence of urban life for the people.
Similarly, 'keres' or tanks are not just beautiful; they embody deep-rooted cultural sentiments and community-centered environmental and ecological values. A mud-surfaced open 'maidan' is of immense value to youth to meet for sport and socialise across classes. City 'commons' can be thought of as places, constructed over time by the cumulative actions of many people across class and other divisions, to form essential parts of economy and environment. The concept of commons thus takes us beyond the legal concept of 'public property', pointing to the multiple ways in which people relate to, have a stake in, and are intimately connected to the city.
Urban commons include streets, lakes, and parks that are used by a range of people for multiple purposes, and also the air we breathe and the avenue trees that provide shade and ecological balance.
These form a vibrant urban culture; for instance, what would the 8th Cross of Malleswaram be without its small shops, especially during festival times? Can gigantic malls ever replace a multitude of urban experiences?
A recent national-level workshop on the 'Urban Commons' organised by the Urban Research and Policy Programme at the National Institute of Advanced Studies hosted an interdisciplinary group to debate the idea of commons, their governance and protection by local communities, threats posed by develop ment, and consider future lines of action. It became evident that 'commons' help in binding society.
'Commons' are also contested. We witness massive interventions in the name of development that increasingly disconnect common spaces.
Madiwala Sante on Hosur Road and the market at Banashankari temple on Kanakapura Road are sought to be shifted for traffic management. An important issue for political debate stems from some hard questions: Consider the crores of rupees invested for road widening and flyovers, supposedly to make the city efficient and promote economic growth.
Emerging research on city economy recognises the substantive employment and economic value from such bazaar economies. Does such development actually disrupt a functioning city economy and threaten people's livelihood?
Consider two other efforts: The landscaping of playgrounds and the 'ecological restoration' of 'kere's' or tanks. Is there even more environmental damage via the fertilizers and pesticides used for the lawns, and ground water depleted via the installed bore wells? And are these efforts accentuating the disruption of city eco-systems? Are the masses, especially lower income groups, excluded from such 'made over' spaces? For instance, Koramangala has witnessed a steady reduction of freely accessible public space. Its main maidan, a vibrant public playground, is reduced in half by landscaping and chain-linked fence, often with locked gates. What are the consequences of popular resentment against such enclosures?
Thinking about what constitutes a 'commons' is complicated as these are the times when 'civil society' increasingly represents mostly elite sections of society. If so, the issue of recognising and managing city commons remains a matter for adjudication for civic politics rather than civil society. The crisis of urban commons is intrinsically related to that of a crisis of urban democracy.

This stretch needs a straight solution

2010-08-24T17:38:00.003+05:30

This stretch needs a straight solution

The curves are sharp at a few points on Mahalakshmi Layout Main Road and buses barely manage to pass without brushing against each other. There is grave risk to commuters. The problem could probably be solved by widening and straightening the stretch connecting West of Chord and Ring roads

Shilpa CB

For a relatively newly developed area, Mahalakshmi Layout Main Road that leads to Nandini Layout or Singapore Layout, as it is also known, is unusually crammed. Buses barely manage to pass without brushing against each other. Of course, vehicles do slow down during peak hours on the roads that go uphill and downhill.
At a few points, curiously, the curves are sharp. This stretch from West of Chord Road to Ring Road could get big and broad if the BBMP goes ahead with its plans. It is not the plan the residents are questioning, but the 'how' and 'why' of development that was allowed here in recent decades although rumours on the project were making the rounds.
That the stretch could be taken up for widening is old news for most locals. Some say they heard about it four years ago while others say rumours were afloat for many decades.
"There were only about 40 buildings here until five years ago. Nearly 400 buildings have come up since then. Who is responsible for that? Why did they allow it," asks Chowdegowda S, a businessman who has been running a small shop here for 18 years.
Many temples – about 21 including an impressive Ayyappa Temple – were allowed to come up along the 2.5km road. Also, numerous parks were developed for crores of rupees. All these developments happened during the last five years although most of them would have to be destroyed if widening were to be done, people claim.
The numbers related to temples were arrived at recently when members of Mahalakshmi Layout Residents' Forum gathered for a meeting initiated by the Save Bangalore Committee to discuss the plan of action to resist the proposed road widening. The response to the meeting was indeed poor, says Sudesh Kumar Clement, one of the organisers.
The road has been disowned by its 'original inhabitants' who were allotted houses and sites here. They have left the area after either selling or renting their properties. The new tenants do not want to get involved in any protest, says Clement, a businessman.
His father got a one-bedroom house allotted by the housing board in 1968. He renovated this recently, adding more bedrooms. "Why did they sanction the plan if they were planning to demolish part of the building for road widening," he asks.
His neighbour Shivraj B too renovated his residence and added a couple of shops. That cost him Rs5 lakh which he borrowed from a bank; he would have to return Rs3 lakh deposit to his tenants if he loses a portion of the property to road-widening. Shivraj has already undergone two surgeries and could not pay the installments on time to the bank because of big hospital bills. He wonders what he would do if bulldozers come to tear down his property.
"I have to take care of my widowed daughter and her children, too. It would be unfair if our properties are taken away and we are not compensated adequately by the civic body," he says.
Another employee of the IT sector, who pays more than Rs7,000 every month towards a 20-year housing loan, has the same worry. "I've asked the bank if it can intervene and protect our properties. Their answer is 'no'," he says.
Almost everyone living on this stretch for decades has a similar tale to tell. "We left 5ft from our property for the footpath when we built our house. Now, we just have an area of 40x55 sq ft. We are a joint family of 18. We are already falling short of space. If we are forced to give up the remaining land, we would have to disperse. I suspect the government does not want us to live together," says Margaret D' Souza, a resident living here for 42 years.
She had approached the area representatives and presented a memorandum during Dharam Singh's tenure as chief minister. "We'd known about this widening plan and we tried to get answers and solutions, in vain," she says.
The worried citizens offer alternatives that could help the cause of decongesting the road. Make this a one way, the parallel road could help lead traffic out, they say.
"It's quite peaceful here. Vehicles do crowd this road during rush hour. The rest of the time, it is calm. Besides, the Metro is coming up. The national highway is just about two kilometres away," says Madhu R, a sales person employed in one of the shops.
With 'strong roads' such as West of Chord Road and the Ring Road around, there is no need to tamper with this stretch, some say.
Gopalakrishna Menon, a real estate agent, says this road should be made a straight stretch connecting Chord and Ring roads.
Owners have received the BBMP's notices long back. But they have kept it under wraps, says Menon who smells an opportunity in the project and hopes that it takes off sooner than later. "Once the Metro is complete, this road will have to be widened," he says.

BBMP falls short of measures to tackle rain wrath, experts see flaws in civic planning

2010-08-24T17:38:00.001+05:30

BBMP falls short of measures to tackle rain wrath, experts see flaws in civic planning

Bosky Khanna

It just took a few hours of downpour to expose the fact that the Bruhat Bangalore Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) was ill prepared to deal with monsoon showers.
All it took was 42.2 mm of rainfall on Saturday and 6mm on Sunday to bring the city to a halt. Within no time citizens were complaining of bad roads, potholes, over-flowing drains, flooding, stagnant water and the falling of trees and electric poles.
Experts pointed out that the most basic aspect of proper sink pits and clean drains were yet to be addressed.
There was a structural and design problem in the city's planning, especially of shoulder drains, said ABIDe member, Ashwin Mahesh. "The drains are rectangular and flat at the bottom. Ideally they should be cylindrical at the bottom to help the water flow faster. Instead of transporting the water to other places, which is presently happening, the BBMP should create sink pits at every 50-100 metres of the drain to recharge ground water. This is especially needed in low-lying areas," he explained.
He also said the drains should be constructed alongside the road, in between the footpath. "But instead BBMP is creating them after the footpath, between building's compound walls and footpaths. Also the inlets to lakes should be cleaned, rather than mere desilting of lakes," he said.
R Suresh, director, Public Affairs Centre, was of the view that Bangalore had enough technical expertise to manage its water and drainage systems. "The need of the hour is to creatively combine this technical quality with a social vision. General technologies for the management of water storage and runoff must be localised to the specific needs of each community that is affected by these natural calamities," said Suresh.
Civic analyst V Ravichandar pointed out that a cloudburst with concentrated rainfall in a short period would test the best infrastructure. "Bangalore has a lot of distance to go in fixing its roads and drains. There is no substitute for continuously plugging away at fixing the road geometry, removing decayed trees, and keeping drains clear of debris and garbage. BBMP needs to accept the responsibility and ensure this is done and penalise officers who fail in their duty. Citizens also need to play their part by not encroaching drains or using them as garbage dump yards. BBMP has to encourage citizen participation," said Ravichandar.
Mayor SK Nataraj, however, said, "We are 100% ready to tackle the rain havoc with control rooms and well-equipped Prahari vehicles."
He added that flooding had reduced over the years, but could not be completely stopped as it was a part of development and happened in low-lying areas.

Hop onto Merc bus and pay just Re1 for a ride

2010-08-24T17:37:00.000+05:30

Hop onto Merc bus and pay just Re1 for a ride

Shwetha S

Bus Day has been successful for the BMTC thanks to its effective campaigns. It has more plans to draw commuters. Its managing director Syed Zameer Pasha says in an interview to Shwetha S that by Saturday, BMTC will run two Mercedes Benz buses for commuters at Re1 for a few days.
When will the commuters get the much anticipated Re1 ride in Mercedes Benz luxury buses?
We are already working on the project and by Saturday (August 28), we will be running two Mercedes Benz buses in the city. We are planning to run these buses for a few days by charging just Re1 to draw the attention of commuters.
What are the other facilities available? Are there plans to introduce wifi in Volvo buses?
Mercedes Benz is itself a brand. So the quality of facilities provided by the bus will be much better compared with other buses, including Volvos. Yes, we have plans to introduce wifi in Volvos especially in buses plying towards IT corridors and BIAL. We have to call for a tender. In two or three weeks, we will be able to introduce wifi in Volvos.
What will be the fare once Mercedes Benz bus starts running regular services across the city?
We have not thought about it till now. Viewing the response of the passengers, we will gradually increase the number of buses and fix the fares accordingly. But, one thing is sure. The fares will be comparatively higher than those charged by Volvo buses.
Do you think the Bus Day has forced at least a few commuters to leave their cars at home and use public transport? When can we expect more commuters shifting to public transport?
Bus Day has been successful for the BMTC thanks to its effective campaigns. They helped in spreading awareness among about the significance of using public transport. The response from the IT corridors has been encouraging. After every Bus Day, we have gained a 10% increase in ridership in these sectors. Such drives should be promoted. If the government can sustain the tempo by launching more and more people-centric campaigns, I am sure a large number of commuters will take to public transport.
Apart from these initiatives, what are the other plans by the BMTC to educate drivers on etiquette, safe driving and making the journey smooth for passengers?
On a regular basis, the BMTC is conducting workshops to all its bus drivers. Batchwise, it is organising safety driving programmes. We also hold meditation sessions and such other activities to de-stress the drivers viewing the nature of their job. We identify drivers who are addicted to alcohol and smoking and send them to de-addiction centres. This will help them to keep away from such dangerous habits

Bannerghatta Road traffic facility to be opened

2010-08-24T17:36:00.003+05:30

Bannerghatta Road traffic facility to be opened

Express News Service First Published : 24 Aug 2010 03:04:39 AM ISTLast Updated : 24 Aug 2010 10:22:55 AM IST
BANGALORE: Transport Minister R Ashok on Monday said the Transit and Traffic Management Centre (TTMC) on Bannerghatta Road will be opened on August 29.
He told reporters that the multipurpose TTMCs in the city would ease parking problem and ensure smooth flow of traffic. TTMCs are already functional in Jayanagar and Kengeri. Besides the one at Bannerghatta Road, the city will get six more TTMCs at Vijayanagar, Banaswadi, Marathahalli, Peenya, Shantinagar and Jalahalli.
Ashok said the TTMC at Shantinagar would house all the officers pertaining to the transport department. He said tender bids to allot commercial space in Shantinagar TTMC would be called shortly.
He said the Bangalore Metropolitan Transport Corporation (BMTC) would use the ground floor of the multistoried TTMCs. He said the other floors would be used to park private vehicles and for other commercial ventures such as showrooms, shops and other establishments.
Also, the minister said that the 444 vacant posts in the BMTC had been filled and the appointment letters had been sent.
Ashok, who is in charge of southern Bangalore, said he had held a meeting with the mayor, deputy mayor and councillors of the region's wards to prepare a comprehensive plan to tackle flooding due to rain.
He said he had directed the officials to identify the areas prone to flooding, reasons for it and the possible solutions to the problem.

Madiwala bottleneck is now history

2010-08-24T17:36:00.001+05:30

Madiwala bottleneck is now history

Express News Service First Published : 24 Aug 2010 03:07:59 AM ISTLast Updated : 24 Aug 2010 09:34:44 AM IST
BANGALORE: Chief Minister B S Yeddyurappa will on Tuesday inaugurate Madiwala underpass, which has been completed in 58 days as against the deadline of 90 days.
The Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) has built the underpass under its plan to make 11 corridors in the city signalfree. The underpass connects the Silk Board flyover to the Electronics City elevated highway.
The road has been identified to be part of the signalfree corridors. Eight underpasses will be built at eight major junctions from Vellara Junction to Silk Board.

Tension after Metro demolition

2010-08-24T17:35:00.002+05:30

Tension after Metro demolition

Staff Reporter
Property owners on R.V. Road claim that they were served no notice
— PHOTO: BHAGYA PRAKASH K.

ANOTHER ONE BITES THE DUST:Demolition on in full swing on Monday to widen the R.V. Road in Bangalore to facilitate Namma Metro project.
Bangalore: There was tension near South End Circle in Basavangudi here on Monday morning when Bangalore Metro Rail Corporation Ltd. (BMRCL) officials decided to go ahead with the demolition of several structures on R.V. Road for the Namma Metro project.

The demolition triggered a wave of protests and police had to be called in to ensure that the situation did not go out of hand.

Trouble started when BMRCL officials, under heavy police bandobast, came prepared to demolish commercial buildings as well as residences on R.V. Road.

Angry property owners tried to fight demolition contending they had not been served with any notice and the matter was still pending in the High Court of Karnataka.

‘Huge loss'

“We were given no notice. All of a sudden, the officials came with earthmovers and started throwing furniture and other valuables on the road. We have incurred a huge loss,” claimed Chandra V., owner of Shanti Sagar Hotel.

She said that they got to know that the Metro officials would demolish their property only the night before.

“We went to Basavanagudi Police Station to lodge a complaint. It was registered after much reluctance on the part of the police,” she said.

‘Given no time'

Ms. Chandra alleged that BMRCL officials had disregarded the High Court's stay order and that they did not give them any time to clear their property.

“We were also not told how much land will be acquired. When my husband tried to protest, he was manhandled by the police. Some property owners were taken to the Basavanagudi Police Station and held there till the buildings were demolished,” she added. Raja Shekhar, owner of Rajasthani Paratha Point, said he had lost all his investment. “We were not even given time to clear our property. Most of our belongings were lost or stolen in the mêlée,” he said.

The police said they had arrested eight persons for obstruction following a complaint by BMRCL officials. They were released later.

‘No violation'

Meanwhile, BMRCL's spokesperson said there was no violation of any court order. “The residents had challenged our acquisition order. The court issued a stay order on acquisition of 274 sq m and cleared the remaining 2,225 sq m,” the spokesperson said.

BMRCL only demolished buildings in the area cleared by the court, the spokesperson added.

NSD centre in City stays comatose

2010-08-24T17:35:00.001+05:30

NSD centre in City stays comatose
Satish Shile, Bangalore, Aug 23, DHNS:

The regional centre of National School of Drama (NSD), opened in Bangalore by the Centre after a sustained struggle by the Kannada theatre community, is in a state of stupor.

The regional centre of National School of Drama (NSD), opened in Bangalore by the Centre after a sustained struggle by the Kannada theatre community, is in a state of stupor.

The Centre sanctioned the regional centre following the five-day fast staged by wellknown theatre person Prasanna in January 2007.

He gave up the protest only after he got an assurance from then Minister for Culture Ambika Soni to concede the demand. But a year and half after Soni inaugurated the centre in Bangalore on February 18, 2009, the centre is inactive, with no activities whatsoever.

The State Government handed over Gurunanak Bhavan in Vasanth Nagar for the activities of the Centre. The offices of Department of Youth Services and Sports located in the Bhavan were shifted out to accommodate the NSD centre. The building has been under the control of the Ministry of Culture.

It was expected that the Centre would commence classes and repertory activities in the academic year 2009-10. Leave alone last year, chances of the classes beginning in 2010-11 too are bleak. Assistant Director of the regional centre Suresh Anagalli has no clue to the delay in commencing the activities.

“If there were plans to begin the school this year, we should have begun the admission process by this time for the three-year course. I don’t know the reasons for the delay. The Ministry of Culture and the NSD Delhi decides everything”, he told Deccan Herald.

The regional centre has invited applications from those interested to attend a three-month theatre workshop. This would be the first activity of the centre. However, theatre personalities in Kannada expect more than workshops from NSD. Theatre person Srinivas Kappanna said, “Theatre workshops are held often in Karnataka. We don’t need a NSD to conduct workshops. It should run a school, a repertory”, he said.

The State Government also identified three acres of land for the NSD at the Jnana Bharati campus. “The State Government has fulfilled its promise to hand over Gurunanak Bhavan to NSD. Now it is left to the Centre make better use of it. And, it should take blame for the delay”, Manu Baligar, Director for Kannada and Culture, said.

The NSD constituted a committee of 13 theatre experts to advise the functioning of the centre. However, the committee met only once since its formation. Prasanna feels that it is the anti-regional theatre attitude of people at the NSD in Delhi that is responsible for the delay. The NSD gets annual budget of Rs 50-60 crore and they do not want to share that with regional centres, Prasanna said.

“At least in Karnataka we have a few repertories run by private organisations and the state-owned Rangayana. Whereas in states like Orissa, Bihar, Jammu & Kashmir there are no activities at all. When the Constitution has accepted 18 regional languages as national languages, theatre of all regional languages should be treated as national theatres”, he said.

8 more TTMCs in the City

2010-08-24T17:34:00.000+05:30

8 more TTMCs in the City
Bangalore, Aug 23, DHNS:

As many as eight Traffic and Transit Management Centres (TTMCs) will become functional across the City in the next three months.

The Centres provide bus bays, multi-level parking lots and commercial space.

First in the line is the Bannerghatta TTMC to be inaugurated on August 29. The Centres at Banashankari, Vijayanagar, Koramangala, Shanthinagar, ITPL, Yeshwanthpur and Domlur are at various stages of construction and are expected to be operational by October 2010, Transport Minister R Ashok said here on Monday. Two TTMCs - Jayanagar and Kengeri - have already become operational.

The Shanthinagar TTMC is the largest of all with parking space for 1,600 vehicles. Offices of Transport Department scattered across the City will soon be shifted to this Centre. The KSTRC bus services to Andhra Pradesh, Tamil Nadu, Mysore, Kanakapura will also operate from here.

In addition to multi-level parking lots, the TTMCs will also have food courts, banking establishments, departmental stores, reservation counters, health centres, relaxation rooms and other facilities for passengers.

Bids soon

Bids will soon be called for renting out the commercial space at these Centres and priority will be accorded to government offices. However, plenty of space would be available for setting up commercial establishments. Renting out commercial space will also bring in substantial revenue to Bangalore Metropolitan Transport Corporation, Ashok said.

The minister said the BMTC has completed the process of filling all the 444 backlog vacancies. Appointment orders being issued to 297 divers and 147 driver- cum-conductors, he said. The Bannerghatta TTMC was scheduled to be inaugurated on August 22 but was postponed to Monday.

Speaking to Deccan Herald, BMTC Director P K Garg attributed the postponement of the inauguration to some protocol issues.

Further, the BMTC is also in the process of wooing some private players to construct more TTMCs in the City. Proposals for some of them have been invited, sources said. All the centres under the current plan are under the JNnURM scheme.

Meeting soon

A meeting of elected representatives, officials from various departments and Bruhat Bangalore Mahanagara Palike will be convened shortly to discuss measures to check waterlogging and flooding during rains in the City.

R Ashok, who is also the district in-charge minister for Bangalore South told reporters that long term plans would be chalked out to address the problem. The BBMP Control Room has been directed to keep a record of all rain-related complaints received and the course of action taken, he said.

Underpasses

Two ambitious projects of the Bruhat Bangalore Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) - a pedestrian underpass near Town Hall and underpass at Madiwala will be inaugurated by Chief Minister B S Yeddyurappa on Tuesday.

The underpass at Town Hall is being opened after a wait of almost a year. After inaugurating the Madiwala underpass, the Chief Minister will take part in mega tree-plantation programme at Domlur. As many as one lakh saplings will be planted on the occasion. Mayor S K Nataraj, MPs and MLAs will attend the programme.

Transport infra

* Jayanagar and Kengeri TTMCs already operational

* Work on centres at Banashankari, Vijayanagar, Koramangala, Shanthinagar, ITPL, Yeshwanthpur and Domlur expected to be completed by Oct 2010

* Offices of Transport Department to be housed at Shanthinagar TTMC

* Commercials spaces to be auctioned soon

* Backlog vacancies in BMTC being filled up

Police to act tough on wheelies

2010-08-24T17:30:00.000+05:30

Police to act tough on wheelies
Chethan Kumar, Bangalore, Aug 23, DHNS:

Having failed to effectively curb the wheeling by youngsters in the City, the Bangalore Traffic Police have now sought the help of the public to put an end to such activities.

"Next time you see a rider zooming past you with the front wheel up in the air, note down the registration number and call us," a senior police official said.

“Response'ability' dwells in our soul, make a difference," that's what cops tell citizens in the City. Unable to stop the youth from over-speeding and performing stunts on roads, the police have been creating awareness about over-speeding, drag-racing and dangerous driving among other things.

As places like Sarjapur road - once the 'mecca' of drag-racing and stunts -- Marathahalli, Jayanagar, BMIC roads and other popular havens are on the police checklist, such activities have reduced. However, the youth have found newer places to indulge in thrills.

One such place is the newly inaugurated expressway to Electronic City. With Rs 20 and Rs 40 (toll fee) for two-wheelers and four-wheelers respectively, this stretch of road - black and smooth - is turning out to be the place to be for 'wheelies' (riding on one wheel) and drags. With about eight km of road with little disturbance on one stretch, the bike and ability to ride are one's passport to perch oneself in the racers' pit. The road, which quietly did rounds in the racers' circles, is one of the preferred spots for eye-popping wheelies and opiating speed.

Police strict and cautious

Additional Commissioner of Police (Traffic and Security) Praveen Sood admitted that the police have failed in completely stopping such activities. But, he immediately added: "We cannot have policemen everywhere.

We're an extension of the society and the society must co-operate and help us in identifying places this happens in order to curb them."

In fact, even last week the police had booked a case each in Basavanagudi and Malleswaram for dangerous driving and speeding. Sood added that this is not only a nuisance but also a cause of concern for the youth. "The next time you see somebody on a 'wheelie' or over-speeding, note down the number and please call the nearest station," he added.

Violators beware

The police have been taking over-speeding and dangerous driving seriously, and consider it a threat to the youth in Bangalore.

"We've been strictly instructed to file FIR and seize the vehicle every time we catch an offender for breaking the speed limit or for dangerous driving," said Vijay, a traffic cop. Generally, Rs 300 penalty is collected for such offences. Now, the police are filing the FIR and seizing the vehicle so that the parents are aware of their children's indulgence in such activities.

Additional Commissioner of Police (Traffic and Security) Praveen Sood said: "We've taken this very seriously as it is a matter of concern. We want the parents to know that what their children are up to."

In fact, there have already been hundreds of cases where the cops have insisted that the parents appear before them to get the vehicles released.

"We make it a point to counsel parents before returning the bike, so that they too take additional responsibility," Sood added.

Here are two faces of a VVIP neighbourhood

2010-08-23T08:03:00.000+05:30

Here are two faces of a VVIP neighbourhood
While the CM’s Lane Looks Posh, Adjacent Areas Remain Neglected
Sunitha Rao R | TNN

Bangalore: 80 Feet Road in RMV II Stage has swanky footpaths with wooden benches for pedestrians to sit and relax. The decorative light poles on these footpaths remind you of a foreign locale. No prizes for guessing. For, the chief minister lives here.
But proceed a little further. The other half of RMV II Stage (Ward 18 — Radhakrishna temple) is a shocker. Heaps of garbage, stray dogs and unasphalted roads welcome you.
Pourakarmikas do not come to this ward to collect garbage, forcing residents to dispose of residential waste in a vacant site. What is more shocking is that garbage collectors burn it right there.
“The neighbouring ward, which has a VVIP resident, is cleaned at least six times a day. But BBMP is least bothered to collect garbage from this ward,” says N Bhargav, a resident.
“Two years ago, we installed public dustbins in RMV II Stage and Sanjaynagar. But BBMP removed them all and started door-to-door garbage collection, which was a flop,” say members of Sanjaynagar residents’ welfare association.
“We have tried to contact the corporator. Called him for a meeting to address these issues. But he never turned up. Bescom officials prune trees and leave the cut branches on footpaths and the road. This obstructs vehicular movement. There is no coordination between civic agencies. We end up suffering,” says association president V Sathyamurthy.
“Pourakarmikas do not come regularly and garbage piles up. The BBMP vehicle (an auto) comes once a fortnight, but it cannot collect all of the accumulated trash. Often, it is burnt before our houses,” says Shilpa B, a homemaker.
“It is not just the corporator. All the cabinet ministers, including the chief minister himself, are aware of our problems. But our area remains the same, whereas amenities in front of the CM’s house on 80 Feet Road will astonish any passerby,” says Bhargav.
WHAT DOES THE CORPORATOR HAVE TO SAY?
The road just next to your ward where the chief ministers house is located enjoys excellent civic amenities with European-style footpaths. Why is the same extension of your ward suffering with improper garbage collection?
A: Yes, there are discrepancies. The CM’s house belongs to another ward, but happens to be in the neighbourhood. My ward has many problems. Garbage tenders were called four years ago. Garbage collection is poor. We have only one tractor which is not sufficient.
Why are you not attending meetings called by residents to discuss woes? A:: My office is in the ward itself. Residents are free to come and meet me whenever they wish.
Chopped tree branches are lying unattended to in your ward. Why have you not ensured coordination between Bescom and BBMP officials?
A: Yes, this has been an issue. BBMP officials haven’t been cooperating despite my interference. Required measures will be initiated.
What plans do you have for fixing the civic issues in your ward?
A: Delay in the budget is the biggest stumbling block to the ward’s development. I have asked for Rs 10.5 crore for the purpose. All the issues will be solved. WHERE’S MY CORPORATOR
PROBLEM AREAS
1. Haphazard garbage collection 2. Garbage heaps at many places on footpaths 3. Chopped tree branches lying on the street,
with BBMP making no efforts to clear them 4. Stray dog menace 5. Drains clogged with debris, garbage 6. Roads in bad shape, not asphalted
PUBLICSPEAK
The corporator visited our houses on the day he was elected. After that, he hasn’t bothered to listen to our woes. Garbage piles up in front of my house. It is frustrating. Residents from other streets also throw trash in this vacant site. — Subhash Gogi | FORMER SESSIONS COURT JUDGE, RESIDENT OF RMV II STAGE We have shelled out huge amounts of money to buy a property in Dollars Colony. But we don’t even have basic amenities. — Prathima Achar | RESIDENT In I Cross of RMV II Stage, II Block, the stones were laid two months ago, but the stretch hasn’t been asphaltated as yet. We suffer the most during rain as roads get waterlogged and rainwater enters houses. Earlier, we had installed 20 huge public bins on the street, which were removed by the BBMP. Now, with no public dustbins in place, garbage is disposed in drains, vacant plots, and it is also burnt here. What is our corporator doing? — Padma Srinivas | JOINT SECRETARY, SANJAYNAGAR RESIDENTS’ WELFARE ASSOCIATION LET US KNOW
Is the corporator of your ward yet to get down to brass tacks? Is he yet to contact Resident Welfare Associations and get their grievances redressed? After featuring some proactive corporators in these columns, we will now look for those corporators who haven’t done any visible work. If civic work is piling up in your surroundings, let us know.
CONTACT POINT
Are you a resident? Have a problem in your area? Get in touch with your corporator D Venkatesh on 9243446179 (as listed on BBMP website)

RESTAURANT USES DOMLUR FLYOVER AS PARKING LOT

2010-08-23T08:02:00.000+05:30

RESTAURANT USES DOMLUR FLYOVER AS PARKING LOT
Nandhini staff use one half of the two-lane stretch connecting Indiranagar 100 Feet Road to Old Airport Road to park the vehicles of its customers
Manasi Paresh Kumar manasi.pk@timesgroup.com

The Domlur flyover at Indiranagar was built to ease the flow of traffic, but is now being used as a parking lot by a restaurant nearby for its customers’ vehicles. Well, at least a part of it.
Valets employed by Andhra cuisine restaurant Nandhini park vehicles of customers at the path on the left taking motorists from Indiranagar 100 Feet Road towards Old Airport Road. “The path leading to Old Airport Road is a two-lane stretch. It is reduced to a single-lane path during lunch and dinner time due to vehicles parked there by the restaurant’s staff. It causes problems for other motorists,” said Bangalore Mirror reader C S Raghuram who brought the matter to our notice.
The main culprit is allegedly Nandhini restaurant, which is at the beginning of this stretch.
“They barely have parking space for five vehicles in their basement. They are closest to the flyover and use the space,” alleges Vishal Awasthi who works in Diamond District. Apparently, a major portion of the basement parking is being used as a storage area.
The hotel employs four valets to park customers’ vehicles. When Bangalore Mirror spoke to them, their standard response was, “We have been told to park it there (on a part of the flyover).”
Restaurant manager Madhusoodhan said, “We know that we are not allowed to park there.” But, he did not say anything more.
Cops also turn a blind eye. In fact, two personnel from Jeevan Bhima Nagar police station were walking out of the restaurant with packed lunches when Bangalore Mirror asked them about the illegal parking. “It is not our responsibility,” they said in unison.
However, Additional Commissioner of Police Praveen Sood made it clear that the vehicles had no business being parked on the ramp. “I will look into the matter,” was his response.
A BUSY PLACE
The Indiranagar 100 Feet Road is among the busiest commercial hubs in Bangalore. More than 15,000 people work in various BPO and IT companies based in the area. Plus, it is popular with shoppers due to a variety of retail outlets of top brands. More than 15 restaurants and eateries dot both sides of the road to tap into this crowd.

City paralysed every time it rains? Blame it on unplanned urbanisation

2010-08-23T08:00:00.002+05:30

City paralysed every time it rains? Blame it on unplanned urbanisation
Bengaluru

Article Rank

Mindless concretisation of drains and indiscriminate felling of trees are causing flooding in the city with every downpour.
Experts say civic authorities need to come up with long term solutions for the flooding problem rather than go in for highly technical solutions which will not serve the purpose, reports Amit S.
Upadhye. The rains are a wakeup call for BBMP though its officials claim that they have been involved in desilting of drains to prevent flooding.

Bengaluru, Aug. 22: Civic experts are of the opinion that with every downpour, the amount of surface run-off water is increasing in Bengaluru. They blame this on the mindless concretisation of drains and the indiscriminate felling of trees, which have left no space for water to seep in and is causing flooding on even main roads.
The deluge on Saturday not only killed an auto driver, it also forced the city to come to a grinding halt.
Traffic movement was hampered with even emergency vehicles including ambulances which had to rush to trouble spots, getting delayed. The rains are a wake-up call for BBMP though its officials claim that they have been involved in desilting of drains to prevent flooding. If so, why is the city rendered to a pathetic state whenever it rains?
"Unplanned urbanisation has drastically altered the drainage characteristics of natural catchment areas by increasing the volume and rate of surface water.
Drainage systems are unable to cope with the increased volume of water leading to blockages for which the indiscriminate disposal of solid waste is also to blame. Encroachment of wetlands also obstructs floodways and makes the land lose its natural storage capacity," says Dr T.V. Ramachandra of the Wetland and Energy Research Group at IISc.

His report on urban flooding in Bengaluru, which was released last year, pointed out how the increased flooding had social consequences and was impacting business, property rates and causing traffic related woes in residential areas.

"The BBMP is going for highly technical solutions for the flooding problem which will not solve anything. Every drain in Bengaluru has its own charac teristic and need to be dealt with after taking the citizens living nearby into confidence.
One standard solution can not be applied to all drains in city," feels R. Suresh, a civic expert and Director, Public Affairs Centre.

"Most civic solutions are prepared purely from the technical point of view and hence they do not serve the purpose for a long time.
Before the monsoon, the BBMP had taken up massive drain cleaning work, but just one rain refilled all the drains," he said.According to civic experts, in the last one year, several roads have been redesigned eliminating rainwater outlets.

"Some of the shoulder drains are at a higher level.
Water cannot enter them easily and ultimately runs on the roads. With both ends of the road flooded with surface water, vehicles have no choice but to run on the centre, adding to congestion," said a civic expert. "Urban flooding creates several infrastructure problems and huge economic losses as it affects production and causes heavy damage to goods and property. It wrecks buildings and public and private facilities. Street flooding can also throw traffic management out of gear" .

T.V. Ramachandra, Energy and Wetland Research Group, IISc Why is BBMP not doing anything to cover the shoulder drains with mesh covers?
Garbage is pushed inside drains by BBMP workers themselves. Periodic desilting has not helped much in preventing increased flooding. A tree got uprooted in Saturday's rain because the pavement was badly cemented leaving no space for it to sink its roots into the ground.

Kathyayini Chamraj, executive trustee, CIVIC We are doing our best to respond effectively to citizens' woes during the rains. Senior officials including the BBMP commissioner toured the flood hit areas in south Bengaluru on Saturday. Apart from Prahari vehicles, we are taking assistance of the fire and emergency services during floods.

Lalbagh Rd too needs flowery touch

2010-08-23T08:00:00.001+05:30

Lalbagh Rd too needs flowery touch

A quarter of this one-kilometre stretch was widened way back in 1975. Even people who built homes after that had left space for widening. After decades, the BBMP is finally planning to act. But such an exercise is not going to yield results as vehicular population has increased several-fold over the years

Shilpa CB

"It is a VIP road," says grocery shop owner GS Prabhakar proudly pointing at Lalbagh Road. Rahul Gandhi passed this way recently, he adds trying to give a rosy picture of the stretch that leads to the famous botanical garden.
The real picture, however, is quite grim. Peak hour traffic congestion is among the many woes on the list. Would putting it through a major surgery called widening turn things around? It just might, locals hope.
A quarter of the one-km stretch was widened long back in 1975.
Prabhakar's family living here for more than 60 years had to give up 25 ft of their property for which they were paid "government rates". Even new buildings that came up after that have left space in front for the road widening which has not been done so far.
"Everywhere, the project has faced opposition. Here, that is not the case. Owners have stepped out of the way long back. Why is the widening still not being done," he asks.
Fifteen years ago, Prabhakar even approached the then mayor and resented a request that the road be widened uniformly as land was already available. "The mayor called his subordinate and directed him to do it. The latter promised that he would get it done immediately. Nothing has changed," he says.
His neighbour E Manuel also had to give up over 17 feet for widening the first time it was done in that part. It has become a big, broad road but crossing it has become an ordeal. Also the noise of traffic from the roads does not make the area congenial for peaceful living. "Things were not this bad when the stretch was a two-way. Congestion only increased after it became a one way," he says.
The recently-introduced traffic signal near Poornima Theatre adds to the problem. "Earlier, there used to be a policeman here who would manage the flow well. His absence and the automatic signal have made matters worse," says Amy Kezia Manuel, a student.
These developments were inevitable as the traffic flow on neighbouring roads took different directions.
Lined with dilapidated buildings, tiny commercial spaces with shutters down, petty shops, and vacant sites, Lalbagh Road is a sorry sight. Prime real estate is not being given its due. What was once a quiet residential area has turned into a busy thoroughfare as neighbouring roads went from being two-ways to one ways.
"This was a dead road, a desolate unutilised stretch. Vehicles barely passed this way as the four surrounding roads – JC Road, Double Road, Lalbagh Fort Road and Hosur Road – could more than manage the load. I thought these changes would be good for business here. I was wrong," says a businessman requesting anonymity.
Most properties are locked in litigation, a few crumbling low constructions belong to the BBMP, there are plenty of vacant sites that are just being left without being developed, he says.
"It is as if someone has done black magic on this road. No development has happened in several decades," he says. It has turned into a blind spot despite being at the heart of the city and being used by VIPs and tourists from around the world.
Trucks, tempos, and goods autos frequent the 'transport area' and these violate parking norms with help from the traffic policemen, people say. Fingers point in all directions.
"Lorries, containers that transport two-wheelers, and goods tempos are parked for hours together here," they all say. "Only strict policing can contain the menace."
The policemen also can "do something" about the bar and wine shop that cater to the workers that come into the transport area.
Further down the stretch, the new Passport Seva Kendra, MTR, and Urvashi theatre show some signs of life. This is a narrow stretch and it adds to the congestion, people say.
The perpendicular Poornima Theatre Road, where Jain College is also located, is a two-way with a barricade. Parking is not allowed here but that rule is violated all the time, especially when there is a function. Absence of boards saying 'no free left turn' into Lalbagh Road is also responsible for this.
"How can the police fine people if they have not put up boards or replaced them if they have been stolen," a shop keeper asks. The parking problem would intensify once works on the three commercial complexes are completed.
"As luck would have it, construction of the CSI complex came to a halt two years ago. Further down, near Lalbagh, a complex is coming up. Even that might take long to be ready," says Prabhakar.
He has a few ideas: Allow parking in front of Lalbagh where there is plenty of space. Those unfamiliar with the area might come looking for parking and when denied, they are forced to take a circuitous route to return to the other gate where parking is available. Also, at the entrance of Lalbagh Fort Road, there is a small space left. Parking can be allowed here as well. What the road needs most is colour. The stretch can be adorned with beautiful, flowering plants. The road leading to Lalbagh should be beautiful, not a blind spot.

Booze will stop flowing soon on Nandi Hills

2010-08-23T07:59:00.001+05:30

Booze will stop flowing soon on Nandi Hills

The popular tourist hub will have a strict ban on plastic and liquor from october 1

Bosky Khanna

The horticulture department is getting more serious in its efforts to make the famous Nandi Hills a cleaner tourist destination with strict enforcement of the ban on plastic and liquor from October 1.
This is as part of the plan to develop Nandi Hills as an eco-destination with measures to introduce battery operated cars, developing more accommodations and restaurants, and protection of biodiversity atop the hill, said S Jairam, director, horticulture department speaking to DNA.
The horticulture department along with tourism and the Karnataka State Tourism Development Corporation (KSTDC) is converting Nandi Hills into an eco-tourism destination, which makes it all the more essential to strictly enforce the law.
The tourism and horticulture departments are constructing more guest houses at a cost of Rs14 crore. Presently, there 35 rooms and 20 more are planned to be constructed behind Gandhi Nilayam.
Battery-operated vehicles will ply in the area and the place will be illuminated with solar lighting.
Jairam said that the ban on plastic and alcohol was not strictly enforced as people used to carry the items in their cars to Nandi Hills.
From October 1, the entry of vehicles will be restricted to the gate and people will have to walk or use battery operated cars (like the ones in Lalbagh).
"Work on restricting the entry of vehicles beyond the gate and cleanliness of the area is on since the last 3-4 months. In the next two months one will see results after the parking area is completely ready," said Jairam.
With a staff of 35-40 people and security outsourced, Jairam maintained that they were not short-staffed. The problem, he said, was entry of cars inside the premises.
While the proposal to ban alcohol was introduced last September, it was not implemented due to inadequate staff and enforcement.
Citizens and experts point out that plastics and alcohol bottles are thrown everywhere despite the presence of signboards prohibiting the practice.
People even indulge in illegal activities at Nandi Hills as the security is limited to checking entry tickets.
Biodiversity expert Harish R Bhat, who was on a bird-watching expedition recently to Nandi Hills, lamented the condition of Nandi Hills.
"This is the Ooty and Switzerland of Bangalore. But it is in a very dilapidated condition. The increasing tourism population with lack of enforcement of rules is creating havoc. One can find plastic and bottles strewn everywhere. The staff is found only near the ticket counter. While developing the place and attracting tourists is no harm, there should be proper management after examining the carrying capacity of the place," said Bhat.

Share autos, travel hassle-free

2010-08-23T07:58:00.000+05:30

Share autos, travel hassle-free

Efforts on to launch a city-wide autorickshaw-pooling next month; the system ensures that honest drivers earn a fixed monthly income

Aparajita Ray

Bangaloreans seem to have pulled out a coup of sorts to address the menace of autorickshaws. Taking cue from the successful car-pooling, they have initiated autorickshaw-pooling/sharing, or auto-pooling/sharing, to harness the advantages of the privately-owned public transport mode and do away with all its pitfalls.
An auto-pooling initiative undertaken by Seetharam Vishwanath, general manager, Outer Ring Road Companies Association(ORRCA), has gathered pace and 200-odd companies and 500-odd Bangaloreans have formed an auto-sharing fraternity.
In fact, the ORRCA is currently trying to streamline its autorickshaw-pooling programme in a structured manner. If everything falls in place, a city-wide launch of the auto-pooling is likely by September-end or early October.
The motto is simple: if hiring autorickshaw seems to be a hassle, then pool in and rent an autorickshaw. If implemented on a wider scale, autorickshaw-pooling might not only blunt the menace of the drivers but also reduce the traffic congestion.
"My neighbours complained heavily about auto drivers who denied to go on hire, charged excess fare and misbehaved too. Then an idea struck me and while commuting to and from my workplace, I took numbers of all those autorickshaw drivers who drove sensibly and obeyed traffic rules. I circulated their numbers among 200-odd companies on the ORR and 500-odd individuals, including residents of my apartment. Today, there are many who rent an autorickshaw for an entire month to pick up and drop them from their offices at a particular time and are benefited," said Vishwanath.
He said the system would ensure that good and honest auto drivers could earn a fixed income monthly and aspire for a better living condition.
Residents of Vishwanath's Spartacus Apartment in Jayanagar 4th T block have made a new beginning in sharing autos with others and using them just like city cabs.
"We have a sort of database of some 20-odd autorickshaw drivers and we call one of them whenever we need their services. We do not have to wait for autos at the stand or on the road. The auto arrives at our doorsteps or any particular point from where two or three people who would be wanting to take the same route will board the vehicles. We pay the driver after trip most of the time; sometimes we pay them on a monthly basis," said Raghu, one of the residents availing the facility.
The auto-pooling system is helping drivers earn a regular income and hit the road during fixed hours.

Residents of Visvesvaraya Layout demand amenities

2010-08-23T07:57:00.000+05:30

Residents of Visvesvaraya Layout demand amenities
Bangalore, Aug 22, DHNS:

The Bangalore Development Authority (BDA) Commissioner Bharat Lal Meena had to face the ire of Visvesvaraya Layout residents, who not only blamed BDA officials for apathy but also warned of protest, if no civic amenities were provided to them.

The members of Sir M Visvesvaraya Layout Residents and Sites Owners Association (SVLRSOA) poured out their woes during an interaction with the Commissioner recently.
They demanded completion of the underground drainage (UGD) system and drew the Commissioner's attention to poor quality construction of the drainage chambers. Pointing out that the construction work has not been taken up in many parts of the layout, the residents demanded that work should be taken up immediately.

“Sewerage facility in the Layout is so pathetic that some of the residents have directed the drainage water into vacant sites,” complained a resident. The drainage water has also percolated into the borewell contaminating the potable water, the residents added.

Lack of electricity and poorly-lit streets, garbage menace and poor water supply were other problems plaguing the residents of Visvesvaraya Layout. Steps should be taken to contain the pollution caused by the illegal stone crushing unit in the vicinity.

“The BDA officials have been evasive and apathetic to our woes,” said H K Gowdaiah, Secretary, SVLRSOA. The BDA commissioner assured the residents of addressing the civic problems at the earliest and also directed the officials to be responsive to people’s problems.

He also ordered an inter-departmental meeting at the local level involving the residents to address the woes.

City must set its aim at London and beyond

2010-08-22T06:37:00.003+05:30

City must set its aim at London and beyond

Bangalore's weather is its trump card, the public transport system is its Achilles' heel, says Lambeth mayor Neeraj Patil

Neeraj Patil, who has his roots in Gulbarga, is now into his second term as mayor of Lambeth borough, UK. During his stay in Bangalore over the past fortnight, Patil has observed that Bangalore is head and shoulders above many global cities but has a long way to go nevertheless. Speaking to DNA.Sunday, he said while Bangalore's weather is its trump card, the public transport system is its Achilles' heel. Also, unlike Bangalore, where the green cover has been compromised with every passing year in the guise of development, it's increasing in developed cities such as London.
Room for small businesses
Bangalore has always been supportive of small and medium businesses, but London has a 'supermarket culture' and a handful of companies control over 90 per cent of the businesses. Bangalore offers opportunities for entrepreneurship and this is a good sign for development. This must be factored in while drawing up urban development plans.
Bangalore has a variety of commercial establishments that provide employment. London must take a leaf out of Bangalore's book in this regard.
Infrastructure and road-widening
Bangalore's stumbling block is infrastructure. Traffic snarls, bad roads, lack of parking facilities and public transport, and an ever-increasing number of vehicles are major issues.
In London, cycling is the most popular mode of transport and there are dedicated cycling tracks and maps.
To improve infrastructure, roads must be widened. Although controversial, there is no alternative for road-widening and if needed, the government must buy properties, but only after providing adequate compensation (buy land above market value and not at registration value).
Also, the local council should ensure students get adequate schooling and employment facilities.
The administration should provide all facilities to citizens and ensure that roads are well maintained.
Solutions to make Bangalore better
A good public transport is key. The Metro project is very important and more routes must be added to the network, which should eventually go underground such as the subways in London and New Delhi.
The number of public buses must be increased and usage of cars should be discouraged by levying congestion charges and high parking fee. But first, the public transport — taxis, buses and Metro — must be good. Traffic violators must be punished. In London, violators cannot duck not paying parking violation tickets.
Balanced development and greenery
A senior politician who recently visited London enquired about how many trees were being lost to 'development'. The answer was the city's green cover has been increasing at a rate of 1,000 each year. But in Bangalore, it's reducing.
There is a need to post a 'tree sergeant' in every ward. They should keep records of trees in each ward and those who want to chop a tree must get permission. The tree warden should also ensure the trees are checked annually.
Bangaloreans must not chop trees, even if it's in their own backyard. Proactive measures must be taken to plant more trees in public places.
The government should formulate a holistic urban development plan and adhere to it. In London, the plan is strictly implemented with help from civil society.