Articles by Ganga Madappa

The Bangalore Traffic Police (BTP) seems to have new arsenal - an Andriod app for Bangalore road users. The app has been developed Shree Manu, an employee with a software firm, who builds apps as a hobby. Manu initially approached the BTP with a location finder app called Wherez U, that he had developed post the Nirbhaya incident in Delhi. The BTP posted a link to the app on its Facebook page, and the app was received rather well; it has been downloaded about 4000 times so far. Following this, a user gave feedback saying that it would be useful…

Come 8 and 9 February, Bangalore will play host to Neralu, a citizen-led Urban Tree Festival. The first of its kind in the city, and probably in the country, Neralu will bring together ecologists, artists, researchers, technologists, homemakers, professionals, adults and children in dialogue, to celebrate the spirit of Bangalore, its rich natural heritage and its trees. The event promises to have something in store for everybody and will feature a multitude of visual and experiential activities; walks, workshops, story-telling sessions, art exhibitions, movie screenings, children's activities - there’s plenty to choose from. You can have a look at the event schedule here. …

Lake encroachment is rampant in Bangalore. This time, it is the turn of Somasundarapalya Lake near HSR Layout. About three days ago, residents of HSR layout reported that several tractors were offloading debris into Somasundarapalya Lake, also called Haralukunte Kere. The once healthy lake is now headed the way of the many lakes that no longer see the light of day. Repeated complaints to the police have failed to bring any attention to the matter. Concerned residents have written to several administrative bodies, including the Chief Minister, local police authorities, the BDA, BBMP and BMTF, in the hope that some…

There were days when you had to call and book an appointment, wait in long queues and go through harrowing ordeals to get a passport. Now, with online appointments and professionalised services like Saakala, the experience of getting a passport has changed in Bengaluru. Here's how you can apply for a normal passport. Why do you need a passport? Why would you need a passport? To be eligible for foreign travel of course. It also holds good as a valid government-approved ID card, it acts as a proof of address, it is a reminder of your heritage and can also…

Also read: Have STP and fire hydrant in your apartment? This is what BESCOM can charge In the past month, several apartment complexes on Sarjapur Road in Bengaluru received a notice from BESCOM asking for payment of additional security deposit. In one case, the notice specified that the existing deposit was Rs 47,120 and the calculated MMD (Months Minimum Deposit) was Rs 1,43,690, and therefore the difference of Rs 96,570 was needed to be paid to BESCOM to avoid disconnection. When this came to Citizen Matters’ notice, we decided to have a chat with BESCOM to find out what the…

Taking into consideration the rate at which Bangalore is expanding and the space constraints that came with the expansion, in 2012, the BDA announced that ‘vertical’ was the way to go. With this announcement, the BDA forayed into the construction of low cost housing, announcing that 6180 flats would be made available for purchase by the public. Private real estate sector and some people were sceptical about the quality of low cost housing by BDA. Citizen Matters wrote about this in detail. 3000 flats allotted Of the proposed flats, applications were invited for 3000 flats across 17 sites in March…

Like every other year, 2013 has been eventful. When one thinks of the big things that took place in Bengaluru this year, citizen-led initiatives such as the lake rejuvenation movement, Whitefield Rising and everyday heroes who shone, stand apart. They are indeed a reason for celebration. Then there are those which we may very well want to brush under the carpet, but cannot as a result of their impact they have on our lives - the state of roads, the multiple pothole related deaths, women’s safety, the lack of accountability on the part of our government etc. Let’s take a…

It’s 7 pm on a Friday evening in Bengaluru; you have just visited a friend. You want to go back. Your family vehicle is unavailable, you do not want to commute by bus and the cab company you have called says they are booked till 10:30 pm. Your friend agrees to drop you off to the auto stand, but the drivers refuse to come or ask you to pay more. What can you do? It’s no state secret that most folks who commute by auto are skeptical of auto drivers. Of course, there are a good number of honest ones.…

A bus commuter, Vamshi Krishna, posted a discussion on the Citizen Matters forum. He stated that he was issued a  ticket for Rs.70 on the Volvo from Kundalahalli Gate to Majestic bus station in Bengaluru, and the distance printed on the ticket was 24 km. On 4 December, he boarded the bus, armed with a GPS device in hand and measured the distance. The GPS device however showed the distance covered as 17.4 km. Citizen Matters decided to get to the crux of the matter and find out what the problem was. Was the BMTC doing something they shouldn’t? Was…

Wonder why the Mayor of San Francisco visited Namma Bengaluru recently? What is common factor between Bangalore and San Francisco? Both cities are IT hubs, have pleasant weather and good educational institutions. But the similarities don't end here - they are 'Sister Cities' too. The concept of sister cities came into being as a means of fostering cultural ties between two towns, cities, even countries from geographically different areas. Bangalore is twinned with four cities – San Francisco and Cleveland in North America, Minsk in Belarus (there is apparently a Bangalore Square in Minsk) and most recently, Chengdu in China.…