Articles by Navya P K

Twenty one families of Jayabheema Nagar slum in Malleswaram were displaced when their houses were demolished on Tuesday morning. A park or a playground will be built in that area. The slum, located behind Mantri Sqaure, was close to the upcoming Metro station here. It falls next to the alignment of BBMP's proposed 20 m road which would connect the Metro station to the main road. Demolition of Jayabheema Nagar slum in Malleswaram started at 4 am on Tuesday morning. Pic: Navya P K The slum does not come in the way of the road alignment, but would create a…

Property values in the city are set to rise with hike in guidance value. Guidance values are expected to go up by 30-100% this year (minimum of 30% within core areas and maximum of 100% in outskirts); rates would go up by more than 200% in outer areas like those near Peripheral Ring Road, since the market rates here have rocketed since the last revision. The previous hikes were in 2007, 2005, 2004 and 2002. During the 2007 hike, the value of residential, commercial and industrial properties were hiked by 50%, 60% and 25% on average.Officials at the Department of…

As is widely experienced by Bangaloreans, malls, high rises and tech parks are now congestion hotspots around the city. A recent update at the Bangalore Traffic Police (BTP)'s Facebook page talks about traffic congestion at Nagavara junction in north Bangalore. Traffic at the junction is four times the capacity during peak hours; BTP attributes this to the nearly 10,000 vehicles that go to and from Manyata Tech Park for two hours every morning and evening.Citizen Matters has found out that the city's sanction process for malls and similar complexes is at the root of the rapidly worsening problem. Traffic management…

Four years into her career as a software developer, Rashmi M, 27, is doing a course in technical writing. Technical writing, for her, is a way to weave in her knowledge in technology and interest in writing. "Technical writing is more creative, also my knowledge in technology will be useful in this field," says Rashmi, a resident of Banshankari 1st stage.With increasing opportunities and demands in the market, youngsters in the city are constantly updating themselves with knowledge in new domains. While for some this is a way to move into a new field, for others it is to enhance…

Two months after Bangalore Traffic Police (BTP) started its page in Facebook, it has about 3,800 'likes'. In this interview with Citizen Matters, Praveen Sood, ACP, Bangalore Traffic, talks about the idea behind the initiative, how it has turned out and further expectations.What was the original idea behind starting the BTP page?Our main intention is to educate and sensitise public about traffic rules and create a forum for discussion. We also get lot of feedback which we would not get otherwise - like, when a signal is not working. This forum is not just a shoulder to cry on or…

Confusion prevails among Bannerghatta road residents, after BBMP announced its road widening plans. Though notices were issued to many occupants along the road last year and markings made on walls, no work was undertaken due to compensation-related issues. Constructions galore BBMP plans to widen the 7.4 km stretch between JD Mara junction (where JP Nagar ORR intersects Bannerghatta road) to Koli Farm Gate after NICE ring road. According to BBMP's Major Roads department, the road will be widened from the existing 25-30 m to 45 m. Project is estimated to cost Rs 250-300 cr. Widening will start at Jedimara junction,…

BBMP demolished the disputed 400-metre-long compound wall of L&T South City in Mico-Arekere layout on Thursday morning (9 June) and threw open the 60-feet road going through the compound to the public, amidst protests from residents. This, even as cases are pending in the court between residents, builder L&T and original land owner Dinesh Ranka. Residents had alleged in the court cases that the builder and Ranka had relinquished the 60-feet road and area including the compound wall to the BDA, without their consent . BBMP had earlier made markings on the compound wall to acquire 30 feet of land…

Residents of Elita Promenade, an apartment complex in JP Nagar 7th phase, are a worried lot. Elita has a strange problem - a sewage pipeline runs within the apartment's compound, but it carries sewage not from the complex, but from other layouts. The raw sewage flows in to the pipeline located along the compound wall and finally joins Jaraganahalli (Sarakki) lake located behind the complex. The sewage is from Uma Sanjeevini apartment and Guru Raghavendra Layout located next to Elita complex, outside its compound wall. The apartment however has its own Sewage Treatment Plant (STP) to process its sewage. Sewage…

Residents of Sachidananda Nagara layout in Rajarajeswari Nagar a far from a solution to their khata woes. After two Gandhigiri protests and several promises from the BBMP Commissioner H Siddaiah himself, the latest roadblock in their struggle is a letter sent by former Mayor S K Nataraj asking BBMP to not issue khatas to residents. The letter was sent by the former Mayor on April 26, two days before he quit office. The new Mayor was elected on April 29. File pic: Sachidanandanaga residents arguing with the police while waiting to get their khatas in November 2010. Pic: Navya P…

Anti-corruption champion Anna Hazare's public meeting at National College Grounds, Basavangudi on May 28 drew around 10,000 people towards the end, according to the India Against Corruption's group. IAC had expected around 50,000. At 2 pm, when the event was expected to start, there were only about 2000 people in the audience. But the numbers had swelled by the time of Hazare's speech at the end around 5pm. An ecstatic audience cheered as Hazare stepped up to speak. Hazare said that the Lokpal Bill should be drafted by June 30 and passed in assembly by August 15; if not, he…