Articles by News Desk

Predictably, our cities have been preoccupied with little other than the health emergency created by the novel coronavirus pandemic. Please see our complete coverage of  COVID-19 for daily updates, reportage and information resources pertaining to the outbreak. Meanwhile, here are some other urban news this week: Four-lane express-way to come up between Mumbai And Goa A 500-km long expressway along the lines of Mumbai-Nagpur Expressway will be built between Mumbai to Goa as announced by Maharashtra Public Works Department Minister Eknath Shinde. The expressway will open up tourism opportunities in the Konkan region and will also generate jobs, he added.…

COVID-19: Two new cases, two quarantine facilities, app to trace contacts A 20-year-old UP man who reached Chennai by train and a  21-year-old student who flew down to Chennai from Dublin tested positive for COVID-19 this week. The two patients were asymptomatic upon arrival and self-reported to Rajiv Gandhi Government General Hospital (RGGGH) with symptoms. Health Minister Vijayabaskar tweeted that the patients are stable and being closely monitored. To enable the fight against the virus, two quarantine facilities - Institute of Public Health (IPH), Poonamallee and Government Hospital of Thoracic Medicine (GHTM) at Tambaram Sanatorium - have been set up.…

Two recover from COVID-19, two more 'almost' recover Two COVID-19 patients quarantined in the state-run RGICD (Rajiv Gandhi Institute of Chest Diseases) have completely recovered. The 47-year-old wife of the first patient who'd returned from US on March 1, and a 26-year-old IT employee who returned from Greece, have been asymptomatic for a week. They were tested once every three days. The woman's husband and 13-year-old daughter have “almost recovered", according to the government. They will be home-quarantined for 14 days after discharge. Meanwhile, there is a demand to screen domestic passengers apart from international travellers, at airports. At Kempegowda…

As most of us are maintaining social distancing and staying at home, we may also miss taking our morning and evening walks in parks. If not our neighbourhood parks, the Cubbon Park, Lal Bagh, GKVK or JP park for sure. But these tough times call for strict measures to contain the spread of coronavirus.  To address the issue of citizens accessing parks and green spaces, BBMP has issued the following advisory: BBMP understands that the closing of all gyms, sporting and other facilities has caused a lot of inconvenience. However, as a responsible citizen of Bengaluru, you must appreciate that…

The world currently faces a crisis, that has not only laid bare our vulnerabilities but could also bring about lasting changes in the way we live in cities. The only way to survive these tumultuous times is to stay calm, observe, gather information and resources from authentic sources and adapt. Our coverage includes news updates, explainers on the health aspects, and how-tos for navigating the many emerging rules and regulations. Alongside, we look at systemic issues that are affecting our responses, and how these can be resolved. Bengaluru https://bengaluru.citizenmatters.in/buzz-trains-restart-ksrtc-migrants-relief-package-pubs-liquor-bmrcl-app-farmers-45236 How much does Bengaluru drink? Can the new BBMP Bill improve…

https://youtu.be/onqbOrwibpI Credit: Naveeen Thomas Prasad Silk Board. Marathahalli. Outer Ring Road. What comes to your mind? Awful traffic jams, long commute and whatnot. Most of us avoid this route as much as possible, but many office-goers have no option. Recently, Naveen Thomas Prasad, an IT employee, noticed something beautiful on his way back from work -  Tabebuia Rosea trees in full bloom, lined up on the ORR between Marathahalli and Silk Board Junction. He decided to capture it on camera. On capturing the pink bloom!? Naveen says he’s always been spellbound by nature’s scenic beauty and how it can heal the…

Given the global pandemic of the coronavirus/COVID-19, Housing and Land Rights Network (HLRN) has called upon the central and state governments to implement special measures to prevent and check against the spread of this virus among homeless and inadequately-housed people, who face increased vulnerability, on account of their poor living conditions and already high morbidity. India has at least 4 million people living in homelessness in urban areas and over 70 million people living in ‘informal settlements’ without access to essential services. The homeless population and those who live in settlements without adequate housing are particularly vulnerable to contracting and…

Coronavirus impact: CSK practice suspended, flights cancelled, KG to Class V shut In view of the coronavirus pandemic, Chennai Super Kings suspended their practice matches at the M A Chidambaram Stadium. IPL 2020 has been postponed till April 15. As the government has issued travel advisories, flights are being cancelled and international passenger arrivals have fallen down by 22- 25%. In addition, officials state that arrivals in the domestic terminal have also fallen significantly. Primary schools across the state will be closed from March 16 to 31 to prevent the spread of coronavirus. Additionally, malls and theatres have been ordered…

Five COVID-19 cases reported so far Five COVID-19 cases were reported in Bengaluru as of Thursday. The first case, confirmed on March 9, was that of a 46-year-old IT employee who had travelled from US via Dubai. His wife (47), daughter (13), and a 50-year-old man were added to the list the next day. The fifth case, reported on Thursday, was that of a 26-year-old who returned from Greece. All five patients have all been quarantined in the state-run Rajiv Gandhi Institute of Chest Diseases (RGICD). They are responding well to treatment and are recovering, said RGICD Director C Nagaraj.…