Articles by Vaishnavi Vittal

It was a two-decade old case that finally came to a close, at least partially, in February this year. The 11-acre Meistripalya kere in the heart of Koramangala was at the centre of a legal battle, with residents of the locality fighting to protect this much-needed lung space. An individual with ancestral linkages to the land had claimed it. It all began with one woman. Laila Ollapally. A Koramangala resident and a practicing advocate. More than a decade ago, Laila chanced upon the Meistripalya tank. It was her determination to protect and preserve open spaces in Koramangala that saw her…

There has been confusion over the past few years on BBMP's issue of khatas, especially for properties awaiting 'regularisation' under Akrama/Sakrama. This guide presents the latest information on getting your khata. Republication of this guide without express permission from Citizen Matters is prohibited. See here for requesting permissions. If you own a property in Bengaluru – vacant site, indepedent house or an apartment – and are looking to apply for a khata, here's what you need to do register for one. To begin with, one needs to know what a khata is and why you need to register for it.…

The city administration maybe all set to widen roads, but citizens of south Bangalore are not all ready to give up their property. Residents along the 100 feet-wide Outer Ring Road (ORR), from Central Silk Board junction on Hosur Road to Nayandahalli junction on Mysore Road, have come together to form the Ring Road Property Owners' Association (RRPOA), to carry out their protest against the city corporation's plans to widen this 14.5 km stretch. The association recently conducted a public meeting, calling all residents of the city who have been served TDR (Transfer of Development Rights) notices and whose houses…

It is an 11.2 acre plush green landscape. A few huts have sprouted here and there. Encroachments. Pigs and cows graze along quietly. Apart from the piles of garbage strewn in certain portions, the Meistripalya kere (also known as Jakkasandra Lake) is a vital open space for residents of Koramangala. Meistripalya kere is a vital open space for residents of Koramangala. Pic: Vaishnavi Vittal. It is to protect this very lung space that the residents of Koramangala fought for years. Their efforts finally bore fruit in February 2010 after the Supreme Court ruled in their favour to protect this land…

Public memory, it is said, is short. And yet, almost four months after the Carlton tower fire accident, the family members of the victims and the survivors continue to tirelessly work towards spreading awareness on fire safety, through the group 'Beyond Carlton'.Recently, one of the members of Beyond Carlton, Uday Vijayan, addressed some employees of Sasken, a city-based communications technology major, on fire safety. This was at a fire safety awareness programme for Sasken employees conducted by the company in association with Janaagraha and Civil Defence. Vijayan, who lost his son Akhil, on that tragic February 23rd evening at Carlton…

The Bengaluru International Airport (BIA) has received a high rating in a survey carried out by the Airport Councils International (ACI), an international association of the world's airports. On a scale of five, BIA has received a score of 4.2 in the first quarter of 2010 alone.The 24/7 Airport Operations Control Center plays a crucial role in coordinating between various departments to ensure smooth operations. Pic courtesy: BIAL The survey is carried out by speaking to passengers every month of the year.Bengaluru International Airport Limited's (BIAL) Director (Operations) Hari Marar says that airports generally score around 3.5 in their first…

It has been two years and the Bengaluru International Airport (BIA) attracts some unusual visitors - sparrows. They flutter about in the domestic lounge as passengers read the newspaper, work on their laptop or grab a bite. Bangalore-based ornithologist Dr Krishna M B says that it is because Devanahalli is an agricultural area. "Sparrows are grain-eaters but they are not field-oriented. Today they are found more in the outskirts and are not widely distributed", he says, explaining the possible reasons for this sudden influx in Bangalore's swanky airport.Sparrows at an eatery in the domestic lounge of the Bengaluru Airport. Pic:…

Residents of Bengaluru are now hiring private surveyors to measure their property, which is marked for road widening by BBMP. This is because the BBMP's Transfer of Development Rights (TDR) notices do not provide detailed information on how much land will be required for acquisition.In April this year, residents of Golden Corner Apartments on Sarjapur Road received a notice from the BBMP, informing them about acquisition of a portion of their property for road widening. The notice says the road is to be widened by 45 feet and that the Apartment Association should submit land records using the Transfer of…

The Karnataka High Court dismissed the petition against the proposed national military memorial to be constructed at the Indira Gandhi musical fountain park. The verdict, pronounced by a division bench comprising of Justices Manjula Chellur and Mohan Shantagoudar, on June 4th, said that the proposed war memorial is in the interest of the public and a matter of pride for the citizens of Bengaluru. The bench also said that the National Military Memorial Trust, under the chairmanship of the Chief Minister, will take care of the project. Work at the war memorial site was halted in May this year, after…

In the special BBMP council session on water more than two weeks ago, Chickpet corporator A N Shivkumar (BJP) complained about the number of unauthorised water connections in his ward. He requested Mayor S K Nataraj (BJP) and BWSSB Chairman P B Ramamurthy to look into the matter. Is the Cauvery water you use metered? Pic: Vaishnavi Vittal This complaint comes well in time as just last month on April 16th 2010, the state assembly* passed an amendment to the BWSSB Act, 1964. Section 108 (a) of this Act is with regard to theft of water which is a punishable…