BBMP ward delimitation draft out
State government notified the draft of the BBMP ward delimitation report on Thursday. As per the draft, the number of BBMP wards will increase from 198 to 243. Ward boundaries have been redrawn based on the 2011 Census population numbers.
As per the draft, out of 28 Assembly constituencies in Bengaluru, 17 now have higher ward numbers. Ward numbers have remained the same in eight other constituencies. Whereas three constituencies – Jayanagar, Shivajinagar and Chamarajpet, all ruled by the Congress party – now have fewer wards than earlier. Opposition MLAs called the exercise “gerrymandering” to favour the ruling party.
You can check the changes in your ward at bbmpdelimitation2022.com, and submit any objection or suggestion to the Additional Chief Secretary, Urban Development Department, in the next two weeks. Government will notify the final delimitation report after considering citizens’ objections.
Once the delimitation exercise is completed, voter list for the upcoming BBMP election will be prepared based on the new ward limits.
Source: Deccan Herald, The Times of India, Citizen Matters
Pre-poll inauguration spree, Modi visit
BJP-ruled Assembly Constituencies are seeing an inauguration spree ahead of the BBMP polls and the 2023 Assembly polls. In the last 10 days, CM Bommai has inaugurated development works in Govindaraja Nagar, RR Nagar and Chickpet constituencies. He spoke of a vision document to decongest Bengaluru, improving connectivity via suburban rail and Peripheral Ring Road, and investing Rs 1,600 cr to redo storm water drains and prevent flooding. Bommai also announced a slew of welfare schemes, such as restarting the Onti Mane housing scheme for the poor, giving bank guarantees for housing scheme beneficiaries, and Akrama-Sakrama. State government also released Rs 404 cr to BBMP to build four flyovers under the Amruth Nagarothana scheme.
During his visit to Bengaluru on Monday, Prime Minister Narendra Modi laid the foundation stone for the much-delayed suburban rail project and the STRR (Satellite Township Ring Road), each costing Rs 15,000 cr. He also formally inaugurated the Rs 314 cr Sir M Visvesvaraya Terminal at Byappanahalli.
Source: The Hindu, The Times of India, Deccan Herald
Road asphalted for Modi visit caves in
A portion of the Jnanabharathi Main Road, asphalted to enable PM Modi’s smooth visit, caved in later, posing danger to motorists. Embarassed, the PM’s Office has demanded an explanation from the state government. Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai has asked the BBMP Chief Commissioner to probe the matter.
BBMP engineers suspect that the road, asphalted at the cost of Rs 6.05 crore, collapsed due to a leaking pipeline. However, one source said that the work was done in just five days, hence its quality couldn’t be assured. Figures gathered from diverse authorities showed that city and district authorities spent about Rs 56 crore, mostly to asphalt roads, ahead of Modi’s two-day visit. This includes BBMP spending at least Rs 23 crore to asphalt 14 km of roads and to repair medians, street lights and to paint roads.
Source: Bangalore Mirror, Indian Express, Deccan Herald
Read more: BBMP refuses to reopen its RTI Cell despite central guidelines, govt letters, citizen petitions
COMEDK to be merged with CET
From next year, the COMEDK (Consortium of Medical, Engineering and Dental Colleges of Karnataka) entrance test would be merged with the CET (Common Entrance Test) and conducted at the all-India level, the government announced. Higher Education Minister C N Ashwath Narayan said the modalities for this would be worked out. Eligibility for admission would be based on students’ ranking in the CET, and seat-sharing would continue as at present.
The Higher Education Department also permitted a fee hike of 10% in private engineering colleges this year, as against 25% sought by the colleges. The fee hike is applicable to students who have been allotted government seats in private engineering colleges. In a meeting with the KUPECA (Karnataka Unaided Private Engineering Colleges Association), private college representatives agreed to not collect any other fees and to support action against colleges that do.
Source: Indian Express, The Times of India
Bidirectional protected cycle lane set up
The Karnataka DULT (Directorate of Urban Land Transport) has set up a bidirectional protected cycle lane on a 500-metre stretch at SK Temple Road, Doddanekundi, a first in the city. The pilot project has been set up under the Sustainable Mobility Accord (SuMA) initiative, along with the organisation Sensing Local and residents of Doddanekundi.
DULT Commissioner Manjula V said that the design would prevent two-wheelers from getting into the lane, and hence improve the safety of cyclists, especially children. Though the city already has cycle lanes in certain road stretches, totally around 20 km, these are frequently encroached by two-wheelers.
Source: Indian Express
BIAL’s new routes
Bengaluru International Airport Ltd (BIAL) announced the launch of new international routes this year, including flights to Sydney, San Francisco, Tel Aviv and Seattle. A BIAL spokesperson said that all airlines at the airport will resume most of their international pre-Covid non-stop destinations by the second quarter of FY23.
Meanwhile, international ATM (Air Traffic Movement) at the airport increased by 48% in May, over March. The average daily international passengers increased to 9,300 by the fourth week of May, compared to 6,500 in April and 5,500 in March. Currently, Bengaluru airport serves 23 international destinations, with the highest global connectivity among all airports in south India.
Source: Indian Express
Wettest June in a decade
This year had the wettest June in the past 10 years, with 198.5 mm of rainfall. This surpasses the record rainfall of 191.3 mm in June 2016. However, Bengaluru’s wettest June was in 1996, with rainfall of 228.2 mm.
Heavy rains unleashed havoc, especially in Mahadevapura and Yelahanka zones, on Friday, May 17th. Many parts of KR Puram that had suffered severe damages during the rains in May, were affected again. Horamavu (146.5 mm) and KR Puram (127.5 mm) recorded the highest rainfall in the State on the day.
Source: Indian Express, The Hindu
Read more: Annual rainfall increasing in Bengaluru, data shows
New Omicron sub-lineages
A June 21 INSACOG (Indian SARS-CoV-2 Consortium on Genomics) report shows that 44 samples sent for genome sequencing between June 2nd and 9th were infected with the BA.3, BA.4 and BA.5 sub-lineages of Omicron. A sewage surveillance report had also shown the presence of BA.4 and BA.5 sub-lineages.
However, Omicron BA.2 remains the dominant strain in the state, accounting for 89.4% of the samples sequenced in May-June. The new variants BA.3, BA.4 and BA.5 accounted for just 0.1%, 0.2%, and 1.7% of the total samples respectively. Experts say these variants would replace the BA.2 variant eventually.
On Thursday, 820 new COVID cases were reported from Bengaluru Urban. According to BBMP, the city has 27 COVID clusters, of which 25 are in Mahadevapura zone.
Source: Indian Express, Deccan Herald, The Hindu
Online payment for rural property tax
Rural residents can begin to pay property taxes online, and also apply for other services like building construction license, occupancy certificate and water supply connections, through the State’s Bapuji Seva Kendra website/mobile app. The upgraded website comes under Panchatantra 2.0, a new software platform governing gram panchayats, launched on April 24th. Since then, property tax worth Rs 65 lakh has been collected online.
The earlier version of Panchatantra had led to many irregularities in property tax collections. According to authorities, problems with the old system have been fixed.
Source: Deccan Herald
[Compiled by Revathi Siva Kumar]
To the Additional Chief secretary, Urban Development Department, Bangalore.
Respected Sir,
With reference to the BBMP Delimitation draft released from your end, primarily I Congratulate you sir. Regarding the allocation of areas in the ward No. 35.Thalaghattapura (old ward No.198. Hemmigepura) our areas i.e.,Raghuvanahalli & BCMC layout name is not included Which is in Kanakapura Road and next to Vajarahalli, Bangalore-560109. Hence, I request you to kindly include these places in the ward No.35, Thalaghattapura and oblige.