Almost 3 lakh deletions in draft electoral rolls
The BBMP (Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike) has published the draft electoral rolls, but with almost three lakh deletions from last year’s list. On January 1 2022, the city had a voter population of 94,92,539, but that got reduced to 91,15,805 on November 9th.
The public can put up suggestions for objections, additions and modifications to the electoral draft rolls by December 9th.
As Assembly elections are due next year, the rolls assume significance, said Chief Commissioner Tushar Giri Nath. He said that they have deleted almost six lakh entries as they were demographically similar, another three lakh new applications were received and added. Still, almost 10-12% have yet to register, so people should apply.
A special summary revision of the rolls is being taken up from November 16th (Wednesday), as per directions of the Election Commission, with January 1 2023, as the qualifying date for enrollment.
Between November 9th and December 8th, any claim regarding the inclusion or removal of names from the electoral rolls can be made. Special drives would be conducted on November 12th and November 20th and December on 3rd and December 4th. Disposal of claims and objections would be done on December 26th. The publication of the final electoral rolls would take place on January 5 2023.
Applications for inclusion of names, registration of overseas citizens, authentication of electoral roll data, objection to inclusion or deletion of names, change of address, and registering of mobile numbers can be submitted online using the NVSP (National Voters Service Portal) or the voter helpline mobile app.
Meanwhile, three months after the BBMP published the delimitation report to create 45 additional wards, they do not yet have fully functioning offices. Moreover, in many of the new wards, there is not enough staff. BBMP Special Commissioner (Administration) Rangappa S said 2,845 additional staff members are needed.
Source: Deccan Herald, The Hindu
Read More: No one can deny your right to attend your ward committee meeting
Inaugurations by PM Modi
On November 11th, Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated Terminal-2 (T-2) of the KIA (Kempegowda International Airport). It has been developed at an investment of Rs 5,000 crore and is spread over 2,55,645 square metres. Phase 1 of T-2 has a capacity of 25 million passengers per annum.
At KIA, the PM unveiled the 108-feet bronze Kempegowda statue (Statue of Prosperity), tweeted by the CM to be the “first & tallest bronze statue of a founder of a city as per World Book of Records.” The move is seen by opponents as a step by the BJP to appease the Vokkaligas in preparation for the Assembly elections in 2023.
PM Modi flagged off the Chennai-Mysuru Vande Bharat Express and the Bharat Gaurav Kashi Yatra train at the KSR (Kranthiveera Sangolli Rayanna) Railway Station. He also paid floral tributes to the great saint and poet, Kanakadasa, at Vidhana Soudha.
Source: Deccan Herald, The Indian Express
Circular withdrawn
Due to outrage from opposition parties and other people, the Department of Pre-University Education withdrew a circular mandating colleges in Bengaluru Rural district to bring students for Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s events on November 11th.
The circular had been issued by the DDPUE (Deputy Director of Pre University Education) of Bengaluru Rural District. He had warned that Principals would be responsible. The district administration aimed to mobilise 8,000 students from district colleges for the event. The Aam Aadmi Party said the circular was a sign of desperation and indication that the ruling BJP would lose the next Assembly elections.
Meanwhile, the South-Western Railway has cancelled a train and rescheduled many to accommodate PM Modi’s visit.
Source: The Hindu, The Indian Express
Issues raised over pothole-filling
A pothole-related accident made Peenya 2nd Stage resident, S Suguna, spend Rs 7.5 lakh on her medical bills for 15 days. She drove her two-wheeler over a pothole, which had a depth that could not be assessed as it was filled with rainwater.
Meanwhile, November 15th is the deadline to fill potholes within the municipal limits, said BBMP Chief Commissioner Tushar Giri Nath. About 800-1,000 potholes are filled every day, but 6,000-6,500 potholes are yet to be filled. Potholes should be cleaned, their edges should be cut into square shapes and then filled, agreed an official.
However, Congress leaders slammed the government for taking action only before the PM’s visit. AAP (Aam Aadmi Party) members protested against bad roads and urged PM Modi to visit the city once a month for travelling on pothole-riddled roads, so that the state would repair them.
Meanwhile, Giri Nath explained that it has sent a proposal to the state government to white-top more roads in spite of the high costs. He said that a special investigation report did not find overestimation of the works, yet the city needs white-topped roads.
The BBMP is making some changes in the design to speed up the road-laying activity. The BBMP will also not stick to the old list of roads for which tenders were floated. He added that fresh tenders will be floated.
Source: The Indian Express, Deccan Herald
Read more: Roads not completed, users overcharged — the many potholes in implementing highway projects
BBMP to asphalt nearly 3,000 kms of roads
The BBMP plans to completely asphalt almost 3,000 kilometres of roads in the next five months, according to news reports.
B S Prahlad, engineer-in-chief of BBMP, said the civic body plans to asphalt 427 kilometres of arterial roads in the next 90 (dry) days. He added that they have assured the High Court, in response to a recent affidavit submitted to the court, that they plan to complete the work in the next five months. He also said that they have received funds to fully tar 2,500 kilometres of ward roads, but admitted that they don’t have grants to tar all bad roads.
Source: Deccan Herald
HAL underpass to open by December
The 2.90-metre-long HAL underpass is set to be completed by December, after a delay of one-and-a-half months. The underpass is much-awaited as it is expected to ease traffic on HAL, Marathahalli and Suranjan Das Road at HAL Junction.
Those travelling from Old Airport road towards Marathahalli and vice versa will not have to wait at any signal, and those coming from Marathalli side and entering Suranjan Das Road will get a free left turn.
According to BBMP officials, the 19-crore HAL underpass project was delayed due to silt and clay getting deposited at the underpass, following heavy rains.
Source: The New Indian Express
[Compiled by Revathi Siva Kumar and Sravasti Datta]