40% progress in road-cum-Metro rail flyover

The BMRCL (Bengaluru Metro Rail Corporation Ltd) has made 40% progress in the road-cum-Metro rail flyover on the 3.2 km stretch between Ragigudda, JP Nagar and Central Silk Board on Marenahalli Road. This section is part of the Bommasandra – RV Road line in Phase 2 of Namma Metro.

BMRCL says that the most complex activity was the launching and fixing of wings to the spine segment of the road flyover, which is now completed. This is the first road-cum-rail flyover in the city. The Rs 330 crore structure has a four-lane flyover at a height of eight metres from the ground, and the Metro corridor at the height of 16 metres.

Meanwhile, BMRCL got into a controversy this week when Pavan Kumar, a Metro passenger, complained on social media that security personnel prevented him from carrying fish into the Metro station though it was properly packed. He tweeted: “…it is a non-religious place, why this partiality?” BMRCL replied that all kinds of meat is prohibited, unless it is “…properly packed and nothing is oozing out from the pack material and not emitting any foul smell.”

Activist Leo Saldhanha responded: “Come on, Mosaranna (curd rice) also stinks. Now you are going to target people by what they eat. Stop targeting people by what they eat.”

Source: The Hindu  | Bangalore Mirror

Coronavirus: Over 17,000 screened in KIA airport so far 

So far, 17,316 passengers have been screened at the Kempegowda International Airport for signs of coronavirus, although only three showed a travel history to Wuhan, the afflicted Chinese city.

About 172 people who have a travel history from Corona-affected countries are under observation, said officials from the state Health Department. While 168 are under home isolation, four Chinese passengers have left the country, and three who were admitted to a selected isolation hospital have been discharged.

Communicable Diseases Wing Joint Director, D G Prakash Kumar, said that samples from 104 people who showed symptoms have been sent for testing. Even as 102 of them have been found negative, the results of the rest are awaited.

The health department has also advised citizens to immediately contact 104 Arogya Sahyavani (call centre) or health authorities in case they show any symptoms. Public service announcements are also being made in public places like Metro stations.

Source: Indian Express

Railways roll back parking tariff hike

Due to fierce backlash on social media, the railways has almost halved parking tariff for two-wheelers at the Krantiveera Sangolli Rayanna Road station, from Rs 232 to Rs 125 per day.

Indian Railway Stations Development Corporation Ltd had hiked the two-wheeler parking tariff last month, which was perceived as a move to discourage private parking. The charges of Rs 232 was divided into three slabs. The tariff was Rs 12 for the first two hours, and Rs 10 for every subsequent hour. Those parking above 16 hours had to pay a straight Rs 80.

However, passengers criticised the tariff hike. In the revised tariff, the rates are Rs 15 for the first two hours and Rs 10 for every subsequent two hours.

Source: Deccan Herald

Mixed response to Thursday bandh

The 12-hour Karnataka bandh call on Thursday by several pro-Kannada organisations, under the banner of Karnataka Sanghatanegala Okkoota, got lukewarm response. Kannada activists were demanding the implementation of a 1984 report by former union minister Sarojini Mahishi. The report recommends a certain percentage of jobs to Kannadigas in public sector undertakings, and private companies including MNCs.

Activists appealed to shopkeepers at Anekal to shut their shops. One bus was stoned. A pro-Kannada activist, Praveen Shetty, was kept under house arrest, and police detained some activists including those involved in previous bandh cases. Bangalore University postponed all postgraduate exams.

Although bus and Metro services were normal in the city, the number of commuters were lesser than usual. Kempegowda Bus Terminal in Majestic was almost deserted. Some Kannada activists gave roses to bus drivers and asked them to stop services.

Ola and Uber Drivers’ Association supported the bandh; however Ola and Uber services comprise only 10 per cent of the cab fleet of the city on a usual day. Airport taxis also stopped services. Since a few school van drivers too supported the bandh, parents of school children made alternate transport arrangements.

Source: Indian Express  | The Hindu

Eye collection centres to be opened in district hospitals

State Health Department will soon start eye collection centres in district hospitals. The move is expected to promote eye donation and bridge the huge gap between demand and supply of corneas. The project aims to improve coordination between private and government hospitals; the collection centre in the district hospital in turn will be linked to the nearest eye bank.

In 2018–19, of the 5,561 eyes collected in Karnataka, more than 4,500 were from Bengaluru alone. But the gap between the demand and supply of corneas is huge. K Bhujang Shetty, Chairman and Managing Director of Narayana Nethralaya, said there are about 400 deaths a day in the city, yet less than eight eyes are being collected.

Source: The Hindu

Exchange programmes for govt medical college students

Soon, students in state-run medical colleges will be able to go to universities and medical colleges in the UK, USA and Australia on exchange programmes. State government will kickstart these programmes in the upcoming academic year 2020-21.

Medical Education Minister K Sudhakar said the government had chosen some of the best institutions abroad and was finalising the modalities and costs to run the programme. The aim is to help students broaden their horizons, and get first-hand experience of the advancements in technology and equipment. Sudhakar said students would get to study health policies and visit some of the top hospitals.

Source: The Hindu

[Compiled by Revathi Siva Kumar]