City: Bengaluru

Flood alert in Bengaluru  On Friday, state government's Urban Development Department (UDD) issued a ‘flood alert’ to the BBMP (Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike). The department gave flood warnings in 80 localities across the city, especially low-lying areas. This includes major commercial centres like Manyata Techpark, Mantri Mall, Silk Board Junction, Yeshwantpur TTMC, JC Road and Koramangala 4th Block Global Village. The letter from UDD said that the latest forecast indicated heavy rainfall across Bengaluru. And hence BBMP should coordinate with other departments immediately, and alert officials about the likelihood of accidents. BBMP has identified 182 vulnerable spots in the city's…

Do you have shoes that don’t fit anymore, books that are gathering dust, or clothes you no longer use? Do you want to get the stuff out of your house, but don’t want it to end up in the trash? Luckily, there are organisations in Bengaluru that can help you deal with just this. These organisations have passionate volunteers who collect donations, and ensure that these reach deserving people. This saves resources, and helps bridge the gap between surplus and shortage. You could also connect with these organisations, and become a volunteer yourself. Waste not, want not Goonj is an…

The third edition of India March for Science (IMFS) was held here in Bengaluru today. The march intended to celebrate science and promote scientific temper. It also championed robustly-funded, publicly-communicated science as a pillar of human freedom and prosperity. Scientists, teachers, science communicators and science-loving public participated in the event. The march began at 10.15 am at Banappa Park. About 200 people participated, holding posters of quotes from various scientists, slogans on celebrating science, and handmade sketches of scientists. Prof V Shivram, Registrar at Bengaluru Central University, flagged off the march, calling for the spread of science to all parts…

“Tiddalick the frog awoke one morning with a great thirst and decided to drink. He drank all the water in the rivers, the creeks, the lakes and the billabongs and there was no water left for other animals. It was only a matter of time before all the animals died.” This aboriginal children’s story from Australia might sound funny and childish. But replace Tiddalick the frog with any of the major cities in the world, and you will get a glimpse of the bleak reality we live in, where we either scramble for a drop of water, or waste it…

This February, the Bangalore Metro Rail Corporation Limited (BMRCL) published the Draft Bengaluru Transit Oriented Development (TOD) Policy. On inviting public suggestions and objections on the draft policy, BMRCL got just 32 responses. To put this number in perspective, Bengaluru’s total population is approximately 120 lakh, of which the working population is around 55 lakh (46 percent). Adding to this, the 5-19 age group which also needs to commute, would peg commuter numbers in the city at an estimated 77 lakhs (about 64 percent of the total population). But, only 28 lakh use public transportation. Obviously, the commuter numbers are…

Driving down from Hebbal to Tin Factory, as you cross the Kasturi Nagar flyover, you may occasionally chance upon a lone crane or two, circling over a water body on the left. It may create a pretty picture, but this was not the case until sometime ago. Situated along the Old Madras road and stretching up to the Tin Factory bus stop is the Benniganahalli lake. Not quite visible from the main road, many citizens had become aware of the lake only when it started frothing a few years back due to the untreated sewage flowing into it from nearby…

Across Bengaluru, apartments have been popping up like mushrooms over the years. This poses several challenges to the city, including waste management. Though BBMP (Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike) has introduced many rules that require apartments to manage their own waste, not all apartments follow these. Some apartments face practical difficulties such as lack of space or the heavy investment needed to install a composting unit. The poor management of waste affects not just apartment residents, but all citizens. But the solution could be quite simple. Back in the olden days, people used to segregate and compost their wet waste - mainly…

  Garbage crisis in city as dumpsite fills up The city seems to be slipping into a garbage crisis, as the Bellahalli quarry has filled up and there are no other options to dispose of the mounds of waste in the city. Due to sporadic rains, garbage piles are turning into breeding grounds for mosquito armies as well. This could add to the increasing cases of dengue and chikungunya in the city. Mayor Gangambike Mallikarjun said that garbage could be dumped in the Bellahalli landfill for another month, but muddy roads were preventing garbage trucks from reaching the landfill. The…

A short walk in any part of Bengaluru will reveal that any available surface space has been turned into parking space for cars and motorcycles - be it footpaths, area by the curb along roads, or vacant plots. Last October, the head of Bengaluru Traffic Police warned that the iconic Cubbon Park in the heart of the city was turning into a parking lot. But motorists around the city invariably complain about the difficulty in finding space for parking. Does that mean enough parking space isn’t available? Proposal for paid parking This March, the Kumaraswamy government approved the Draft Management…

Bengaluru's waste problem is worsening by the day. According the to city's draft Master Plan (RMP 2031), over 10,500 tonnes of waste will be generated everyday within BBMP limits, by 2031. But each of us can easily reduce waste if we purchase consciously. This was the concept behind a flea market organised by the volunteer group Second to None, in collaboration with Citizen Matters, last Saturday. Second to None is an online community that helps connect citizens across Bengaluru to buy and sell used, recycled and upcycled products. They also organise flea markets where you can buy these products in…