City: Bengaluru

"Ee kai hidkoli" (hold this hand) She asked me to hold her right hand instead of the left one and gave a slight push. I moved from her left to right and held her hand. She held my palm this time and, yes, the hand grip was firm. A grip that indicated she trusted me now. I looked at the clock in front of me - it read 4:15:50 The Bangalore Marathon 42.2 k race had started and we were about 20 meters from the start point at that time. All the regular runners were already out and I was just…

Palike appoints marshals to catch citizens dumping garbage BBMP Counsel D N Nanjunda Reddy informed the High Court during the hearing held on November 5 that throwing of garbage in black spots beautified by pourakarmikas for Kannada Rajyotsava still continues. In response, the HC bench headed by Chief Justice Dinesh Maheshwari, directed the Palike to file criminal complaints and fine the litterers as per the guidelines under the Karnataka Open Spaces (Prevention of Disfigurement) Act 1981. An affidavit with specific details of the violations is to be submitted before the next court hearing on December 15. 2018. Over the last…

Now that the Mayor has made an announcement in the Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike Council meeting that Ward Committee (WC) meetings will be held on the 1st Saturday of every month, beginning in December. Now it is up to the citizens and ward committee members to ensure that the councillors and ward committee secretaries follow the WC Rules, conduct the meetings regularly and become accountable to the community, bringing in true decentralisation. Below is a summary of the rules regarding the functioning of ward committees which citizens should insist upon. Unless we do this, it is no use blaming BBMP…

In an earlier article on electric autos, we had explored how electric rickshaws could serve as a panacea both for the growing air pollution in Bengaluru, as well as the last mile connectivity issues that plague commuters in the city. We had even outlined the policy that exists with regard to introduction of such vehicles. But the transition from paper to practical use has its own challenges. Continuing that focus, we sat down for a chat with Omkareshwari, Joint Director, E-Governance and Environment, Department of Transport to discuss more about the official policy and get an idea of when e-autos…

Dy CM mulls over temporary ban on private vehicle registration In an interview with The Economic Times, Deputy Chief Minister G Parameshwara said he is keen on finding solutions to manage the city's booming vehicular population, especially by ensuring that registration of new vehicles is put on hold for the next two years. His proposal is to stop 2500 private vehicles from being added to the roster everyday, and conversely increase the dependence on public transport. In the meantime, he promised to complete the white topping project within two years to sustain the load of vehicles. Parameshwara, whose portfolio includes the Bangalore…

This article is part of a special series: Air Quality in our Cities The 1.8 lakh and counting auto rickshaws on Bangalore streets are a boon and bane in equal measure. They are literally the last bastion for last mile connectivity in Bangalore but their role in mobility as a connecting cog to the main modes of transport (or access egress)  is unregulated, making them a bit of a nightmare. Public transport, which is often presented as a panacea for the unending nightmare of mobility in a city as crowded as Bangalore, is hampered quite often by issues of last…

This article is part of a special series: Air Quality in our Cities The drastic rise in air pollution levels in Indian cities over the years has been a cause of extreme concern, especially after the World Health Organization (WHO) pointed out that several Indian cities were part of the top 20 most polluted cities in terms of PM 2.5 levels. As part of a recent study by Aishwarya Sudhir ( supported by Co-Media Lab and Climate Trends), titled Bengaluru’s rising Air Quality Crisis, air pollution levels were tested for PM 2.5 (atmospheric particulate matter with diameter less that 2.5…

The morning of October 29, 2018 saw chaos on the ITPL main road at Whitefield in Bengaluru, when the Gas Authority of India Ltd. (GAIL)  natural gas pipeline sprung a leak in front of Decathlon during BMRCL operations. The Bengaluru Traffic Police tweeted that the traffic had been diverted to accommodate the repair teams. By 10 am, it was announced by the GAIL DGM Operations, Senthil Kumar that the leak was plugged. While there was a lot of talk about the traffic situation it caused, the accident raises several questions about safety and more importantly about what lies below Bangalore’s…

This article is supported by SVP Cities of India Fellowship Shrinking agriculture land, water scarcity and other challenges in traditional farming have made most farmers go for chemical fertilisers and pesticides to maximise yields of fruits and vegetables. This also calls for the need to grow safe, chemical-free food. It has led to different approaches, like organic farming and controlled farming practices like greenhouse farming. There are also dedicated farms collaborating with dedicated takers of the produce like apartment residents, for a fixed sum each month. There are different business models adopted by different people. Urban consumers of Bengaluru have…

High Court considers scheduling hearings on BBMP's failures on Saturdays The Karnataka High Court's division bench of Chief Justice Dinesh Maheshwari and SG Pandit criticised the BBMP's careless approach towards filling potholes.  The court criticised the BBMP than BBMP for failure to meet the target of filling potholes in 198 wards, and said the work would be handed over to other agencies capable of doing the job better. The 43 potholes brought to the judges notice during the last hearing were still present, said the counsel of the petitioners. The HC schedules are delayed due the proceedings on potholes and…