City: Bengaluru

This three part series examines rainfall patterns in Bengaluru and the lessons we can learn about water resilience. Part 1: Over 100 years of Bengaluru rains decodedPart 2: Can a little boy affect Bengaluru's rains?Part 3: Deluge or drought: Water researchers explain how Bengaluru can build resilience Through my childhood in the nineties, all I recall about Bengaluru’s weather was that it was good, mild or fine. By mid-2000s, the talk was mostly about how the city was getting hotter. In 2020, well into adulthood, I suddenly noticed the rains. Over the course of the first lockdown, lime- washed white…

The transport department’s notification on the mandatory installation of High Security Registration Plates (HSRP) has confused vehicle owners. It is mandatory  for vehicles registered before April 1, 2019, to install HSRPs by November 17, 2023.  The number of such vehicles is well over a crore and it is possible that the date maybe shifted a few times. However, if your vehicle is older than April 2019 it will be necessary to install HSRPs soon. Here is an explainer on what is HSRP and how to get one:      What is HSRP? High Security Registration Plate (HSRP) is a standard for vehicle…

BBMP works held up About 25.2 mms of rainfall on September 5th flooded roads and homes, uprooted trees and caused traffic jams. The maximum impact was seen in areas where Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) and Bengaluru Water Supply and Sewage Board (BWSSB) are undertaking civil works.  Even after 100 days in office, Deputy Chief Minister and Bengaluru Development Minister DK Shivakumar is accused of holding up civic projects with incomplete works on roads, primary drains and lakes. Only the Congress-represented assembly segments have completed some work, while the BJP-ruled constituencies remain inactive. Initially, the contractors had halted work, protesting…

Overwhelming response to a first-of-its-kind outreach initiative 95% of the 3,855 respondents of the #Personal2Public Bengaluru questionnaire are keen to shift to Metro Seamless integration and travel time were a priority over travel cost A campaign towards sustainable commute Namma Metro has been seeing a steady increase in its ridership, despite its myriad issues, such as few lines are operational, first and last mile connectivity. With the much-awaited metro lines to Whitefield and Electronic City expected to be operational in September 2023 and January 2024, respectively, extending the Namma Metro network to ~93 kms, is an opportune moment to promote…

The advent of technology and concomitant digitalisation has unleashed new business models and working arrangements in urban centres. The gig and platform economy are at the heart of this structural transformation of jobs, disrupting sectors like ride-hailing transport services, profession, education, home services and retail. I refer to this as ‘Digihenheimer’- a counter phenomenon to regular paid jobs. Definition of Gig Workers In the Niti Aayog (2022) report, gig workers are defined as those engaged in livelihoods outside the traditional employer-employee arrangement. They can be broadly classified into platform and non-platform-based workers. Platform workers are individuals whose work is based…

In February this year, a video of a skit performed by students of Jain University went viral. Seven students performed what they called a “satirical drama skit which revolves around the reservation system prevailing in society.” Anti-caste activists pointed out the casteism in the skit that appeared to mock Dr BR Ambedkar, Dalits, and reservation. The outrage led to FIRs against the students and faculty of Jain University under the SC/ST (Prevention) Atrocities Act. COLLECTIVE Bangalore members during a signature campaign for instituting functional SC/ST cells in Bengaluru colleges. Pic courtesy: COLLECTIVE Bangalore Campaign for SC/ST cells While the criminal…

Hits, misses after 100 days For only this month of September, electricity bills by Bangalore Electricity Supply Company (BESCOM) will get dearer by Rs 1.15 per unit, due to the revision by Fuel and Power Purchase Cost Adjustment (FPPCA). However, the beneficiaries of the Gruha Jyothi scheme will be covered by the government. On August 30th, the Gruha Lakshmi guarantee scheme, which will provide financial aid of Rs 2,000 to women heads of families in the state, was launched. This key pre-poll promise will benefit 1.1 crore women. Congress Leader Rahul Gandhi said that the party will launch the Gruha Lakshmi…

Plenty of manuals and guidelines are available that list out various steps to be followed to ensure quality in road construction. The problem is the unwillingness to enforce these guidelines at the time of construction. Just to list some factors which affect the quality of road construction: Inadequate bitumen content in the mix Overheating of bitumen during mixing process Inadequate compaction during construction Stripping of bitumen from aggregates (Aggregates are raw materials that are produced from natural sources , including gravel, crushed stone, and sand. When used with a binding medium, like water, cement, and asphalt, they are used to…

Pothole deaths are the most devastating accidents. Monsoon and a cut in utility maintenance worsen the condition of potholes. There are many causes for a cut in utility maintenance: new utility connections (such as water, sewage and power lines), pipe damage due to heavy traffic movement, old pipe replacements, BESCOM line damage, etc. If potholes are not constantly monitored and maintained, they can result in large craters, which can be fatal for motorists, especially two-wheelers. Read more: Bengaluru’s potholes cost lives and money, but here’s how you can hold BBMP accountable Why do potholes form? It is essential to understand…

Urban and peri-urban agriculture (UPA) is gaining popularity in Indian metropolises to encourage climate action and sustainable development. Though the climate mitigation of UPA may be overstated, an IIT-Madras study found that UPA “can play a small, but not insignificant role” in augmenting carbon stock and bringing down land surface temperatures in cities. However, researchers say UPA has other benefits that make it critical for urban planning, such as promoting individual and community well-being, increasing urban food security and creating green jobs. Every few weeks, 53-year-old agricultural entomologist Rajendra Hegde addresses a large gathering in Bengaluru, where he puts forth…