City: Bengaluru

From ‘Pete’ to ‘K R Market,' Bengaluru's oldest market built in 1920’s has seen many changes. However, presently not many citizens in Bangalore might have visited this area, as the traffic and garbage problem is terrible and repulsive. The new market with the unique architecture was built in 1990’s. If the BBMP's plan goes well, K R Market will see another big change, as a feasibility report for multilevel car parking and some re-organisation in K R market has been prepared and being discussed. New building in K R Market was built in 1997, but vast area remains underutilised. Pic…

Karnataka Industrial Area Development Board has issued an order instructing M/s Mantri Techzone Pvt Ltd / M/s Manipal ETA Infotech Ltd to stop the construction of the Special Economic Zone, residential and commercial buildings coming up on 72 acres of land that lies between Bellandur and Agara lakes, in South Bengaluru. Post the Upa Lokayukta’s comments on Mantri SEZ in a meeting held on December 20, 2013, KIADB’s 327th Board Meeting discussed the matter and passed an order directing Mantri Techzone Pvt Ltd to stop the construction with immediate effect. According to the minutes of the KIADB Board meeting, the…

The Lake division of Bangalore Development Authority has handed over the lakes under its supervision to respective zonal engineers of BDA. The north and south lake divisions have been closed down, and have been merged with the BDA's Engineering Department. A BDA official, who didn't want to be named, said that BDA's lake division had 123 lakes to look after, but only five engineers. These five had to manage the execution of restoration plans. They also had to oversee the protection of these lakes spread all over the city and take action against encroachers, which was practically impossible. Hence the…

It's time to let go of your favourite horn that you chose to fit your vehicle with. Wonder why? The Supreme Court of India, in its judgment dated December 10, 2013, on the petition SLP (Civil) 25237/2010, has banned the multi-tone horns in vehicles. The last date for removal of this is January 10, 2014. Bangalore Traffic Police, in accordance with the obeyance of law, has issued a notice regarding this. A pamphlet that is issued by the Police Inspector of Indiranagar Traffic Police station says that all kinds of air pressure horns, musical horns, reverse horns, hooters, trumpets and…

A large number of people, motorists as well as pedestrians, traditionally throng M G Road, Brigade Road, Residency Road, St.Marks Road and Church Street on the New Year’s Eve. Parking restrictions will be in place to regulate the movement of traffic of vehicles on M G Road, Brigade Road, Church Street, St.Marks Road, Rest House road and Residency road on the night intervening between 31/12/2013 and 01/01/2014. A press note from Bangalore Traffic Police has put in place the following regulations: 1.    No entry for vehicles except police vehicles and vehicles of essential services on duty, from any direction, from…

Recently, there was an article in Citizen Matters by Ganga Madappa pointing to the fact the BMTC fares are higher than the distance indicates. I have been having a problem with this for some time now and given this opportunity, would like the share some information. As I understand it, BMTC buses are considered to be 'Stage Carriages' and their fares are governed by notifications put out by the government under the act. The latest notification that I could find dated 03-11-2010 on Maximum Fares for Stage Carriages in the State of Karnataka can be seen here: http://rto.kar.nic.in/Maxi%20rate%20for%20SC.pdf The notification…

As many as 26 passengers, traveling in the Bangalore-Nanded Express, have been charred to death and several others injured, when the three-tier Air-Conditioned bogie caught fire in the wee hours, around 3-30 am, on Saturday, at Kothacheruvu near Puttaparthy in Ananthapur District of Andhra Pradesh. According to the District Public Relations Officer Thimmappa, on learning about the incident, the district administration led by the District Collector Lokesh Kumar swung into action and is carrying out relief and rescue operations. The Minister for Revenue of Andhra Pradesh, Raghuveera Reddy, who is also personally supervising the relief and rescue operations, has appealed…

Like every other year, 2013 has been eventful. When one thinks of the big things that took place in Bengaluru this year, citizen-led initiatives such as the lake rejuvenation movement, Whitefield Rising and everyday heroes who shone, stand apart. They are indeed a reason for celebration. Then there are those which we may very well want to brush under the carpet, but cannot as a result of their impact they have on our lives - the state of roads, the multiple pothole related deaths, women’s safety, the lack of accountability on the part of our government etc. Let’s take a…

It’s 7 pm on a Friday evening in Bengaluru; you have just visited a friend. You want to go back. Your family vehicle is unavailable, you do not want to commute by bus and the cab company you have called says they are booked till 10:30 pm. Your friend agrees to drop you off to the auto stand, but the drivers refuse to come or ask you to pay more. What can you do? It’s no state secret that most folks who commute by auto are skeptical of auto drivers. Of course, there are a good number of honest ones.…

BBMP, we know, has a plan to remodel storm water drains (SWDs) of Bengaluru. While BBMP is still working on the Detailed Project Reports (DPRs) and fund mobilisation to remodel the Rajakaluves, there seems to be somebody else working hard to remodel the major storm water drain that connects Madiwala lake to Bellandur lake, in South Bengaluru. A JCB digging a parallel channel next to the major storm water drain in Koramangala-Chalaghatta Valley area. Pic: Nikita Malusare Citizen Matters team happened to see a major work going on with JCBs digging the earth, in the eastern border of Koramangala ward.…