City: Bengaluru

City officials have been thinking of widening Sankey road for 40 years. However, their plans for easing traffic congestion around this busy junction has been largely criticised. Those opposing the move to widen Sankey road are concerned about the loss of 100-year-old trees, footpaths, the safety of the tank bund, as well as increased traffic and pollution. The plan appears to go dormant every decade, but refuses to die. Plans to widen Sankey Road have been in the making since 1984. Pic: Sacha Fernandez (CC BY-NC-ND-2.0) Four decades in the making In 1984, the city’s first Master Plan included a…

Another legislation. Another new Authority called the Bengaluru Metropolitan Land Transport Authority (BMLTA). Ostensibly designed for the regulation of development, operation, maintenance, monitoring, and supervision of urban mobility, within what the bill calls the Urban Mobility Region, by unifying all the different public transport entities into one overarching body. The BMLTA is just two months old, but has been given its first assignment. The detailed project report of the contentious Sankey Road flyover project, which is strongly opposed by citizens and mobility experts, was handed over to the young BMLTA for evaluation of the feasibility of the project. Its first…

Last budget before polls Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai's second budget was presented on February 17th. It included a CM Vidya Shakti Scheme for students and a Gruhani Shakthi scheme for women. Meanwhile, the opposition leaders came to the Assembly with a 'flower-on-the-ear' or 'Kivi Mele Hoove' protest, alleging that the government had fooled the people with false promises. Source: Indian Express Aero India events The 14th edition of the Aero India show 2023, held at the Air Force Station, Yelahanka, saw a large turnout . About 266 partnerships, including 201 MoUs, 53 major announcements, and nine product launches were firmed…

It was recently reported  that Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) had received over Rs 28,000 crore in the past six years. The state government sanctioned over Rs 8,000 crore in 2022-2023 alone. Over 60% of this money has been spent on road works, including flyovers and underpasses. Of the Rs 8, 000 crore sanctioned last year, Rs 6,000 crore is being spent on road works. BBMP has issued work orders for this Rs 6,000 crore in one go, even though the money is meant to be spent over three years. In the Karnataka budget 2023-24, presented on February 17th, Chief Minister…

Sarani, The Whitefield Dance Collective, is made up of dancers (both professional and amateur) as well as people who believe that the arts are a great way to bring communities and their commonalities together. Since its inception in 2017, Sarani has steadily worked towards promoting the knowledge, appreciation, practice and performance of dance in the Greater Whitefield area. The movement had its roots in a fundraiser Samanvita, held in 2017, for the betterment of Government schools in Whitefield. When dancer Dipanjali Bedi was approached to perform for the event, she responded: “I look at this event as an opportunity to…

In part one of this interview, Professor Ashish Verma, who studies urban mobility plannning at the Indian Institute of Science (IISc), explained why India’s low car ownership is an opportunity to invest in sustainable and equitable public transportation systems. In part two, Ashish discusses scientific traffic management, which coupled with a long-term vision, can make Bengaluru a truly liveable city. CM: You often mention that traffic can be optimised with simpler low cost measures. Can you elaborate on these? AV: This is about utilising the existing road infrastructure and capacity in the most optimum way to improve the throughput of the…

Professor Ashish Verma, convenor of the Sustainable Transportation Lab at Indian Institute of Science (IISc) recently made a detailed presentation on the problems with the Sankey Road flyover at the Citizens for Sankey meeting. A professor of transportation systems engineering, Ashish has been with the IISc for 14 years and has developed, in his own words, "a systems perspective to problem solving in transportation with a strong focus on development goals." Ashish has been a vocal critic of flyovers. He has provided his scientific perspective to various citizens groups concerned about projects like the Steel Flyover, Elevated Corridor, and, most…

After delays in the opening of Namma Clinics, Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai, on February 7th, inaugurated 108 clinics within BBMP limits. Bommai launched the Namma Clinic in Mahalakshmipura ward, and the other 107 clinics were launched virtually. The state government announced the setting up of Namma Clinics or Urban Health and Wellness Centres (U-HWCs) , last year, to decentralise primary healthcare. The aim of Namma Clinics is to make basic medical services and infrastructure easily accessible and affordable for low-income households or communities. In the spirit of this, the Government of Karnataka flagged off the setting up of Namma Clinics.…

Swahlaya Sufi, 13, an eighth grade student at Elite English High School, Neelasandra, dreams of becoming a doctor. Unlike most of her classmates, who were revising for their class quiz, Swahlaya, who stays with her parents in the city but originally hails from Odisha, was calm and well prepared when I met her. Sakline Abbas, Secretary of Elite English High School, a low cost private school that aims to provide quality education to children from economically weak backgrounds, is impressed with Swahlaya's calibre. Abbas, had started the school with his wife Sakhina, the current Principal, in 2000. Read more: Students…

Aero India show to be held The 14th Aero India show will be held over five days, from February 13th to 17th. Prime Minister Narendra Modi will be inaugurating the show at the Air Force Station in Yelahanka. More than 731 exhibitors will be participating in the event. The show will include aerial displays, a large exhibition and trade fair of aerospace companies. Due to Aero India 2023, commercial flight operations will be partially shut till February 17th. On February 14th, Defence minister Rajnath Singh will host the Defence Ministers’ Conclave, even as Aero India is held parallelly. As the Conclave…