City: Bengaluru

It was a year of in-depth articles that not only informed readers with detailed reportage and explainers, but also offered solutions to issues of concern to citizens. For example the Bengaluru floods of 2022, arguably one of the worst the city has experienced. While a series of articles explained the various causes of the floods, there were also articles that sought to explore solutions. Based on reader's concerns, Citizen Matters also conducted an event, 'Flood-proofing homes and neighbourhoods', a first-of-its-kind citizen clinic format. In this format, a panel of experts offered insights on how homes and neighbourhoods can be protected…

Schooling isn't always a uniform affair in Bengaluru. The quality of education varies with the school examination board, the syllabus, and whether the institution is run by the state or not. I spoke with the headmistress and teachers of a government secondary school in Byatarayanapura to get an insight into how their students are faring in their studies. The challenge of attendance Quadrangle of a Government School in Bengaluru. Pic: Sherin Sunny The stigma surrounding the quality of education in government schools is the primary reason for a lower enrolment rate. Suma (name changed), the headmistress of the government secondary…

As of December 2022, I complete five months at Citizen Matters. During this time, I have written articles across the verticals of civic, society, infrastructure, environment, and economy. I have profiled how community-based learning can accelerate the education of children from lower rungs of the socio-economic strata, if recently established Namma Clinics can bridge the last-mile gap in healthcare, and elaborated on what the government does with traffic fines that are collected. There were three stories, however, which received overwhelming responses from readers. Brookefield settlement floods One of my most challenging stories was when in my first month, I came across…

Fears of a new wave of COVID-19 are spreading through the country leading to several recent government directives. We take a look at what has sparked new concerns and what this means for Bengaluru.  COVID-19 is back in the news because China is currently facing a new wave of COVID- 19 infections. Cases have also been on the rise in Japan, South Korea, and the US. The infections appear to be largely of the Omicron subvariant BF. 7, which appears to escape immune responses more successfully, is more infectious, i.e., spread to more people than the original Omicron variant, and…

In earlier articles, the author traced the journey on the series of constructions on and development of the Outer Ring road (ORR). In part three of the series, the author reflects on whether the flyovers and underpasses in Outer Ring Road benefit everyone, if they really connect Bengalureans, or are meant only to accommodate private vehicles. This is the third and final part in a series of articles on the constant construction work on Outer Ring Road Part 1: The ups and downs of Outer Ring Road: A view through the years Part 2: The ups and downs of Outer…

Amidst books and puzzles, children from grades 3 to 11 and 12, mill around Vismaya Kalike, a community learning centre in Anjanapura. They organise themselves into groups, with a volunteer in tow, depending on what they want to learn about for the day. Vismaya Kalike, an after-school support initiative, which stresses community-based learning, enables a democratic, inclusive and enriching learning space for them. Children come from all nearby areas, majority of them are from a settlement in Anjanapura. Organisations that promote community-based learning have emerged as an important link in ensuring that children, especially those on the socio-economic margins, receive…

Caution over COVID-19 The City Police Commissioner, C H Pratap Reddy, issued a set of guidelines and strict vigilance measures to take precautions during the festive month. Wearing masks is mandatory in indoor and closed places, such as pubs, bars, restaurants, malls, offices, buses and trains. Schools are making masks and sanitisers mandatory, instructing children to maintain social distancing and not share food, among other things. The Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) has mandated COVID-appropriate behaviour, including face masks, due to TAC (Technical Advisory Committee) recommendations. The Health Minister, Dr K Sudhakar, has urged people to take precautionary booster doses,…

In a previous article, the author traced the development and series of constructions on Outer Ring Road (ORR), from the 1980s-1990s till 2015, when the Dr Muthuraj underpass was being constructed at Hosakerehalli junction, under the Nagarothana Scheme. Part two of the series will explore how multiple contradictory construction work has affected commuters. Road repurposing This has to do with uncertain infrastructure provisioning. Since most of these projects are implemented long after they have been planned or constructed on the go, there are no long-term visions for them. Plans keep changing and there is no one master plan that all…

As the 2023 Karnataka Assembly Elections approach, thousands of booth level officers (BLOs), across the state, are going door to door, draft list in hand, to check the accuracy of electoral rolls. BLOs are government, semi-government or retired government employees, who check that electoral rolls are accurate and up to date at the level of a polling booth (also called part). This is the third and final part of a series looking deeper into the implications of the Bengaluru voter data theft controversy. Part I: Illegal voter data collection: Does it really matter?Part II: Illegal voter data collection: How can…

A decade ago, when Shantha, a housemaid applied for her Below Poverty Line (BPL) ration card, she was mired in paperwork. However, the process has now been digitised and made simpler, at least on paper. One should be able to get a BPL card by producing one's Aadhaar card and an income statement issued by the Tehsildar’s office as most of the applicants aren’t part of a regular payroll system. Applications, with relevant documents attached, can be made online only. Although online mode of application, increase in private service providers, and the introduction of government initiatives like Grama One and…