bangalore journal

The inaugural Namma Bengaluru awards were held at the Palace Grounds on Saturday, February 27th 2010. An initiative of the Namma Bengaluru Foundation, headed by Rajya Sabha MP Rajeev Chandrasekhar, the ceremony was held to honour Bangalore citizens. From over 4000 nominations, 26 finalists were chosen. Of these, 14 winners were chosen and awarded by Chief Minister B S Yeddyurappa and Governer H R Bhardwaj. The winners were awarded Rs 25,001 each, along with a memento.Following are the winners:Private IndividualsAshis K Chand - A neuro-surgeon, he has imparted superior quality healthcare in remote and backward areas of societyDr Sudarshan Ballal…

Koramangala resident Suman Bolar, communications consultant and creator of the Foodtravelbangalore blog is a fairly new art enthusiast. Her passion for art started with a visit to the National Gallery of Art in Washington DC about five six years ago. Right Lines Gallery at Indiranagar. Pic: Reshmi Chakraborty. "I did not know that looking at the photograph of a painting and looking at the real thing on the wall were such completely different experiences," Suman says. That visit started an interest in art that has seen Suman and her husband visit galleries and develop much more than a fleeting interest…

The city's infrastructure needs are growing by the day. Development plans are created and implemented almost daily. Are a woman's needs addressed in these plans? Or do they have to make do with generic plans that help no one in particular? Like the city's subways?Recently, I was waiting at the Bommanahalli signal and saw a young college girl scurry across the road, risking vehicles whizzing past at full speed. She did not use the new subway that has been open for trials for the last few months. As I waited for the signal to turn green I watched more women,…

On February 10th, The Environment Protection Institute (EPI) conducted a training session on teaching methods and environment protection for teachers.EPI was set up in 1993 and was formerly known as Environment Education Foundation (EEF). EPI's main objective is "to conserve bio-resources and health of the planet" says Dr K Shivashankar, President of EPI.Around 67 teachers from Bangalore schools participated in the workshop, at JP Nagar 5th Phase, near AV Education.Shivashankar said that EPI aims to reach out to schools and teachers. They also conduct inter-school competitions in collaboration with the Rotary Club and hold lectures at schools to spread awareness…

Cops were wiring me up with two tiny hidden video-cameras, two audio recorders, stuffing thousands of rupees in my pockets and briefing me like a military commander does his cadets prior to an offensive. One pocket had 1,000-rupee notes sullied with detective powder that would turn pink as evidence if dipped in treated water. A cameraman was recording this process. Had it not been for missing flood-lights and makeup artists, it could have been mistaken for a 007-style film shooting.This was on Wednesday, February 3rd. Inside the Lokayukta building, with instructions from Additional Director General of Police Rupak K Dutta…

Governance Should you care about this plan? Read our news report here.1. Create new Bengaluru legislation that supersedes /encompasses all Bengaluru/Municipal body legislations like BWSSB Act, BBMP act etc - Bengaluru Region Governance Act, (BRGA) 2009.2. Establish the Bangalore Spatial Information Centre (BASIC).3. Strengthen the Lok Ayukta Act. 4. Amend the Karnataka Transparency Act.5. The Bengaluru City Report card to be presented by the BMRDA/MPC with Chief Minister as Chairman.6. Launch official city website www.nammabengaluru.gov.in7. Establish the Institute of Urban Planning and Governance (IUPG).  Roads, Traffic Management and Transportation1. Establish ongoing transport demand growth study and research.2. Make a single…

Citizens tend to be skeptical if not cynical of hearing about plans for Bengaluru, especially when even the most elementary projects get caught up in bungles and delays. Recently it was the turn of the Chief Minister B S Yeddyurappa's ABIDe task force to release its own grand plan for the city's development. Release of Plan Bengaluru 2020. From right, ABIDe member R K Mishra, Chief Minister B S Yeddyurappa, ABIDe Convenor and MP Rajeev Chandrasekhar, ABIDe member A Ravindra. Pic courtesy: ABIDe. On January 14th this year, Rajya Sabha MP and Convenor of the Agenda for Bengaluru Infrastructure Development…

It was around 2.10 AM, wee hours of February 4th. Bus Day. I had spoken to my friends over the weekend about this and totally forgot about it. Around the same time I SMSed (Short Messaging Service) as many people as I could reminding them of the day. I got two responses and also saw two Facebook (an online social networking site) status messages posted about the day.I woke up early thinking that I might take longer to reach work by bus. However, I eventually ended up setting out for work around the same time that I generally do every…

Bangalore Bus day! For all those who are crying hoarse about Bangalore's transport system this must come as a shock. What is there to celebrate you say? Let me take you on a trip down memory lane and you tell me.My schooling started with bus commutes, morning and evening. That means 16 years of friendship with the six wheeled wonder. Back in the '80s there weren't so many buses. I used to take the route number 137 from Yeshwanthpur to Ulsoor which would be available only once in two hours. Almost always, the buses were jam packed and foot board…

WARD 178 - Sarakki, JP Nagar 6th Phase, LIC Quarters.North: By Sarakki Main Road 9th Cross.East: By 13th Main, 13th Cross, 8th A Main Road,Outer Ring Road, 12th Main Road.South: By 17th A Cross, 15th Main 18th Cross, 17thCross, Cross Road(Existing WardBoundary),22nd Main, Existing WardBoundary, Cross Road,Source: bbmpwards.infoWhen Citizen Matters approached the residents of Sarakki (Ward 178), they echoed concerns about garbage clearance, regulating traffic, encroachments on footpaths, and the condition of roads.Mahesh A R and M S Ramesh who run businesses on Sarakki main road, hoped that the authorities would take note of the traffic congestion in this area,…