BTM Layout

BBMP wants to take land from the owners along the 100 feet ring road (BTM Layout and JP Nagar) for road widening. They say they are doing this "for the benefit of the larger population". Now compare this with Bangalore Metro train project. The government setup a committee  called "Thomas Committee" which analysed the socio-economic impact and set the guidelines for deciding the compensation package for each of the affected land owners and business establishments. The report can be seen at the following link here. Now the Metro is also being built in the same place and the irony is…

When you don’t have the time to cook or are not in the mood, yet want to have ghar ka khana, go to Potluck. Of course, Potluck fans know this very well…but so far, only those in the vicinity of Bannerghatta have had the good luck of being able to pop into a homey eatery like this. Now, with an outlet having opened at BTM Layout, Potluck has extended its reach. At Potluck Restaurant. Pic: Theresa Varghese. If you know nothing about Potluck, the brand was launched by five people, all in the software industry, who felt the need to…

Citizens in JP Nagar and BTM Layout have been rankled recently when red colour signs showed up on compound walls and entrances of homes and shops. The signs indicated that 7-8 metres of their property is going to acquired for yet another roadwidening project.Last month, the BBMP decided it was going to widen the 14.5 kms-stretch from Silkboard (Hosur Road) through BTM Layout and JP Nagar to Mysore Road.Do not miss our exclusive story for more on this and what citizens and shopkeepers are doing to protect their interests. What will happen over the next few months is unclear, but…

It is more than a year but things don’t seem to improve for the residents of JP Nagar. Recently a number of houses on the 15th Cross (100 feet road) in JP Nagar got fresh red colour markings notifying a land acquisition by the Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagar Palike. In July last year, houses in the 15th Cross/24th main intersection area got marked similarly and the BBMP engineers said 5-7 feet of their property would be taken to widen the road which necessary for the underpass. As many as 44 residents were worried about loosing space on their properties. Later, the…

Ramalinga Reddy hails from Anekal and did his schooling at the government school at Hombegowdanagar in Bangalore. He completed his B.Sc. from Government Science College in Bangalore after which he began pursuing an L.L.B. at the University Law College. He got into politics before he could finish the Law degree and has been associated with the Congress party in important capacities since that time, in 1973. Even as a student, Reddy was active in Youth Congress and was a city level office bearer while still at college.  He was elected to the city corporation in 1983 and became President of…

An open area in the 12th cross of JP Nagar Phase I overgrown with weeds was cleared; footpath slabs were laid on the 13th Main in BTM layout, all this within days of a Janaspandana being held in both these areas.Janaspandana, a state government initiative that brings citizens, officials and elected representatives together to fix civic issues, was held in JP Nagar and BTM Layout on 4th and 10th July respectively.In both the events chaired by the local MLAs, residents of the area voiced their problems in front of officials representing different departments of the government.   Footpath upgradation ongoing at…

When I bump over the potholes, When I (don't) see the missing trees... When I can feel the pollution Because it makes me wheeze.... When I'm cycling in the hot sun Without an ounce of shade, I know that this "desert" Bangalore Is completely "BBMP-made"!  ⊕References

On World Environment day on 5th of June, members of Kuvempunagar Permanent Resident’s Welfare Association and the students of Green Pastures School participated in planting saplings in BTM layout. Around 300 students and 10 teachers from the School participated in this event organised at the Indian Water Works Association(IWWA) Hall at BTM layout 7th main. The students rallied from NS Pallya to BTM holding posters and playing drums.We have planted 100 saplings of Neem, Ashok and Champa, all provided by the Forest Department and BBMP,” said A Vidyashankar, President of the Association. Green Pasture School students (pic: MM) They also…

The Ambedkar Community Computer Centre is situated in a slum area in the New Guruppanapalya, off Bannerghatta road, Bengaluru. In this IT city of multinationals, it is only one of the many slums in the interiors of Bangalore that is not well known outside. On the 13th December, the slum had a unique visitor who is well known in every part of the world as the founder of the Free Software Foundation. Richard M Stallman's visit turned the attention of IT professionals and media persons to the otherwise not-so-well-known slum. The Ambedkar team with Stallman. Pic: Aravind.Ambedkar Community Computing Center…

Ambedkar Community Computing Center (AC3) is a centre set up in the slum area of Sudharshan Layout by members of Ambedkar Youth Sanga, Stree Jagruthi Samithi (a women's organization fighting for women's rights and child rights, for increasing the wages of house maids, et cetra), volunteers from AID (Association for India's Development) and by volunteers of the free software movement.Mani, a student at the Ambedkar computer centreMore information on AC3 can be found here.The idea of setting up the centre was to equip the children in the nearby areas with the basic computer skills, using quality software which is available…