CITIZEN JOURNALISM

It's October, and examinations are in full swing for school and college students as they prepare under immense pressure. A crucial aspect during the month is students' mental health, and interestingly, World Mental Health Day is observed every year in October to raise awareness about mental healthcare.  According to an older survey by the Tata Institute of Social Sciences (TISS), over 40% of Mumbai students suffer from anxiety, depression, and related mental health issues. Furthermore, the National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB) records show that Mumbai had the highest number of student suicides in India in 2019, reflecting growing concerns about…

In the midst of 2022, the phones of Navi Mumbai Environmental Preservation Society (NMEPS) membersbuzzed incessantly as they received alarming news. A serene plot of land, home to sprawling mangroves, faced a perilous future. The announcement in July 2022 by CIDCO, the local development body, revealed plans to auction a 6.2 acres of land neighbouring a vast expanse of mangroves. However, this was no ordinary piece of land. It was a vital habitat for thousands of flamingos, a cornerstone of the local ecosystem, and a site of paramount ecological importance. NMEPS had previously organised extensive clean-up efforts in collaboration with…

According to the World Bank, an additional 68 to 135 million people could be pushed into poverty by 2030 due to the climate crisis and associated risks, disproportionately impacting the poorest countries and most vulnerable communities. As one navigates the challenges of climate change and its varying degrees of impact across different economic layers of a population, it becomes critical that a collaborative effort towards climate-resilient urban development involves the participation of vulnerable communities. For instance, Bengaluru has witnessed a significant rainfall deficit and a sweltering couple of months this year, and as per the Indian Meteorological Department (IMD), Bengaluru…

The yellow boards on passenger vehicles have outlived their utility and are causing more harm than good. The carpooling controversy in Bengaluru showed our inability to rethink the rules when faced with behaviour that runs contrary to those rules. Read more: Making carpooling legal in Bengaluru – it’s the centre’s job, not state’s Over the past few days, newspapers have reported that service providers, which help people discover carpooling passengers via an app and charge for its use, will be slapped with a fine since they use white board (private) vehicles for a commercial purpose. The commerce here is charging…

Our roads are not designed for driving below 50 km/hr, so why should one be penalized for pushing on the accelerator? For starters, I am a relatively slow driver. This subjective disclaimer is no proof before the Rs 1000 fine I was charged for going over the speed limit in Chennai recently.  Following this, I started driving consciously and analyzing speed behaviours in different parts of my daily commute, only to realize that speed is inherently connected to the roads you are driving in. Fundamental issues with road design Roads in India, at best, are planned for a comfortable journey…

Part 1 and 2 of the series looked at the transformation of Jayanagar from a quaint neighbourhood to a bustling commercial zone. Part 3 explored the street and transit networks in Jayanagar as well as its land use. Part 4 looks at the increase in Floor Space Index (FSI) and building usage. Figure 4.4 The footprint of the built environment in contrast to open spaces of Jayanagar. Pic: Manojna Polisetty Figure 4.4 The footprint of the built environment in contrast to open spaces: On the left is the figure ground map of building footprints, plot lines and unbuilt spaces. On…

Part 1 and 2 of the series looked at the transformation of Jayanagar from a quaint neighbourhood to a bustling commercial zone. Part 3 explores the street and transit networks in Jayanagar as well as its land use. Figure 3.1 The Transportation network of Bengaluru and transit deserts: The arterial roads connect to other cities i.e., Bellary, Tumkur, Coimbatore, Mysuru  and the Old Madras Road. The transit networks also run along these prominent roads, forming a radiating network with concentric roads for internal movement. Pic courtesy: Manojna Polisetty Figure 3.1 shows roads that connect Bengaluru to other cities. These are called arterial…

In India alone, roughly 121 million women and girls use an average of eight disposable and non-compostable pads per month, generating 12.3 billion pads as waste annually, and 113,000 metric tons of annual menstrual waste. But there is a stark lack of awareness around the subject, and the subject is not always open to conversation, which makes the handling of this waste stream even more difficult. However, city administrators are scrambling for solutions and ordering thousands of small incinerators to tackle this problem. Our sanitation systems are designed with urine and faeces in mind. Unable to cope with the menstrual…

That Mumbai is space-starved with one of the worst ratios of people to open spaces, is common knowledge. In this highly congested city, it is the public parks and grounds that offer respite to citizens, who often live in housing societies with little or no place for walks, or for children to run around. So, when the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) came up with a proposal that some of these open spaces could be given to private players on temporary leases for upkeep, through an adoption scheme, citizens and civic activists have come together to oppose it. Activists have met…

Bengaluru was once divided into two distinct centres: An urban settlement and a military cantonment. However, in 1948, the two centres merged together to form Bengaluru city corporation for a new, unified Bengaluru city.  Over the following decades, the city experienced large-scale development of public industries in sectors such as telecom, machinery, electronic goods, etc. It also saw the emergence of a large number of residential layouts, which made it a pensioner’s paradise. One such locality is  Jayanagar neighbourhood, which was laid out in 1949. Characterised by numerous art deco bungalows, abundant parks, playgrounds, an accessible schooling system and a neighbourhood commercial…