CITIZEN JOURNALISM

50 km away from the Airport, and 30 km away from Bengaluru’s Central Railway Station, Sarjapura is one area that poses a daunting choice of address! Located in the south-eastern part of Bengaluru, Sarjapura Road is a long stretch that ends all the way near the Karnataka-Tamil Nadu border. This mighty 20 km stretch begins at St. John’s Hospital in Koramangala and ends at the actual village of Sarjapura that the road is named after. St. John's hospital in Koramangala, beginning of Sarjapura road. Pic: Vikas Gotla Sarjapura is often wrongly used to describe wards/villages that lie on Sarjapura road.…

Lallubhai Compound in Mumbai's Mankhurd is one of those areas where nobody wants to live unless they are compelled by their circumstances. All the residents here were rehabilitated about two decades ago by the Slum Rehabilitation Authority (SRA) in buildings built with the sole purpose of providing a roof, everything else was left up to the people. Up until 2009, the area lacked access to clean drinking water, there were no schools and no street lights; late evenings were a big no for women. While some sent their children to schools at Sion Trombay Road, which is about 4 km…

With Chennai's many roads being dug up for various civic works, it becomes crucial for the several agencies carrying out such tasks to coordinate better. A look at some streets in Perambur lays bare the problems faced by residents when civic agencies do not bridge the gap in communication or carry out shoddy and unscientific work. Problems in Rajabhathar street Rajabhathar Street in Ward 71, Zone 6, Perambur was once a model street in our neighbourhood and had drawn the attention of the then state government and won several awards. Now, however, one can often see sewage overflowing onto the…

If Bengaluru wants to maintain its last remaining lakes and trees, citizens need to take an active interest in preserving them. If the last decade is any indication, collaborations between BBMP and citizen-led groups have led to the revival of many of its lakes. Here is how a group of dedicated activists/citizens have been maintaining their neighbourhood lake along with the trees in the surroundings. First the lake, then the trees Lower Ambalipura Lake is a seven-acre lake with two acres of wetland. The water body is surrounded by apartments - SJR Redwoods, SJR Park Vista, Mantri Flora and Trinity…

In recent months, bulldozers have become symbolic of what German Sociologist Weber describes as the state having the monopoly over legitimate use of force. Whether to punish law breakers by demolishing their homes or to evict people from what are termed illegal encroachments and unauthorised slums in cities, the state is using bulldozers more often than it ever has in the past. While some bulldozing drives in states like UP and MP happened after communal tension in some areas, bulldozing is also being used in the name of urban renewal. For instance, in Ahmedabad, three slum sites in the city…

In Bengaluru, people lose 3-4 hours every day in commute thanks to heavily congested roads. Despite having public transport options including BMTC and Namma Metro, the traffic congestion remains unresolved. The NITI Ayog’s 2018 report estimates that Bengaluru city incurs an avoidable loss of Rs 47,743 crore every year. What is wrong? The real reason is that good mobility relies on a vast number of measures, most of which are missing. A few of these steps were attempted, but they failed due to improper execution. This article explains what these measures are, and suggests how to implement them effectively in…

It is only after paying Rs 10 lakh as fees that one becomes an engineer from the prestigious Indian Institute of Technology, Bombay. In contrast to this, I completed my B Tech in 2013 from a government college in Kerala for Rs 26,000. IITs have turned into a gated community of the elites, serving those who can afford their exorbitant fees and filtering out those who can't. The fee hike by IIT-B in July is a testament to that. Soon after the fee hike, the deputy director assured us that all our questions would be answered in an open house…

Water is an essential part of life and its abundance is necessary for food and livestock security. Safe, adequate and equitable water supply, therefore, is required to conserve biodiversity and the environment. But Mumbai is severely lagging in this. In Thane district particularly, situated next to Mumbai Metropolis, the area is abundant in only water supply issues, no water. For the past few years, Thane’s roughly 22-lakh strong population has struggled with adequate water supply. Many parts of Thane, namely Kolshet, Hiranandani Estate, Mumbra, Diva, Waghbil and Kasarvadavli, are either not receiving proper water supply, or are receiving impure water…

When the railway pedestrian subway at Perambur Loco Works was opened to the public we as residents were hopeful of it solving many issues. The size of the subway was also impressive and the fact that the work had been completed despite the pandemic was commendable. However, two years down the line, there have been many persistent issues around the subway that makes the experience of commuters quite an unhappy one. Broken tiles and inundation bother subway users Over the past year, pedestrians have raised complaints over the subway being inundated and not fit for use during rains. The subway gets…

Citizens, activists and lake groups are taking up the cause of protecting and improving Bengaluru’s lakes. Engaged citizens and government agencies need to work together to restore to Bengaluru its old reputation of being the “city of lakes’. But there is widespread confusion on whom to approach regarding specific issues. The chart below shows the various government bodies involved with lakes and the current governance structure. Government bodies involved in managing the lakes of Bengaluru. Pic credit: Sarayu Neelakantan and Sanjana Alex. A list of government bodies responsible for the physical, chemical and ecological status of respective lakes are given…