construction

It was supposed to be a quick route to get to South Bengaluru from the western part of the city, which it was during the 90s, when the portion of Ring Road linking Bannerghatta Road to Mysore Road opened. I was pursuing my post-graduation at a business school in JP Nagar then and would manage to reach Banashankari and JP Nagar that were next to the same road, in just half an hour from Vijayanagar even in the early 2000s. However, things started going downhill around 2003. My rides got longer. I relocated to Hyderabad in 2004 and was relieved…

Bangalore has always been home to many locals and migrants. But this welcoming nature now seems to have become a costly affair for its residents. While  the number of trees and lakes have reduced considerably, the number of vehicles and pollution levels in the city have increased considerably, which is posing major health hazards to people. However, a recent study conducted by the Karnataka State Pollution Control Board (KSPCB) reveals that the pollution level is the least during monsoons, and highest during winter. This study shows that the pollution level near CIty Railway station, which is at the centre of…

An illegal and unauthorised construction of a temple in a civic amenities (CA) site in JP Nagar has started.The CA site is located between 30th A Main Road and 17th A cross road. The Supreme Court mandates that no temple construction should be allowed on a CA site and this is a clear violation of Supreme Court rule.This has been brought to the notice of  MLA B Vijaya Kumar and the Joint Commissioner (South), BBMP Hemachandra. They have promised to look into the matter at the earliest. A glimpse at CA site in JP Nagar where the temple construction has…

I don't know if it were the Gods of Serendipity who conspired to do this but one day, the 26th of April, 2009, my phone started ringing at 6 am in the morning. Now, wondering who would be calling at this ungodly hour, I got up from bed to answer the phone. It was my friend Vinny who was going out for his daily run around the Jayamahal park and wanted to know if I'd want to tag along. I don't know what had gotten into me or if I was just dreaming, half-asleep, but I said, Yes, got up…

Arjun Tallam, in his forties, managing partner at Rasilaas Fine Dine restaurant in JP Nagar VII phase, Kotnoor Dinne main road says that three years ago when he opened the restaurant there wasn’t a proper road. Residents and traders of the area approached MLA Vijaykumar (Jayanagar, JP Nagar constituency) and got a road laid in 2007. Excited, he describes how the footfalls and profits grew once the road was done. Arjun Tallam, of Rasilaas Fine Dine restaurant in JP Nagar VII phase. Pic: Supriya Khandekar But his excitement dies down soon when he talks about the underpass construction that started…

The problems of JP Nagar do not end with the underpass mess on the 24th Main, 15th Cross, in fact the residents are facing inconvenience even because of another major construction in that area. This time it is the construction of the drain line that is the cause of concern for the residents. Compound walls broken down and used as pass ways (Pic: Supriya Khandekar) "There is a fight for getting daily necessities, reaching the grocery shop or the bus stand is a big task. The vegetable vendors also do not come regularly," says Sujatha M, who also lives on…