GENRE: Explainers

While unrest continues over roadwidening in the city, including a pending court case, the BBMP is widening 23 roads that are former BDA layouts. Work has already begun and is expected to finish in a year. The BBMP is widening, strengthening and asphalting 23 roads in Bengaluru, under grants given by the Government of Karnataka. Sources in the BBMP say that work on these roads began six months ago and is expected to be completed in the next one year. These 23 roads are not part of the 100-odd roads that are stuck in the Karnataka High Court, due to…

In the last few years, Bangalore has seen the emergence of apartment management software tools. Sangeeta Banerjee of Apartment Adda attributes it to multiple reasons. "Bangalore has a higher Internet penetration and is a highly cosmopolitan city. It also has a higher population of younger people in apartment association committees. The average age in most associations we have interacted with is between 35-40." Most software developers think that people would prefer a software that provides value in terms of saving time, effort and providing transparency. Parthasarathy of OneSolution thinks softwares such as these work better in larger complexes and Bangalore…

Assessing fire safety is crucial to any building - residential or commercial. What's important is to be prepared to tackle the fire. Here's a checklist of what you can do in case of a fire emergency and how you can be equipped to fight a fire in your building.What to do in a fire emergencyIn case of a fire, call 101 immediately. Never assume someone else has already done soIn a fire, activate the fire alarm in your building and shout FIRE at the top of your voice to alert others - yelling anything else can mean that others take…

1. Apply for Encumbrance Certificate (EC) for your flat. It should be for a period of at least a year. You will need to fill Form 22 - available free of cost at sub-registrar office itself. The cost of EC is Rs. 35 for one year. You will need to go back after a day or two to collect the EC.2. Get a khata application form (costs Rs. 10) plus copies of 5 documents (betterment charges receipt, building sanction letters, title certificate, sketch of layout)3. Get copies of the following notarised: Sale deed, Form III (if you have), Possession Certificate…

There has been confusion over the past few years on BBMP's issue of khatas, especially for properties awaiting 'regularisation' under Akrama/Sakrama. This guide presents the latest information on getting your khata. Republication of this guide without express permission from Citizen Matters is prohibited. See here for requesting permissions. If you own a property in Bengaluru – vacant site, indepedent house or an apartment – and are looking to apply for a khata, here's what you need to do register for one. To begin with, one needs to know what a khata is and why you need to register for it.…

The Bangalore Assistant Police Commissioner's office in Infantry Road, which earlier used to house the Foreigner's Registration Office (FRO) has now become the Foreigners Regional Registration Office (FRRO). This now means that the office is empowered to provide a number of additional services for foreigners and expatriates living in Bangalore, including registration services, visa extensions and granting exit permits to foreigners leaving India. The central government's Bureau of Immigration has taken over the administration of the processes from the Bangalore Assistant Police Commissioner's office personnel and this has resulted in a number of changes. The procedure and the relevant forms…

In response to a Right to Information (RTI) application that was filed by RTI-activist M V K Anil Kumar, the state government's Department of Town and Country Planning responded to a question on what the procedure is to appoint various town planners in the town planning department, BDA, BBMP and other civic bodies.These rules are as per the Karnataka Town Planning Department Services (Recruitment) Rules, 1996. For the post of Director of Town Planning, the method of recruitment is only through promotion from the cadre of Joint Director of Town Planning. For this a person must possess a post-graduate degree…

In May last year, TS Rajeevalochanam, 80 and his wife Susheela,70, who are residents of Jayanagar 8th block were returning home from their evening walk. They had gone to the HOPCOMS shop at Kanakapura road junction. Suddenly a speeding car, trying to catch the green signal, hit another vehicle and the old couple. Susheela lost consciousness and lay on the road profusely bleeding from her nose, head and mouth while Rajeevalochanam's ankle was hurt. The woman car driver whose car hit the couple accompanied them to the hospital. They were taken to the nearby JBS hospital by a few people…

The common adulterants in pulses, tea, soft drinks, sweets, oil, saffron, coffee and chilli powder and so on are as follows.Pulses: Stone is a common occurrence in rice and Tur Dal. Kesari dal is a banned product and is sometimes sold as Tur dal, especially at times when Tur dal prices are high. It contains toxins that can paralyse the individual if consumed for two or three months. "We discovered the dal (Kesari passed off as Tur dal) was being sold in Karnataka border for Rs 25 to Rs 30 per kg and was being passed off for Tur Dal.…

BBMP has started accepting payments for 2010-11 BBMP property tax, at BBMP Help centres and Bangalore One centres; one can also obtain the forms there. Payment has to be by cheque or DD in the name of the Commissioner, BBMP. ONLINE PAYMENTSOnline payment of property tax can be done at here. BBMP allows you to pay online for the year 2009-10, if 2008-09 details are available online You can pay online for 2010-11, if 2008-09 and 2009-10 details are available online. If your property details have not been uploaded, however you have paid and have the receipts, you will have…