GENRE: LN

It has been almost five months since ward marshals were appointed in the city to prevent public littering, but the piling up of garbage in places other than the designated ones raises questions about how effective the move has been. On its part, the Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) holds that violations have come down after marshals started patrolling the wards. The BBMP managed to convince the state government to appoint 232 marshals, to prevent random littering of streets, lakes, Indira canteens, landfills and other public spaces, at a cost of Rs 8.51 crore. Ward marshals were deployed from September,…

Chennai's many delayed road works such as flyovers and expressways have worsened the traffic snarl and increased commute times across the city. Many of these pending projects have been delayed by over two to three years, with the longest delay manifest in the decade-long work underway on the Port-Maduravoyal Expressway. Each project has faced its own obstacles including land acquisition, funds crunch and legal challenges leading to many years of wait for the commuters and residents for decongested roads. Velachery flyover Work commenced in January 2016 Cost: Rs 92 crore Project aim: The Velachery flyover project is one of the…

For Ramu B P, who has been driving a BMTC bus between Central Silk Board and KR Puram for many years, the Bus Priority Lane – in effect from November 1, 2019 – came as a relief.  “Earlier, it used to take about 75 minutes. In the last three months, it has come down to 45-50 minutes,” he says. He also believes things can be improved further. “If the BPL is fully implemented, then it would help us in reducing more time.”  For Sanjappa, another driver on the same route, the BPL has provided mental relief. “We used to get…

National Common Mobility Card in Metro from March The BMRCL (Bangalore Metro Rail Corporation Limited) is installing AFC (Automatic Fare Collection) systems on trial basis at Baiyappanahalli, Mysuru Road and Majestic stations, to facilitate the central government’s ambitious ‘One Nation One Card’ policy. The National Common Mobility Card will enable people to use multiple modes of transport like Metro and BMTC buses, pay parking fees and toll, and purchase at retail stores. BMRCL Managing Director Ajay Seth said the facility will be available for commuters from Mysuru Road to Baiyappanahalli on Purple Line, by March end. The AFC systems are…

In view of the severe water crisis that gripped Chennai in 2019, the Chennai Metropolitan Water Supply & Sewerage Board (CMWSSB or Metro Water, in short) has unveiled a set of goals for 2020, which if met could help make the city water secure. The agency plans to extend its services to the underserved and unserved areas in the city this year, and ensure the following: 1. Reuse of Waste Water In order to meet the growing water needs of the city, Metro Water plans to expand the number of wastewater treatment facilities in Chennai. The city has seen two…

KRDCL may axe thousands of trees The KRDCL (Karnataka Road Development Corporation Limited) may soon axe 8,561 old, mature trees in the city outskirts. The trees are to be cut for widening six roads: the 20-km stretch from Hoskote/Budigere Cross to airport (1,758 trees), 15-km stretch from Nelamangala to  Madhure (869 trees), 23-km stretch from Madhure to Devanahalli road (1,593 trees), 33-km stretch from Bidadi to Jigani (184 trees), Bannerghatta to Anekal (520 trees), and the 39-km stretch from Anekal to Hoskote (3,637 trees). An expert committee set up to examine applications for tree felling said early this week, that…

Last November, the cybercrime police station (CCPS) in Bengaluru, the only one in the city at the time, had to suspend operations because of an unusual problem. The number of FIRs (First Information Reports) registered in 2019 were on the verge of crossing 10,000. The software used by the police allowed for registration of FIRs with only four-digit serial numbers, and hence the software could not register any more cases.  Due to this, the station had to be shut on November 23, and was reopened only on December 10 after the software was upgraded to allow entry of five-digit FIR…

Translated by Purushothama Nag ಎರಡು ಪ್ರಸ್ತಾಪಗಳು - ಉದ್ದವಾದ ಪಾದಚಾರಿ ಮಾರ್ಗಗಳು ಮತ್ತು ವಾರದ ಕೆಲವು ದಿನಗಳಲ್ಲಿ ಪಾದಚಾರಿ ಮೀಸಲು ರಸ್ತೆಗಳು ಬೆಂಗಳೂರು ಮಹಾನಗರ ಪ್ರದೇಶಕ್ಕಾಗಿ ಸಮಗ್ರ ಚಲನಶೀಲತೆ ಯೋಜನೆಯ (ಸಿಎಂಪಿ) ಇತ್ತೀಚಿನ ಕರಡು ಅದರ ನಾಲ್ಕು ವರ್ಷದ ಹಿಂದಿನ ಆವೃತ್ತಿಗಿಂತ ಗಮನಾರ್ಹವಾಗಿ ಭಿನ್ನವಾಗಿದೆ. ನಗರದ ಸಂಚಾರ ಅವ್ಯವಸ್ಥೆಯನ್ನು ಸರಿಪಡಿಸಲು ಅಲ್ಪ ಮತ್ತು ದೀರ್ಘಕಾಲೀನ ಯೋಜನೆಗಳನ್ನು ರೂಪಿಸಲು ಸಿಎಂಪಿ ಸಿದ್ಧಪಡಿಸಲಾಗಿದೆ. ಸಮಗ್ರ ಸಾರಿಗೆ ಯೋಜನೆ 2019 ರ ಸಂಪೂರ್ಣ ಸಾರಾಂಶಕ್ಕಾಗಿ ಇಲ್ಲಿ ಕ್ಲಿಕ್ ಮಾಡಿ ಆದರೆ ಮೋಟಾರುರಹಿತ ಸಾರಿಗೆ, ಅವುಗಳೆಂದರೆ ಪಾದಚಾರಿಗಳು ಮತ್ತು ಸೈಕಲ್ ಸವಾರರ ಬಗ್ಗೆ ಕಡಿಮೆ ಅಥವಾ ಗಮನ ಹರಿಸದ ಹಿಂದಿನ ಪ್ರಸ್ತಾಪಗಳಿಗಿಂತ ಭಿನ್ನವಾಗಿ, ಹೊಸ ಕರಡು ಸಿಎಂಪಿ ಪಾದಚಾರಿ ಮತ್ತು ಸೈಕ್ಲಿಂಗ್ ಮೂಲಸೌಕರ್ಯಗಳನ್ನು ನಿಗದಿಸಿದೆ. ಇದು ಸಮಗ್ರ ಯೋಜನೆಗೆ ಪೂರಕವಾಗಿದೆಯೇ ಮತ್ತು ಈ ಸೌಲಭ್ಯಗಳು ಸಾಕೆ ಎನ್ನುವುದು ಇನ್ನೂ ಚರ್ಚಿಸಬೇಕಾಗಿದೆ.  ಪ್ರಸ್ತಾಪಗಳು ಹೀಗಿವೆ: ಎತ್ತರದ ಪಾದಚಾರಿ ಸೇತುವೆಗಳು  ಸಿಎಂಪಿ ತನ್ನ ಮಲ್ಟಿ-ಮೋಡಲ್ ಮೊಬಿಲಿಟಿ ಯೋಜನೆಯಡಿ, 300…

Double property tax for building law violation Double the property tax will now be applicable to buildings constructed in violation of bylaws. State cabinet has approved an amendment to the Karnataka Municipalities Act to affect the change. Law and Parliamentary Affairs Minister J C Madhuswamy said the tax doubling would apply only to the portion of the built-up area that violates bylaws. BBMP will be able to levy the additional tax as soon as a notification is issued in tune with the cabinet's decision. However, the double property tax does not absolve violators, Madhuswamy clarified; they would have to pay…

As Dr Alby John Varghese, the 31-year-old Regional Deputy Commissioner (South) of Chennai Corporation took some time to rest, he was pleased to see the way things were being handled by his efficient team during the "Reuse and Reduce Sale." Citizens were called upon to donate various lightly-used items that were still in usable condition but which they no longer needed. We managed to steal some time from his schedule for a quick tête-à-tête and understand how he and his team pulled this off. How did you come up with the initiative? Alby John Varghese, IAS The concept of the…