GENRE: Voices

A clean, well-maintained OSR park lies next to the Main road in Elcot Avenue of Shollinganallur inviting the nearby residents for a stroll. Krishna and Lakshmi are the caretakers of this park and like them, there are other caretaker families looking after the four other OSR parks in the locality. Krishna and Lakshmi are one of the many families appointed by the Corporation to look after the OSR parks. They live in the park, where the day begins at 5 AM for them as they start trimming the bushes, cleaning the park and watering the plants. "We seldom water the…

Multi-storied apartments are everywhere, dotting the skyline in our cities. Ground plus 19 is the norm rather than the exception. As apartment dwellers everywhere are finding out this summer, water is a major challenge to manage, with the city running scarce to supply this resource. If you are a new buyer, it would be wise to ask the following questions from the builder before you make that investment of a crore or more. This is a simple checklist: What are the sources of water for the flat especially in summer? Bore wells are simply unable to supply water when densities…

The occasional spells of rains have brought some relief to Chennai. But that should not cloud the fact that the city went without any significant rainfall for about 200 days at a stretch. Rainfall patterns have become erratic in Chennai, with a spike in extreme weather events such as cyclonic storms and heat waves. Even though a large number of people -- in civil society as well as in the government -- are sceptical about attributing it to climate change, scientists do feel that there is a strong connect. Citizen Matters Chennai spoke to Dr V Selvam, former Executive Director…

With its population growing at the rate of 4.45 percent annually, Bengaluru is now the largest city in India after Delhi and Mumbai. The city shelters about half of Karnataka’s urban population. The administration of such a huge, expanding population calls for a structure with a holistic approach, which the BBMP (Bruhat Bangalore Mahanagara Palike) lacks. An alternative administration that will overcome the shortcomings of BBMP and address the city's issues, is the need of the hour. An expanding city Bengaluru has been expanding rapidly over the last three decades. In 1991, the then-BMP (Bangalore Mahanagara Palike) expanded to include…

A walk along our neighbourhoods in Bengaluru will indicate the vibrancy of some of our streets. Colourful carts of green and other bright colours with a fresh supply of vegetables, fruits and flowers are therapy for the eyes, and also ensure we buy the required vitamins and minerals for our well-being. The carts of street food that offer a quick snack after shopping, or the much-needed energy after too long a day to cook dinner at home, are such a blessing. More importantly, the little stalls in unexpected corners selling just what you were looking for - such as a…

[This article has been co-authored by Rajendranath Goswami, Head of Electro-Mobility, Robert Bosch Engineering & Business Solutions Pvt. Ltd.] India’s ambitious goals to electrify 30% of its entire vehicle fleets by 2030 promises an exciting albeit challenging journey ahead. The seriousness with which electrification of mobility is being pursued was made clear once more recently, with the government think tank NITI Aayog proposing that after 2030, only electric vehicles should be sold in India. While a coherent policy by the central government continues to elude, states like Karnataka, Telangana and Delhi have rolled out their own State Electric Vehicle (EV)…

Is the Small Bus an opportunity or a liability for cash-strapped Metropolitan Transport Corporation (MTC) in Chennai? All comments made by MTC on the question give the impression that the Small Bus service is a drain on the finances of the Corporation. The bus corporation says not many people are using it, and therefore it is being curtailed or withdrawn, while people say the service is not reliable and often simply vanishes without notice. This report in The Hindumentions some problems in the service, although it does not contain new information on what the present situation is on the ground. Failed connections The…

Newspapers are reporting that the Karnataka government is considering handing over BMTC's 1000 AC buses to other Road Transport Corporations (RTCs) due to profitability concerns, and also adding 3000 regular buses to all RTC fleets. Bengaluru Bus Prayanikara Vedike (BBPV), a collective that campaigns for better BMTC services, welcomes the move to rethink the presence of Volvo AC buses and replace these with ordinary buses. The decision will greatly help urban poor commuters and the corporation itself. We, however, would like to emphasise that no buses should be taken off the roads until new ones are added to the fleet.…

Air pollution is now the leading cause of death in India. It accounts for 1.2 million deaths, more than the number of people killed by malaria, smoking or road accidents. Last year, a study by the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) found that Bengaluru topped the list of major polluting cities in India. More recently, measurements of pollution level using hand-held devices show that particulate matter pollution levels in many places in Bengaluru are substantially higher than the levels in Beijing, China and yes, even New Delhi.  More alarmingly, pollution levels in Bengaluru are expected to skyrocket over the next…

Chennai is reeling under a severe water shortage and Bengaluru, the NITI Aayog says, will run out of groundwater by 2020. What ties these two large metropolis is, unfortunately, a dispute over a river. It is an unhealthy link. Both these cities are not exactly in the Cauvery river basin , though dependent on the river for their water requirements . Only one third of Bengaluru is in the river basin and Chennai is not in the river basin at all, yet draws water from the Veeranam tank within the delta. A civilizational change is transforming the river. An urban…