GENRE: Voices

In the past few months, the Tamil Nadu Government has taken certain steps to create platforms for democratic participation in an urban setting. These include the formation of Area Sabhas and Ward Committees. They had been envisioned to function similar to Gram Sabhas, a constitutionally approved platform that exists in rural parts of our country, where people come together and deliberate on developmental issues. They also pass resolutions to achieve their developmental needs. Every village panchayat performs various functions as well as conducts social audits which are then approved by the Gram Sabha to ensure transparency and accountability. Area Sabhas…

In the run-up to the Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) elections scheduled before the end of this calendar year, Bengaluru’s civil society organisations are getting more active to highlight civic issues that need urgent attention. As a first step, on June 24th, the Civil Society Forum (a coalition of civil society groups based in Bengaluru) submitted its “Manifesto for Development of Bengaluru in next five years” to senior representatives of political parties. The manifesto does not pull any punches. When it says, for instance; “Local self-government, with transparency, accountability and people’s participation, as envisaged in the 74th Constitutional Amendment (CAA)…

Bengaluru’s pristine environment of the 60s and 70s has, in the past half a century, deteriorated significantly. People who have lived here for the past few decades would have a clear perception of this environmental degradation. Left to itself, the environment in the city’s gated communities too would be much the same as that exists on the outside. When it comes to air pollution, gated communities experience the same pollution as other city residents. Although every individual living in Bengaluru has the duty to work towards reducing pollution, let us look at initiatives gated communities can consciously take, to reduce…

In a lesser-known corner of Mumbai, at Anik Depot, a Brihanmumbai Electric Supply and Transport (BEST) museum has been set up showcasing the evolution of the iconic transportation company BEST, from a horse-drawn tramway service to the electric buses we see now. The Mumbai Research Centre of the Asiatic Society of Mumbai organised an educational experience to visit the museum, thanks to the kind courtesy of the BEST museum curator Yatin Pimpale who guided our group with expert inputs. The visit was a sequel to a lecture series in 2020 on the evolution of transportation in Mumbai, thus tying in…

The Ejipura to Kendriya Sadan Flyover has been in the works for more than five years now. Over a period of time, many parties have been involved in this, namely, the BBMP, the Karnataka State Government, the Honourable Karnataka High Court, the contractor and the hapless citizens of Bengaluru. This article is just a way of venting for one such citizen of Bengaluru. No interviews were conducted and no specific research was undertaken for the writing of this article.  Even without research or study, the piteous condition of the road underneath is enough evidence for everyone to see. Barricades have…

On July 12th, Citizen Matters hosted a panel discussion on the National Youth Policy in collaboration with Youth for Unity and Voluntary Action (YUVA), a non-profit developmental organisation that enables vulnerable groups to access their rights.  Moderated by Sabah Virani, Reporter at Citizen Matters Mumbai, the panel consisted of YUVA Project Lead, Youth Work, Sachin Nachnekar and youth activists from YUVA in Mumbai named Pranaya Patade, Shehenshah Ansari, Sana Shaikh, Asma Ansari, and Swapnil Shinde.  All of them had earlier participated in consultations that YUVA organised to understand the youth’s perspective on the new draft National Youth Policy (NYP), an…

If all goes well, the bulk of Bangalore’s Public Transport commuters will be moving in trains over rail tracks rather than on roads by around 2032. Plans that have been pending for long are finally being implemented to expand Metro and add Suburban Rail to cover large parts of the city with a combined urban rail network totalling over 400 km. Bengaluru’s quest for rail-based solutions began close to 40 years ago in 1983 when a Commuter Rail system was first proposed. Since then, road traffic has grown by leaps and bounds as street-based transport has remained the only option,…

Do you know: If you are living in Embassy Golf Links on Inner Ring Road, you are living in an area that is 1300 years old. If you are living in Peenya 2nd stage, you are living in an area that is 1300 years old.If you are living in Indiranagar you are living in an area that is 800 years old.If you are living in Rajajinagar, you are living in an area that is 700 years. Surprised? But they are all facts. Srinivagilu, behind Embassy Golf Links, is mentioned in a 750 CE stone inscription; Juganahalli, in Rajajinagar 2nd block,…

A people’s protest to ‘Save Aarey’ was held on July 3rd at Picnic Point in Aarey Colony, following the Maharashtra government's decision to overturn the legal protection Aarey had earlier received. The newly-appointed Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis took the decision to relocate the metro car shed project back to the forest in his first meeting since taking the oath. The move to reverse the decision of the previous Maha Vikas Aghadi coalition government created a stir amongst environmentalists and citizen activists from all over Mumbai and protests were organised almost overnight after the decision was made. However, this project isn’t Aarey's…

I travel across cities in India for work and leisure, but Mumbai has always been important to me, as I have family and friends in the city. Coming from Bengaluru, the city’s heat and humidity have not really been in my favour. Outdoor walks during the evenings always help me recover from my physical and mental fatigue. Recently, taking my son to a nearby public space - a park near our house in Vashi, Navi Mumbai - has become my routine. 'Gorakhnath Shivram Palve' is a neighbourhood park, one of the many in this planned extension of Mumbai. Visiting a…