INFORMATIVE

Over the past few months, Karnataka has become infamous for its treatment of taxi aggregator apps. It began with the state transport department banning Ola for operating bike taxis. Last week, the department ordered aggregators to stop shared-cab services too in the city. In the absence of a predictable public transport system, many of these services - shared cabs or bike taxis - had become cost-effective alternatives for Bengalureans. But despite their obvious benefits, state government continues to view such services with suspicion, and brings down the law on them. It is not that state government is particular about hindering easier…

One of the pet peeves of residents in cities is the overnight digging up of freshly laid or previously serviceable roads for various utilities. The exercise almost always leaves the citizen frustrated as she suddenly wakes up to uneven roads, potholes and dangerously elevated pothole covers. Not only is a perfectly navigable road rendered dangerous and unusable, in many cases the people are unable to ever properly get these roads fixed. What can you do if this happens to your street? But before you come to that, it is important to know what the rules say. Permissions for road cuts  …

The warning bells have been ringing at a high note for quite some time now. Chennai has just gone through the longest spell of rainless days, as a result of which water levels in our water bodies are at an all time low, causing a severe drought. However the government of the day seems to be in absolute denial of any water crisis in Chennai, nor do their actions indicate any move towards a sustainable and resilient Chennai. Arappor Iyakkam has come forward to highlight this issue through people’s participation in a unique protest called ‘KeluChennaiKelu’ on June 30 2019…

Thick Avocado milkshake, Red wine from paneer grapes, different varieties of mango and Kiwi -- exotic fruits are never in short supply in our cities these days. But have you ever wondered where these fruits are grown? Has it ever occurred to you that the Lichi you eat may have come all the way from China to our very own Koyambedu market? That there are three varieties of grapes grown in different parts of Tamil Nadu itself? The era of globalisation has seen an explosion of various foods available in urban markets, but most consumers are unaware of the origin…

This summer, Bengalureans faced another gruelling water crisis. So much so that residents even in core areas of the city had to start buying water from private tankers. And in outer areas, even private tanker supply was inadequate. We had earlier published a guide on building recharge wells to capture rainwater this monsoon. Another way to meet your water requirement is by treating and reusing the greywater generated in your household, especially if you live in an independent house. What is greywater? Greywater is simply soap water; it's the wastewater from bathrooms, washing machines etc. Greywater does not contain much…

After a failed attempt last year, the BMTC (Bangalore Metropolitan Transport Corporation) has relaunched its online service to issue bus passes to students. From now, the application process for student passes will be completely online, and no physical application forms will be available, says Deepak N, Public Relations Officer at BMTC. The 'smart card' bus pass issued online, would have the photograph and name of the student, along with a unique identification number encrypted into an electronic chip. The chip will also have data on the bus route taken by the student to and from school, and validity of the…

Since schools have reopened, children, who are more at risk from air pollution, have been facing high levels of exposure. Air Quality Index (AQI), measured by monitors across the city, show that air quality is often poor. For example, on June 5th, the AQI at BTM Layout was 159, which falls in the 'unhealthy' category. At this air quality, children and the elderly, as well as people with lung and heart diseases, may have discomfort breathing. Anti-pollution masks can help reduce exposure to pollutants and minimise health impacts. Here is an overview of different types of anti-pollutant masks, and tips…

The process of getting things done at government offices is often so complex, tedious and time consuming that citizens are loath to even go there. It is perhaps for the same reason that the Tamil Nadu government launched online service centres, called eSevai centres, meant to offer ease of service to the user. What's best is that these centres are plenty and easily accessible, present in the remotest of villages and even in urban centres. In Chennai, as elsewhere, these centres can help you with several services that involve government departments and parastatals such as Revenue, TANGEDCO, TNEA, Corporation of…

For what might come as a breath of fresh air for Bengalureans quite literally, the Karnataka State Pollution Control Board (KSPCB) has stepped up to tackle air pollution in the city. A 44-point joint action plan has been approved by the Air Quality Monitoring Committee (AQMC) that was set up by the Karnataka government in response to a directive by the National Green Tribunal (NGT). In addition to Bengaluru, action plans have been created for Hubli-Dharwad, Davengere and Kalaburgi. These are the four ‘non-attainment cities’ in Karnataka, i.e., cities that do not meet the National Ambient Air Quality Standards. As…

The midday sun reflects sharply off the shiny red surface of the brand new bus that is on its way from Koyambedu to Kelambakkam. The new-look bus is part of the 300-strong addition to the MTC’s fleet in a phased manner. Half of the new buses commissioned that are operational now traverse the routes in the Old Mahabalipuram Road stretch that is not yet connected by the suburban train network or the metro rail and relies heavily on buses for connectivity. “The new buses were very necessary. The upgrade has made the rides more comfortable. This was long overdue as…