OPINION

For those of us who rejoiced for long at the complete absence of large outdoor hoardings (billboards in American parlance) in Chennai, those days of happiness may be very limited. As per a recent news item, the Greater Chennai Corporation (GCC) has invited those interested in putting them up to apply via an online system connected to its website. The civic body has not elaborated on how it has overturned a decision taken by the party in power, both at the Corporation and state levels. And it has also not elaborated on how it proposes to prevent these from becoming…

The dust has settled over the IPL frenzy and the Royal Challengers’ win, following the tragic stampede at Bengaluru’s Chinnaswamy Stadium, and the government is working to establish accountability. Now, it is time to calmly review the systemic flaws that have come to light and introspect on how citizens may also have contributed to the tragedy.  What appears to be the chief cause is the ‘culture of lawlessness’ that pervades our entire society — from elected representatives and bureaucrats to private enterprises, fans, and ordinary citizens. Did the government compromise public safety?    What was the urgency, or even the necessity, for…

Now that the Greater Bengaluru Governance Bill (GBGB) has received the Governor's assent and has become an Act (GBGA), its troubling provisions that overturn the 74th Constitutional Amendment (74th CAA) must be challenged. The Statement of Objects and Reasons of the Nagarapalika Act clearly outlines the necessity of the constitutional amendment. It states: “In many States local bodies have become weak and ineffective on account of a variety of reasons, including the failure to hold regular elections, prolonged supersession, and inadequate devolution of powers and functions. As a result, Urban Local Bodies are not able to perform effectively as vibrant…

May 15th, 2025, marks a historic yet troubling milestone in Bengaluru’s urban governance. With the Government of Karnataka implementing the Greater Bengaluru Governance Act (GBGA), what could have been a moment to strengthen democratic decentralisation has instead exposed deep fault lines: The erosion of constitutional intent Structural failings in implementation The sidelining of local governance mechanisms Local self-government being weakened The failure of the Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) to deliver effective governance has been used as the justification for enacting the Greater Bengaluru Governance Act (GBGA). However, this move appears to be a deliberate effort to sideline the 74th…

As Odisha’s Jaga Mission progressed, the vision expanded from developing slums into liveable habitats with the active participation of the community, to developing the upgraded slums as empowered units of hyperlocal self-governance. The highlights of participatory slum transformation were discussed in the first part of this series. Taking forward the idea of collaborative problem solving, the Mission now sought to put in place systems to institutionalise decentralised participatory governance in the upgraded slum neighbourhoods. The objective was to transfer the management of neighbourhoods, encompassing the 4 lakh slum households across 115 cities in the state, to the Slum Dwellers Associations…

The recent hike in Namma Metro fares, announced by the Bangalore Metro Rail Corporation Limited (BMRCL), has evoked strong reactions from commuters. This analysis delves into the policies and decisions of both the Union and State governments over the past 12 years, drawing on documents available in the public domain and information obtained through RTI. An analysis of these documents suggests that all the three concerned authorities, namely the Government of India (GoI), Government of Karnataka (GoK) and BMRCL, must take their share of responsibility for the stiff increase in fares. Some of the decisions indicate that the metro has…

“Even God himself cannot do anything within the next one, two, or three years," to solve the traffic problem in Bengaluru, said Deputy Chief Minister D K Shivakumar recently. God can't save Bengaluru because he did not create the problems Bengaluru is facing. These are human-made problems, so humans alone have to solve them. The Deputy CM assured that traffic conditions would improve once projects like tunnel roads and elevated corridors took shape. His plans include tunnel roads costing ₹40,000 crore for just 50 km; Sanchara Yukta at a cost of ₹3,000 crore; elevated corridors at ₹15,000 crore; a double-decker metro and road…

In Dehradun’s narrow lanes, mayoral election banners flutter briefly, promising progress, before fading into obscurity. The sound of crackers and victory speeches fills the air, echoing through neighborhoods already too familiar with broken promises. Across Uttarakhand’s urban towns and cities, local body elections were recently held, leaving behind a growing unease—a sense of democracy as a ritual, devoid of impact. Amid this fleeting spectacle, a sentiment stirs quietly but persistently: Why vote when nothing changes? This question reflects more than frustration; it reveals a deeper disconnection between governance and the people it serves. Much like Gregor Samsa in Kafka’s Metamorphosis,…

Samina, aged 31, looks out of her rickshaw at the grey Delhi air, worried. She’s pregnant, due in a month or so, and the baby is shifting again. One hand on her stomach, she often protects it from bumps, and the other hand holds the bar. It is during bus rides like this that she wishes she hadn’t forgotten her pollution mask. A long time resident of Delhi, she has read the news, she knows that the air is not safe for the baby. Increased chances of premature labour, low birth weight, the list goes on. Delhi’s air pollution levels…

Plans are afoot to establish a solar-powered ropeway along the Marina Beach. The proposed project will stretch from Anna Square to the Lighthouse, with stations at Anna Square, Kannagi Statue, Vivekananda House and the Lighthouse. With the number of weekend visitors to the beach reportedly touching one lakh, the project is expected to help manage crowds and also boost foreign tourism as the ropeway will offer passengers ‘panoramic views of the coastline.’ There are hopes too that it will emerge as a convenient mode of transport for commuters as the stretch will encompass an area dotted with public offices and…