traffic

The Karnataka government is trying to increase tourism in the city of Bengaluru. Recent news reports say that they are planning to extend the 11.30pm closing time for bars and restaurants in the city to 1am. A few days ago the paper had a report of the city introducing a tourist 'Big Bus' with a hop-on, hop-off service which goes to the tourist attractions of the city — Lalbaug, Cubbon Park, Vidhan Soudha, Bangalore Palace, Tipu's Palace, Bull temple etc. However, these tourist attractions are all quite old. Most predate independence and the formation of Karnataka and are at least…

I had posted about an unpleasant incident here. I am very happy to say that a concerned citizen activist, Mr S R Venkatram, followed this up, and just now, he sent in this report: "This afternoon I visited Basavanagudi Police station and learnt that the Auto driver was summoned,cautioned and made to sit for the whole day and fined Rs.600. This will act as a deterrant to others as the news spreads. Regarding the behaviour of two police constables, I trust the police Inspector has adviced them suitably. I could not meet the Police Inspector as he was away on…

The Adugodi Annual Chariot Festival, Rathasapthami, starts on February 6th and will go on up to 9am, February 7th, 2014. During the festival, there will be a large gathering, public movement and many pavement stalls in Adugodi. This is likely to affect movement of traffic in and around Adugodi.Plan your travel for tomorrow well in advance to avoid getting caught in likely traffic jams.  The Adugodi traffic police will divert vehicular movement on Adugodi Main Road, in view of large crowds coverging on Muni Chinnappa School for the Rathasapthami festival and other religious rituals. Alternative routes:- Vehicles coming from Madivala…

After getting her car stuck in dug-up areas of Bangalore roads, my friend KV yielded the wheel of her car to me. We were going to visit the Gavi Gangadeshwara Temple in Basavanagudi. What happened as we turned the last blind corner to the temple felt like a sheer accident at the time, but in hindsight, appears to be a deliberately designed racket. An auto driver came too close to me and hit the right-hand-side wing mirror. I was irritated at his driving, but since we were four ladies (my friend K V, her mother, her aunt, another friend, J…

Harish Bhat writes:   I travel to Silk Board almost every other day via Bus and then take an auto to Koramangala. There are at least 4-5 autos parked below the flyover almost all the time. And, I've to haggle with 2 of them (they ask for INR 40-50 for an INR 30 fare distance), before one good guy decides to charge meter fare.   But today was not most of those days. Today, at 1:20 PM I decided to do something about it. There were 7 of them and I went ahead and asked each of them. 4 of them…

  The death of a toddler, last week, due to the terrible condition of the roads in Rajpalya, Near Hoodi circle made the city and the residents of Whitefield sit up, take notice and subsequently, take appropriate action. Disturbed by the unfortunate accident, residents of various communities in the Whitefield area, came together on Saturday, December 7, 2013 to protest against the pathetic condition of roads as well as related infrastructure: lack of pavements, medians, street lights, haphazard parking of BMTC buses, container trucks, lorries and water tankers - all adding to the chaos every single day. More than 200…

I was tickled to see these two jostling for space on the roads of Bangalore... An auto and an automobile. Life is full of highs and lows, all existing together!

Following the unfortunate death of a yet another person as a result of the potholes on the road, citizens expect that someone is held accountable. This time, the victim was a three-year-old child. She was on a bike with her uncle and mother, when her uncle lost control of the vehicle on hitting a pothole. The child fell off the bike and was hit by an oncoming lorry. According to eyewitnesses, the road was choc-a-bloc with traffic as usual. There was a family of three on a bike - a man, a pregnant woman and a three-year-old child. A lorry…

A touch of imagination, to match the hat!   I saw this traffic police shelter at the island near Windsor Manor, and was tickled to find that the roof was a "folded hat" to match the hats that the traffic constables wear! Nice touch by whoever has designed the shelter!   Bangalore, 16 November 2013  

Last May, the common Bangalorean voted for a change in the hope that this would be a change for the better. Basic needs such as commutable roads and better civic amenities are turning into luxuries for people living in Bangalore. Even after four months, the new administration is unable to make any real progress. Nothing has changed. While we painfully negotiate and move from gutter to gutter, all the while suffering bumpy rides, life-size posters of political leaders smile at us, ridiculing our plight. Previously, the poster boys were all from the rank and file of the BJP. Now it’s…