EDITORS' PICK Citizen Matters

Cheated while shopping online? Here’s what you can do

January 9, 2018 Navya P K

As e-commerce and the virtual marketplace become increasingly popular, here are some tips on how to shop smart online, and what to do if you have complaints.

In schools, hospitals or shrines, you can’t escape fire risk in urban India

January 5, 2018 Revathi Siva Kumar

The Kamala Mills tragedy in Mumbai has suddenly led to fire safety inspections in restaurants and eateries in many cities, but there are reports aplenty to show that fire preparedness anywhere in these cities is abysmal.

Travelling to Mangalore by Rajdhani? Here’s what you may expect!

December 25, 2017 Akash K

With poor access and connectivity and glaring infrastructural gaps, the Mangalore Railway Junction station is crying out for attention, but apart from usual election season promises, there has been little action on the front.

This January, 10000 families will join hands to make their city greener

December 21, 2017 Sidharth Naik

Pimple Saudagar, a suburb of Pimpri Chinchwad, sister city of Pune, has kickstarted a focused campaign among all citizen stakeholders to ensure that no one uses plastic bags from January 1st.

Rain, chill or heatwave, homeless poor have few places to turn to

December 13, 2017 Navya P K

Even though the National Urban Livelihoods Mission prescribes permanent, 24X7 shelters for the urban homeless, most of our cities can accommodate less than six percent of such population in the official shelter homes.

The cheated customer’s guide to fighting back

December 11, 2017 Navya P K

Caught in a situation where goods or services you bought have not lived up to the promises made? Getting redressal and compensation under the Consumer Protection Act could be easier than you think.

Two years on, India’s top five smart cities lagging in mission progress

November 27, 2017 Navya P K

Most cities have suffered because of CEOs who keep changing or have additional responsibilities and charges that make it difficult to focus exclusively on the Smart City projects.

Metro projects booming, but how many will use them?

November 15, 2017 Navya P K

Some 50 Indian cities are looking at existing and proposed metro rail networks to relieve woes related to mobility and congestion. But with the prevailing planning, land use, and connectivity, will that remain a pipe dream?

Is diabetes-related blindness becoming an urban epidemic?

November 11, 2017 Navya P K

A 2014 national survey shows that over 20% of diabetics in urban India suffer from diabetic retinopathy, a disorder that could cause permanent vision loss.

Why GST is making apartment owners across India angry and confused

October 30, 2017 Navya P K

RWAs have to register under GST and pay tax on maintenance charges collected, which is passed on to residents. But various legitimate concerns remain unaddressed.

Where are India’s top five smart cities putting their money?

October 26, 2017 Navya P K

India’s smart cities aim to provide essential infrastructure, decent quality of life, sustainable environment and smart solutions for citizens — to do more with less! Take a quick look at what the top 5 chosen cities are prioritising in the process.

Why we must still reserve seats for women on public transport

October 5, 2017 Navya P K

The practice of reserving a certain number of seats for women on trains and buses is prevalent across cities, but continues to be questioned by many, including women. Navya P K weighs in on the reality of such reservation and its necessity.

Can ‘open street’ events lead to fewer cars in our streets?

September 25, 2017 Navya P K

Cycle days, Raahgiri, Pathotsav — events that promote pedestrian-only zones are catching on in a big way, but the larger question of whether they can have a real, sustainable impact on how people commute in cities remains to be decided.

The story of a Gurgaon community that has kept 50000 kilos of waste away from the landfill

September 13, 2017 Monika Khanna Gulati

In just nine months, waste segregation by residents of the gated Nirvana Country community has achieved the above, and yielded five tons of compost. What does it really take to go green?

Points to ponder as India eyes all-electric-car future

September 12, 2017 Milind R

Will Indian city roads see only electric vehicles by 2030? While the government has set ambitious targets, several challenges need to be analysed and overcome before EVs become the norm, say researchers from Bengaluru think tank CSTEP.