Civic

Chennai's parking policy overhauled Are you one of those desperately seeking parking spots in Chennai? Then look out for these five insights from the policy introduced by the Chennai Unified Metropolitan Transport Authority (CUMTA). Why: The ultimate, though distant, aim of the policy is to streamline parking and reduce driving. With 9.2 million vehicles crowding Chennai’s streets, the government hopes to encourage people to use public transport, ride-sharing, cycling, or walking. This shift is aimed at decongesting roads and enhancing safety and mobility, according to the Institute for Transportation and Development Policy (ITDP) experts, who offered technical knowledge support for…

Mumbai is a city of contrasts — while it thrives as India’s financial capital, it also struggles with environmental challenges and urban governance issues. A growing section of its population is also grappling with mental health issues caused by urban stress. The beginning of Project Mumbai Project Mumbai was started in 2018, as a citizen-driven, not-for-profit initiative dedicated to making Mumbai a better place to live, work, and play. With a firm belief in collective responsibility, we operate on a unique Public-Private-People model, ensuring that citizens, corporations, and local authorities work together to create meaningful change. What started as a…

Supreme Court halts tree felling in Hyderabad's Kancha Gachibowli The Supreme Court has intervened to halt the felling of trees in Kancha Gachibowli, Hyderabad, following widespread protests. The court issued an interim stay on deforestation activities across 400 acres of land near the University of Hyderabad campus, citing ecological concerns and the presence of scheduled animal species. The Telangana High Court had earlier paused development plans for the land, which is earmarked for IT infrastructure by the Telangana Industrial Infrastructure Corporation (TGIIC). Students, environmental activists, and conservationists have opposed the government's plans, arguing that the land is ecologically sensitive and…

Delhi CM's first, 1 lakh-cr budget The Delhi Chief Minister, Rekha Gupta, who also holds the Finance Minister's portfolio, presented the new government's first budget on March 25th. By allocating ₹1 lakh crore in various sectors such as education and urban development, she showed a rise of 31.58% from the previous government's allocation. The budget for Housing and Urban Development has increased by 9% to provide affordable housing, sanitation and urban infrastructure. The funds for education have increased from ₹16,396 crore in 2024-2025 to ₹19,291 crore. The budget for the transport sector has risen by 73% and for Housing and…

Cities lack long-term planning to fight heatwaves Some cities that are most sensitive to future heatwaves are focusing mainly on short-term respite, according to Sustainable Futures Collaborative, a research organisation in New Delhi. Its report shows how nine major cities that account for over 11% of the national urban population—Bengaluru, Delhi, Faridabad, Gwalior, Kota, Ludhiana, Meerut, Mumbai, and Surat—are gearing up to face the heatwaves. The report states that while all nine cities are taking immediate steps to address heatwaves, “long-term actions remain rare, and where they do exist, they are poorly targeted.” Without effective long-term strategies, India might confront several…

Whether it is a quick bite of dosa, steaming idlis or spicy chaats, street food plays an integral part in Bengaluru’s urban life and culture with vendors offering diverse meals from their pushcarts and temporary stalls. Street food vending also supports livelihoods and vendors play an important role in providing affordable meals to the city’s working population. However, these stalls may pose challenges related to urban infrastructure, hygiene, waste disposal and environmental management. Regulations that govern urban street vending Recognising the significance of street vendors, the National Policy for Urban Street Vendors advocates for a supportive framework while maintaining urban hygiene and…

13 Indian cities among world's most polluted Thirteen Indian cities are among the world’s 20 most polluted, revealed the ‘2024 World Air Quality’ report released on March 11th by IQAir, a Swiss organisation. Ten cities, especially in the Indo-Gangetic region, are among the top 15 polluted cities of the South and Central Asian region. The list also features four cities in Pakistan and one in China. Delhi is the most polluted capital city in the world. Its issues are mainly the winter's unfavourable weather, vehicular emissions, paddy-straw burning, firecrackers and other local pollutants. A slight decrease in dangerous PM2.5 concentrations…

Brand Bengaluru gets a boost in the budget In his 16th Budget presented in the Karnataka Assembly, Chief Minister Siddaramaiah announced the allocation of ₹1,800 crore for 21 projects under Brand Bengaluru, ₹3,000 crore to tackle weather-related challenges, and ₹555 crore for Phase 5 of the Cauvery water supply project. Bengaluru's urban mobility was highlighted, with the following plans — Namma Metro network's extension up to Kempegowda International Airport, an 18.5 km-long North-South tunnel from Hebbal Esteem Mall to Silk Board Junction for ₹15,000 crore, 40.5 km double-decker flyovers, 300 km of new roads and the Bengaluru Suburban Railway Project with…

The rapid growth of apartment complexes in Bengaluru reflects the soaring urban housing demand. Stringent housing regulatory frameworks are essential for the balanced growth of the real estate sector. Currently, the apartment regulatory landscape in Karnataka is the cause of jurisdictional confusion and legal disputes. So, it is important to highlight the legal and practical challenges faced by apartment owners and associations. This assumes importance in the light of speculations of a proposed new legislative framework to govern apartments in the State.  Housing laws in Karnataka The Karnataka Cooperative Societies Act, 1959 (hereinafter referred to as KCSA, 1959): The Act…

BMC mandates air pollution monitoring at construction sites The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) has asked for expressions of interest for sensors to monitor particulate matter (PM2.5 and PM10) at construction sites, with the data to be made available to the public. These sensors will help track air quality in real time and will be mandatory at all construction sites. This move aims to improve pollution monitoring and ensure compliance at both private and public projects in Mumbai. Builders support the plan but are concerned about increased costs and challenges in identifying pollution sources near multiple sites. The BMC will test…