Civic

Mumbai masterplan for roads Mumbai’s development authority has drafted a Rs 58,000 masterplan to build a network of ring roads that are supposed to connect all corners of the city by 2029, cutting travel time significantly.  Mumbai’s Ring Road masterplan prepared by Mumbai Metropolitan Region Development Authority (MMRDA) outlines mega road connectivity across the Mumbai Metropolitan Region (MMR) — from Vadodara, Gujarat border in the north to Alibaug in the Konkan belt of Maharashtra down South, and towards Navi Mumbai/Thane. It will set up a complex network of roads, flyovers, reclaimed coastal roads, bridges and underwater tunnels, planning to declutter and…

A dump yard in Pammal, which was restored through bio-mining in 2020, has once again become a towering trash mountain. The real twist is that the Tambaram Corporation — the line agency tasked with managing waste — is responsible. When Pammal was a municipality, the dump yard was scientifically restored by treating the old waste and removing undigested organic matter, in a process called bio-mining. Once the locality was merged with Tambaram Corporation, the civic body started dumping about 150 tonnes of waste every day in Pammal’s Mahalakshmi Nagar (adjoining survey number where bio-mining was done) and the nearby Adyar…

After any major event, more often than not, the next day’s news is about how much waste was collected and cleaned up from the city. For example, after Ganpati Visarjan on September 17th around 550 metric tonnes of waste was collected. Few months before that, the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) cleared 11,000 kg of garbage after the victory parade at Marine Drive celebrating India’s T20 world cup win.  This is just to illustrate that Mumbai has a major garbage problem. But it is not only on such events that waste management is a challenge. With 6300 metric tonnes of garbage…

New scheme for electric vehicles to replace FAME A new scheme for EVs, called the PM Electric Drive Revolution In Innovative Vehicle Enhancement (PM E-DRIVE), is all set to replace the erstwhile FAME scheme, that had been in effect for nine years till this March. The PM E-DRIVE scheme enjoys a central allocation of Rs 10,900 crore for a period of two years, which will subsidise electric two-wheelers, three wheelers, e-buses, electric trucks and hybrid ambulances. However, there is no mention of any subsidy for electric cars or personal hybrid vehicles. Source: The Economic Times Over 1000 e-buses for Bengaluru…

Garbage has a locality. On any given street in Bengaluru, certain spots are unofficially designated as waste spaces by the public. These areas, marked by piles of trash bags, walls with peeling plaster, and litter strewn about, reflect a broader issue. With a population of 1.4 crores, according to the World Population Review, waste management issues in Bengaluru are of growing importance.  Despite awareness campaigns, the problem of littering has become worse over the years. In this scenario, community organisations take to the streets to address the problem of waste, playing a crucial role in cleaning up the city. Tackling…

While most apartment associations strive to manage their societies with the utmost care, accidents related to swimming pools or electrical safety can still occur. Unfortunately, there have been some tragic incidents due to electrocution, which included the loss of two children, one of whom succumbed to an accident in a swimming pool and the other whilst playing in the park. There was also another death of a man, who died while working in an apartment sump. These incidents underscore the critical importance of implementing stringent safety measures and conducting regular maintenance to prevent such tragedies. “In apartments, lifts are well…

The Greater Chennai Corporation (GCC)'s Ward 185 is reserved for women candidates. If not for the reservation, Sharmila Devi wouldn't have made her political debut. "Both my father-in-law and husband have been in politics for over a decade. Since the ward was reserved for women, I contested and won to become Councillor," she says. Ward 185 of Chennai also constitutes areas in Ullagaram that were annexed to GCC in 2011. The locals face issues such as inadequate drinking water supply, lack of proper underground drainage systems and poor road infrastructure in these areas. Ward 185 in Chennai Name of the…

A community swimming pool is one of the most pleasurable and easiest avenues of relaxation for most urban apartment dwellers today. And yet a number of very unfortunate incidents in the recent past have created grave concerns and stress around its use, maintenance and management. From Gurgaon to Hyderabad and of course, in Namma Bengaluru, several shocking incidents leading to fatalities in swimming pools have given a huge jolt to residents and management committee members. The biggest jolt, perhaps, came in the recent instance, where following the tragic swimming pool death of a nine-year-old child in one of Bengaluru’s apartments,…

Chennai is known for its rich cultural heritage, booming economy, and vibrant social life. However, the city faces a significant issue with the rampant proliferation of unauthorised advertising hoardings, or ‘flex’ banners. These banners are erected without permission from civic authorities. Despite existing regulations and penalties, this problem persists, leading to accidents and fatalities. This situation underscores the urgent need for stringent enforcement and increased public awareness. What are 'flex' banners? These banners are used for various purposes, including political campaigns, advertisements, religious events, and personal celebrations. Their low production cost and ease of use make them an attractive option…

Heavy rains affect lives pan India Heavy rains made the India Meteorological Department (IMD) issue an orange alert in four states - Rajasthan, Gujarat, Maharashtra and Goa on September 7. A yellow alert was earlier issued for Punjab, Delhi-NCR, Karnataka, Kerala, Telangana, western Madhya Pradesh, Uttarakhand, and northeastern India, Since August 25, there were at least 40 deaths and 55,000 displaced across 25 Gujarat districts. On September 3, the highest rainfall of 156 mm from 6 am to 6 pm was recorded in Valia, Bharuch. About 29 lost their lives in floods in Telangana. Heavy rains also hit parts of…