Commute

Pedestrians are at risk while crossing busy roads where traffic is moving very fast. The BBMP has provided a defective and badly designed pedestrian subway at Chalukya circle and a pedestrian elevated bridge near Sophias' High School on Palace road. The purpose of providing this pedestrian subway is to help students to cross the main road. But children are not using the subway as it is ventilated poorly, filthy, not maintained and risky. The gates of the pedestrian subway are often locked. The elevated bridge near Sophias' High School, also provided by the BBMP, to cross the main road is…

As pedestrians we have been facing the problem of walking safely on Bangalore's roads using footpaths or pavements they are supposed to be meant for us. But, in reality, footpaths are the most dangerous places to set our foot on if at all we can do so. Most of the time, putting the foot down on the footpath has resulted in a sprained ankle or a broken foot. It is a common sight to see footpaths being reconstructed. Every time this takes place, the footpath is raised above the road level to almost a foot high in some places. It…

Devranjan is a tailor employed at a small shop on Brigade Road who gets paid Rs. 200 on a daily basis. He lives on Hosur Road and travels to Brigade Road every day for work, shelling out between Rs. 35-40 every day. As there are no direct buses to his place, he needs to switch between buses every day. This clearly shows that Devranjan spends at least 17 per cent of his monthly income on commuting to and from his workplace. He is one among the many who face the wrath of expensive public transport in Bangalore. Connectivity between buses…

Recently I ventured into the RTO office at Bhattarahalli, K R Puram, to renew my driving licence (DL). Using the Citizen Matters guide and BMTCinfo.com, I figured the bus routes from Mayo Hall. I reached the office, which is 6 km from KR Puram Railway/bus station, in little over an hour. I went with a lot of optimism, as I had heard things had gotten streamlined and 'clean'. I was armed with the Form 9 that I had downloaded from the RTO site and filled. When I reached the office, I saw several agents hovering at the entrance, whom I…

"I want a Bangalore, where a child and an elderly person can both feel safe while crossing the road", proclaimed esteemed Kannada writer, Sri Ananthamurthy, at the recent Bangalore Literature Festival, 2012. Much more than a reputed author and social commentator, this distinguished gentleman has driven home the point about our city's warped road sensibility. However, these words of wisdom from a celebrated old guru, is something that Bangalore apparently is least inclined to heed.In this modern burgeoning city and India's fifth largest metropolis, the chances of a pedestrian crossing the street without being knocked down are looking progressively bleak.…

Gnanabharati Layout was formed by BDA many years ago to the north of the Bangalore-Mysore rail tracks, adjacent to the Bangalore University Campus. Yet, to this day, the Layout lacks proper vehicular access. Residents have to use the existing Level Crossing No 10 on the road to Dubhashipalya from Mysore Road - at Km 14 on State Highway 17.Residents of the Layout have been fighting a long and hard battle with the BDA and BBMP to obtain even basic amenities such as metalled roads, street lights, facilities for water and sewage over the past  twelve years. Parts of the Layout…

Every morning and evening, sad scenes greet Kadugodi residents at this major point in Whitefield. The railway crossing that connects Kadugodi's population to the bus stand and railway station has become a serious sore point for all in the area, and here's why.At any given time, there will be a goods train with endless carriages waiting for a signal to move. This makes crossing over a nightmare for all ages. In the mornings, when most people are rushing to the bus stand to reach office or school, this poses a great threat. Children and the elderly often have to squeeze…

I found these two Harley Davidson's at Cuppa cafe the other day....I've seen the Harley-Davidson communities in the US, looks as if we have an active community here, in Bangalore, too! ⊕

I meet Lavanya Keshavamurthy on a lazy afternoon at the Indian Institute of Science (IISc). I am here to know more about a unique bicycle sharing programme called "Namma Cycle" which has been active in IISc the last four months. It was started by a group of cycling enthusiasts, including Lavanya (operations in charge at Namma Cycle) and Murali H R (founder-director of Namma Cycle). Cyclists in the campus. Pic:nammacycle.in A former technology professional, Lavanya Keshavamurthy left her MBA in Canada mid-way to come back to Bangalore and work on this unique and experimental initiative. "Its been an adventure," Lavanya…

Going by the schedule given by Bangalore Metro Rail Corporation Limited (BMRCL), the 42.3 kilometers long Phase-1 of Namma Metro should be ready by the mid of 2014. However, the project is running behind schedule by almost 2 years. The traffic volume is increasing twofold each year, says one expert M N Srihari. The metro is believed to be the one project that can make commuting easier and would help decongesting roads. Illustration of planned R V station. Pic: bmrc.co.in The major cause of delay in Phase-1 is land acquisition. Reach-3 line between Swastik in Malleshwaram and Hessarghatta Cross was…