Infrastructure

The article aims to study a one square kilometer area of Jayanagar in different aspects. It is intended to be a comprehensive essay of the area for planners, designers, sociologists, and residents. It is an analysis of the current scenario of Jayanagar through four different aspects that include setting up historical and spatial context with the city, evolution, street network and land and built use. It provides analyses and inferences to comprehend the growing demand and redevelopment of Jayanagar and how it would further evolve in the coming years. The article draws information from primary surveys, documentation and secondary data…

Mumbai has over 16,000 cessed and dilapidated buildings — some close to a hundred years old — that must be redeveloped. On May 14, 2023, the state government announced that it would constitute a separate authority to push for self-redevelopment of such buildings — a solution to the city’s housing crisis that involves societies of residents living in these buildings undertaking the redevelopment.  Deputy chief minister and housing minister Devendra Fadnavis said the government has set up a particular cell for self-redevelopment to ensure that proposals are approved within three months and deemed conveyance — a significant requirement for such…

Chennai has waited for more than a decade for the completion of the Port-Maduravoyal Expressway project. The infrastructure project was commissioned with a view to decongesting Chennai roads, particularly from traffic from containers that head to the city’s port. The funding agency for the Port-Maduravoyal Expressway project is the National Highway Authority of India (NHAI) which is also responsible for its maintenance and management. Disagreements between successive state governments have resulted in the project lying suspended for an inordinately long period. Over all these years, commuters have been driving past incomplete pillars where the elevated expressway should have been. Shanavas…

Plenty of manuals and guidelines are available that list out various steps to be followed to ensure quality in road construction. The problem is the unwillingness to enforce these guidelines at the time of construction. Just to list some factors which affect the quality of road construction: Inadequate bitumen content in the mix Overheating of bitumen during mixing process Inadequate compaction during construction Stripping of bitumen from aggregates (Aggregates are raw materials that are produced from natural sources , including gravel, crushed stone, and sand. When used with a binding medium, like water, cement, and asphalt, they are used to…

Pothole deaths are the most devastating accidents. Monsoon and a cut in utility maintenance worsen the condition of potholes. There are many causes for a cut in utility maintenance: new utility connections (such as water, sewage and power lines), pipe damage due to heavy traffic movement, old pipe replacements, BESCOM line damage, etc. If potholes are not constantly monitored and maintained, they can result in large craters, which can be fatal for motorists, especially two-wheelers. Read more: Bengaluru’s potholes cost lives and money, but here’s how you can hold BBMP accountable Why do potholes form? It is essential to understand…

The redevelopment of the historic Bombay Development Directorate (BDD) chawls in Central Mumbai has been in the news for the longest time. But it is finally underway and will be one of the biggest relocation and redevelopment exercises in the city. The cluster of buildings has over 16,000 families in 195 chawls spread over 86.98 acres. Despite the promises and plans of much bigger and better houses, an atmosphere of anxiety and nervousness pervades among BDD residents, who are worried that things are not shaping up as promised. Their anxiety stems from a wide range of concerns from complaints of…

Deputy chief minister, DK Shivakumar, has shown serious intent to tackle the city’s various issues. The Brand Bengaluru campaign and appointing committees to study and make recommendations are in the right direction. However, the unilateral announcement of the Tunnel Road Project, which bypasses institutional city planning mechanisms, needs to be examined and criticised. The project aims to ease traffic congestion at an estimated cost of Rs 50,000 crore, but how scientific and data-driven is the decision-making process behind it? The importance of due process If the Tunnel Road Project does not take into consideration the points mentioned below, then its…

“A house is just an emotion,” says Rajesh Kumar. “Investing in mutual funds or stocks and getting your finances right should be the priority instead of being crushed under loans,” says the 34-year-old senior consultant working for an IT company in Goregaon. He has been against the idea of homeownership due to the surging EMI burden to realise the dream of buying a house in Mumbai, the most expensive city in India for real estate. His concerns are not unfounded. Earlier this month, a report by real estate consultant company, Anarock, revealed that affordable home buyers in India have been…

On August 6 2023, Prime Minister Narendra Modi laid the foundation stone for the renovation of 508 stations across the country including the Perambur railway station. As per reports Rs 17.86 crores has been allotted to renovate the second oldest Railway Station in Chennai. The proposed renovation will include the construction of new buildings which will accommodate ticket booking counters, a waiting hall, a VIP lounge, new toilets, retail vending units, cloakrooms, office spaces etc.  Additionally, provisions have been made to include lifts, escalators, restoration of the existing foot-over bridge, more benches, CCTV surveillance, water taps, solar power units, LED…

Rahul Ramugade, a 33-year-old Mumbaikar, who is paralysed waist down, is a National Para Swimmer. He has been raising the issue of mobility for the differently-abled people. Rahul can recount countless instances of exclusion and rejection from various public places and institutions as they were simply not accessible for the wheelchair-bound people. Rahul's dedication and passion for his sport are unwavering. Yet, many swimming pools across the city remain off-limits to him. The absence of ramps and other facilities required for the differently-abled swimmers, deprives him of the opportunity to train well. This is just one of the many challenges…