silkboard's blog

Yeah, we said so, a month ago (Feb 6), right here, about possible delay around ATC equipment. Newspapers are reporting this morning that BIAL will open 2-4 weeks late due to delay in geting ATC facility ready. The delay is either around installation of equipment or staff-training, depending on which newspaper you trust more (Hindu, Biz-Standard).

So the state government extended the deadline, and also reduced 'regularization' fees. The BJP wants the scheme to be put on hold, and I think we will soon hear more from the courts via some pending PILs.

Sakrama may not be a perfect scheme, but it is the only step government has taken towards solving the mother of all ills that plague our city - plan violations. I don't like the one time fee concept (why not make violators pay a fee every year, that way you will make them think of altering constructions). I don't see clarity on what will happen to the buildings with 'unacceptable' level of violations - demolitions or not? I don't see any talk of punishing the 'officials' who may have been involved in letting things come to such a state where 70-80% of buildings have violations. I don't see creation of new fund or special task-force (regularization fees can be used for this) to improve policing of building norms so that we don't require a Sakrama every five years. But, but, but.

Delay in ATC equipment? - [Disclaimer first - I learnt this back on Jan 13, and is second hand info] Someone who visited BIAL mentioned that there may be a delay in installing air traffic control equipment. BIAL asked HAL for help (to use their ATC equipment I assume, don't understand this stuff well), but apparently they can't. So BIAL may be settling for help from nearby Yelahanka airport in case ATC equipment isn't ready in time.

First flight - Its all set though, and 12:05 am Indian Airlines flight to Singapore would be the first one out of BIAL on March 30!

Pay more to use BIAL? - Hope you guys have been following news reports about BIAL asking for a "user development fee". Rs 675 for domestic and 955  international for each departing passenger, source here.

Went to Hometown in Marathahalli recently and was pleasantly surprised to see a few things. A tow-truck was removing vehicles parked on Outer Ring Road and service road next to Innovative and Hometown. I also saw traffic cops handing out fines to those who were busy parking under no-parking boards while the tow-truck was doing its job!

Well, BBMP, Traffic Police or whoever is organizing this, good show and thats the way. The only way to deal with careless parking and irresponsible businesses who don't care to provide adequate parking space is to enforce, fine and tow! Once the customers figure its a risk and hassle to visit a particular commercial area, they will stop visiting. That will make shops and businesses fall in line. Simple.

"Richmond Circle", I said as I hopped on to a yellow-black three wheeler. The driver cut across a crowded road to do a flashy U-turn inviting glares and screeches from other motorists. But I knew my journey had begun and I was in safe hands. This is one set of service providers that respects its customers' time, isn't it.

While admiring his deft maneuvering skills, pavement hopping and well timed red-signal jumps, I wished for more entertainment inside the auto. Inhaling soot was the only option - I don't like smoking - so I started watching the meter. Time ticked slowly, so did the meter, but after a few minutes, I witnessed it. 1.50, 1.60, 1.70 ... 1.90, all in about two seconds.

While flipping through the papers today, I noticed this KRDCL tender inviting bids (link here) for some interesting things that included road side traffic sign boards (Rs 2.7 crores), cat eyes (57.7 lakhs), hazard blinkers, movable cones, barricades and more - all in all about Rs 5 crore worth of stuff. Not a lot of money, but lets keep watching for these traffic management equipment to appear.

Hope you still remember BTRAC-2010, the nice sounding traffic management project for Bangalore. Seems like KRDCL has started the process of putting up new traffic signals under this project. This bidding document talks of 204 locations for these signals. Thankfully, this document contains the specifications of these new signals as well, and they do seem smart - vehicle detectors, remote control from a Traffic Management Center, pedestrian crossings with audible alarms, and more. Have a look:

Before I start on a long rant with my reactions, thoughts and ideas, tell me this. How should one react or behave on seeing things like these? And what should change to prevent these drivers from resorting to these shortcuts?