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Cauvery water supply project being undertaken by BWSSB

Water

Dear All

We have been hearing and reading in the newspapers that the government has under taken water supply project and some of the tenders for the construction of water treatment plants and pumping stations have been awarded.

As citizens,are we not supposed to know the following:

Pedestrians Right of Way

EnforcementTraffic

Bangalore is such a civilized city populated by the highly educated working class. But in most civilized cities around the world motorists, motorcyclists, scooterists ... give the right of way to pedestrians, but alas not in Bangalore. Why is this so?

To illustrate a point. I was recently in California, as an invitee to the Stanford University, Palo Alto. The morning walks required I cross the famous El Camino Real highway. Crossing an exit is a dangerous experience. But each time all manner of folks would stop their car and wave to me to cross over. What humility. And I am certain half these folks were not as educated as our gentile in Bangalore. Few  folks go to college in the US.

In Bangalore the abusive horns of our motorists seem to shout at high pitch, "move out, or be run over". What a shame.

I have aged and cannot move out fast. I am not angry, but I feel sad. My wife keeps reminding me to look out. And I even have to do so for cyclists.

Future of Capitalism

Economy

''The public trust in business and its leaders has never been lower. To restore trust, it is time for business leaders to embrace their own version of the doctor’s Hippocratic Oath, which shapes a common understanding of the role of business in society and the conduct expected of business leaders,'' wrote Nitin Nohria ( who has been named to take over as the Dean of the prestigious Harvard Business School) recently after critiquing the failure of leadership in the recent economic and corporate turmoil.

''Developing, adopting, and institutionalizing such an oath is not going to be easy. But there is no better or more important moment to try—because at stake is the very legitimacy of business leaders and the future of capitalism,'' he warned. His passion for the idea led to HBS students adopting a voluntary MBA oath.

For the full report in the TOI, click here

About Public Complaint Management Systems

Governance

I just happened to create a single link for  online complaint systems for Bangalore utilities. Just to make it at one place for me to start with. Even though it is not user friendly, it brings all complaint forms together. 

Request prajas to use if found suitable. I may put some more effort if someone wants improvements.With my trial complaints with BBMP I learned following: (I have indicated this in earlier posts somewhere, but I repeat)

A sorry institution called BESCOM

Power

Hey all,

        In bangalore there is a place in the name of seegehalli where we have a shell petrol bunk. In front of that there lies "JANAPRIYA SAI DARSHAN". The association cannot be blamed in these flats because they are worse than the Govt of India (arnt we folks tired of blaming them).

This area falls under an AE named Yogish, I guess Yogish has got his position as what he is thanks to the "DRUNK LINESMEN".

On the 27th of March 2010 3 drunk linesmen come at round 11'o clock (AM) and disconnect my line which is very much in the above said apartment. I confront them and in the best of words request them not to disconnect since I had no idea what the bill was since it had never reached me.

Rs 520 is the bill I was informed which was paid on the spot. The drunk linesmen inspite of paying the amount disconnected the fuse.

A long overdue remedy

Governance

This girl, from Bellary medical college, visited the Rajiv Gandhi University of Health Sciences (RGUHS) to collect her degree certificate on April 1. But four officials delayed giving it, citing various reasons. First, they told her the certificate was not signed by the vice-chancellor, and asked her to come after a couple of days. When she again went to them, they said the printer was out of order. They dilly-dallied this way for many days before finally demanding a bribe from her. Left with no choice, she knocked on the doors of the registrar. It was then the entire racket came to light. Immediately, the four officials were dismissed.

For the full report in the TOI, click here

TTMC - a case of total misuse of JNNURM funds

Governance

The Jayanagar TTMC was built with a swanky futuristic look but all what’s within is huge empty spaces and leaking walls and roofs. Almost close to completing a year now, all the promises are still on paper. Apart from the busy bus service in the basement, there’s been no progress within. A quick survey of the entire building reveals nothing more than empty spaces, unfinished structures and poor quality of construction. Even the flooring and electrical wiring have not been completed. The walls and beams have already given in to the recent rain. The unfinished wiring works on the first and second floors are now seen soaked.

At a time when there is serious shortage of parking space, this TTMC has a huge park and ride provision on the terrace with a capacity of nearly 110 cars. The original idea behind it was that people could drive in, park their cars/ two-wheelers and board their bus. But, with no lifts ready yet, people are forced to walk the entire ramp up and down to park and ride. According to locals here, weekdays hardly see even 10-15 cars parked here. Even on weekends, the numbers hardly touch 20.

BMTC BusDay - Connectivity from HAL airport to ORR-Sarjapur road

BusPublic Transport

Hats off to BMTC for introducing Busday and especially the Volvo services! i took the bus today to try out. But, faced problems.

I live in Kaggadasapura area. Need to come to HAL Museum first. Then take a bus towards Marathahalli. Then take another bus from Marathahalli towards Outer ring road-Sarjapur. This really makes me think many a times before taking the bus.

a) Could have been better if there is direct service from HAL airport towards ORR-Sarjapur road. Hope BMTC takes note of this and introduce the same by next Busday.

b) Also, from HAL airport or HAL museum, need to take multiple transports or Autos (who usually charges double the meter amount, IF meter is working) to reach GM palya, Malleshpalya, Vignannagar, Kaggadasapura. Considering the not so wide roads in these areas, if BMTC introduces mini buses to cover the following route:

HAL airport - BEML gate - GM palya - Malleshpalya - Vignannagar - Basavanangar - HAL museum

Frequency of buses could be every 15 mins (during peak hours) and every half hour after that, would be nice.

hope the BMTC authorities take notice.

thanks

Sam

Agara Flyover

EnforcementTraffic

Can someone tell when is the flyover construction at Agara junction to be completed ?

Vehicles must be allowed to take right from this junction at 27th Main. Also the one way implementation at 27th main HSR layout is not justified. AFter entering 27th main the road joining the agara village (1st cross) must be left open to public so that all vehicles need not go round about route. Few suggestions to improve traffic are -

  1. Allow right turn at 27th Main
  2. Allow LMV vehicles to go straight at agara/27main junction
  3. Extend 2 ways on 27th main till 1st cross
  4. Remove all the blockings made at 8/9/10/11 cross on 27th main and allow normal flow of traffic
  5. Re-route BMTC bus to paringipalya via Agara at earliest

NICE comparison!

Infrastructure

 There was a recent comparison of the UP state Yamuna expressway and BMIC by the editor of Vijaya Karnataka news paper..

This by-far looks a neutral review/comparison of the projects. The salient points are as below:

 

BMIC

Yamuna Expressway

Location

Bangalore-Mysore

Noida-Agra

Should'nt city editors have critical eye ?

Urban DevelopmentGovernance

Here is what the editor of a city news paper says about metro and mono etc -

Another piece of good news. Apart from Metro rail, work on which has picked up speed, Bangalore will soon have a mono rail, acting as feeder service to the Metro, and a high speed rail to link the city to international airport. A global city like Bangalore needs such rapid transport systems. Its narrow roads can’t handle the increasing vehicular traffic. The number of twowheelers and autorickshaws will come down drastically once the Metro rail starts functioning. Many may stop using personal cars. You can reach your destination in no time, that too in the cozy comforts of air-conditioned coaches. No dust, no noise, no sweat. Mono rail will help you reach Metro stations in similar comfort. And you can say goodbye to parking problems.

I have pasted the link to the article in the epaper at the end of the mail. Read the times of india bangalore city edition - may 2, pg 5.

RWH compliance in BBMP ward # 58

Water

 Smt Sumitra Vijaykumar is our corporater for Ward # 58. The newly formed ward # 58 has the old ward 74 area including 9th main HAL III stage, where our house # 1669 is situated. Smt Sumitra is proactively working for the designated ward. She has organized a regular monthly meeting with the ward residents to take forward the well being of the ward as a whole. 

Mr. Vijay Kumar the corporater’s husband kindly accepted my request for a discussion on compliance of RWH by residents in ward 58. I found Sri Vijaykumar genuinely receptive to problems faced by us residents. 

I apprised Mr. Vijaykumar of what I have implemented at my house towards using the entire rainfall received at my 60x40 site for ground water charging, using a pre existing well. He inspected my premises in detail along with his gang. All were appraised in detail of what was done at my place. 

My actual agenda was in fact extending the RWH clause to BBMP. Mr. Vijaykumar was quick to see my point. Here is what I tried to explain:- 

Government medical colleges hood-winking MCI

Governance

If private medical colleges hire house surgeons to hoodwink Medical Council of India inspectors, it’s malpractice. But what if the government itself pushes through ‘standby transfers’ during MCI inspections and submits a report that new government medical colleges meet the governing body’s guidelines?
    
Medical education minister Ramachandra Gowda first termed this a ‘sensitive issue’ but then said the government was trying to save students who had got admission. Later, he insisted he didn’t want to comment on the issue.
    
The fact is the government issued 15 transfer orders of senior residents, lecturers, assistant professors and professors between January 16 and March 6 this year. In each transfer order, seven to nine faculty members were transferred from established medical institutions like Bangalore Medical College and KIMS, Hubli to new colleges in Hassan, Mandya, Shimoga and other places.
    

Public Awareness on Lead Safe Bangalore

Public Health
From:
NRCLPI Co-ordinator <co-ordinator@nrclpi.com>
...
   

Dear Sir,

 

Mr Praveen Sood, can we do a Monthly Enforcement Day?

EnforcementTraffic

On the lines of Bus Day, where citizen groups and volunteers support BMTC in executing a real on-ground event, will Bengaluru Traffic Police be game to lead us for a "Traffic Enforcement Day"?

In theory, BMTC should treat every day as Bus Day, and traffic police every day as enforcement day. But we know the realities. But then, what could be special in this once a month event? Some possibilities would be:

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