Blogs

SWR has given press notice that on 18.03.2010 will conduct the speed trial on Dharwad to Mugad ( 14 Kms ) on newly laid double line.

Now We have double line laid recently between Hubli to Hebsur 19 Kms towards Gadag & Arsikere and Devanur (14 km). With this Dharwad to Kambargavi ( 20 Kms ) Yesvanthpur to Londa has got further boost on double track slowly. We have double track from Hubli junction upto Hubli South Station ( 6 Kms ) towards Kundagol

http://lite.epaper.timesofindia.com/getpage.aspx?pageid=22&pagesize=&edid=&edlabel=TOIBG&mydateHid=18-03-2010&pubname=&edname=&publabel=TOI

Now Hubli-Dharwad twin city can have local trains with DEMU trains running on the double track. Train can run between Dharwad ( from Karnataka University ) upto Gadag or Kundagol with so many station on the way, many educational colleges & major Hospitals.  SWR should  start working on starting local train.

Knowing me to be a tree lover, members of the local coomunity keep calling asking to know as to what is to be done when they notice trees being felled in their neighborhood, the latest being the above massacre of 4 full-grown trees (very similar to the one that has been spared - seen at the extreme right of the picture) on the 100 ft road in Indiranagar (just North of the pedestrian over-bridge at the end of the fly-over).

Now, if the process is still under way when you come upon it, what you need to do is detailed in the ESG web-site, which may be accessed here. I have myself followed this a couple of times, and succeeded in limiting the damage considerably.

But, if the damage has already occured, like in the above instance, you could perhaps file a query under the RTI Act, on the lines of the one I am going to be filing pertaining to the instant case, as below, and forward a copy to ESG.

Talking about 'quality of life', tourism and recreation is another area where we all expect certain standards of amenities and infrastructure. Further, tourism is known to be an excellent way of boosting internal economy. Across states of India, Karnataka today ranks 4th on domestic tourism, and 5th on international tourist arrivals.

Even though a lot of work has been done by sate government over last 5-6 years (roads to destinations, information, visit Karnataka campaign etc), things can always be better. A good ranking relative to other states of India should not mean much, the standards could be better when judged on absolute terms. Also, there does not seem to be much active citizen involvement, feedback and participation in development and planning of tourism infrastructure and campaigns.

The plan to build a large, formal bus stand for Mangalore had been conceived some years ago. Mangalore's original bus stand at Hampankatta had been too small with no scope for any expansion as it had been sandwiched right in the heart of town (CBD). Hence, KSRTC had shifted out to a newer facility of it's own long ago, however private buses continued to use the same bus-stand. With efflux of time, increased number of buses & severe congestion, the inter-city bus stand was moved to Statebank, close to the fishing harbour, which had long been the terminus for intra-city buses (The Hampankatta bus stand is now a convenient parking facility). Within a few years, due to increasing growth rate/s, much higher number of buses & space constraints, the need for a much larger facility was becoming more & more acute.

It has turned into a fortress. From the looks of it more than 300 cops have been deployed. In its almost 60 year history, that too in the middle of the internal examinations, for the first time  Delhi College of Engineering is witnessing a student strike!

Today evening while returning from Marathalli,  while I was driving along with my friend, a guy on Yamaha takes a left cut in front of me. It was such an extreme cut, I somehow saved the guy and in return screamed and asked to drive properly. The guy and pillion riders stare at me, but I continued on my way.

After a while, they overtake me and ask to stop. I stopped and they started screaming. I started explaining that what he had done was wrong. In no mood to listen, they both start landing blows on me. And they thunder," you come to our area and scream at us, how dare you?". They beat me black and blue and you know what all the people in crowd around were saying, "Yeh , they speak hindi. They cant scream at them. and all started murmuring against us"

Seeing the crowd support for them, I continually said "Sorry" while both were landing blows on me and my friend as well. No one from the crowd even mediated. Some how when they saw blood on my face, they left after hitting me badly in my stomach.

The election for the bbmp is around the corner, at this point of time giving ideas is late,but atleast the future elctions can take up these actions.

Election commision should also go into latest technology by promoting a website,saving paper, allowing every candidate some particular byte space to write about himself, this accessible to all citizens. We citizens have never heard of the candidate who contests and the busy professionals dont take time to find out about the candidate.

 I suggest that all the candidates contesting,

1)  mention the ward he is contesting,born and eduated place and institution. with his family details and  his motto.

 2) the party he is representing

 3) Brief history when he enterd the politics, year to year which party he was in, his position from which party he held, reason for leaving the party to join the next party,

 4) disclosure of his assets, what is his business, what is his income, what are the servces he has achieved during his tenure.

5) what are his administration skills,