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ABIDe's Bengaluru Governance Act: Basics getting in place?

ABIDe ... has stressed on creation of a structure that would become the local planning authority for the city and the metropolitan region. Besides this ABIDe’s focus of citizen centric governance has been further enhanced by the proposal of a comprehensive development and co-ordinated execution of developmental projects. See: ABIDe presents Governance Bill

"Signal free" Hosur Road: opportunity or nightmare?

Just caught this in the news; BBMP's plans to convert Hosur road to a Bellary road like "signal free" stretch (read more here).

This is another series of traffic engineering nightmares just waiting to happen (narrow underpasses, plain bad design, non-existent pedestrian infrastructure). Ironically, they actually have cited Bellary Road as the model to emulate. There must be some way to get in on this and at least attempt to get things done more holistically. RTI the design plans? Another meet with BBMP? Two things that I could immediately think of:

Meeting near KR Puram bridge (Feb 7)

ORR KR Puram 4One suggestion from Safe Passage folks (CKannan, psaram, sheragu) was to organize a street event at the spot. Lets try it this Saturday (Feb 7, 10 AM). This isn't a protest - no holding-placards or slogan shouting type of stuff. Lets do some street photography, scan the area for all possible violations of (IRC) road building, design, signage standards, discuss solutions on the spot.

Improving Road Safety - Fiji Experiment

Happened to come across this PDF on worldbank website. Read item (b) - Fiji.

Interesting.... 10% of the third party insurance premium goes to Fiji National Road Safety Council (NRSC). Benfits both insurance companies and the population.

Metro Phase 1 extension approved

Noticed one Bangalore Metro news - phase one extension was approved. From Deccan Herald:

BMTC Big 10 and HOHO service: work in progess?

BMTC is prepping 140 buses ready for ABIDe's Big 10 proposal in addition to suggesting Volvos be used for the HOHO service. Does this mean that BMTC will remove/reduce current bus services operating on the 'Big 10' ?

Cost and Time Overruns in Public Utility Projects.

 The cost and time overruns in projects executed by public sector units in India has direct impact on inflation and increases the cost of the final products both in private sector and public sector. This is the conclusion of Mr. Sebastian Morris of IIM, Ahmadabad, writes in one of his papers published in 1987. It sounds little surprising and unconvincing. This paper by Mr.

BTRAC road divider menace

Image003Its slowly taking over all roads in Bangalore and this needs to be stopped immediately. In the name of BTRAC they are laying these road dividers which I am sure in not in any of the road design books.

BBMP's RTI system - when?

About two years ago, when BBMP website was revamped, they had promised an online complaints/grievance management system. The "coming soon" notice stayed on the website for about six months, and then was replaced with simple email ids for complaints and suggestions. Similarly, there has been a pending promise for an online RTI system.

KRV discussions and comment guidelines

Some of the comments in this thread have flouted Praja comment guidelines by making unsubstantiated allegations about Karnataka Rakshana Vedike (KRV) & its leadership. These comments are based on hearsay and personal opinions.

Highways and Ribbon Development

[Moved out of the Karnataka Roads PPP post] Without legislation that stops ribbon development, every new highway and bypass road (meant to by pass the townships) will be engulfed with surrounding development.

Even Mumbai-Pune expressway has not been spared from the above and towards the Pune end, we have numerous junctions sprouting and malls along highway which have driveways opening straight on to the highway!! Wakad in Pune has a Shoppers Stop and several more Corporates on the highway.

If you look at Western stats - country roads are most dangerous and Freeways / Motorways are most safe - because they are free of cycles, pedestrians and junctions. But in India, a highway can have have everything on it - from pedestrians, bullock carts, cycles, rickshaws and multitude of junctions - lots of elements trying to go across and perpendicualr to faster vehicles on the main carriage way. All this = 80% fatalities on Highway as reported above.

Sustainability - Making cities to be of one-hour wide functionality

Speech by Mr. Peter Newman is a must read for all City Adminisrators and Town planners. Please do spend time reading. Its dense but insightful.

http://www.metrostrategy.nsw.gov.au/dev/ViewPage.action?siteNodeId=59&languageId=1&contentId=248

Exciting - Karnataka's own NHDP !!

KSHIPI am a bit surprised that mainstream media is yet to show serious interest in a PPP proposal to develop 66000 kms of roads in Karnataka. I first heard about this mega plan about two months ago, and finally, yesterday, half page ads appeared in newspapers with more details. Sounds exciting isn't it, promise of connectivity, and its about the whole state, not just Bengaluru. Call it Karnataka's own NHDP of sorts. Plan is to modernize roads, not build greenfield roadways. Highlights, here they are:

Moral Policing - or talibanisation?

In case you have missed it on the news, here is a complete report.

ABIDe BluePrint - Secure Bengaluru

I had the opportunity to go through the ABIDE's "Plan Bengaluru202" on "Secure Bengaluru". This document mostly focuses on building the infrastructure for security and response to any terror threats. I am assuming this should apply to tackling natural calamities as well.

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