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Did you know that Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation has an online RTI system to accept queries for information? Select who you want to ask, what you want to know, your details and it should give you a registration number. Then, use this registration number to check status of your query. I am guessing that the usual RTI query deadline of 30 days will apply, so you should get responses.

GHMC's equivalent for Bengaluru, BBMP doesn't have such a system. But don't be disappointed, it may be on its way. Recently, a note appeared on BBMP's RTI page that says such a system is being deployed. Pretty good. But hang on, BBMP hasn't set good precedents on online interaction front.

Some students of the Mallya Aditi International School, Bangalore are taking lead and organizing a candle light vigil on Saturday, August 4th, 2007 at 6:30 p.m to save the Hebbal Lake. All you need to bring is candles and sense of care to save the lake.

[Background: Home to thousands of birds and source of livelihood to hundreds of people, the Hebbal Lake, is set to make way for a floating restaurant and other recreational activities all in the name of preservation. Some say this recreational center violates zoning regulations. Before that, is privatization of Bangalore's lakes the only route available to LDA for preserving them?]

Srivathsa mailed in this report from his drive to Devenahalli yesterday:

"Drove yesterday to Devanahalli on some other work. The road after Hebbal flyover is in pretty good shape. There are no real bottlenecks there - but a number of potential accident zones. The real bottlenecks are at Cauvery theatre, then the stretch along UAS or just before that. Very narrow roads with a number of right turns and intersections. Some serious de-bottlenecking needs to be done along this stretch.

Once past Hebbal - a grade separator is needed at the entry to yelahanka town. Of course a really bad accident will probably have to happen before something gets done. Then along the way there are a number of intersections where grade separators as well as pedestrian overpasses are needed. They also need to plan some elevated U-turns.

In a not-so-unexpected move, the Govt announced that it plans to replace NICE as the contractor for BMIC with a new consortium called GIC. (Source DH, VK)

"GIC has put forth a proposal indicating that it would accept the terms and conditions of the framework agreement of April 3, 1997 signed between Karnataka and NICE and would pay the cost of existing infrastructure as evaluated by an independent agency while taking over the project on as-is-where-is-basis."