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Judicial reforms

24 January 2008 - 10:38pm — murali772

While the Karnataka High Court is to be commended for its efforts in introducing innovations like ‘mediation’, a question that arises is why is it not doing certain simple things that can earn it considerable goodwill from the litigants.

Bangaloreing voters' list review

23 January 2008 - 10:53am — murali772
I was quite excited to read the caption 'Voters' list review Bangalored' in your columns this morning (23rd Jan). However, on going through the text, I was disappointed to find that what was proposed hardly amounted to 'Bangaloreing', going by the general understanding of the term.

Rash driving - a policing issue

22 January 2008 - 4:15pm — murali772
Public Transport
Rash driving is essentially a policing issue. And, in this aspect, our BMTC drivers can give any call centre vehicle driver a run for his money alright. In fact, not a single day passes in Bangalore without some report or the other about rash driving by BMTC drivers, very often including fatalities. Even yesterday’s and today’s papers are full of the gory details.

missing the point

21 January 2008 - 4:47pm — murali772
TrafficPublic Transport

Last evening, I happened to watch the ‘Devil’s Advocate’ programme on CNN-IBN, where Karan Thapar was interviewing Sunita Narayan (of CSE). The subject of discussion was TATA motor’s NANO. And, contrary to the norm, both were generally agreed on many of the points that came up.

Why do they do it?

20 January 2008 - 5:09pm — silkboard
Public Transport

"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.

Mediation: A success story in Judicial Reform

18 January 2008 - 4:43pm — murali772
Public Affairs Centre is pleased to invite you to the Annual Public Affairs Lecture titled " Mediation: A Success Story in Judicial Reform" to be delivered by Shri Justice Cyriac Joseph, Hon'ble Chief Justice of the High Court of Karnataka as per details given below: Date: Tuesday, 22nd January 2008 Time: 5.30 p.m. Venue: Rotary House of Friendship 20, Lavelle Road

Bye bye, Bangalore; saying it with saplings

16 January 2008 - 12:06pm — GVK

If everyone who goes abroad the first time – students, IT professionals or baby-sitting NRI parents – were to plant a roadside sapling to mark the occasion, we could have a green corridor all along the way to the airport in three to five years.

Story of Bangalore traffic - in pictures

16 January 2008 - 12:15am — silkboard
EnvironmentTraffic

This is how it begins, so I told you a few months ago. Nothing but a no-parking sign in June. Small shops sprung up in August. September: two wheelers parked and pedestrians off the pavements. Now, no-parking sign is almost gone, and road-side parking is common on Varthur road, right next to the busy Kundalahalli intersection. Unregulated construction, irresponsible small businesses who think roads are free parking space, motorists with scant respect for no-parking signs, and no enforcement of pedestrian rights (pavements are almost gone) - this my friends, is the story of most roads and intersections in Bangalore with annoying traffic congestions. Pictures tell the story - Aug, Sep and Jan:

BTRAC - Cat eyes, Hazard blinkers coming next

12 January 2008 - 11:30pm — silkboard
EnvironmentTraffic

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.

Indore buses: sure better than Bangalore, but not good enough!

12 January 2008 - 10:42pm — murali772
Public Transport

I am referring to the Indore bus services, which has been touted by many as the World's best public-private bus partnership - Indore. I had raised a few questions about the Indore model, vide my posting under the caption ‘better bussing’ on 22nd Dec, ’07.

Subsequently, I had attended the seminar on ‘Effective Traffic Management’ convened jointly by the DPAR and Centre for Public Policy, IIM, Bangalore, at the Vikas Soudha on the 4th Jan, at which a presentation was made by Mr Shukla from Indore (he had come in place of Mr Vivek Agarwal, IAS, Dist Magistrate, who had conceived the entire scheme and who was originally supposed to come), and the answers to the questions I had raised became more or less clear, based on which I have drawn my conclusions.



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