To
All those dear Indians and others from all over the world,
Please do not mistake this post. This is for your own good and ours too; while the final choice is yours, have a look at the bleak future you may face if you come and settle down:
Source: Deccan Chronicle-front page-todate:
Nutshell: RITES Report -
Our beloved Bengaluru is headed for a disaster and do not be a part of it:
- 2001 Population 61 lakh, likely to touch 88 lakh in 2015 and 1.22 crore by 2025 or earlier
- 3.25 per cent increase is the annual growth rate of population
- 2400 kms is the present and future road net work that cannot be increased any more
- 28 lakh is the number of registered motor vehicles on road
- 240 hours is the number of hours that you get stuck in traffic jam
- 13.5 km is the average speed one can travel on Bengaluru roads
- 46 per cent is the modal split in favor of BMTC and is estimated to fall below 29 per cent by 2025.
- 3.6 (the lowest) is the figure of walking index on national index for pedestrian traffic in core areas with highly inadequate and deteriorating by the day.
Think about these draw backs that result in your productivity, poorer air quality, reduced quality of life and increased costs for services and goods.
Final choice is yours; however, do visit namma Bengaluru
- Bengaluru has become a future city with no 'future'.
Vasanth Mysoremath
ಈ Blog entry ಅನ್ನು ಸ್ನೇಹಿತರಿಗೆ ಕಳಿಸಿ
ಪ್ರತಿಕ್ರಿಯೆಗಳು
Obsession with Bangalore
Author lives in Mysore, but posts mostly about Bangalore. An exmaple of the obsession that he, and many have with the city - whether its about bettering, bitching, working, living or leaving this place.
I sincerely look forward to parallel posts on
Thats probably the way to go about it - the surest way out of this sense of gloom and doom.
Many bitch - city sucks, is a disaster etc, but not many leave? Why? Its the best city in our country, and despite its issues dealing with growth, has a bright future, and is poised to lead the state towards more prosperity.
Cheer up.
Language guidelines overruled by SB
We are all swayed by split second emotions and we must have the ability to control and count ten before inscripting some words that may convey very low attitudes.
My qualification for commenting about Bengaluru
- My being in Mysore has been made an issue by SB - Is it an issue? Are we not Indians anywhere in India !! Why I moved lock, stock and barrel to Mysore in 2007 after spending a life time in Nanna Bengaluru - now a dying city, being raped (a more respectable word - compared to words used by SB) from all and sundry, is because my nostradamic thoughts warned me that my grand children will not be able to live safely, will not be able to go to school on time, will not be able to withstand pollution and waste of precious hours in commuting to school, tution...etc., ..list is long).
While in Nanna sundara Bengaluru, I lived in Basavannana Galli, a cross road of Avenue Road and was walking upto National School in Basavanagudi for my education; dad was giving me one rupee - I used to eat two idlies near city market for 50 paise with 4 cups of sambar (sometimes the supplier used to refuse extra cups!); By the way SB, can you tell how many 'kaasus', or how many 'aanes' or how many 'paavalies' or 'entaanes' were there in 'ondu rupaayee?'
- Majestic circle was headquarters in the evening hours on week days and Brigades and MG Road were headquarters during week ends for me and my friends. Ten Commandments, Benhur, Koshy's Restaurant, Four Aces - pop dacing floor, Catholic club, Liberty theatre, the beautiful Bund - now a graveyard of trees?
- At Majestic, me and my friends have counted how many stone slabs are protruding and hurting pedestrians between Mysore Bank circle upto Majestic theatre on the one side and Govt. Law College to present elevated walk way in Majestic Circle; had brought them to the notice of the area corporation officials who were very obliging and used to set right when even ten of us trooped into his office!
The list of public concern works done is fairly long but mention of some may help clear your frayed temper - many of what I am mentioning here have been covered widely through print and electronic media and some with which I was associated as a convener, have been taken over as benchmarks - (I was not alone in some of these achievements but played the key roles in making them more than successful),
- First ever free Udyoga Mela in Rajajinagar in 2005 - on a mega scale in association with NGO Public Vigilance Forum - on stage interviews and job offers and appointment orders were issued - even today such Melas are being arranged in almost all district headquarters with the help of Employment Exchanges;
- First ever Citizen-Metro Rail interactive conclave with road show by BMRCL officials from Yeswanthapur railway yard upto Nagappa Park in Srirampuram culminating in a fiasco because Metro authorities answers were unconvincing - in association with Public Vigilance Forum and Sri Narendra Babu, MLA, Rajajinagara;
- First ever 'Vote India Movement' when Sri Krishna Murthy, Chief Elec.Commr. was brought to the door step of voters in Mahalakshmi Layout for correcting the defective electoral rolls - mother of all frauds - in association with Janaagraha - Ramesh Ramanathan and Jaya Prakash Narayan the former IAS officer who resigned and jumped into public service from Hyderabad
- First ever unique concept - Bring Birds Back to Bengaluru - Where have all the sparrows gone - designed and developed bird friendly nests, bird baths facility, feeding corners, in association with BBMP and Public Vigilance Forum and Horticulture/Forest dept. This unique concept is an ongoing BBMP programme and has been implemented in many major parks in Bengaluru.
---- The list could be long.
But I saw Bengaluru making great strides on the grave yard of many who had lived for more than a century as farmers in peripheral lands and businessmen on main roads in cities and were displaced unceremoneously in the name of developing with inclusive development of the'haves' and not 'have nots'.
That is why this post and it is in the interest of those like you and your children and grand children.
I hope I have not violated Praja guidelines.
Saakaa, innoo bekaa?
PS- I am fighting in Mysore also to keep it as virgin a city as possible; but the ghosts of Bengaluru are on the hoirzon here also - Recently, was part of organising Appiko movement to save decades old herbal and other 123 trees on Lalitha Mahal Road marked for destruction (raping) - school children and elders from Mysore Grahaka Parishath
Vasanth Mysoremath from Heritage City of Mysore
Thought Provoking post?
I am reminded of Justice Santosh hedge lamenting about the obsession of successive governments in developing Bangalore alone. He was for the shifting development to other parts of the state as well. It is true that our successive governments are falling in to an oblivious trap.
However VKM sir is happily ignorant of the fact that Global warming is in fact a global phenomenon. Similarly the population growth is bound to be exponential with the present levels of human development, globally. Not surprising the film industry is also keeping in pace. My reference is to the Hollywood movie 2012.
VKM sirs post is like lecturing a hungry Tiger to behave while providing sheep for his company. I feel the city of Mysore is also not like it was when I left it in 1964.
the point was this
VKM, the point was about expressing on the same subject in constructive ways. Writing such stuff (population, car growth etc etc) on Praja is like preaching to the converted.
This is not a you vs me thing, nor is it about your qualifications, so you don't have to write your mile long activist resume in response. The obsession with Bangalore is real deal - we all do it, and so does the state government. Key is to spread the awareness that we all need to get out of that self defeating mode.
Let you and me spend the next month writing only or mostly about Mysore. Or Mangalore, or Shimoga. Pick a city. I am game. I am talking stuff like:
Let us talk what our beloved news papers don't talk about. Experienced guys like you need to, because you know a lot.
@psaram42 - who is talking about global warming?
Sir psaram
You have happily forgotten my practical demonstration at your home during my last visit to nanna bengaluru, about my World Bank honored Project U-SEE, and my contribution about switching off bulbs and saving the world from global warming; please refurbish your memory.
@ SB Sir
/Mile long activist resume....!!?? You asked for it.../
/Author lives in Mysore, but posts mostly about Bangalore. An exmaple of the obsession that he, and many have with the city - whether its about bettering, bitching, working, living or leaving this place/
Have been commuting between Bengaluru and Mysore often. Reg your being game for projecting Mysore as aTier II City, let me assure you, the city has been sold to land mafia and is turning out to be another hell hole like Bengaluru in no time. I had written about this menace some months ago here, indicating some of the dark alleys where poor farmers having lands on highways from around Mysoru like Bannuru, Nanjanagudu, Hunsuru, KR Nagara, Srirangapattana were being herded by brokers, were being fed vodka enroute, made to sign power of attorney papers, were being handed over a smart business brief case containing some money, some fancy gadgets, a cell phone etc., again being fed another peg of vodka - one for the road - and how they were being fleeced again by middlemen, before going back home with some money.
Mysore Railway authorities have indicated that they need 300 ha of land for converting the present single railway line into double line and the process of land acquisition is likely to start- once it is done, Mysoru and Bengaluru will become twin cities and it is not far off - NICE road, once completed will hasten the development.
Mysoreans are red with rage about gross mishandling of supply of available power - household connections are being subjected to 6 to 8 to 12 twelver hours of unscheduled power cuts disorienting the people of mysore to reschedule their day today life and a planned time table containing scheduled power shut downs will be announced on Nov.10th;
In a novel protest, hundreds of small and medium scale industry honchos are handing over the KEYS of their units to the CHESCOM because their production schedule is in total disarray.
-- hundreds of vehicles being registered and lane discipline has literally gone to (male) dogs.
--Mysore has become a city of compromises - adulterated food stuffs mixed and matched in the small alleys, illegal gas connections, trafficking, chain snatching in broad day light on a very busy Irwin Road in the heart of the city and house breakings aplenty.
--We are witnessing hordes of labourers from as far as Bihar landing everyday in Mysoru, house hunting and hunting jobs mostly for catering to construction industry.
--IT, Mysoru, has made remarkable foray and its contribution for earnings from export of software has been all time high.
God bless Mysoru.
Thats more like it
Write all the those things about Mysore, and spread awareness all around. Away from pure whining, if you can be more specific about things, write one item at a time in gentler words, put some thoughts on how to go about fixing these in local ways - that will be even nicer. But then, why do I hope that you will listen to people like me.
So now that Mysore too has become "hell hole" (to quote your phrase), which place are you moving to next!?
Anyway. Siging off now, you can have the last words.
yelli irrodu?
VKM avargale,
Bangalore is unlivable, mysore is a hell hole, so yelli irrodu saar? Mysore is sure as hell becoming a hell hole similar to Bangalore and we all know the reason. It starts as a simple case of demolition of one house on a street to build a multiple unit flat in it's place. Then you have unauthorized commercial office buildings coming up in random places for office space. All this happening without thought to transportation and then other infrastructure like water, power, sewage etc. and the end result is that we have hell holes like Bangalore, Mysore etc. Don't believe me? Think that I am writing in a defeatist tone? Please read my article - http://praja.in/en/blog/blrpraj/2009/11/04/total-breakdown-urban-planning-microscopic-look-lowest-level
That is a stark reality of what is happening in most of our Indian cities. We all know the problem, we all know what the solution is, in fact there are laws in place too to prevent the chaos, but the biggest question that has remained for the past 50 or 60 years since independence still remains - how to execute/implement/enforce the solution?
When I find time I will be uploading photos of an old neighbourhood near where I live and to compare and contrast that to our very own Jayanagar which is younger that tne neighbourhood I am about to compare.
Prevention is better than cure - reduce influx is the mantra
@blrpraj sir,
Having lived for more than 63 years, I do not like to see Nanna Bengaluru dying a slow death. My post is not defeatist but altruistic and to see that further decay does not affect the future generation with incurable maladies. Thats why I am trying to dissuade in an indirect way the evergrowing influx into Namma Bengaluru.
With incremental population increase and land mass being devoured by uncontrollable gigantic tidal waves due to climate change and rising of the sea levels, the entire world itself will shrink and will be one hell hole one day and people will be suffering to the maximum extent; future wars will be faught on water and resource issues. Lecturing.....? According to SB.... no
Choice is given to those who are planning to arrive with bag and baggage and suffer for themselves and make those who are suffering already more sufferers. This is the only holistic thought that made me post this post.
As you have rightly pointed out short sighted planning without a futuristic ambience is marring a planned and sociologically acceptable growth of Mysoru city; We, the members of NGO Mysoru Grahaka Parishat and similar other units are trying our best to suggest to the authorities concerned about the need for a proper vision statement for the city, to exercise proper due diligence, create bench marks, adopt best practices for usage of available land and natural resources like water, not to clutter Mysoru with polluting industries and to have in place proper public utilities, amenities, road and transport infrastructure from now itself.
But public consultation and about the outcome of its contents, deliverables and credibilities are always unclear and ultimately such confusions are leading the authorities to implement - what they think is best according to their best practices (!). Then where do some prajas who are concerned stand?
Bengaluru Praja discusion on BMTC was brushed aside with only one assurance - yes, praja group was magnanimously assured by the BMTC official that he will issue necessary instructions to the drivers to stop at the bus stops proper! Rest of the points projected went into pages of history.
So, let us innovate and adopt at our own levels wherever we are living without unduly depending upon somebody to spoonfeed us.
Vasanth Mysoremath
Reduce the influx?
Rapid urbanization is both imminent and inevitable. World is 50% urban today and India too shall reach there very soon. All this talk of stopping the influx to urban areas is futile. Can anyone hope to convince a migrant labourer from the Gangetic plains to not seek a "better" future in this "hell-hole”?
Data can change perceptions
Data can change the way we look at the world and issues. Take a look at this video by Hans Rosling and compare with our prejudices. Also observe in the presentation what effect economic progress as defined by percapita wealth and GDP has caused to life in third world countries.
There are some good data points in this post but is it complete? With a forecast of 30% on public transit and 3.6 as walkability index, Is the population actually unmanagable or we are doing something wrong? Sure population in general is an issue at a global. See consipracy theory on reducing world population here.
A comprehensive plotting is required. Let me see if I can start a project to collect data.
Bengaluru is a stretched rubber band
@Mwm_mute Sir,
For decades Bengaluru has warmly hugged and extended its theme of 'athithi daivo bhava' and will continue its magnanimity - take my word for it.
But 2,400 kms is the limit of stretching the road rubber band and its effect is those on road are travelling at an average speed of 13.5 kms. per hour. We cannot stretch this and other infrastructure rubber bands and if we do force, it may snap and life will be miserable for all, including the migrant laborer from gangetic plane. Recognise the obvious and the limit of the hell hole.
You are right civilisation has flourished where green pastures abound and improved the lifestyle of mankind for millions of years and mankind always migrated for better living conditions in search of more green pastures.
But when the green pastures have dried up and become brown barn patches, what is the use of settling in such a place - in my opinion, gangetic plane would have been a much better place - this is the holistic message of this post.
Final choice is yours.
@ IDS - good informative video link on tweet but...
IDS Sir
But Hans Rolling's theory of 'linking design to data' is passe as far as Bengaluru is concerned. The city has grown beyond designing and in population - As he says, it is better to cleverly say 'we can't do it (stretching further)' instead of bluntly saying 'impossible'.
Defeatist
The city has grown beyond designing and in population
That is your interpretation and you can keep it, I dont have to either subscribe or succumb to that defeatist view.
I would like to use the data you have provided though for different purposes.
Urbanization
Here is some data driven gyan.
Watch how China the (red dot) overtakes India the (blue dot) in urbanization & GDP.
karma bhumi..
I too felt disgusted as Mr VKM describes above..akrama everywhere..for eg.
Tagore circle gets an unwanted underpass just cos JnNURM allocated funds..
BDA reaps in crores cos of Sakrama and encourages violations..
There is a racket for cutting down trees for metro..
Violations and akrama's every where..
But the again..this city and our country is our Karma bhumi..and Praja is one of the vehicles of hope..lets continue our tryst!
Btw I still average 20KMPH for my Girinagar - CV raman ngr daily trip..and expect to do better in dec next year when metro goes live!
Turning away from the problem!
I am sure there will be many more such sadistic views of cities like Bangalore. Also I am sure many of us are not in denial of what ever statistics and data has been shared by the author of the post. But million dollar question is how do you reverse the degradation.
The problems presented in the post is not just unique to B'lore. It is same story all across India. One of my office colleague (He is from Taiwan) recently visited India including Bangalore, Mysore, New Delhi, Agra, Pune. He made a very interesting comment that Traffic in Bangalore is much organized than in any other city in India including Delhi. BTW, he is a passionate BIRD watcher and on my travel tips, he visited Ranganna Thittu. He seems to have like the place and various birds.
Now coming Back to the problem with decaying Bangalore city (not according to me), needs a long treatment and a long healing period. but one thing I will emphasis, there is still hope and it can be done.
The diagnosis for this degeneration lies in planning, execution and maintenance of policies and programs for sustainable living all across the state. This is true for all across the country.
For the sake of keeping discussion focused I will break my response into 4-5 comments.
Traffic not so Syed..
When I was growing up..the discussions on traffic was abt autos..'ella kade nuggusthare'..that is autos sqeeze/force themselves everywhere, even in narrow places..
Now on radio...an RJ talks to a 2 wheeler rider asks 'nuggisokke aagthillava?'..'are u not able to squeeze/force ureself'..
After putting the barricade concrete divider..the south end signal from elephant rock road takes 15 min minimum..also hav they introduced traffic lights on bull temple rd cos of barricades,,etc..miss placed priorities here
There are no more kids playing on streets cos of the scare of traffic!
Metro construction has made roads even worse..cmh road and ulsoor rd etc are like war zone...bombed by some stuka dive bombers...
There is a constant scare on peds..including old folks..cos of missing footpath and heavy traffic
Are statistics also sadistic?
Here is some more Pizza to chew on how dangers namma Bengaluru has become - source - Bangalore Mirror 11-11-09 - front page Stats:
- 34 lakh vehicles - whooping 24.5 lakhs are two wheelers
- 14 per cent annual growth rate of vehicles in Bengaluru - Hyderabad-12, Mumbai-8 and Delhi-7 per cent
- 10 RTO offices - issue average 2 lakh driving licenses every year - 08-09 total: 2.37 lakh
- 9,264 drivers booked in seven days (btw 25-10-09 to 31-10-09) for jumping signals alone
- 800 people get killed in road accidents every year in Bengaluru,
- 6000 suffer injuries
- 250 children die due to road accidents and 13 per cent died after a fall, 6 per cent drowned - NIMHANS study
- 10,000 children are hospitalised for accidents in places of recreation-NIMHANS
-35,614 motorists were booked for using Mobile phones between 1/09 to 9/09
Real time experience - travel time taken in different modes of transport - trail conducted:
(1) MG Road - Trinity Circle to Anil Kumble Circle - distance 2 kms - Cycle took 10.40 minutes; Mobike: 7.30; Car: 17; Walking 20 minutes
(2) Hosur Road - Dairy circle to Madivala check post via., Forum mall - distance: 1.5 kms- Cycle took 7.00 minutes; Mobike: 10.45; Car: 12.05 and walking: 18.23 minutes
(3)Central Silk Board to Jayadeva fly over: 2.6 kms - Cycle took 15 minutes, mobike: 8, Car 17 and walking: 26 minutes.
Vasanth Mysoremath
BMTC - our work doesn't stop here!
VKM avare,
Bengaluru Praja discussion on BMTC was brushed aside with only one assurance - yes, praja group was magnanimously assured by the BMTC official that he will issue necessary instructions to the drivers to stop at the bus stops proper! Rest of the points projected went into pages of history.
With regard to this comment of yours, let me say few things. Engagements with BMTC or KSRTC, BDA, BMRC, BBMP doesn't end with one meeting. Each meeting creates more work for us, because it is a ongoing activity. Frankly we have not done much after the meeting with BMTC in June. You are at liberty to lay the blame on me and other Praja members who are on this team for being quite on this front.
As for myself, lately have been little busy with our daily work and family. Manjary, Ritesh and others are right now very busy with Mobilicity event. I am looking forward to some action after the event.
In the example given by you w.r.t BMTC, the ball is in our court to follow up on the last meeting. It is in our own interest to go back and do some reality check on this assurance. I am thinking on doing some focused actions to capture the reality on BMTC issues and take it up with BMTC for corrective actions.
The plan is every month we run a different campaign. Let say for December, we will do a reality check on Buses stopping at Bus stops. Basically on different bus stops we collect data on no. of buses that stops at bus stops. If 25 Praja members just volunteer for 2 hours at any bus stop, we will have enough data to sit across with BMTC and ask for corrective actions.
Another month campaign to collect data on different BMTC services to plot the disparity in BMTC services in different areas of B'lore.
Likewise here is a list of some other focused campaigns we can run:
Our approach should be that we trust but we will verify. Pls feel free to add anything that you see important and missing.
Some more Pizza
@ Syed Sir
This post does not talk only of BMTC and its stratified services to the majority of aam aadmi commuters and/or about misuse of JNNURM funds to being spent on civil works in the guise of TTMCs finally turning them into non-transport profit making cash cows (otherwise the funds will lapse).
Ponder over this paradoxical and helpless situation being faced by BMTC -
- 2400 kms of road length available - maximum limit reached - cannot be stretched further
- 5600 is the approx number of buses that ply on road daily
- 45 minutes is the approximate average time given to a BMTC driver to make one way trip but 90 minutes is the actual time taken as per a BMTC driver and they spend nearly 10 hours on the Steering of the bus. They try to make up the missing trips by speed-drive and brushing past other vehicles
- 5.4 lakh cars in the City
- 1.05 lakh Autos
- 24.5 lakh two wheelers
- 18 meters minimum is the road length required by one bus to safely run and manouver on the road and with the mad traffic on road will it be possible for a BMTC bus to exactly stop at the bus stop? Issuing instructions to driver is passe.
- Assuming 4000 buses will be on road at any given moment and my car will be at the end of these buses - add other vehicles occupying the same road, simple maths will tell you to take to the cycle than any of the other modes.
Solutions suggested:
- Bring in rules - A family can own only one car and one two wheeler and any number of cycles.
- If second car is brought in for registration, supply satisfactory details of disposal of the first car.
- Maximum two wheelers per family to encourage travelling together by family members
- Children to be admitted to the nearest available schools and priority in admissions - must for locality kids - avoids cross-city travelling, helps kids to save time and energy and anxiety to parents.
- MNCs, IT, ITeS etc., to encourage 'working from home culture'
Bottom Line: Reduce influx into the city and avoid creating further congestion and miseries to the existing cosmopolitan citizens.
Vasanth Mysoremath
Things would be much better with Metro/local train
Mumbai local carries ~7 million passengers (equal to entire bangalore population) on daily basis with the system length of 303 KM, one fourth of bangalore road network. In mumbai i can have proper estimation of my travel time, it is not possible in Bangalore with traffic jam at every nook n corner.
So, with better planning this city can handle much more than existing population. The focus should be to improve the infrastructure. If we discourage people from coming to Bangalore, it will also discourage investment from industries which in turn cut it growth. Also, migration is not one way. People from Bangalore also move to other places to earn their bread an butter and its part of natural process. If they, individuals n industries, find it un-sustainable, they will simpley move to another place. Its as simple as that.
What purpose does this post inted to solve???
Mumbaikaars created Navi Mumbai
When Mumbai became unliveable and was bursting at its seams, Mumbaikars created a very well planned Navi Mumbai, bigger than Mumbai and is the abode of many of the rich and famous and page 3 figures. Per capita income of many of those living is higher than Mumbai. one of the finest bridges connects and makes it easy to commute; Navi Mumbai is not congested and polluted like namma Bengaluru. the Municipal Corporation of Navi Mumbai is a very rich municipal authority and utilises its moneys for providing best possible long term tangible infrastructure.
Can we create Hosa Bengaluru? Whatever land that is available in the BBMP area has been gobbled up by real estate lobbies.
'Erstwhile BMP adopted the best escape route - they wanted more land, simply extended the boundary marks, burried the green belt and called itself BBMP, this clever move increased the real estate values, made the poor farmers surrender to the real estate mafia, made them pay taxes as applicable to the city dwellers without providing basic infrastructure.
With regard to Bengalureans going outside, only those who are highly qualified and gifted with something extra special in IT / BT and similar other fields may be making their way to a wider world but local populace are simpletons and have become minorities with hardly 23 per cent of bangalore's population. To boot, even their simple living abodes and their peace of mind have been snatched away by the process of development and in creating Metro/Widening of Roads etc. Tier II cities like Mysore, Mangalore, Tumkur, Hubli-Dharwad, Belgaum are beng projected as future growth cities - good - go ahead but before making the local populace suffer, please ensure that there is an inclusive growth.
Can this the called social justice?
- So, let us live and let live - enough is enough - we are having enough of investments and created name and fame and simply put, nanna Bengaluru cannot any more of either of your investment or your creating more and more of confusions and misery.
- Vasanth Mysoremath
Can we compare Mumbai to Bangalore?
Mumbai extends primarily in one direction. Its width is comparatively much less than the length. Hence the local train is highly efficient. The local train lines are double and each a double track. So your comparison must be examined carefully before being carried away. Also Mumbai has plans for several metros in addition. Bangalore traffic is much more complex to handle because of its spread is all four directions.
Whether to get more investment at any cost is better left to the judgment of people of the state. What kind of investment and what kind of Industries does also matters.
Purpose of the post is exactly that as per my understanding.
Meeting with BMTC on Stratified Services !
VM avare,
This post does not talk only of BMTC and its stratified services to the majority of aam aadmi commuters and/or about misuse of JNNURM funds to being spent on civil works in the guise of TTMCs finally turning them into non-transport profit making cash cows (otherwise the funds will lapse).
You did not respond to my comment. Anyway, w.r.t this comment of yours, I see that repeatedly you bring up this topic of 'Stratified Service' from BMTC. I think we have discussed enough and now it is time for some action.
If you are willing, we can setup a meeting with BMTC officials and present them your take on this topic. For that, we need to present BMTC with all the data that you can pull up, show the devil and ask for their response and possible action. I think you are the best choice to be presenting this case to BMTC, so your presence would be very much needed for this meeting. It doesn't have to be immediate, wecan plan according to your availability.
We need following for this meeting:
Let me know if you are game for this.
@ Syed Sir - pl hve this post to "Stratified ....BMTC
Syed sir
I am at a loss to understand as to which comment of yours in your earlier posts require my answer.
Let us hive this post about BMTC from this post to "stratified services by BMTC...' that will be the right platform where BMTC meetings are planned.
I have given some suggestions in my above post about BMTC and they can also be hived off.
I am more than game for tackling BMTC on the subject of ...let us work towards this end, provided some responsible official from BMTC is ready to sit across and without outsourcing this kind of public consultation through some agency that cannot be held for transparency and accountability.
Further - your post asking me to prepare /A detailed report along with relevant data from official sources showing the stratification of services/ needs correction - Have you ever got a straight reply from a government office when you point out their mistake? I have not based my observation of loss making on Volvos - it is the media reports and their own admittance of continued loss making three years in a row amount to Rs.3 crores plus.
Consider prajas observations in that post as the detailed report and the only need of a separate document on solutions would be - listen to experts like Srihari, consider postponement of further purchases of hi-end buses to cater to a few instead of the majority, reduce losses, fulfil the social obligation of a public transport sector entity and hive off Volvo/Merc/Marcopolo class of providing transport to a separate entity without investment from the consolidated fund of India because public money is meant for all and not catering for a few. Let us talk about BMTC only - not about Railways, Air travel, economy class, business class, I AC etc. Such posts diolute.
Vasanth Mysoremath
Bengaluru-City of Accidents/Deaths/Injuries
NIMHANS study report on BISP in Bengaluru
Pointers from NIMHANS - Benglauru Injury/Road traffic Injury Surveillance Programme (BISP) :
- 5000 deaths and
- over 1 lakh hospitalised in 2007
- Road Traffic Injuries are leading causes
- 3 out of 4 injured/killed were young males
- 1.1 million million deaths and 22 million hospitalisations are likely to occur in India by 2010
- CHOICE IS YOURS
source: Dec.Herald 16th Nov
Vasanth Mysoremath
Pl don't plan to buy property on Tannery Road
Dear All
If any of you are planning to invest on buying some property on Tannery (meaning: a building or factory where animal skins and hides are tanned - tomorrow it may be YOU) Road or its vicinity, please re-think.
BBMP is planning widening of Tannery Road:
- 13 meters is the present width
- 24 meters will be the proposed new widened road (11 meters more)
- 163 property owners will have to part with their homes/business/property - bait: F A R ?
- 5 kms is the stretch proposed to be widened
- Benefit: will help motorists to get to the outer ring road through Nagavara and Hegdenagara.
- Choice is yours
source: Dec.Chronical 16th Nov.09
Vasanth Mysoremath
Majestic KSRTC-out of bounds for 3(or 5) years
- 27 acres of land to be handed over to Metro for the time being
- Buses to outstations will start from satellite centers - Peenya TTMC, Mysore Road Satellite Bus stand, Shantinagar Bus stand and Byappanahalli TTMCs
- Get ready for more messy traffic hold ups in CBD/Majestic area
- Construction work, huge JCBs, Debris, monstruous trucks, dust and noise pollution, approach to railway station is also likely to be affected.
- wait for more details from official sources
Metro in Majestic-Env.Impact Com warns
- Metro rail may start work in Majestic in a week-Lakhs of BMTC commuters will be the worst sufferers and shops etc;
- Avoid consuming anything outside in and around Majestic because with the dry winter weather, dust pollution coupled with humidity, ambience will not be good.
- Initial excavation will cover 7.5 acres for 90 days
- Huge amount of excavated material to be transported in about 100 trucks everyday
- It is understood that there are rock formations in the earth's strata and controlled/uncontrolled blastings may take place during day and/or night
- Dust from drilling, excavated debris and transportation through Central Business District will create untold environmental pollution and consequent health problems
- Dust on tree canopies will hamper their CO2 absorbing capacity
- No Dumping yards identified/earmarked so far
- Citizens living around the remaining neglected Lakes in and around the city like Bannerghatta, Bellary Road, White Field etc., must now be more vigilant and prevent dumping of debris of any kind either from BMRCL or others.
- Environmental Impact Assessement committee alleges that BMRCL has not so far convened any meeting to delve into the potential environmental hazards, the excavations may cause.
- Mr.Yellappa Reddy has suggested that the entire work area must be made a covered area with regular tree canopies wash and regular sprinkling of water to avoid dush in the air. With a few rains, the slush, mud and consequent unsafe roads will hamper traffic and cause undue hardship to all classes of people.
- Mr.Kempe Gowda's Circle will not be the 'same old oriental majestic' any more because it will be transformed into a cluster of mega concrete structures monsters spewing Carbon Dioxide and creating a hot ambience.
- our service providers have exhibited rank inability while executing ad-hoc and ill planned projects with naive temperory solutions - classic example - Ananda Rao Circle Fly over - take the traffic from Railway/Bus Station areas and dump them on Seshadri Road/KR Circle/Nrupathunga Road.
- They are not used to executing mega projects and there is no systematic coordinated executable plan between the seven stakeholders and no credence to public opinion or consultation.
- Choice is yours - Avoid Majestic area for the next 5 years.
- Vasanth Mysoremath
Uprooting businessmen for Halasuru Metro Stn.
Source: Dec.Herald today
- Development at what cost and for whose sake?
- Business establishments, residents on Old Madras Road - now Swami Vivekaananda Road - have surrendered their residences and business premises
- Maximum number of private properties have been acquired to align the Metro station at Halasuru
- most of the land loosers had to shut shop and have been offered fair market value under section 29(2) of Karnataka Industrial Areas Development Board Act, 1966
- Chairman of FICCI has voiced concern about "short term pains to be decreased for long term gains (for whom?) like the Bengaluru Metro - In developed countries like London, Metro was planned hundreds of years ago ...
- logically, aligning a Metro through a CBD has to be below ground but we have elevated corridor in congested area and an underground corridor in front of Vidhana Soudha.
- bottom line - "Depriving people of their livelihood, which is a fundamental right, is bad planning" - Poovayya, FICCI
- Choice is yours -
Vasanth Mysoremath
More Pizza on Bang-lure
Prajas uvaacha on Grade Separators across arterial corridors
@vinay-srinivas
- why is such a huge project not being taken up when an elected council is not in place?
- no public consultations were held
- where will they get the funding for this?
- what sort of facilities will they give pedestrians? underpasses, overpasses are exclusionary and wont work. besides, its not just the issue at the junction..if you make the junction signal free, all the roads leading to/away from it will have continuous traffic. how will people cross there?
- this requires widening roads , which means homes, shops will be broken, trees will be cut.
i think its a terrible project, one which will permanently scar the city
@s-yejaman
I feel like weeping! BBMP can only see our city as a network of roads.
Knowing BBMP's execution capability and capacity this will make our lives miserable for the next 3-4 years and then leave a permanent scar on the city.
When the keeper of the city becomes its worst enemy then there is no hope. Ironically this comes a few days after we do Mobilicity. Srivathsa
@sanjayv
However, given our past experience, the chances of a screwed up outcome is extremely high.
- Choice is yours
vasanth mysoremath
Some 'Bisi Bele Bath' on Bang-lure
/There is serious lack of parking space in Bang-lure/
/wanted: 8,000 acres of land in Bangalore/
- Flash back 1980 - No.of cars 1.68 lakhs
- 2008 - 31.28 lakh vehicles on road
- In a year out of 8.760 hours, a car runs only for about 400 hours (on an average 6 hours per day) and the car remains parked for 8,360 hours
- DULT (Directorate of Urban Land Transport) report: Bangalore city is radial and a concentric one with a series of roads - road net work is a star like structure where all major roads converge on CBDs
- In Bangalore, vehicle to person ratio is 1:3 the highest in the country
- People buy vehicles without any thought to availability of road space either for traversing or for parking -
- DULT Warning: In the long run vehicles are outstripping available space and Bangalore will suffer extreme hardship leading to poor quality of life.
If there was government land available many viable solutions could have been suggested like stand alone multi-level car parking etc., but unfortunately, most of the land has been gobbled up/encroached/misused for housing and commercial purposes.
- Governments have been thinking for a decade now to address the problems created by the buregoning population but appear to have stopped thinking or escaping by creating more DULTs, ABIDes but very cleverely allowing the problem to be solved by itself or in the alternative, to let the city die a slow death.
- choice is yours, if you are thinking of coming to Bang-lure and settling down - think again.
courtesy: JAMaluru, BM todate.
- Vasanth Mysoremath
Rabies City - another feather for Bang-lure
Courtesy: Dec.Chronicle todate.
- Bang-lure City Corpn is loosing its battle against stray dogs
- BBMP has 3.27 lakh dogs as per 2001 census
- Says between 2000 and Nov 2009 total of 2.69 lakh dogs have been castrated and released back in the same area from where they were caught in most cases.
- Barking and Biting stats:
- NIMHANS BISP Report
- 50 deaths due to dog bite
- 50,000 dog bites
- 2007-08 - reported dog bites 21,121
- 2008-09 - At Isolation hospital - reported dog bites 4,279 - rabies attack in 31 cases
- Upto November 2009 reported dob bites - 479 out of these 16 have rabies
- 35 per cent of animal bites cases were kids below 15 years
- Corporation pays Rs.515 for castrating a male dog and
- Rs.525 for castrating a female dog
- Animal NGOs under scanner for having failed to serve the cause for which they are receiving money
PAC Chairman Padma Bhushan Dr.Samuel Paul deplores that no action has been taken against these NGOs
- SUGGESTED SOLUTION:
- With due regards and respects to animal lovers, why not catch them, check their health, transport them to nearby forest areas where they can live comfortably and also help the animal kingdom to maintain a respectable food chain?
- BBMP/NGOs - are you listening please?
- Choice is ours.
- Vasanth Mysoremath
'GREENHOUSE CITY' - another RED FEATHER on Bang-lure cap
Next to Delhi, it is Namma Bangalooru that has popped up like a pop corn to achieve this dubious distinction on the eve of Global Sumit on Climate Change at Copenhagen commencing from today and being attended to by 192 nations.
- India's PM has DECIDED to participate in the Sumit, at last.
IISc Prof.NH Ravindranath who is taking part in COP15 uvaacha -
- Bengaluru is steadily becoming one of the highest contributors to global warming
- attributable to not only increased number of vehicles but also due to rapid strides in the IT Sector becos they are gurglers of scarce electricity (and of course FE earners but....question remains .. for what purpose ? To hasten what ?)
- bulk of 60 to 80 per cent GHG emission is from urban area
source: Dec.Chronicle todate
Add-ons:
- State Government: Rs.25,000 crore outlay is planned to improve (?) over a period of time ...?
- Choice is yours but please do visit Bang-lure at least once.
- Vasanth Mysoremath
'MOST CORRUPT CITY' - Bang-lure-another yellow feather
Cosmopolitan and Richie Rich Bengaloreans are the top bribe givers amongst 3 cities - Mumbai, Delhi and Bang-lure.
- LA uvaacha
- Society is turning pro-corrupt - Corruption has reached an all time high - not to beg for more power since there is no political introspection
- 34 raids conducted with 303 traps laid during 2007
- 92 -"- 265 -"- 2008
- 53 -"- 284 -"- 2009
- Trapped 852 officials and seized 286.52 crore worth of unaccounted assets.
- A Study covered 1226 people from 3 cities - 402 were from Bang-lure - showed that more than 50 per cent of people contacted are ready to pay bribe to get their work done easily.
Courtesy: Dec.Chronicle todate.
- The above study shows that most Indian Bangaloreans have a high level quality of compromising moral and ethical values of the society they are living in for breaking laws and gaining more and more material and other comforts.
- Want to be a part of it?
- Choice is yours.
- Vasanth Mysoremath
Will half of Bangalore be evacuated in 10 yrs? Talk Today
A Talk by Mr.V.Balasubramanian, former Addl.Chief Secretry of GOK on BOOM CITY OR DOOM CITY - and on the above subject has been arranged by Indian Institute of Public Administration TODAY (21-9-13) at 5 PM Venue: IAS Officers Association, Opp: Hotel Ashraya on Infantry Road beginning. Since the post 'Please do not plan to settle down in Bangalore...' is synonymous with the subject, it is posted under this heading. Please make it convenient to attend and interact.
Vasanthkumar Mysoremath
Bengaluru is dying - it is official - 4 parts Bangalore Mirror
Hi Prajas,
Bangalore Mirror has carried 4 parts article during this week about how Namma Bengaluru is dying and has become UNLIVABLE. Prajas had live discussion between 6th November 2009 and September 2013 and the prediction is becoming true. What next? Will the authorities ban registration of 1500 vehicles per day? Will there be embargo on influx of Indians to Bengaluru? Will there be a Sin Tax or Polluter Pays Tax on all outsiders?
Vasanthkumar Mysoremath
It is quite paradoxical, the
It is quite paradoxical, the cubbon park station is likely to be submerged someday because of excess water and people living on Sarjapura road will have to be evacuated because of lack of water.
Flawed plannning!
However, I must say Mysore is
However, I must say Mysore is also trying its best to emulate Bangalore.
No planning or emphasis on public transport. I hear idiotic statements like" it is just a ten minute drive to my office from home, Buses are not convenient in Mysore. Rain water harvesting yaarige beku Cauvery ide."
The area behind Vidyaranpura garbage centre is a dump yard. High rise buildings are dime by the dozen near Karanji kere.
The author needs to visit Chamundi hills and see the amount of garbage that is left there by tourists/pilgrims/ Mysoreans.
The Mysore Grahakara Parishad is trying its best to block things like Mandakalli airport, which shall fuel decentralized economic growth in Karnataka. Mysore needs to be preserved as a heritage city but a vibrant tourism based economy is necessary to sustain yourself. How do you expect people to visit your city if you don't have basic airport and rail facilities?
The line doubling and electrification shows no signs of completion.
Why was not a BRTS planned on the new ring road in Mysore? When will GOK ever learn?
Let us try not to live in the past and reminisce about how beautiful life was when Dharmabudhi kere existed. Let us try to make things in the present better.
Please take up issues pertinent to Mysore and we will do our best to save Bangalore.
Better initiate action (if any remaining) to save Bengaluru
Time for some hardcore action.
Bengaluru and Mysuru are our family home towns though HalE Mysooru Samsthana is our ancestral home town since Mummadi Krishnaraja Wadiyar's in 1800 AD. Though I lived in Bengaluru and witnessed its deterioration for 40 years (due to employment purpose and was a 2nd line member of BATF and convener of Rajajinagar Agenda Task Force-RATF headed by its then MLA Narendra Babu), I finally got sick of Bengaluru and shifted to my ancestral home in 2005 (after retirement in 2003).
Mysoreans (not only MGP that is haunted with a Closed User Group syndrome) have successfully thwarted many fanciful issues pushed forward by lobbies through selfish politicians (here today and gone tomorrow but people have to live on). Examples:
- Ropeway to Chamundi Temple on the Hill - stopped
- 123 decades old trees saved from felling on Lalitha Mahal boulevard - road widening
- Ill planned Nanjangud-Mysuru industrial belt plan is being revised
- 202 trees saved on MG Road - road widening
- As member of social networking group - Lets do it Mysuru - I am joining every week to clean the precincts of Chamundi Hill for cleaning waste strewn by irresponsible tourists.
- Save Chamundi Hill Campaign - from disfiguring in the name of developing Mall, Multi-storeyed parking and 162 shops near Nandi pit stop has been put on hold.
I feel Bengaluru can be resurrected provided, a temporary holiday of one year is initiated to ban registration of all types of vehicles, ban construction activities in CBD area and also proliferation of private layouts in revenue lands around Bengaluru, increase property tax every year by 20 per cent (amend the acts) and such other regulatory mechanisms.
Vasanthkumar Mysoremath
I don't think Bangalore can
I don't think Bangalore can be saved unless and until we promote alternative destinations such as Kolar and Tumkur not to mention Hubli, Belgaum and Mangalore.
Vasanth Sir, I think CBD in Bangalore is still in a far better shape excepting for the few garbage dumps and leaking drains here and there. The problems of CBD could be solved unlike the problems of the IT corridor.
Localities like ORR, Whitefield, Hosur Road, Bommannahalli, Ecity are not fit for human habitation and are beyond redemption. These places will become ghost towns in a couple of years. Devanahalli shall head in the same direction because of the kind of unplanned development, this area is seeing.
Siddhu is hell bent on destroying Mysore and making it go the Bangalore way. Bidar and Mysore need to be declared as heritage cities and a full stop should be put as far as investments are concerned.
Tourism could sustain the economy of these cities.
Ruchir Sharma in is new book
Ruchir Sharma in is new book has been critical of India for having not built new cities.
He was less than charitable when he castigated GOK for not having done enough to promote investments outside of Bangalore.
http://www.firstpost.com/...
Says, Ruchir Sharma,
"In Karnataka, for instance, I’m shocked at how dependent they are on one city – Bengaluru. Mysore has an unused airport now! It’s shocking, you build a new swanky airport and there are no flights there."
Cant prevent people moving to the city
Bengaluru is getting on average 1,000 new people daily. Vehicles registration is more than 1,200 per day. There is no Greenbelt anymore. The city can expand in all directions unlike Mangaluru. As Prof. TVR been saying that by 2020 the city may not be livable. Observe that all the CMs are from outside the city, be it the sitting CM or the former CMs. They have bought posh properties but if something happens to the city, they will go back to their native and live happily thereafter. We the natives of the city are stuck.
OTOH, how many in this form have built their house/apt. on a Rajakaluve? Can you find out?
If a Tea vendor from Gujarat can become PM of India???
@ Mahesh
And if an Italian girl married to an Indian can lead a century old national party in India???
Let us delink.
But your post is very sensitive to the subject than some recent irrelevant posts on the subject trying to bifurcate Bengalur and Mysuru:
U R right about influx of people and vehicles registration. While daily arriving 'athithis' may find some place to live, each newly registered vehicle require road space - how to manage? Assuming out of your 1200 new vehicles, 20% are cars (economical advancement of owners of two wheelers graduating to four wheels) 240 cars need, on an average 10 feet , i.e., 240X10 = 2400 feet of new road every day, in other words, your car will be 2400 feet behind the newly registered car every day.
Vasanthkumar Mysoremath
Why Mysuru does not want to develop?
Govt needs to stop companies opening their shop in Bengaluru. Mysuru is a good option as it is nearby. I don’t understand about Mysureans. Don’t they want development or are they stuck in the Maharaja days? The recent Marigowda episode shows how things are in Mysuru. Forget industries as it is a heritage city, at lease IT and ITES sector can move some of their operations to decongest Bengaluru a bit. Now the double line is completing, commute will be a bit less hassle.
Other option will be Tumakuru as it is termed as a “smart city”.
Traffic hold ups- Burning 2.8 lakh liters of fuel per hour
Source: BM today
Revised Master Plan for Bengaluru 2031 - Report by an agency that studied Bengaluru using modelling exercise called Cube Voyager Technology (?) and GIS.
Burning 2.8 lakh liters of fuel per hour for not moving/slow moving i.e., more than 50 crore liters per year; add to this, man power and productivity loss calculated at approximately Rs.3700 crore per year. Add to this the Green House Gases and pollution damage cost.
Reached dead end?
Saakaa, BEkaa?
Vasanthkumar Mysoremath
Future scary for Bangalore. I
Future scary for Bangalore. I think Whitefield, Ecity, ORR will be the first areas to be evacuated.
I am appalled at the attitude of people living in these areas. They are only worried about movement of cars and not getting Cauvery water. A look at the comments and posts on Whitefield Rising confirm this. We can then convert these areas into a greenbelt once they are evacuated.
PL. DO NOT PLAN TO SETTLE DOWN IN BENGALURU - IT IS ALMOST DEAD
Hi All Prajas,
This blog was posted on 8th November 2009 and is till alive, like the present Bengaluru than BANGlore.
@ Amit and others who have responded so far:
Pl do not commit harakiri. It isnever too late. Nammadallada Bengaluru still has some lung spaces that are being used by a few rich and famous punters and also gullible aam aadmi occasionally. Bengaluru Race Course, Golf Club, etc. Start a campaign -cancel the lease agreement of these environmental white elephants (Race course spews thousands of tons of CO2 due to heating of asbestos sheets in the center of the field that houses the donkeys (sorry - horses in air-conditioned comfort - check this out) and jockeys facility. Secondly, the Golf Course, bang in the city center. Shift the race course and the golf course, take over and start planning minus real estate hawks. Suggestions: 1. convert the 99(?) acres of RC into organic forest to absorb huge amounts of CO2 being spewed in and around majestic area that houses monstrous concrete buildings; similarly Golf course can also be converted into an organic mini forest to absorb MG Road and other city centric CO2 spewing areas. Have good RWH facility within the BTC and Golf course. There should be no human intervention, except for maintenance purpose.
Since Bengaluru has reached a dead end and taking a cue from Delhi's air pollution, ask Government to completely stop registration of new vehicles (most households in Bengaluru have more than one ehicle and number of vehicles being registered every day are exponential and does not augur well even for those who have come from outside and also for the few remaining Kannadigas, if any).
Vasanthkumar Mysoremath
Most of my neighbours have
Most of my neighbours have more than one car and are aghast at the thought of even using public transport.
So where does the hope come from? I had spent a considerable amount of time as part of my building's EC to recharge a borewell and improve water collection and water storage.
The current EC has damaged the system in place by breaking the valves and filters. The insouciant and arrogant EC does not believe these things are important. They are more worried about Dusshera, Diwali, Holi, etc.
aximum Temp(oC) (Recorded. on
of yesterday to 0830 hrs IST of today)
This is the hottest ever day in November for Bangalore. A difference of 20 degrees between Max and Min can make you sick very sick.
God save Bangalore!
Why Mysuru does not want to develop?
@ MaheshK
Simply because Mysuru does not want to become a dead/unlivable city like YaaradO Bengaluru. And it does not want to earn horrendous dubious distinctions like con city, garbage city, muggers city, drugs city, asthama capital, congested city, toxic city, etc., the list is long. Nodoubt development is a continuous process and cannot be ignored. But taking cue from Bengaluru, real estate hawks and greedy politicians have already booked enough lands and Mysuru is almost sold. Farmers of villages abutting Mysuru are regretting for having sold their fertile land at such throw away prices and having spent the money, now they are daily laborers with the same purchaser who is minting crores by creating layouts. Mungaaru and Hingaaru rains failed miserably and almost all the 7 taluks in Mysuru District have been declared as 'drought areas'. .
Therefore, LEAVE MYSURU ALONE for the sake of posterity.
@ Amit
Did we have winter in 2016? This climatic change is directly attributable to cutting down thousands of decades old trees that were acting as carbon sinks. One grown up tree has the ability to supply oxygen to a man for 134 years (if he is alive). An interesting quote: Hattaru varush beledu ninta mara, tholeyaagi uliyitu nooraaru varusha, Noorondu varusha aalida arasa, henavaagi uliyalilla mooru divasa. (rough translation for non-Kannadiga Prajas - A few decades old tree, when cut, was used as a scaffolding and 'lived' for 100 years, whereas, the body of a dead King who ruled for one hundred and one years, did not last for even three days.
If Bengalureans want to live (and not run away) - some suggestions : ask Government (1) to create carbon sinks in every piece of vacant Government land and also by converting a part of large parks as mini-forests by planting species of trees that produce more of oxygen, (2) take over Race Course, Golf Course and other tracts of lands leases of which have expired and convert them into organic forests that keep rejuvenating, (3) to create a pond in the place of the trench, in the center of the race course and being used as stables for horses, jockeys quarters, dumping of waste etc., and is at present spewing CO2 due to tin and asbestos roofs of these strucures. (4) Water from storm water drains from the surrounding areas may be diverted into this pond that will serve as water source for flora and fauna that gets developed inside this mini-forest and also for rejuvenating borewells in and around CBD (5) Similarly, in both Race Course and Golf Course, use PPP - Peoples Planting Program (Bengalureans would love this) - by planting a sapling of identified species on occasions like birthday, anniversary day or even on any day purchased - to be sold by the Forest Department at the venues. (6) to completely stop registration of all new second vehicles in a household (with Aadhaar based control system) to reduce air pollution and help children to breath.
Bengaluru must rejuvenate or perish. Enough is enough. Out of the box ideas will have to be activated. Prajas may have more ideas - post them now and let it be read by authorities.
First, Gods must take pre-emptive action to Save Mysuru from future destruction, then, try to save Bengaluru that is already in ICU - I SEE YOU dying.
Vasanthkumar Mysoremath
@ Vasanthkumar Sir,It is not
@ Vasanthkumar Sir,
It is not just about high day temperature but a difference of 20 degrees between Day and Night temperature?
Are we living in Bangalore/ Mysore or Jaisalmer? Anybody will fall sick. I myself have had a sinus attack for the last three days. High pollen count during morning due to low temperatures and harsh sun during daytime coupled with dust.
Mysore was at 10 last morning and day time high was 30. This is something much more than 100 year old trees.
IMD-Bengaluru, director-in-charge, S M Methri told DH that this was an unusual phenomenon. He said that while local urbanisation and concretisation had little impact, the rise in temperatures is mostly because of lack of moisture in the northeasterly winds blowing towards south-interior Karnataka.
He explained that though winds are blowing from the north and northeast, they are not carrying any moisture. This is because the systems which are forming in the Indian Ocean and Myanmar, are not moving towards West Bengal, which should normally happen during the northeast monsoon season. It is because of this system that the temperatures are high during the day, he said.
The Arctic Ocean is at 0 degrees and the ice has melted. Tokyo gets it snow in November.
I do not want to digress but there is something wrong at the global and local level. Local factors are adding to the mess.
I agree with all your suggestions but the point is will GOK agree?
Last but not the least we have had a Union Minister who took pride in clearing every project in the name of development.
There is already a tree
There is already a tree adoption program in TG Halli by the name Spoorthivana. It is a forest around the reservoir.
Here is FOOD for thougt on your points
Latest weather report - pun intended -
In the next 72 hours, "the rise in temperatures is mostly because of lack of moisture in the northeasterly winds blowing towards south-interior Karnataka, though winds are blowing from the north and northeast, they are not carrying any moisture. This is because the systems which are forming in the Indian Ocean and Myanmar, are not moving towards West Bengal, which should normally happen during the northeast monsoon season. It is because of this system that the temperatures are high during the day".
Final Forecast: South interior of Karnataka MAY OR MAY NOT get thunder showers either accompanied by lightening or not.
Destruction of nature is not development
- Spewing of CO2 by Volcanoes, greenery, sea water etc., are natural processes
- But man’s out-of-the-box living style, consumption methodology and his greed for living a fast comfortable and lavish life is causing unexpected and unnatural imbalances in nature – result?
- Increase in GHGs, increase in CO2 content in atmosphere – It was 289 PPM before industrialisation but TODAY it is 400 + PPM. We need to bring it down to a tolerable limit of 350 PPM – How? Left to each one of us.
- Destruction of greenery is the main cause for this mega imbalance that is resulting in untimely draughts or flooding. Due to the greed of minimum percentage of people, maximum percentage of people are suffering. Future generations?
Impacts:
Many changes are irreversible and bells are ringing:
• Snow Caps and glaciers are melting fast and sea levels are rising
• Temperature is increasing in atmosphere, causing rise in sea waves
• Floods, droughts, storms have become the cause for spread of diseases
• Agricultural production is affected resulting in unemployment, poverty , hunger and anger
• Uncontrolled migration of people from rural areas to urban areas in search of livelihood and better living conditions
• Food security is under threat and also man-animal conflict.
• This has created an insatiable demand on all types of infrastructure like water, land, housing, energy and transport
• Demand and supply of resources have become unmanageable
• Finite Natural resources are being exploited to the maximum to meet the needs of the increasing population
• In turn, the cost of living is going up and poor people are increasingly becoming victims
• Farmers are being forced to surrender lands to enable mega developments around cities without enjoying fruits of development
• There is uneven distribution of wealth and natural resources
• Stratification of society is resulting in unhappiness and civil disobedience movements like Cauvery, Mahadaayee etc., are on the increase.
• Due to climatic changes and non-availability of sufficient natural resources, future generations have to live in a world of limited quantity of water, limited natural resources.
Nation’s Food security under threat – reality check :
• Mysuru agriculture scenario September 2016
• All the 7 Taluks are under draught condition
• 2015 - rainfall 613.1 mm but in 2016 – hardly 379.2 mm
• Targeted paddy cultivation in 2016 – 1,02,650 hectares but actually cultivated is 65,617 hectares – even this paddy crop is withering and will not even be fit for fodder for bovines.
We need to bring down the present CO2 of 400 PPM (particulates per million) to manageable <350 PPM as early as possible. check with www.350.org. I had organised workshops on this issue in association with Institution of Engineers, Bengaluru and Mysuru. Will nations who are signatories to the Kyoto Protocol accept this mandate and act?
Vasanthkumar Mysoremath
66 lakh vehicles
The no. of vehicles registered as of Sept 30 is 65.3 lakhs per DH Nov. 27 article. By this time it must have crossed 66 lakhs. Congestion is everywhere. Hope Metro comes quickly with their links.
Vasanthkumar sir, the CO2 concentration of 400 ppm (parts per million) is about right for the city. In fact I have published a journal paper with IISc people on this issue. We had measured CO2 conc around IISc and found that it was in the range of 360-420 ppm. Btw, how can I reach you?
Blr afternoons are so warm! A
Blr afternoons are so warm! A bit of chilly air in the evening and morning, that is it! Where did last week's chill of 12 degrees go?
I am surprised people still have high hopes about a white elephant called Metro. Pray, tell me how can a system with a capacity of 15 lakhs (I am highly optimistic here.) solve Bangalore's traffic woes? Have we forgotten our lakes and rivers now that we are obssessed with traffic and traffic alone?
What about our rivers Arkavathy, Vrishabhvathi, Suvarnamukhi and Kumudavthi?
There is a whole lot of things that could be attributed to climate change, which does include construction of dams and power lines as well as unscientific agricultural practices.
Just for everybody's information Karnataka saw its warmest summer in 1931. 2016 broke that record.
Just curious to know- When was KRS commissioned?
Was the warm summer a result of KRS being commissioned?
Would love some Pizza on that.
Please leave Mysuru alone... do not convert it into another BLR
@ Amitpallavoor
Most of your questions have knowledgeable answers in themselves.
However, your quiery about KRS is interesting. This is for information of all Prajas also.
1. This short video is about history of KRS:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Rf4_BawUAUs
Science of 350 ppm and weather
@ Mahesh
10/10/10 was a memorable day throughout the world when environmentalists celebrated this once in a century day (next similar date will be in October 2100.
As a regional coordinator for www.350.org, I had organised a jatha and also a public function in the Institution of Engineers to create awareness to general public that we have already reached 400 ppm and there is an urgent need to stop living out of the box, start living moderately and bring down the CO2 content to a tolerable 350 ppm so that our future generations may not suffer the consequences of drastic season changes, resulting in climate change and global warming.
With business as usual, we are likely to reach 600 ppm by the end of this century. Since you are already aware of CO2/PPM, 400 ppm refers to global CO2 content and it may vary according to geographical challenges. I cherish my stay at IISC guest house located in a salubrious surrounding where co2 ppm could have been much less in 1980s.
Pl call 9845950440.
Vasanthkumar Mysoremath
http://www.thehindu.com/n...
http://www.thehindu.com/n...
Shudder to think of summer. The morons crying for the steal flyover shall switch on the ACs and go to sleep. No tree is safe under the Siddha Regime.
Some lung spaces, which are
Some lung spaces, which are under threat thanks to Siddha and his cronies:
1) Palace Grounds: Road widening and steel flyover. The steal will impact the serenity of CRPI and IISC campuses not to forget the Air Force Training stations. Indira Gandhi National Memorial as well.
2) Nagara Vana: 162 acres green lung space whose progress has been stalled by vested local interests. Has it been stalled by political groups in the Congress since it was started by DVS?
3) Harohalli: Socialist CM's gift to the OBC segment
4) Hoody Forests: Gala Housing complex for the toadies from BJP, Congress and JD(S)
I wish some more Prajas contribute to this post. We can take a break from traffic.
Blueprint for the city
I read that Swati Ramanathan has developed a blueprint for the city. Then why are we worrying? She has ears of the CM thru Tendersure. She will take care of the things. She has supporters in Praja also.
Oh plz, we all know how these
Oh plz, we all know how these self serving civic experts have ruined Bengaluru.
tendersure balding city
TS has some plus points but many negatives too..and the foremost of them is that they are on a city balding mission by denying new tree cover totally..
That is totally unacceptable!
Experts call the shots
Let’s be realistic. These so called experts are calling the shots. Don’t they? Urban expert, this expert, that expert. They grab the work and the moolah that comes with it. Prof. Srihari called it right in an interview I watched. IT’s a mafia. Kallara gumpu as he put it. They won’t allow others who are genuine experts. City suffers, but who cares.
Extra constitutional bodies like BATF/Tendersure are conduits
Yeh, let us be realistic. What are the achievements of these extra constitutional think tanks like BATF/TS? Their Vision and Mission statements and Charter of Demands are not clear to common man. They get funded, plan on the basis of TOP TO BOTTOM ideologies (if you can call them so) and if any public consultation is done, it is only an eye wash/farce/dikhaawaa. Time has come to ask the ordinary man on the street as to adopt BOTTOM TO TOP approach (foundations are laid from bottom and not from top). Common man is more interested in needs and not requirements.
Time has come for the common man to ask for his pound of flesh, otherwise with business as usual, these so called oligarchies will continue to demonitise the comon man to no end and at the same celebrate moolahs.
These so called vision groups have become a conduit for siphoning off CSR funds and also act as escape mechanism for the governmental authorities who do not want to be blamed if something goes wrong and by that time, this group would have been wound up !
Vasanthkumar Mysoremath
Tendersure Roads
There is an article on page 2 of Deccan Chronicle dated Dec. 27 Tuesday regarding TenderSure. It says that the roads built under TenderSure is costliest in the country and the sanctioning process has been undemocratic. It adds that the then CM, Mr. Sadananda Gowda sanctioned Rs. 200 on the spot after a 45 minute meeting with the TenderSure people. The current CM has given much more. Are the people really benefitting?
I have gone on Nrupathunga rd so many times at different hours. There are few people on the wide footpath (at the hotel side). There are more vehicles than pedestrians and it’s a traffic jam as the roads are narrowed to make room for footpaths. Based on the discussions I had with some people associated with TenderSure, no pedestrian volume (count) was taken anywhere for the TenderSure projects. This is so ridiculous. Pedestrian volume is a must for any road/footpath project. In the end it’s the call of the person who has the ears of the govt. What I am puzzled is that even the so called literate crowd in Praja are scared to say anything.
Tendersure is slow poison for
Tendersure is slow poison for our trees. Ten times worse than the proposed steel flyover!
My terminology to classify slaughter of trees for white elephants, which masquerade as infrastructure projects:
Shechita = Bangalore Metro
Jhatka = Steal Flyover
Halal= Tender Sure
Indian Road Congress and WB report on pedsway
@ Mahesh
Indian Road Congress has laid down the need for providing scientifically designed foot paths / pedestrian walkways whenever a road is constructed irrespective of the number of pedestrians who use such a facility. Meaning, there must be footpaths on either side of the road according to the design prescribed and also depending upon the width of the road used for movement of vehicles.
Fine roads are being laid to help peole who travel in vehicles that have tyres and not slippers. Everyday, we have to walk to either reach an office, bank, market etc., after parking vehicles. These vehicle users also need good walk ways to move. Therefore, every road must have a scientifically laid footpath.
A World Bank report on “Demand, Constraints and Measurement of the Urban Pedestrian Environment” in 2008 states that the urban poor make up a city’s ‘captive walkers’. Thus then the footpaths/ sidewalks also become the most important resource for those who cannot afford to take the public transit, let alone driving a car.
“If you design communities for automobiles, you get more automobiles. If you design them for people, you get walk able, livable communities.” ~ Parris Glendening
Walking is a fundamental and important mode of movement/transportation of people but people are largely ignored in planning transportation systems in our cities. Personal vehicles have become a dominant mode of mobility. Livable communities are those, where the pedestrians come at the top followed by cyclists and users of public transportation. The rest of the modes of travel are placed much below on the ladder of livability.
By squeezing the footpaths for expanding roads for accommodate more and more vehicles tantamounts to denial of a fundamental right of a pedestrian. We need to demand our rightful place to walk safely and therefore authorities must reduce the width of the road and relay footpaths that have been encroached upon. Start the movement?
Vasanthkumar Mysoremath
Negative tone
There's a negative tone to this whole debate, beginning with the caption itself. If it's been decided that the city is dying, why bother to offer any suggestions for improvement? There are enough people committed to the city, and trying to correct the many wrongs. I would like to seen with them.
As for TenderSure, it's been debated almost exhaustively here - not much to add to that, as far as I am concerned.
In 2009 caption was relevant
I am inclined to agree with Murali in the present day context. But the caption was highly relevant in 2009 and was a forecast. I had reasons to quote: From 2004 onwards, the IT boom unleashed an unprecedented job rush and Bangalore became the hub of job seekers. Gradually, btw 2006 and 2009 the rush became so much that investors were pouring in all kinds of business activities and all of them jelled. Ultimate effect was Kannadigas were tempted to part with their homes and hearth and the city became unlivable and now it has surpassed that forecast and is almost dead.
As you have rightly pointed out, no amount of cribbing, cringing, ranching, ranting can bring back and Bangalore has reached the dead end. City has earned enough dubious distinctions and it will be a miracle if we can get back the fair name of garden city during this century or even after. Live with it till those who cannot live leave the city and make way for establishing some livable conditions in future. This appears to be a possible solution.
Vasanthkumar Mysoremath
Unused Footpaths
How many are “committed to the city and trying to correct the many wrongs”? Are these so called “experts” who are messing it up the city? C’mon sir, you can’t be that wrong. If you want to be seen with the “experts” that’s your call.
As far as footpaths are concerned, why have wider footpaths on busy roads where few people use them? I don’t understand the logic. If proper guidelines were followed (which is not the case here), they should have taken the pedestrian volume. They did not think about it. As I know, there is no Senior Transport Planner working for Tendersure to give them advice. I request people to drive on Nrupathunga rd on peak hours and see for themselves.
Same analogy, why have 554 MPs- mostly sleeping?
@ Mahesh
"why have wider footpaths on busy roads where few people use them? I don’t understand the logic"
On the same logic, why have 554 MPs - mostly sleeping? B'cos Peoples Representation Act provides for that many MPs for that much of population whenever General Elections for Parliament are held. Similarly, the Indian Road Congress provides for planned footpaths/ walkways whenever a road is planned irrespective of the number of pedestrians who use the footpath.
Vasanthkumar Mysoremath
Very Apt!
check the guidelines
Happy new year to all the Prajas! Hope we can do better for the city.
Back to the blog. I am speaking on technical terms. Ask any experienced transport planner, he/she will say pedestrian volume is needed. Doesn’t the IRC provide guidelines on the width of the roads? They do. Who is following it? If anyone has the IRC guidelines for a road like Nrupathunga rd please do share.
Yesterday morning I was on Nrupathunga rd at 9.55 am. Watched the entire stretch of the footpath from the circle to the end of St. Martha’s (GAS college side footpath). Counted 23 people walking on it including the security guard. There may be at least 200 vehicles on that stretch at that time. I have also watched in other weekdays and weekends. Same story with pedestrians and vehicles.
I can’t comment on other countries all over the world, at least in USA and Canada they follow guidelines on footpath and roads. I lived in those countries and was involved a bit in these types of work.
Counting Pefestrians No Answer
Traffic is growing but road space cannot grow
@ Naveen
.... pricing for road use, parking etc., is good. BMTC is inducting, by March end, 1647 new buses and it is bound to create lot of delay for car users and may even force them to walk to bus stops and also get down and walk to work places. Then they will definitely need good footpaths. So, in the name of increased traffic, do not plan to expand roads at the cost of peds right to walk on good sideways.
This may be supplemented with car pooling, efficient public transport, good roads, officially allowing four people in an auto and three on a motor bike or scooter (anyway rules are being flouted now under the very nose of traffic police), cycling, walking to nearby destinations etc., are some other solutions.
Most businessmen park their idling cars from morning till closing of their shops; occupy valuable road space and shopping peds are inconvenienced. User must pay (not withstanding our prop tax payments) so, such parkings may be either completely banned (come in car, get dropped and send back or park in nearby parking bays and after closing shop, walk and get into your car and go back).
Otherwise, BBMP may consider charging a percentage of market value/guidance value in that area and collect on an annual basis (limited road space to be considered) to act as a deterrent to such unauthorised or encroachment of public road space by private cars.
Vasanthkumar Mysoremath
make use of valuable space
Vehicles on the roads are also counted along with the pedestrians on the footpaths. IMO, we need to make use of the valuable space, either for walkng or for vehicles. When we have wider footpaths with very few using it, then thats a waste of space. What do we with it? Invite hawkers and footpath eateries?
There's no justification in
Why not observe Even Number and Odd Number?
@ Naveen - Bang On!
Innovate or perish - Tomorrow's News Today -
Authorities have decided to impose a condition on car users from 1st April 2016 - All private cars with last digit ending in even numbers 2,4,6,8,0 can bring out such cars on road on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays and all private cars ending with odd numbers 1,3,5,7,9 can be on road on Tuesdays, Thursdays an Saturdays. All cars can be on road on all Sundays.
The above will result in -
1. 50 per cent congestion on roads is reduced and one can travel at least at 15 to 20 kmph as against 5-7 kmph on certain roads.
2. less spewing of CO2, GHGs/pollutants and less environmental hazards
3. less accidents/deaths
4. less wear and tear of roads
list is long.
Exceptions: Government owned/hired cars with official plates, taxis of all shapes and sizes and people moving to hospitals with patients/accident victims etc., to be considered on merit.
This environmental friendly method might have been tried elsewhere but it could be first for our decaying Bengaluru. This is in addition to my suggestions in earlier posts above.
Vasanthkumar Mysoremath
BDA Blueprint for 2031
http://www.deccanherald.c...
Here we go again! The great BDA drawing up the blueprint for the city. Is it the same as Swati Ramanathan's blueprint? How will the BDA predict the economy of the city? Let them not go to 2031. Do it for 2021 and implement it.
http://www.thehindu.com/f...
http://www.thehindu.com/f...
http://economictimes.indi...
http://www.thehindu.com/t...
Saving these rivers is crucial to ensure that Bangalore has a secure future.