Manasi Paresh Kumar | | Citizen Matters, Bengaluru

What Bengaluru can learn from bus lane projects in other cities

October 20, 2019 Manasi Paresh Kumar

As Bengaluru is set to get bus priority lanes, here is a look at what worked and what didn’t in cities like Delhi and Pune

Should Bengaluru have advertisement hoardings?

October 18, 2019 Manasi Paresh Kumar

While BBMP Council wants to ban advertisement hoardings in the city, the state government has come up with its own Rules to allow hoardings. Whose decision should prevail, and why?

Bengaluru’s potholes cost lives and money, but here’s how you can hold BBMP accountable

October 4, 2019 Manasi Paresh Kumar

In 2016, we had estimated that a pothole in Bengaluru costs Rs 1185 per day. Now, contractors and engineers can be held accountable for potholes, and you can ensure this happens

Bengaluru’s new ‘citizens’ party’ offers hope, but can it win BBMP elections?

September 26, 2019 Manasi Paresh Kumar

Last Sunday, a group of active citizens launched the Bengaluru NavaNirmana Party (BNP), aiming to improve the city’s governance. The party offers hope, yet faces several hurdles to electoral success

“I welcome state govt’s move to investigate white-topping”: Mayor Gangambike Mallikarjun

September 25, 2019 Manasi Paresh Kumar

Mayor Gangambike Mallikarjun, known best for initiating ward committee meetings, has only a few days left in her tenure. In this conversation with Citizens’ Live, she explains why she pushed for ward committee meetings, her take on state government’s investigation into white-topping projects, and more

“Bengaluru needs at least two more Kanteerava-like centres”: Pramila Aiyappa, Olympian

August 30, 2019 Manasi Paresh Kumar

What training facilities do Bengaluru offer for its aspiring sportspersons? In this edition of Citizens Live, Olympian Pramila Aiyappa and para-athlete Shalini Saraswathi talk about existing facilities and what needs to change

JP Nagar cultural space brings top artists and children together

July 23, 2019 Manasi Paresh Kumar

Children aren’t often welcome at cultural performances where the audience are expected to be disciplined. But Jagali in JP Nagar aims to change just this, by catering to family audiences. In this edition of Citizens Live, Saraswathi Anand, whose living room serves as Jagali, talks about this informal space

“Digging recharge wells is the only way Bengaluru won’t run out of water”

July 21, 2019 Manasi Paresh Kumar

Bovi community who are the traditional well-diggers of Bengaluru, are part of an initiative to build one million recharge wells in the city. In this edition of Citizens Live, Ramakrishna Bovi explains how you too can be part of this initiative to help resolve the city’s water scarcity

Girish Karnad, the wordsmith who never shied from stating a contrary opinion

June 10, 2019 Manasi Paresh Kumar

Karnad has been the voice of a generation that fought against religious dogma. He championed dissent, even when it was against him, teaching us about the quiet dignity of being adversarial without being disrespectful.

“We were told our son wouldn’t get admission in college”

May 27, 2019 Manasi Paresh Kumar

Amidst the frenzy about tenth standard exam results and top scorers, what happens to the children who get average marks? In this conversation with Citizens Live, parents of Chiraag Shetty who scored 59 percent, talk about the pressure they face, the struggle to get college admission for Chiraag, and how the system could change

Planting forests in Bengaluru: Bimal Desai tells you how

May 15, 2019 Manasi Paresh Kumar

Bimal Desai has fought for years to protect Cubbon Park and other green spaces in Bengaluru. Now he is creating forest patches across the city using the Miyawaki method. In this conversation with Citizens Live, Desai talks about his initiative, and how every Bengalurean can replicate it to make the city green and liveable again

“It’s a fight to preserve our heritage,” says architect restoring 112-year-old Fort High School

May 3, 2019 Manasi Paresh Kumar

Fort High School in Chamarajpet, made entirely of brick and limewater, has lain dilapidated for years. Now, the non-profit INTACH is restoring the building. In this edition of Citizens Live, Pankaj Modi of INTACH talks about the restoration works, their struggle to initiate it, and how Bengaluru’s heritage can be conserved