Governance – Citizen Matters, Bengaluru

Parents, activists and academia divided while State Cabinet intends to modify RTE Act

December 11, 2018 Arjun Rajan

State Cabinet has decided to amend the Right to Education rules to go for private schools only where government schools do not exist. Legal precedence doesn’t support this. What are the implications of the amendment, and what are parents worried about?

How Bengalureans use Whatsapp to connect and solve civic problems

December 5, 2018 Nicole Rigillo

You thought WhatsApp is all about fun, family groups and fake news? Wrong. Bengaluru is proving that WhatsApp can be used to connect, collaborate and participate in governance.

Can mechanised sweepers help Bengaluru deal with dust?

December 4, 2018 Arjun Rajan

While BBMP plans to introduce more than 30 mechanised sweepers in the near future to address dust pollution in the city, experts and researchers advocate a holistic approach towards eliminating dust.

Namma Metro report reveals plans for a circular metro

November 29, 2018 Seema Prasad

Namma Metro’s Phase 2 connecting 72 km across Bengaluru, especially the IT corridor isn’t on track. But Metro has managed to make profits in last financial year.

Bengaluru Buzz: State to acquire land for new Ring Road | Water treatment plant at TG Halli | All apartments to have STPs

November 24, 2018 News Desk

Bengaluru will get the Peripheral Ring Road while the State acquires properties for it. BBMP will increase the property tax, and collect fine for littering. These and other news items from the last week that matter to you, all in one place.

Here’s how BMTC is trying to keep emission levels in check

November 23, 2018 Arjun Rajan

With over 6000 buses, many of them being very old, the city transport system in Bengaluru could easily be a bulk entity that can be targeted for vehicular emission. The BMTC has also realised this—it is evident in the steps taken to put in place systems to control emissions and improve the quality of vehicles.

Bengaluru Buzz: Bike taxis may become legal | Property registration moves online | TenderSURE work to restart in January

November 17, 2018 News Desk

Kaveri Online Services aims to cut redtapism. Work on TenderSURE roads could start by January. And you may be able to commute via bike taxis soon. Here’s the news round up from Bengaluru for last week.

Incompetence is driving transport policy in Bengaluru: Bhaskar Rao, IPS

November 16, 2018 Manasi Paresh Kumar

Hydrocarbons are on their way out and solar or electrical vehicles will become the order of the day, says former Transport Commissioner and director at the KSRTC. But for that, Bangalore needs an urgent change in mindset and policy.

“We have no choice but to move to e-autos”

November 6, 2018 Manasi Paresh Kumar

As the transport department struggles to phase out two-stroke autos, here is what an official has to say about the challenges of introducing e-autos on Bangalore roads.

Bengaluru Buzz: Curb on new vehicle registration? | Bellandur lake recedes | GIL pays 50 lakh penalty

November 5, 2018 News Desk

Bellandur lake’s disappearing act, new anti-pollution measures being considered, and a revived Peripheral Ring Road project — catch all the important news from your city that you may have missed last week.

E-rickshaws as antidote to air pollution: Hope for Bengaluru or pipe-dream?

November 2, 2018 Manasi Paresh Kumar

A recent study report says that by switching to electric autos, carbon emissions can be reduced by 0.11 million tonne per year, PM10 by 114.5 million tonne per year, and NOx by 37.6 million tonne per year. So when will Namma Bengaluru make that switch and what’s been stopping it?

Multiple interventions fail to curb vehicular emissions in Bengaluru

October 31, 2018 Arjun Rajan

Several studies have pointed to the increasingly toxic air in the city, some pegging the levels of polluting particulate matter at three times the WHO-prescribed standards. What contributes to this and why is it so difficult to check?