CITIZEN JOURNALISM Citizen Matters, Bengaluru

Two ideas for easy access to Baiyappanahalli Terminal

January 20, 2021 Shine George

A Bengaluru resident proposes two design solutions for easy access to the new Baiyappanahalli railway terminal, which is all set to be a transportation hub.

Polluted lakes, poor waste management contaminating Bengaluru’s groundwater

January 5, 2021 Sanjana Alex, Shashank Palur, Shubha Ramachandran, Suma Rao and Veena Srinivasan

A majority of lakes and storm water drains in Bengaluru are severely polluted. These water bodies recharge groundwater, which means their pollutants are getting into our open wells and borewells.

Animal Lives Matter: Prevent, preempt, penalise hit-and-run

December 15, 2020 Priya Chetty Rajagopal

Over 50 dogs and other animals suffer accidents on Bengaluru’s roads every day. Many die painfully. Nobody is held accountable for these tragedies.

Why Moogi died, how Suma survived: A tale of two women–10 years apart

November 20, 2020 Madhu Bhushan

One died, due to the callousness of a govt hospital. One survived, thanks to a few committed government health officials. Did COVID make the difference?

Madiwala market’s journey of managing its waste problem

November 19, 2020 Suhasini Hathwar and Padmashree Balaram

What is waste to one person is an asset to another when given at the right time and in the required manner. A project undertaken at Madiwala Market shows how.

How did bygone Bengaluru celebrate Deepavali? A citizen recounts

November 14, 2020 Sudha Narasimhachar

A Bengalurean reminisces about Deepavali celebrations of her childhood during the 60s and 70s.

Opinion: “We love Deepavali – we just need to cancel the noise and smoke…”

November 13, 2020 Priya Chetty Rajagopal

Chief Minister B S Yediyurappa has backtracked on his decision to ban firecrackers this Deepavali. But we can still push the administration to ensure that only green crackers are burnt in Bengaluru, that too during the specified timings.

Bengaluru’s traffic nightmare during floods: IISc study shows policy measures can help

November 6, 2020 Ashish Verma

Most Bengalureans would know what it’s like to get stuck in traffic jams for hours, or having to cancel their trips entirely, due to floods. An IISc study shows this scenario will only worsen with time unless specific policy measures are taken.

Is Bengaluru’s Metro Phase 2 almost ready? Here’s a progress report

October 29, 2020 Dhanush Kumar S

Phase 2 of Namma Metro, which will cover large parts of Bengaluru, has been progressing. While work is in the final stages in some lines, it is lagging in some others.

Tree felling in progress on Neelamangala-Doddaballpura road for road widening. Pic: Mahesh Bhat

Essential questions to ask when considering new transport projects in Bengaluru

October 26, 2020 Ashish Verma

Bengaluru has seen hundreds of projects aimed at reducing traffic jams, but these do not solve the problem. Why is this so? And what could be the solution?

Mobile Fever Clinic parked at JJ Nagar where all residents of the containment areas are being tested for #COVID19 by collecting throat and nasal swabs. BBMP Commissioner/Facebook

COVID cases: How’s Bengaluru really doing?

October 25, 2020 Vaidya R

Are COVID cases likely to reduce further in Bengaluru? Are death rates really coming down? Here’s what the data suggests.

How shopping streets can be COVID-safe during Dasara: Here’s a template from Malleswaram

October 22, 2020 Ankit Bhargava and Suchitra Deep

With crowds in commercial areas during Dasara, Bengaluru’s COVID count is expected to increase. In Malleswaram, a local group has created a street plan to make 8th Cross COVID-safe, and has sought BBMP’s support for implementation.

Survey: How falling population of bees, other pollinators is affecting Bengalureans’ diets

October 19, 2020 Chethana V Casiker and M Soubadra Devy

Yield of many fruits, vegetables and nuts are dependent on pollinators like bees and butterflies. Take the survey by ATREE on how the dwindling number of pollinators is affecting Benglaureans’ food habits and how this problem could be dealt with.

Governance

The BBMP bill – an opportunity to redefine city government?

October 14, 2020 Sandeep Anirudhan

The disconnect between nature, people and governance in cities, have reduced cities into uninhabitable spaces. This needs urgent correction. The BBMP bill is an excellent opportunity to reimagine urban governance. Moeover, any legislation has to meet the challenges of it’s time: A Green Agenda has to be not only part of, but at the core of any urban governance bill.

34-km Cycle Lane coming up on Outer Ring Road soon. Know the details

October 11, 2020 Rajeev Malagi

As more Bengalureans are taking to cycles during COVID, plans are afoot to create dedicated cycle lanes. The pilot project on ORR is expected to be completed in months.