New BMTC routes - K1/K2/K3

Sanjeev - 3-JUN-2010

The Bangalore Metropolitan Transport Corporation (BMTC) will be introducing three routes called K1, K2 and K3.

The route K1 will connect St John’s Hospital, Sinivagilu, Domlur, Indiranagar Police Station, Ulsoor, Trinity Circle, Mayo Hall, Shivajinagar and adjoining places.

The K2 route passes through Hebbal, Devasandra, M S Ramaiah Hospital, Yeshwanthpur, ISKCON temple and adjoining roads.

K3 connects Basaveshwara bus stand, Vijayanagar MCTC, Sirsi Circle, Chamarajpet, North Road, Basavanagudi, Shanthi Talkies and adjoining roads.

A release from BMTC said that buses along these routes will be made available at a gap of 15 minutes each between 6 am to 11.15 pm.
http://www.deccanherald.com/content/73099/bmtc-routes.html

Here they should have extended K1 upto Cantonment Station.  Also integrating with METRO stations should have been taken care as many places, these buses will be playing close the METRO stations enroot.

Praja Commuter Rail ride in the press

idontspam - 2-JUN-2010

That’s what a group of Bangaloreans, most of them IT professionals, discovered as part of an initiative by Praja.in, an internet community that addresses issues affecting the city. 

Five of its members – Muralidhar Rao, Pranav, Manjari, Naveen and Satya – travelled on local trains within the city to experience firsthand the feasibility of the Commuter Rail System (CRS)

Read more at Praja Suburban train ride report covered here by Bangalore Mirror.

Police Insanity

idontspam - 2-JUN-2010

Traffic inspector creates jam

On her part, Inspector Susheela seemed unperturbed by the chaos she had created. “Yes, I parked my jeep on the road as there was no space around. It was important for me to attend to the traffic jam on the adjoining road in the interest of the public. Why don’t you understand that I did not go there for my personal work,” she retorted.

Prima facie a case of insanity? These kind of people need to be removed immediately. I call on Addl.CP Traffic, Praveen Sood to suspend her immediately for deriliction of duty and conduct unbecoming of a police officer.

Killing the golden goose?

murali772 - 21-MAY-2010

India is the world's most competitive telecommunications market. But, the 3G spectrum auction is going to land things as a fiasco for the common man, even while it is a bonanza for the exchequer.

The outcome of the 3G spectrum auction in the UK was disastrous. The 3G network did not diffuse for a decade thereafter, because firms were broke. They had no money left to invest in infrastructure after paying for the spectrum licence and interest. The telecom firms could not generate positive cash flow from 3G activities for a decade. In fact, the principal UK telecom company, BT, sold its wireless business to pay off debts incurred to acquire 3G spectrum licences!

What happened in the UK can happen in India. The firms that have bid Rs 67,719 crore for 3G licences may not have finances left to fund infrastructure. If they borrow substantially, the combination of licence and interest costs, to be factored into pricing decisions, will make 3G services expensive or completely unaffordable. And, as everybody knows, it is low price that enables high offtake of any product or service.

Neta, Babu foreign jaunts

murali772 - 17-MAY-2010

Information obtained through RTI reveals that 157 legislators and 48 officials who visited foreign countries in 2009 (costing a whopping Rs 4.3 cr) haven't bothered to prepare a study report.

Time to look at Proportional representation?

murali772 - 16-MAY-2010

For as long as I can remember, I have opposed proportional representation on the usual grounds: stability, the rights of constituencies to elect their own candidates, etc. But watching the drama surrounding the British elections, I have begun to reconsider my position.

It is clear that in India, first past the post does not produce overall majorities. It is also clear that the relationship the framers of our Constitution envisaged between an MP and his constituents has remained a fantasy.

Moreover, the electoral system is being tampered with all the time. If the major political parties have their way, we will now reserve seats for women, creating sexually segregated ghettoes within our constituency map. This may or may not be a valid amendment but it has not been accompanied by any national debate. Those who support it do so on goody-goody grounds: “Let’s give women a chance, yaar”. Those who oppose it in Parliament do so because they are bigots.

A long overdue remedy

murali772 - 4-MAY-2010

This girl, from Bellary medical college, visited the Rajiv Gandhi University of Health Sciences (RGUHS) to collect her degree certificate on April 1. But four officials delayed giving it, citing various reasons. First, they told her the certificate was not signed by the vice-chancellor, and asked her to come after a couple of days. When she again went to them, they said the printer was out of order. They dilly-dallied this way for many days before finally demanding a bribe from her. Left with no choice, she knocked on the doors of the registrar. It was then the entire racket came to light. Immediately, the four officials were dismissed.

For the full report in the TOI, click here

TTMC - a case of total misuse of JNNURM funds

murali772 - 4-MAY-2010

The Jayanagar TTMC was built with a swanky futuristic look but all what’s within is huge empty spaces and leaking walls and roofs. Almost close to completing a year now, all the promises are still on paper. Apart from the busy bus service in the basement, there’s been no progress within. A quick survey of the entire building reveals nothing more than empty spaces, unfinished structures and poor quality of construction. Even the flooring and electrical wiring have not been completed. The walls and beams have already given in to the recent rain. The unfinished wiring works on the first and second floors are now seen soaked.

At a time when there is serious shortage of parking space, this TTMC has a huge park and ride provision on the terrace with a capacity of nearly 110 cars. The original idea behind it was that people could drive in, park their cars/ two-wheelers and board their bus. But, with no lifts ready yet, people are forced to walk the entire ramp up and down to park and ride. According to locals here, weekdays hardly see even 10-15 cars parked here. Even on weekends, the numbers hardly touch 20.

Should'nt city editors have critical eye ?

vinay_sreenivasa - 2-MAY-2010

Here is what the editor of a city news paper says about metro and mono etc -

Another piece of good news. Apart from Metro rail, work on which has picked up speed, Bangalore will soon have a mono rail, acting as feeder service to the Metro, and a high speed rail to link the city to international airport. A global city like Bangalore needs such rapid transport systems. Its narrow roads can’t handle the increasing vehicular traffic. The number of twowheelers and autorickshaws will come down drastically once the Metro rail starts functioning. Many may stop using personal cars. You can reach your destination in no time, that too in the cozy comforts of air-conditioned coaches. No dust, no noise, no sweat. Mono rail will help you reach Metro stations in similar comfort. And you can say goodbye to parking problems.

I have pasted the link to the article in the epaper at the end of the mail. Read the times of india bangalore city edition - may 2, pg 5.

Government medical colleges hood-winking MCI

murali772 - 1-MAY-2010

If private medical colleges hire house surgeons to hoodwink Medical Council of India inspectors, it’s malpractice. But what if the government itself pushes through ‘standby transfers’ during MCI inspections and submits a report that new government medical colleges meet the governing body’s guidelines?
    
Medical education minister Ramachandra Gowda first termed this a ‘sensitive issue’ but then said the government was trying to save students who had got admission. Later, he insisted he didn’t want to comment on the issue.
    
The fact is the government issued 15 transfer orders of senior residents, lecturers, assistant professors and professors between January 16 and March 6 this year. In each transfer order, seven to nine faculty members were transferred from established medical institutions like Bangalore Medical College and KIMS, Hubli to new colleges in Hassan, Mandya, Shimoga and other places.