Not my fault

silkboard - 2-AUG-2007

It costs Rs 5000 and there is no online version available, not even a summarized one. So while I am yet to read Bangalore's Masterplan-2015, newspapers have been supplying bits and bytes on it. Of them recently, this one caught my attention. Apparently, with CDP-2015, Architects, planners and engineers face the threat of losing licences if they fail to report violations of building byelaws, and they are not happy with it:

"By bringing in this clause, the authorities, they allege, are shifting the burden of enforcing the laws to architects, town planners and engineers."

Alright, government bashing is fashion of the day. But I fail to see the rationale behind general expectations that everything is the responsibility of "officials". (Actually, I find this word "officials" pretty amusing, will save that for a later post).

BIAL Official Updates August 2007

tsubba - 2-AUG-2007

Official Updates of Construction during July 2007
The construction of new Bangalore Airport has now reached the 26th month starting August 2007. The total project progress is now approximately 80%.

Lanes, Are They Useful?

tsubba - 2-AUG-2007

Can lane discipline really reduce traffic jams? Are lanes of any use? Given how things are, not as they are designed, and not unless they put some thought to it.

lane1

tsubba - 2-AUG-2007

lane do they work?

Candle Light Vigil To Save Hebbal Lake Bangalore

admin123 - 31-JUL-2007

Some students of the Mallya Aditi International School, Bangalore are taking lead and organizing a candle light vigil on Saturday, August 4th, 2007 at 6:30 p.m to save the Hebbal Lake. All you need to bring is candles and sense of care to save the lake.

[Background: Home to thousands of birds and source of livelihood to hundreds of people, the Hebbal Lake, is set to make way for a floating restaurant and other recreational activities all in the name of preservation. Some say this recreational center violates zoning regulations. Before that, is privatization of Bangalore's lakes the only route available to LDA for preserving them?]

BBMP's online promise

silkboard - 1-AUG-2007

Did you know that Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation has an online RTI system to accept queries for information? Select who you want to ask, what you want to know, your details and it should give you a registration number. Then, use this registration number to check status of your query. I am guessing that the usual RTI query deadline of 30 days will apply, so you should get responses.

GHMC's equivalent for Bengaluru, BBMP doesn't have such a system. But don't be disappointed, it may be on its way. Recently, a note appeared on BBMP's RTI page that says such a system is being deployed. Pretty good. But hang on, BBMP hasn't set good precedents on online interaction front.

Funny - Where to go to Rest Room when in Traffic Jam

bangalorean - 1-AUG-2007

Banerghatta Road to Hosur - shortcut?

silkboard - 31-JUL-2007

We all know how bad the area round 19th main intersection is. (marker #1 in the map below). So it is not a surprise, that a shortcut to get to Hosur Road is getting pretty popular. I am guessing markers #2 and #3 are it. Or is it a set of roads further south, someone correct or confirm please. [gmap markers=numbers::12.91773535807916,77.61008262634277 + 12.89983180018161,77.60510444641113 + 12.898827824399307,77.61900901794434 |zoom=14 |center=12.909954997462895,77.60896682739258 |width=520px |height=390px |id=macro_map |control=Small |type=Map]

Report from Devanahalli

silkboard - 30-JUL-2007

Srivathsa mailed in this report from his drive to Devenahalli yesterday:

"Drove yesterday to Devanahalli on some other work. The road after Hebbal flyover is in pretty good shape. There are no real bottlenecks there - but a number of potential accident zones. The real bottlenecks are at Cauvery theatre, then the stretch along UAS or just before that. Very narrow roads with a number of right turns and intersections. Some serious de-bottlenecking needs to be done along this stretch.

Once past Hebbal - a grade separator is needed at the entry to yelahanka town. Of course a really bad accident will probably have to happen before something gets done. Then along the way there are a number of intersections where grade separators as well as pedestrian overpasses are needed. They also need to plan some elevated U-turns.

JNNURM and Karnataka

tsubba - 29-JUL-2007

State has failed to make the most of JNNURM