Sakrama and regularization

silkboard - 6-MAR-2008

So the state government extended the deadline, and also reduced 'regularization' fees. The BJP wants the scheme to be put on hold, and I think we will soon hear more from the courts via some pending PILs.

Sakrama may not be a perfect scheme, but it is the only step government has taken towards solving the mother of all ills that plague our city - plan violations. I don't like the one time fee concept (why not make violators pay a fee every year, that way you will make them think of altering constructions). I don't see clarity on what will happen to the buildings with 'unacceptable' level of violations - demolitions or not? I don't see any talk of punishing the 'officials' who may have been involved in letting things come to such a state where 70-80% of buildings have violations. I don't see creation of new fund or special task-force (regularization fees can be used for this) to improve policing of building norms so that we don't require a Sakrama every five years. But, but, but.

New BDA layouts

alagiri - 11-FEB-2008

Does anybody have updates on the status of the cabinet approval on the proposed new BDA layouts. -Alagiri

Story of Bangalore traffic - in pictures

silkboard - 15-JAN-2008

This is how it begins, so I told you a few months ago. Nothing but a no-parking sign in June. Small shops sprung up in August. September: two wheelers parked and pedestrians off the pavements. Now, no-parking sign is almost gone, and road-side parking is common on Varthur road, right next to the busy Kundalahalli intersection. Unregulated construction, irresponsible small businesses who think roads are free parking space, motorists with scant respect for no-parking signs, and no enforcement of pedestrian rights (pavements are almost gone) - this my friends, is the story of most roads and intersections in Bangalore with annoying traffic congestions. Pictures tell the story - Aug, Sep and Jan:

Stir over Sakrama

GVK - 5-DEC-2007

Agreed. Violators have rights. Right to protest government action, to appeal against penalty for their violations. Several residents associations in Bangalore have moved the court, seeking a stay on the Karnataka Sakrama scheme; which gives house-owners time till Dec.15 to 1) admit violation of municipal laws in their buildings; and 2) seek regularization on payment of penalty.

Widespread stir, public interest litigation, and a wait-and-watch attitude adopted by most house-owners raise a question mark on enforceablity of the scheme in its current form. Out of 2.1 lakh application forms sold in the state no more than 4,100 are reported have been have been filled and submitted to the authorities rill date. Deadline for filing applications expire on December 14.

Such large-scale non-compliance may well force the authorities to 1) extend deadline; and 2) re-work the scheme to make it more widely acceptable.

Akrama Sakrama

bangalorean - 4-DEC-2007

AKRAMA SAKRAMA, IT IS FULL DRAMA

PUTTING BANGALOREANS IN FULL TRAUMA,

MAKING EVERY ONE TELL AYYO RAMA AYYO RAMA

Sakrama - setting things right?

silkboard - 3-DEC-2007

Saturday afternoon, I spotted this notice in front of a commercial building in Banashankari. One look at the building, and I could guess what it could be. The building has a basement - must have been approved for parking usage - that houses retail stores. [PS: obfuscated the address etc from photo]

After looking at this BBMP notice, this is what I was thinking. How many commercial buildings of this size (not too large, not too small) would have violations? From what I see, perhaps a good 30-40%. If you include the newly added peripheral areas (the new B in BBMP), I bet the percentage would be higher.

7.14 Demand Control

admin123 - 15-NOV-2007

7.14 DEMAND CONTROL

Indian IT professionals among worst paid globally - What does it mean for Bangalore ?

cvikash - 18-OCT-2007

"While Indian IT managers stood fourth on the ten lowest paying countries with an average salary of $25,000, Vietnam topped the list with a meagre average salary of $15,470, followed by Bulgaria and Philippines averaging at $22,240 and $22,280 respectively.

Bangalore, demolitions, media etc

silkboard - 15-OCT-2007

Demolitions have been making news every other week, looks like BBMP is going to keep their razors up even after the rains are gone.

Papers report today (online link unavailable) that BBMP is set to demolish parts of the club-house of Koramangala National Games village. It was reported earlier that the club-house was situated atop Raja Kaluve.

I found this news report - Portions of nine buildings demolished in Puttenahalli - interesting for the last paragraph it carries.

Bangalore and Ribbon Development

silkboard - 7-OCT-2007

Bangalore's peripheral areas all messed up? Blame it on Ribbon Development. Let me introduce you to a term very relevant to the congested sprawl that our city is witnessing. Simply put, Ribbon Development means building shops and houses along the roads radiating from a town. If you were to look at Bangalore from the skies and track recently laid or widened major arterial roads leading out of the city, you would notice that almost all big ticket construction/development happens solely along (rather right on top of) these roads.

Do me another favor. When on the periphery of Bangalore, try take a left or right out of any big radial road. This is most likely what you would see [pictures below]. Pathetic roads, poor quality of construction and even narrower streets if you were to venture into a "layout".