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Hindustan Times
30-07-2025
- Business
- Hindustan Times
Bengaluru civic body's online initiative to convert B khata properties to be launched in 2 weeks: Report
The Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) is rolling out a new online facility for property owners who wish to upgrade their B Khata properties to A Khata. This move follows the state government's decision to begin regularising B Khata lands, making it easier for individuals to complete the process from home and removing the need to physically visit government offices. The new digital service by BBMP allows property owners to upgrade B Khata to A Khata without visiting government offices.(Wiki Commons ) This new system focuses exclusively on the land aspect; buildings that are illegal do not qualify for this regularisation, as their fate is linked to the Akarma Sakrama scheme, which remains suspended due to a Supreme Court stay. READ | Bengaluru's long-delayed civic body polls likely to happen after November: DCM DK Shivakumar According to BBMP Chief Commissioner M Maheshwar Rao, the digital service will be operational within the next two weeks, the Deccan Herald reported. Initially, only suitable revenue sites — land used for non-agricultural purposes but not yet fully documented — and certain plots in layouts lacking official approval will be considered under the fresh standard operating procedures. Issues relating to non-compliant buildings will be addressed later. B Khata was implemented in 2009 to bring untaxed properties, especially those in informal or unapproved layouts, under the tax system, and currently covers around 700,000 properties in the city. In contrast, A Khata is reserved for properties that meet all legal requirements. B Khata typically applies to revenue sites up to 6,000sqft, unauthorized constructions, and sites in layouts not formally sanctioned. READ | Karnataka sees 22% rainfall deficit in July so far, Bengaluru anticipates increased rainfall mid-August As per the latest government order, only land-type B Khata properties — namely revenue plots and plots in non-approved layouts — are eligible for conversion in this online push. Any structures built in violation of building laws will remain ineligible for A Khata status at this time. The order outlines that B Khata will continue unless the owner opts for the conversion process, provided the site meets accessibility criteria and is free from illegal construction. This step is expected to ease the burden on owners of properties previously classified as B Khata solely because the land was in an unapproved layout or was a revenue site, enabling them to obtain A Khata without the need to approach the deputy commissioner's office for conversion to non-agricultural land.
Hindustan Times
18-07-2025
- Business
- Hindustan Times
Bengaluru's Yellow Line Metro gets crucial safety clearance, opening expected soon: Report
Bengaluru's long-awaited Yellow Line is finally nearing its launch, with the Bangalore Metro Rail Corporation Limited (BMRCL) receiving a critical safety certification for its train and signalling systems. The certification was issued by Italcertifer, a state-owned Italian firm tasked with evaluating the safety of the system. (PTI File) According to a report by Deccan Herald, the Independent Safety Assessment (ISA), mandatory for driverless train operations, was submitted to BMRCL on Thursday evening. The certification was issued by Italcertifer, a state-owned Italian firm tasked with evaluating the safety of the system. 'We'll go through the report and then submit it to the CMRS,' an official with direct knowledge of the matter told DH. The ISA certification had faced delays due to software glitches in the signalling system developed by Siemens India Limited in collaboration with Siemens AG, the report further added. These glitches affected datasets that control key train operations. Engineers had to fix and field-test the software before re-verification, which pushed back the timeline. (Also Read: Bengaluru man lures 9-year-old with ice cream, held for sexual assault inside bakery: Report) The BMRCL adheres to Safety Integrity Level 4, the highest standard in metro rail safety, and required the ISA clearance before seeking a statutory inspection by the Commissioner of Metro Railway Safety (CMRS). The CMRS for the Southern Circle, AM Chowdhary, is expected to conduct a detailed inspection of the Yellow Line, including its tracks, stations, viaducts, and other infrastructure, later this month. The inspection process will likely span three to four days. Once the CMRS report is submitted, typically within a week and often with conditions, BMRCL will work on meeting those requirements before requesting clearance from the state government. The final approval will also involve the union government, a joint partner in the Namma Metro project. In early July, BMRCL Managing Director M Maheshwar Rao had announced that the Yellow Line was expected to open by August 15. Currently, the metro authority has three trains ready to operate on the line, with a fourth trainset expected to be dispatched from Kolkata-based Titagarh Rail Systems Limited (TRSL) by the fourth week of July. TRSL is expected to supply two new trains per month starting in September, with all 15 trainsets to be delivered by March 2025, the publication reported. (Also Read: Woman killed, four injured as BMTC electric bus rams into canteen in Peenya)
Hindustan Times
05-07-2025
- Politics
- Hindustan Times
Bengaluru's Yellow Line Metro may open by August 15, says BMRCL Chief: Report
After months of anticipation, the Bengaluru Metro's much-delayed Yellow Line, which connects RV Road to Bommasandra via Electronic City, is now expected to open by August 15, according to top officials at the Bengaluru Metro Rail Corporation Limited (BMRCL), Indian Express reported. BMRCL Managing Director Maheshwar Rao.(X/M Maheshwar Rao) The announcement follows a citizen-led protest rally organized by BJP MPs and MLAs on Saturday, demanding the immediate commissioning of the stretch. (Also read: 'Bengaluru existed before IT boom': Viral post counters city's retirement-town label) The event, held under the banner 'Yellow Line na open maadi (Open Yellow Line)', drew attention to growing commuter frustration over the delay in connecting major tech and industrial corridors of the city. BMRCL Managing Director Maheshwar Rao said the Yellow Line has received its third train, and final testing is currently underway. Since the corridor is designed for driverless, automated trains, an independent safety assessment is in progress, the report further added. According to the publication, due to limited rolling stock availability, operations on the Yellow Line will begin on a modest scale. Only three trains will be available initially, with a 20-minute headway between services. The trains will stop at five to six key stations during the early phase. Rao added that full-scale service will be ramped up gradually. BMRCL is expecting two new trains every month from August onwards from the Titagarh Rail System. Data on ridership and commuter flow to Bommasandra will inform future adjustments. Bangalore South MP Tejasvi Surya, who spearheaded the protest alongside Bangalore Central MP P C Mohan, also demanded transparency from BMRCL on its fare pricing strategy. A recent fare fixation report recommending over 100% hike in Metro fares has drawn criticism from commuters, prompting calls for the report to be made public. (Also Read: 'Why is she even here?': Canara Bank official faces backlash for not understanding Kannada. Watch)
Hindustan Times
04-07-2025
- Business
- Hindustan Times
Bengaluru's Yellow Line Metro to open in early August, PM Modi likely to attend the launch event: Report
After years of delays, Bengaluru Metro's Yellow Line, connecting RV Road to Bommasandra, is finally set to open, with the launch expected in early August, reported Deccan Herald. Bengaluru's Namma Metro Yellow Line. (X/MetroRailNews) Also Read - Bengaluru: Daughter of murdered top cop Om Prakash vandalises milk booth, case filed Stretching 19.15 km, the Yellow Line will pass through key transit points such as Jayadeva Hospital, Silk Board Junction, and Electronics City, providing a long-awaited connectivity boost to the city's southern corridor. The line's launch was delayed mainly due to a shortage of trains and pending approvals tied to its driverless train system, which requires Independent Safety Assessment (ISA) certification before operations can begin. The Bangalore Metro Rail Corporation Limited (BMRCL) currently has only three trains allocated for the Yellow Line. These will run at 25-minute intervals, stopping at all 16 stations along the route, said the report further. 'A safety inspection is likely to take place after July 15. This process typically takes about three to four days, given the number of stations and the line's overall length,' a senior BMRCL official is quoted as a saying. The statutory inspection will include a detailed review of all 16 stations, track infrastructure, operational readiness, and a visit to the Operational Control Centre (OCC) at the Baiyappanahalli depot, which will take an entire day. Also Read - Karnataka to host first-ever book and cultural festival at Bengaluru's Vidhana Soudha According to BMRCL Managing Director M Maheshwar Rao, all statutory procedures should conclude by the end of July. 'Once we receive CMRS clearance, we'll announce the opening date. We're hopeful it will be ready in the first week of August,' he told the publication. PM Modi likely to attend the launch event Meanwhile, the report said that there indications that Prime Minister Narendra Modi may attend the inauguration ceremony, provided it does not clash with the monsoon session of Parliament. For now, BMRCL has tentatively selected KSRP Grounds near Silk Board as the venue for the launch event.
Hindustan Times
21-05-2025
- Politics
- Hindustan Times
‘Bengaluru too big to manage like Electronic City': BBMP chief responds to calls for ELCITA model
Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) Chief Commissioner M Maheshwar Rao has responded to growing comparisons between Bengaluru and the much smaller and better-managed Electronic City, saying such parallels fail to account for the massive differences in scale and complexity. In an interview with News18, Rao acknowledged the positive steps taken by the Electronic City Industrial Township Authority (ELCITA) and expressed openness to adopting innovations from their model. However, he emphasised that managing a sprawling metropolis like Bengaluru, home to over 14 million people, presents far more intricate challenges. (Also Read: Bengaluru MP flags Instagram account secretly filming women on metro, urges action) 'Any new technology that can help us is welcome,' Rao said. 'But we must recognise that Electronic City operates in a more controlled environment. The number of stakeholders is limited, the space is more manageable, and the nature of administration is very different from that of a city as vast as Bengaluru.' He noted that while ELCITA's success is worth studying, replicating its model across Bengaluru wouldn't be straightforward. 'We are dealing with a much broader canvas. The governance challenges are multiplied by the diversity of issues and the sheer volume of people involved,' he said according to the publication. Rao's remarks came in the wake of a social media post by Biocon Chairperson Kiran Mazumdar-Shaw, who called Bengaluru's living conditions 'insufferable' and proposed that ELCITA be entrusted with managing major industrial areas of the city. She also suggested that BBMP officials could benefit from ELCITA-led training in ward-level governance. In his response, Rao struck a balanced tone, praising ELCITA's efficiency while pushing back against direct comparisons. 'I have great respect for what ELCITA has achieved,' he said. 'If there are practices we can adopt, we are more than willing to learn.' He also addressed recent criticism over the city's handling of rainfall and flooding. Rao pointed out that Bengaluru's stormwater infrastructure is designed to handle 65–70 mm of rain, in line with national standards, but the city was hit with 104 mm of rainfall in a single day last week. 'That's the second-highest rainfall in a decade. Naturally, the system came under stress,' he explained.
