Latest news with #MaheshwaraRao
Indian Express
08-05-2025
- Climate
- Indian Express
Civic body committed to goals of Brand Bengaluru: new BBMP commissioner Maheshwara Rao
Newly appointed BBMP commissioner Maheshwara Rao Thursday announced that Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister D K Shivakumar has asked him to work towards a 'Clean Bengaluru' mission. Addressing the press in Bengaluru after a review meeting with all zonal commissioners, Rao said, 'In line with directions from the deputy chief minister, our priority is to work towards a clean Bengaluru. We have been carrying out extensive clean-up drives across all BBMP zones in the last one month. We will be intensifying this drive in the coming days.' He added that directions will be given to civic authorities to clean up debris and minimise black spots, especially in crowded places like bus stands, railway stations, and market areas. On April 1, BBMP introduced a user fee for waste collection based on property size. Rao said the civic agency is committed to the goals of Brand Bengaluru. 'We are working on improving the basic infrastructure needs, such as fixing potholes, tackling flood-prone areas, ensuring pedestrian-friendly infrastructure, and related works,' said Rao. The commissioner also reviewed monsoon preparedness with the zonal commissioners and engineers. He committed to clear encroachments and blockages in stormwater drains by the first week of June, ahead of the monsoon season. 'We have identified a total of 209 vulnerable spots that are prone to flooding under the BBMP zone. It includes areas like Nagawara, Nayandahalli, and Mahadevapura, among others, where floods are mostly reported. We are working closely with the revenue department to identify and clear encroachments wherever required. Directions have also been given to clear the stormwater drains to ensure… smooth passage of rainwater,' he said. On fixing potholes, Rao stated that the civic agency has fixed 245 potholes this year and is yet to tackle 1,300 potholes.
Indian Express
08-05-2025
- Politics
- Indian Express
Metro fare fixation committee report to be made public soon: BMRCL Managing Director Maheshwara Rao
The Bengaluru Metro Rail Corporation Limited (BMRCL) broke its silence on the fare fixation committee (FFC) report, with the BMRCL managing director confirming to The Indian Express on Thursday that the report will be made public soon. Maheshwara Rao, Managing Director, BMRCL, however, avoided questions over the delay in publishing the report and did not clarify when the report would be published. The fare fixation committee that hiked Bengaluru metro fares comprised Justice (Retd) R Tharani, former judge of the Madras High Court, along with Satyendra Pal Singh, Additional Secretary, Union Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs, and E V Ramana Reddy, retired IAS officer and former additional chief secretary to the Government of Karnataka. Rao's response came after parliamentarians, including P C Mohan and Tejasvi Surya, repeatedly requested that the report be made public. Earlier, BMRCL had declined to submit the fare fixation report under the Right to Information Act. Surya sent a second letter to Rao on Thursday on the issue. He had earlier written on the matter on April 28. In the letter, he stated, 'In the wake of the steep hike in the metro fares, public interest demands that the FFC report be made available immediately to ensure transparency and accountability. Despite the passage of considerable time and my formal request almost 10 days ago, the report has neither been published on the BMRCL website nor made accessible through any official channel. This delay stands in sharp contrast to the practices followed by other metro organisations and goes against the interest of openness and informed discourse.' He added, 'I once again urge you to promptly release the FFC report in full, without further delay. Transparency in public service delivery is essential for building trust and credibility, especially when fare decisions directly impact lakhs of daily commuters.' The FFC was constituted in 2024 following a request from BMRCL to the Union Government for a fare revision, as metro fares had not been revised since 2017. The Union Government directed the committee to begin functioning on September 16, 2024, with a three-month deadline to submit recommendations. The committee studied fare revision structures of other metro systems by visiting Singapore and Hong Kong, with FFC and BMRCL officials incurring expenses of approximately Rs 12.97 lakh and Rs 12.88 lakh, respectively, for these foreign tours. The FFC visited the national capital, given Delhi Metro's status as a leading metro system in India. The committee also consulted with Chennai Metro authorities. The committee recommended an average fare increase of 46 per cent (after a 5 per cent discount for smart card users), though BMRCL had requested a 105.15 per cent hike, equivalent to a 14.02 per cent year-on-year increase. The FFC's recommendation translated to a 6.87 per cent year-on-year increase. As a result, the maximum fare increased from Rs 60 to Rs 90 for distances exceeding 25 km, making it the costliest metro in India. Following public backlash and a directive from Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah on February 13 this year, BMRCL capped the maximum stage-wise fare increase at 71 per cent (down from 105.15 per cent for certain slabs). The revised fares took effect on February 14, addressing anomalies where fares had doubled for short distances. BMRCL cited a 42 per cent increase in staff salaries, a 366 per cent rise in maintenance and administration costs, and a 34 per cent increase in electricity bills from 2017 to March 2024. Security costs alone amount to Rs 7 crore per month (14 per cent of the Rs 50 crore monthly operational cost). BMRCL also faces significant loan repayment commitments, with Rs 770.60 crore (including Rs 647.66 crore in loans and Rs 122.94 crore in interest) due in 2024-25, projected to rise to Rs 2,776.58 crore by 2029-30. The fare hike also led to a 4 per cent drop in ridership (from 8.6 lakh to 8.29 lakh on February 10, 2025). By the end of February, BMRCL recorded a ridership of 2.09 crore, a 40 lakh drop from January's 2.49 crore. Sanath Prasad is a senior sub-editor and reporter with the Bengaluru bureau of Indian Express. He covers education, transport, infrastructure and trends and issues integral to Bengaluru. He holds more than two years of reporting experience in Karnataka. His major works include the impact of Hijab ban on Muslim girls in Karnataka, tracing the lives of the victims of Kerala cannibalism, exploring the trends in dairy market of Karnataka in the aftermath of Amul-Nandini controversy, and Karnataka State Elections among others. If he is not writing, he keeps himself engaged with badminton, swimming, and loves exploring. ... Read More
Indian Express
07-05-2025
- Politics
- Indian Express
Residents of Bengaluru's Indiranagar oppose conversion of Victory Ground into enclosed stadium
Residents of Indiranagar 1st and 2nd Stages have objected to a Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) proposal to convert the Victory Ground, the only open playground in the area, into an enclosed stadium with facilities like parking. A detailed project report (DPR) from the office of a BBMP executive engineer has sparked fears among residents that the project will privatise a public space and restrict access for the community, particularly children from lower-income areas. The basketball ground at Victory Grounds in Indiranagar 1st Stage is expected to become a tensile-roofed stadium at an estimated cost of Rs. 6.5 crore, with its groundbreaking ceremony scheduled for Thursday. The residents, while supportive of an upgrade for the basketball court to ensure children's safety, have outlined several grievances regarding the project. In a letter to BBMP Chief Commissioner Maheshwara Rao and Zonal Commissioner (East) Snehal R, a federation of resident welfare associations in Indiranagar, has strongly objected to the proposed enclosure of the playground citing proximity to residential areas and lack of public consultation, among other concerns. The Indiranagar Basketball Club (IBBC) uses the ground for coaching. Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah 's political secretary, K Govindaraj, had made clear the government's interest in constructing a stadium on the Victory Ground. He also heads the Karnataka State Basketball Association and the Karnataka Olympics Association. Swarna Venkataraman, a core member of the i Change Indiranagar organisation, told 'Converting a public playground to an enclosed stadium means cutting off access to the public who have actively used the ground for sporting and other recreational activities. All we are appealing to the government is to allow the ground to serve its natural purpose, which is for everyone to use. The tenders were floated and contractors were selected without transparency and lack of public consultation.' She added, 'If the government really wants to upgrade, let them improve the existing basketball court. In fact, it was the residents of Indiranagar who pooled CSR funds to build a gate, fix the walls, and ensure cleanliness and hygiene around the playground.' The residents argue that the playground is situated in a residential zone as per the Revised Master Plan 2015, surrounded by narrow roads less than 40 feet wide. Contrary to the DPR, residents argue that the area lacks adequate parking and that the proposed stadium will exacerbate congestion, noise, and pollution in the residential neighbourhood. The enclosure of the basketball court has raised fears that access will be limited to the IBBC members. Residents question how the BBMP will ensure continued free access for children from nearby lower-income layouts to the space. The residents also complain that the IBBC, which charges substantial fees for training, has not contributed to upgrading the playground's facilities over the years. They have demanded clarity on the memorandum of understanding signed by the BBMP and the IBBC, suspecting that the new infrastructure, funded by public money, will primarily benefit the private club and its sponsors. A similar proposal in 2017 to convert the basketball court into an indoor stadium was halted following opposition from residents and a stay order from the Karnataka High Court. The State Human Rights Commission also opposed the plan, criticising attempts to restrict public access to open spaces. The court stayed the 2017 tender process, noting that the question of whether the construction contributes to the improvement or more beneficial use of the playground requires further consideration. The residents have emphasised that while they welcome upgrades and regular maintenance of the basketball ground, any development must ensure open access for all and preserve the playground's public character. They are also contemplating legal action if the government goes ahead with the project.
