Latest news with #MetroFeederBus314A
Hindustan Times
24-07-2025
- Politics
- Hindustan Times
Lokayukta conducts surprise raids, senior IAS officer in Bengaluru at center of probe: Report
A prominent female IAS officer, Vasanthi Amar B V, has found herself under the spotlight following an extensive Lokayukta investigation into unexplained assets among government officials. Vasanthi, who currently holds the position of Special Deputy Commissioner at Karnataka's Railway Infrastructure Development Company (K-RIDE), played a leading role in the land acquisition process for the transformative Bengaluru Suburban Railway Project, according to news agency PTI. A Lokayukta investigation has spotlighted IAS officer Vasanthi Amar B V, uncovering assets worth ₹ 9.03 crore linked to her.(PTI) ALSO READ | Explosives found in Bengaluru bus stand ahead of CM event? Here's what happened: Report On Wednesday, authorities executed a sweeping operation, conducting searches at 41 properties associated with eight officials across various Karnataka districts, including Bengaluru Urban, Mysuru, Tumakuru, Kalaburagi, Koppal, and Kodagu. The collective value of illicit assets uncovered in these coordinated raids reached an estimated ₹37.42 crore, the PTI report said. ALSO READ | Here's what 400 signatures achieved in Bengaluru: The inspiring journey of Metro Feeder Bus 314A/1 Spotlight on Vasanthi Amar BV Investigators searched five different locations tied to IAS Vasanthi. These efforts exposed assets totalling about ₹9.03 crore. Notable holdings attributed to her included three residential plots and four separate houses, approximately three acres of agricultural land, assessed at ₹7.4 crore, precious jewelry worth ₹12 lakh and vehicles collectively valued at ₹90 lakh. ALSO READ | 'Its skid game for Namma Bengaluru…': Residents enact scene from this series to highlight civic apathy. Watch The revelations have had immediate operational consequences. Insiders at K-RIDE reported that the Bengaluru Suburban Railway Project has ground to a halt, as contractors have paused work amid ongoing issues with land acquisition — a process directly linked to Vasanthi's responsibilities. (With inputs from PTI)
NDTV
24-07-2025
- General
- NDTV
How This Engineer's Campaign Led To Bengaluru's First Feeder Bus
Bengaluru: There is a story behind Metro Feeder Bus 314A/1, launched on July 19 by Bengaluru Metropolitan Transport Corporation (BMTC) to serve the residents of Kaggadasapura and C V Raman Nagar. And the moral of the story too: when people get together, they can get things done. It took 400 signatures from citizens concerned and three months of hustling the power that be before the long-awaited bus materialised. The feeder bus, apart from serving residents, is also expected to benefit those working in Bagmane Tech Park as well as the employees of the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) office in Kaggadasapura. The campaign started in 2024, said Shachi Pathak, a resident of Kaggadasapura who led the campaign. "To get that 400 signatures was not easy, but it was easier than my first civic campaign to rejuvenate Kaggadasapura lake. Now, I understand how to go about these things: persuasion is the key," said Pathak to PTI. Pathak, who has been active in civic volunteering space since 2022, knows how the system works, agreed Srinivas Alavilli, Senior Fellow at WRI India, who works on creating sustainable transport solutions. "She understood the route needs, mobilised her neighbours and apartment associations. Collected 400 signatures and then submitted a formal petition to BMTC in person," he added. A software engineer, who had to quit her job for personal reasons, Pathak said she now runs a firm that provides resume writing consultation. Pathak, 44, moved to Bengaluru from Varanasi after her marriage in 2006. "Initially, I started by volunteering to manage social media groups of residents from C V Raman Nagar and K R Puram constituencies. It didn't take me long to realise that there is a huge gap between people having issues and authority taking action. To bridge this gap, we need more active citizens," she added. Pathak recalled how when she finally stood up for Kaggadasapura lake, she stood alone as no one really knew her. "It was also a lonely battle, because people had by then given up. I was not the first one to talk about it. But I still surveyed and collected feedback from hundreds of residents and submitted it to the Chief Commissioner and MLAs," said Pathak. The success of that project and her conviction had people rallying behind her for the subsequent campaigns. Around October 2023, Pathak said she joined the group of people who were pushing for the first feeder bus for the area. "The first bus came easily enough, in just a month, but one feeder bus service was not enough to cover the whole area, so our neighbourhood got left out," said Pathak. The next phase of their campaign faced delays, she added. "BMTC was slow to act on some of our suggestions, and key routes like Kaggadasapura Main Road remained unaddressed. Additionally, damaged roads forced us to pause efforts for a while. After the Lok Sabha elections in mid-2024, we revived the campaign with renewed energy," she said. Over the years of dealing with authorities, Pathak said she understood the power of people getting together. "One person does not matter to the authorities. The more people, the better it is for the campaign. Also, persuasion is a continuous process. So, I realised that it is very important to keep people engaged and to build a community," said Pathak. This is where 'X', Instagram, Facebook, and WhatsApp, came to her help, said Pathak. Through various groups, she and other volunteers cater to the social needs of her neighbourhood. "We help residents to connect with each other to get information or advice on education, real estate, reselling of old items, or even pursue their hobbies. We also have a group for Kannada learning. Many women entrepreneurs are benefitting from these groups," said Pathak. Another citizen group that is leveraging social media to build a community is the popular HSR Citizen Forum, whose sustainable living campaigns often go viral. Incidentally, the first successful feeder bus service was introduced in HSR Layout in August 2023. Shashidhara K, a member of HSR Citizen Forum, said because they were selected by Directorate of Urban Land Transport (DULT)'s Sustainable Mobility Accords (SuMA) Initiative, due to their proactive citizen initiatives, they could plan the route and stops, based on the feedback from residents, making the service most effective in Bengaluru. "We planned this over three years with DULT. We had bus stops at every 300 m, about 18 of them, and situated in such a way that either direction commuters would have access to a bus every 5 to 8 minutes," said Shasidhara. But where HSR Citizen Forum really won is in its relentless outreach efforts. The campaign that lasted three months ingrained the idea of using feeder buses that they run full almost at any time, said Shanthi Tummala, an active member of the citizen forum, to PTI. People, irrespective of their social standing, have developed the habit of jumping into them instead of taking their private vehicles, she added. Tummala said BMTC had introduced feeder buses twice before in HSR Layout and had to phase them out as they didn't get expected traction. "This time, we decided to involve citizens even during the planning stage. We put out route maps at every place possible. We literally drove into every resident's head about the availability of service, timings and the route. It has paid off now," added Tummala.
Hindustan Times
24-07-2025
- General
- Hindustan Times
Here's what 400 signatures achieved in Bengaluru: The inspiring journey of Metro Feeder Bus 314A/1
Bengaluru witnessed a remarkable example of citizen power with the launch of Metro Feeder Bus 314A/1 on July 19 by the Bengaluru Metropolitan Transport Corporation (BMTC). This new bus route now connects the residents of Kaggadasapura and C V Raman Nagar, providing much-needed connectivity and easing daily commutes for those living and working in the area, including employees of Bagmane Tech Park and the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO), according to news agency PTI. A petition with 400 signatures prompted BMTC to enhance public transport for local commuters, thus launching the metro feeder bus. READ | Pawan Kalyan's Hari Hara Veera Mallu posters torn by Kannada activists in Bengaluru. Video The road to this success was anything but easy. It took the persistent efforts of local residents, led by Shachi Pathak of Kaggadasapura, who spearheaded a campaign that gathered 400 signatures over three months, the report stated. The signatures formed the foundation of a formal petition to BMTC, urging action for better public transport options. READ | 'Its skid game for Namma Bengaluru…': Residents enact scene from this series to highlight civic apathy. Watch Pathak, a civic volunteer since 2022 with deep knowledge of navigating bureaucratic channels, described how rallying neighbours and apartment associations was key. "To get that 400 signatures was not easy, but it was easier than my first civic campaign to rejuvenate Kaggadasapura lake. Now, I understand how to go about these things: persuasion is the key," Pathak said, as quoted by the agency. Social media platforms like Instagram, 'X', Facebook, and WhatsApp proved invaluable for building community connections, offering residents a space to exchange information, support initiatives, and strengthen ties, the report said. READ | Bollywood Rolls-Royces rack up huge fines in Bengaluru, but here's the twist: Report The newfound Metro feeder bus route in Kaggadasapura stands as a testament to how collective citizen action — just 400 signatures strong — can drive meaningful change, improving urban mobility and quality of life. (With inputs from PTI)
Deccan Herald
24-07-2025
- General
- Deccan Herald
Guess what 400 signatures could get you in Bengaluru? A bus
Thank you @BMTC_BENGALURU for launching the Metro Feeder Bus 314A/1! This new service will greatly benefit many residents of Kaggadasapura-C V Raman Nagar by providing convenient, affordable, and reliable last-mile connectivity to the metro station.
