Another hare-brained project? Will the signal free corridor reduce Bengaluru traffic?

Civic Issues

The BBMP is spending Rs 109 crore on the construction of three underpasses between ASC Centre and Hope Farm Junction. Experts, however say its a bad idea.

Harshitha AB

From driverless pod taxis to constructing flyovers and underpasses, Bengaluru’s civic body – the Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike has, over the years, come up with several hare-brained plans to reduce the city’s traffic. In another attempt to reduce the congestion on the city’s roads, the BBMP has now begun work on its signal-free corridor project. Like many of the Palike’s projects, the signal-free corridor project too began years ago but has not yet come to fruition. The BBMP proposed the plan in 2014. The signal free-corridor was to stretch between Army Service Corps Centre and Hope Farm Junction in Whitefield. The civic body had planned the construction of three underpasses for this signal-free corridor – at the ISRO junction in Marathahalli, at Suranjan Das Road Junction near HAL, and at Kundalahalli Junction on Old Airport Road. However, the work has begun recently, and has already run into roadblocks. In August 2018 the BBMP began constructing one of the underpasses at ISRO Junction. However, the project was halted just a month later as the workers found a 220KW Karnataka Power Transmission Corporation Ltd (KPCTL) cable. “These were electricity cables which provided power to the entire HAL area and hence, we could not continue the construction work,” a senior official with BBMP Project Central-4 Department told TNM. The work will resume only after KPCTL relocates the power lines. ISRO Junction underpass Similarly, BBMP officials say that the stage I of the construction of Kundalahalli underpass will be completed soon. However, the construction work had to be stopped due to problems with land acquisition. Further, the construction work along Suranjan Das Road started only in April this year after BBMP acquired 3,100 acres of land from HAL in March. Kundalahalli Junction underpass The BBMP is spending Rs 109 crore for the construction of the signal-free corridor. But the larger question is – will it reduce traffic jams? Speaking to TNM, traffic expert MN Srihari says that the project is not pragmatic and is unsuitable for Bengaluru’s roads. “The signal free corridor is not a practical idea because Indian roads mostly comprise of cross roads. Due to this, the traffic is also heavy and vehicles enter from all directions . The underpasses are being constructed at junctions. If the underpasses were being constructed on one-ways, it would have made sense. Such a concept is feasible for roads that continue for a stretch of 10-20 kms such as the New Airport Corridor, and not for roads that have cross-way traffic,” he said. Srihari maintains that coordination of signals is a better idea and must be followed in Bengaluru to reduce bottlenecks. This means that two or more signals in a single corridor must be coordinated so that a large number of vehicles moving along one path do not get stuck at subsequent traffic signals. For instance, if a commuter who is travelling from Ulsoor to Anil Kumble Circle sees the green light at Trinity Cirlce, by the time he/she reaches Manipal Centre Circle, the traffic signal should have turned green. “Because the red and green signals are not coordinated properly, traffic jams happen,” Srihari says.

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MB Patil fake letter row: HC issues notice to Bengaluru police over FIR

Crime

Sharada Diamond, a techie and BJP sympathiser accused of propagating fake news, moved the HC claiming that she was arrested under a section that does not exist in the IT Act.

TNM Staff

Sharada Diamond | Image via Twitter

The Karnataka High Court has issued a notice to Bengaluru police over an FIR registered against Sharada Diamond, an engineer and BJP sympathiser accused of propagating fake news, under a section that does not exist in the Information Technology (IT) Act.  Sharada was booked by police officials at Srirampura police station in the city under section 66A of the IT Act for posting a fake letter which she claimed had been written by Karnataka Home Minister MB Patil to Sonia Gandhi in 2017.  Section 66A of the IT Act was made unconstitutional in 2015 by the Supreme Court.  In spite of this, Srirampura police registered an FIR against Sharada on April 25 under the section. The FIR was registered based on a complaint by J Saravana, who alleged that the petitioner had posted the fake letter on her Facebook page on April 16 and also posted comments to defame MB Patil. Sharada was arrested for promoting the fake letter that talked about a meeting that a few ministers held with representatives of the “Global Christian Council” and “World Islamic Organisation” in 2017 about the strategy for the Karnataka Assembly Elections. (These organisations do not exist). The hearing in the case filed by Sharada was adjourned to May 14.    Meanwhile, Hemanth Kumar, a journalist based in Bengaluru, Shruti Belakki, a resident of Dharwad and Mahesh Vikram Hegde, the founder of Postcard News, a website notorious for publishing fake news, were also detained and questioned by the police over promoting the letter.  The action taken by the police prompted the BJP to term it as a state of emergency in Karnataka.  Read: Four BJP sympathisers held on fake news cases, party says 'Emergency' in Karnataka      

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How waterlogging at Bengaluru’s new Kodigehalli underpass is affecting commuters

Civic

The underpass, which came into existence in April, was meant to cut down travel by 3 km for commuters moving from Kogehalli to Jalahalli.

Theja Ram

The Kodigehalli Railway underpass in Bengaluru, which was meant to ease traffic, has now become a nuisance for commuters. The civic body, the Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike has managed to construct an underpass without constructing a storm water drain for rainwater to flow into. The underpass, which was thrown open the public in April, has flooded every time it has rained in the city, posing a risk to commuters. The downpour on Tuesday evening caused heavy waterlogging, which led to traffic jam and also posed a risk to commuters plying along the path. The underpass connects Kodigehalli and Thindlu as well as Vidyaranyapura and Jalahalli. The underpass was meant to cut down travel by 3 km for commuters moving from Kogehalli to Jalahalli. The 700-meter-long underpass was a joint venture between the BBMP and South-Western Railways. Sanctioned in 2013, it was estimated to be completed in 2015. After a delay of 5 years, the underpass came into existence only in April 2019 at a cost of Rs 19 crore. On Wednesday, the BBMP brought in water suction pumps to drain out the rainwater, after the heavy downpour on Tuesday night. This process of clearing the water took almost 4 to 5 hours resulting in a traffic jam. Speaking to TNM, BBMP Joint Commissioner for Yelahanka Zone, Dr Ashok said that two more pits need to be dug to make provisions for storm water drains. “This part of the work has to carried out by the railways and it is pending. But there was a meeting conducted and for now water is being pumped out. Within a month everything will be sorted,” he said. When asked as to why the public was allowed to use the underpass even though the construction wasn’t completed, Ashok said that the underpass was opened for commute as it would avoid traffic jams. “I cross the road five to six times every day, there is no functioning drainage system yet. Once it rains, the road is entirely flooded and sewage too mixes with the flood water. It gets jammed during rains. So to avoid that, we need to take a longer route that takes half an hour more. So far it has happened 7-8 times,” said Bhanuprakash, a college student, who uses the underpass regularly. Residents also complained of traffic bottlenecks during peak hours and lamented about how the lack of storm water drains has aggravated the issue. “The traffic is horrible during the peak hours and they haven’t even constructed a service road to ease the traffic. Clearly, they have done this only for elections,” said Murali Gopal, a resident of Kodigehalli. Corroborating Murali’s claims, Salman Raju, a regular two-wheeler commuter says that it is risky for vehicles to ply along the underpass as it is constantly waterlogged. “Even if it pours a little, the water level is so much that it is impossible to travel especially for two wheelers. It is risky because what if there is some emergency, we are compelled to take the longer route” Salman Raju added. Besides, residents living near the underpass say that due to the construction work, the sewerage system has been destroyed. Sinha, who lives near the underpass says that the sewage pipes have been damaged. TNM visited Kodigehalli to find that the sewage is dripping into the underpass through the holes in the walls of the underpass. This has led to stench spreading along the path.  “For any underpass, the construction of a drainage system is a basic necessity. The authorities haven’t provided the most basic provision. It is not just about the traffic, but who knows how deep the water is, what if someone gets stuck? It could lead to major accidents. Moreover, it has officially not been opened, so they must close it till they finish the drainage construction completely. There is absolutely no coordination between the systems, clearly they just produced a structure before the elections to show the public that they are working” he added.

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Bengaluru man who gave officials a scare at Metro is an ordinary commuter, say police

Security

The man, identified as Riyas Ahmed, filed a police complaint after he saw his face on TV and saw that people were calling him a terrorist.

TNM Staff

Hours after a high alert was announced in Bengaluru after a man was seen on CCTV refusing to be frisked at the city’s Majestic Metro station, the police have ruled out any threat from him, confirming he was a regular commuter. The visuals circulated by the media showed the man entering the security gate at Majestic (Nadaprabhu Kempegowda) Metro Station and being stopped by the security personnel. He did not undergo further and chose to leave the station. The police said the man has been identified as Riyas, a resident of Nayandahalli. Riyas is a regular commuter and travels from Nayandahalli to Majestic on a daily basis. "Riyas Ahmed, a 49-year-old resident of Gangondanahalli in Bengaluru came to the Upparpet Police Station at around 4 pm and filed a complaint. He has said he is a regular commuter and that when the security guard asked him to pull his kurta up, he said he felt uncomfortable to do so in front of everyone. He later saw his face on TV and saw that people were calling him a terrorist. He said that this has caused him immense mental harassment as people in his neighbourhood are looking at him in a wary manner," DCP West Ravi D Channannavar told reporters on Wednesday. In his complaint, Riyas stated that he owns a small watch repair stall at the Majestic Bus Stand's subway. “He said that he travels by metro every day and on May 6 too. He entered the metro station,” DCP West added. Earlier, the police said that the man had also tried to use the east entrance to enter the metro station. However, the police have confirmed it was not Riyaz but another man. They are trying to trace him. Meanwhile, Upparpet Police have formed a team to probe who leaked the video to the media and spread the false information that Riyaz Ahmed is a suspected terrorist. Earlier in the day, City Police Commissioner T Suneel Kumar had addressed the press announcing four police teams were formed to trace Riyas after the security staff at the metro station found his behaviour ‘suspicious’. CCTV visuals showed him lifting his shirt slightly after a device under his shirt triggered the metal detector to go off.

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Kodagu Dist Commissioner cancels govt officials leave for 3 months during monsoon

Landslide

The decision is among several steps taken by the district administration in the aftermath of the floods and landslides in Kodagu last year.

Mubarak

The Kodagu district administration is putting certain measures in place to prepare for the imminent monsoon season and prevent any disasters like the 2018 landslides. Among them is Kodagu Deputy Commissioner’s latest notification, stating that leave for all district-government officials between June 1 and August 31 have been cancelled. In her direction, Kodagu DC Annies Kanmani Joy has stated that the local government officers must prepare and equip their respective department with all relief and precautionary measures during the monsoon. "The monsoon can step-in at any time, subsequently the officials cannot avail leave from June 1 to August 31. The officials can move out of the district, only after obtaining prior permission" she said. Speaking at the meet at Town Hall at Madikeri on Tuesday, the DC added that Nodal officers and District Level Committees must swiftly coordinate to respond to emergency situations immediately. Besides the district police, officials from the Health and Family Welfare Department, Food and Civil Supplies, Education, Agriculture, Urban Development, Wildlife, Tourism, Land Revenue and Fire Department were present at the meeting. “In case of emergency, attention must be given to provide swift relief and rescue service to children and women,” DC Kanmani said. The DC also directed nodal officers to visit 32 village panchayats that are deemed vulnerable to environmental hazards, assess the situation and submit the report within a week. In 2018, the instantaneous rain in the district had caused heavy floods and landslides in the district, which is known for its coffee and tourist attraction. The natural calamity had claimed the lives of over 20 people, besides creating massive damage to crops, plantation and properties. Besides the preparedness for setting up relief camps and makeshift medical centres, the DC told the panchayat officials to establish a liaison with transporters and earthmovers for shifting residents or clearing debris in case of emergency. The District Administration has already constituted a Task Force Committee, comprising Deputy Conservator of Forest (DCF) and Public Works Department, to coordinate with rescue and relief on high priority. Authorities are taking measures to ensure that there is no repeat of the disaster that occurred last year. Kodagu was ravaged by floods and landslides last year after it received over 200 mm of rainfall on three consecutive days in August 2018. The rainfall was the heaviest recorded in the district in 118 years and it displaced more than 7,000 people, who eventually sought refuge at 55 relief camps set up at the time. In the last five months, the district administration has also rejected 693 applications to convert agricultural land for commercial use. Read: Kodagu clamps down on commercialisation, 693 applications to convert land rejected Story by Story Infinity (Subs and Scribes Media Ventures LLP.)

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Bengaluru KV school head acquitted in POCSO case, court says conspiracy by colleagues

Child sexual abuse

Among the major reasons for the acquittal are delay in filing the complaint and the lack of clinching evidence.

Geetika Mantri

Kumar Thakur, a former principal of a Kendriya Vidyalaya in Bengaluru who was accused of sexually harassing multiple girl students at his school, was acquitted in the case on April 16 by a Bengaluru court. Finding the case against him weak, the court acquitted him and said that the case was a result of a conspiracy born out of professional jealousy from some of his peers. The case against Kumar Thakur came to light in January 2017. He was accused of calling Class 10 and 12 girl students into his office and asking them lewd and personal questions. He was also accused of sexually harassing teachers, and sending lewd WhatsApp messages. The controversy intensified further when he was removed from his position at the Bengaluru school, but transferred to a school in Karwar and then to another in Tiruvannamalai in Tamil Nadu. After parents protested, he was removed from there as well, and suspended. Kumar Thakur was charged under section 354(A) (sexual harassment) of the IPC and sections 11 and 12 of the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act. Additional city civil and sessions judge Justice Susheela acquitted him of all charges on April 16. Among the major reasons, per the judgment of which TNM has a copy, are delay in filing the complaint and the lack of clinching evidence. The judge ruled in the favour of the defence who said that the school’s Vice Principal Bhagya Lakshmi and two teachers, Geetha and Ullas, colluded to sabotage Kumar Thakur’s career using a POCSO case due to professional jealousy. Delay in filing complaint The alleged incident took place on December 26, 2016, according to the complainant, Nidhi*, a Class 12 student, who was attending a residential camp course. She said she had gone to the principal’s office when Thakur asked her if she had a boyfriend, asked her about whether she had sex, and even told her to use sex toys for relaxation.  On January 14, 2017, Nidhi's family contacted Childline regarding the matter. The court said that this delay raised doubts about the occurrence of the harassment itself. Further, it also found fault with the fact that while the Childline official filed a police complaint on January 25, 2017, it was not registered until five days later on January 30. Incidentally, it has been documented that in many cases of sexual abuse, the delay in filing a complaint is caused by the capability of the survivor and their kin to come to terms with the abuse, the willingness of the police and so on. Failure of IO to follow process The investigating officer (IO) in the case failed to follow the due process. The IO admitted that she did not record the statements of the independent persons – a social worker, Nidhi’s sister and the Childline official – immediately after receiving the complaint. “When such being the case, it is the duty of the Investigation Officer to record their statements immediately, but she has not done so. […] If this piece of evidence is taken into consideration, it crystallises about the latches in the investigation conducted by this witness and it creates doubt about the offences alleged against accused (sic),” the court observed. Further, the process was also not properly followed while recording Nidhi’s statement before the magistrate. Survivor did not inform parents Sexual violence is a difficult subject to speak about, even to near and dear ones. However, the court felt that the fact that neither Nidhi nor her siblings informed their parents about the sexual harassment raised doubts about its veracity. In the same vein, the court also scrutinised the fact that there was no complaint given to the school’s Grievance Committee. However, Nidhi’s sister had said in her testimony that she and students in general were not aware of who to approach to complain about a teacher. Lack of CCTV footage, not questioning security person It was noted that though there were CCTV cameras outside the principal’s office, the prosecution had failed to submit footage showing that Nidhi had gone into Kumar Thakur’s office at the given time. Further, they had also failed to question the security-person-cum-attender who was present outside the principal’s office. The security- person-cum-attender was also not listed as a chargesheet witness. “Non-production of this material evidence, it is absolutely fatal to the case of prosecution,” the court said. Collusion against the principal by colleagues The defence had argued that the Vice Principal, Bhagya Lakshmi, and teachers Geetha and Ullas, had colluded together to influence Nidhi to give a complaint against Kumar Thakur. The defence said that the complaint in January 2017 came around the same time that Thakur was selected to go for an International Principals Conference in February 2017. The collusion and plan, it was argued, was a result of professional jealousy. The court noted that Nidhi and her sister met Bhagya Lakshmi and Geetha at a restaurant. According to the defence, the teachers influenced them and told them to file a complaint against the principal in exchange for getting good marks in the practical examinations.

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TN objects to Karnataka's KC Valley project, say it violates SC order

Cauvery Dispute

The TN govt has claimed that the KC Valley project was in violation of SC order on Cauvery dispute in February, 2018.

Soumya Chatterjee

PTI/ File image

In the latest episode of the Cauvery water dispute Tamil Nadu has objected to Karnataka’s controversial Koramangala-Challaghatta (KC) Valley treated water project. The Tamil Nadu government on Tuesday filed a petition with the Supreme Court alleging that the project violates the Supreme Court order. Tamil Nadu claimed that the apex court had ordered Karnataka to discharge all treated water into the river.  “In the guise of utilising sewage water, the scheme provides for pumping surplus water of Varthur tank to a series of tanks in Kolar district for increasing the utilisation and thus preventing the surplus of Varathur tank flowing to Pennaiyar river. It is another devise for increasing the irrigation and other new uses,” the TN government told the apex court. “It is stated that transferring the sewage of Bangalore city which is generated from Cauvery water supply is in violation of the Judgment dated 16.2.2018 passed by this Hon’ble Court,” the petition added. The KC Valley Project transports treated (primary and secondary) water from Sewage Treatment Plants in Bellandur and Varthur lakes in Bengaluru to 126 minor irrigation tanks in the perennially arid district of Kolar. The decision was made in a bid to solve the water woes of the district. It was thought the water, which would be fit only for agricultural use would also improve the groundwater table. The project had turned controversial when activists based in Kolar opposed the move over fears of receiving polluted water. They demanded that the water be treated in a tertiary treatment plant and adhere to the guidelines prescribed by the Central Pollution Control Board. Their stand was vindicated when a study conducted by the Indian Institute of Science found that the water being released into the lakes contained higher than permissible amounts of E.coli bacteria, heavy metals and dissolved oxygen. Since their demands fell on deaf ears, they had moved the Karnataka High Court against the state government and had obtained an interim stay. Recently, the Supreme Court had lifted a stay on the project asking the High Court to decide on the matter comprehensively in a speedy manner. However, activists in Kolar are not pleased with the stand of the TN government. Anjaneya Reddy, the petitioner in both the HC and Supreme Court and an activist with Shashwatha Neeravari Horata Samiti, said, “There is no merit in the Tamil Nadu government case, as earlier in a case in the SC against Karnataka government of contaminating the Cauvery water flowing into Tamil Nadu from the KC Valley and Hebbal-Nagwara catchments. Then the Karnataka government had replied in court stating that this water will be treated and supplied to the drought-prone districts. To this, the TN government had not objected. This was three years ago. The fresh objection is only for political reasons.”

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