Tired of haphazard parking in Bengaluru? Have your say on new draft parking policy

Civic/ Transport

Activists working in the urban mobility space in the city say the draft policy is contradictory to the state government’s draft mobility plan

Soumya Chatterjee

Representational image

Are you upset about your walking spaces like pavements being encroached by parked vehicles? Or tired with the entrance to your home blocked by someone’s car? You can finally make your voice heard till April 14, which is the last date to submit suggestions, comments and objections to the draft parking policy prepared by the Directorate of Urban Land Transport (DULT) for Bengaluru city.  The first such policy prepared by DULT more than a decade ago did not get implemented. The draft prepared by DULT in collaboration with the Traffic Engineering Department of the Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) which was released in March can be accessed here. At the outset, DULT says it has a four-point goal: making a shift from chaotic parking to organized parking in the city; from free parking to paid parking; move from government-driven parking supply to market-driven parking supply; and management and ensure strict enforcement of the new policy – a shift from the present “passive and weak” enforcement. However, activists working in the urban mobility space in the city say the draft parking policy is contradictory to the state government’s draft mobility plan released earlier as it does not stress on discouraging private transport to naturally reduce the demand for parking zones. Nagesh Aras, an activist, pointed out a host of problems with the current draft plan. For one, “while the common mobility plan proposed to increase the trip share of public and intermediary public transport to 73%, it is not possible if the parking policy wants to make parking available across the city at cheap rates,” he said. He added that the government did not do ‘travel demand modeling’ to understand the parking demands for each traffic analysis zone. “On the supply side, the policy assumes that its model is scalable, and any number of parking slots can be created off-road.  But we do not have any reliable data for that today, or a projection for the future.” Similarly, Sanjeev Dhyamanavar, a public transport policy expert in Bengaluru, also said that the parking policy should be coherent to the overall mobility plan of the city. “Ideally, this should all be formed by an organization like the Unified Metropolitan Transport Authority, so that while solving one mobility problem in the city, two-three interlinked problems can also be addressed. Primary importance should be given to discouraging private vehicles from entering the CBD (Central Business District) area by making paid parking expensive and scarce. And all the revenue collected should be utilized to incentivise public transport by reducing fares and increasing service,” he said. “But they should not allow parking on roads like Brigade Road. It is in practice now, but the road width is too small. This way they are only encouraging private vehicles. Other than this, they should make taxi/ auto stands in all busy areas of the city so they do not park on roads. At the policy level itself, we should make public transport much more attractive, and this can only happen with multimodal integration of transport systems,” he added. Srinivas Alavilli, an activist advocating for decentralization in governance, said, “Parking policy is essentially a city policy. City corporation, which in this case is the BBMP, should be the one that passes this resolution and enforces it along with other agencies.  While it’s a city-wide policy, it needs to be further decentralised to ward level. Since this policy requires behaviour change, if we incentivise wards to receive the primary chunk of revenues they will be willing to get things done locally. The policy can also mandate what the ward can do with revenues coming out of this - for example, use the revenue for pedestrian facilities.” He further added, “Ward committees represent all sections of society and know the local dynamics and will be able to bring the community to own the new policy. Another important aspect is to enforce the basement parking rules for all commercial establishments where the basement is supposed to be parking space but mostly used for rentals, causing parking issues everywhere. Commercial entities will resist parking fees to avoid loss of customers and following the basement parking will benefit them as well as the city.” Meanwhile the draft bill Management and Maintenance of Parking Rules, 2018 which suggested banning of street side parking in busy roads remains in cold storage. Read: Law making roadside parking in Bengaluru chargeable may apply in a month

Body 2: 

from Karnataka https://ift.tt/2xahtAi
via IFTTT

Karnataka allows bakeries to function with minimum staff

Coronavirus

The circular says that bakery products and related items are being consumed by patients elderly people, children and the general public.

TNM Staff

In what will come as a relief to confectionary, sweet and bakery items manufacturers, retail units and customers, the Karnataka government has allowed the re-opening of these units. A circular issued by Rajendar Kumar Kataria, the State Nodal Officer of Essential Commodities and Supply Chain Management says that a Central government notification on March 24, “has permitted the’ functioning of food units engaged in bakery and biscuit, condiments, confectionery and sweet for manufacturing, supply and operating retail outlets with minimum staff and labour’. The circular says that bakery products and related items are being consumed by patients elderly people, children and the general public, which is the rationale behind allowing these units to function as essential commodities. Since the lockdown was announced, Karnataka has allowed only grocery stores and medical shops to operate. It has strictly banned the use of two and four wheelers. However, with this circular reiterating the Centre’s stand, bakery units will be allowed to function for the rest of the lockdown period. Meanwhile, Karnataka reported 12 new cases of SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes the disease COVID-19 on Monday, taking the total number of people infected in the state to 163. Seven of these fresh cases were reported in Mysuru.

Body 2: 

from Karnataka https://ift.tt/2x5aWqA
via IFTTT

HD Kumaraswamy's son Nikhil to get married on Apr 17 in a low-key ceremony at home

Coronavirus/Wedding

Prior to the spread of coronavirus in India, Kumaraswamy had planned to hold a grand wedding and invite over 2 lakh people.

TNM Staff

Former Karnataka Chief Minister and JD(S) leader HD Kumaraswamy on Monday said that his son, Nikhil's wedding would take place on April 17 at home, in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic.  Speaking to the media in Ramanagara on Monday, Kumaraswmy said that the wedding would not be cancelled as April 17 is an "auspicious day".  "We are not celebrating a huge wedding. Around 15 to 20 people from both families have been invited. It will take place in one of our houses. We will hold a celebration later, once the time is right," Kumaraswamy said.  Kumaraswamy's spokesperson told TNM that the wedding is taking place at the bride's residence in Bengaluru's Vijaynagar. Fifteen people from each of the two families have been invited.  "Once the coronavirus threat and the public health issues related to it are settled, then there is a plan to organise a huge celebration in Ramanagara district," Kumaraswamy's spokesperson said.  The plan is to organise a huge event where people from Ramanagara and Channapattana and other taluks in the district are invited for lunch. "They are planning to set up pandals in a 60-acre plot where people from the whole district will be given free food. But this will happen much later when there is no threat of coronavirus," the spokesperson added.  Before the novel coronavirus pandemic hit India, Kumaraswamy and his wife Anitha, who is the MLA of Channapattana, had planned a grand wedding for their son Nikhil. Kumaraswamy's plan was to host a wedding in Ramanagara, his home constituency and invite over two lakh people. On February 10, Nikhil Kumaraswamy was engaged to Revathi alias Ruthu, the grand-niece of former Congress Minister for Housing, M Krishnappa. The engagement party was held at Taj West End in Bengaluru with over 6,000 attendees. The guest list included political big-wigs like Chief Minister BS Yediyurappa, former Congress ministers DK Shivakumar, KJ George and Dr G Parameshwara. IPS officer Alok Kumar, former DG and IG of Karnataka Neelamani Raju also attended the engagement party.  Read: Nikhil Kumaraswamy engaged to former Cong min’s grandniece Revathi in Bengaluru Nikhil Kumaraswamy unsuccesfully contested the Lok Sabha elections from Mandya in 2019, losing to Sumalatha Ambareesh. He has acted in Sandalwood films including Seetharama Kalyana.  This is not the first politician, whose children have got married in the midst of a pandemic. Earlier in March, Health Minister B Sriramulu hosted a wedding bash for his daughter Rakshita in Bengaluru's Palace Grounds.  A grand procession was held in Bengaluru on March 5. Over 1 lakh guests attended the wedding bash just three days before the first case of COVID-19 in Karnataka was announced.  Read: Pics: Lavish sets at Bengaluru Palace Grounds for minister Sriramulu’s daughter’s wedding      

Body 2: 

from Karnataka https://ift.tt/2Rairn9
via IFTTT

Kannada actor ‘Bullet’ Prakash critical after liver and kidney failure

Sandalwood

A statement by Fortis Hospital in Bengaluru said that the actor was put on a ventilator on Monday morning.

TNM Staff

There was commotion outside Fortis Hospital in Bengaluru on Monday after Sandalwood actor and BJP politician 'Bullet' Prakash was admitted in the intensive care unit following kidney and liver failure.  A statement by Fortis Hospital said that the 44-year-old actor was placed on a ventilator. "On Monday morning 6th April 2020, we had to put him on a ventilator due to his worsening condition. Despite all the treatment measures, he is still in a critical state. We are keeping a constant check on his health and are keeping his family updated on the same," a statement by the hospital said.  It stated that the actor was admitted to the hospital on March 31. "Bullet Prakash has been admitted at Fortis Hospitals, Cunningham Road on Tuesday, March 31st, 2020 with complaints of liver failure, kidney failure and infection. He was put on dialysis to stabilise his condition. The team of doctors including gastroenterologist, nephrologist, transplant surgeon and intensivists have been closely monitoring his condition," added the statement.  The actor earned the moniker 'Bullet' for his penchant for riding a Royal Enfield Bullet motorbike. He is known for portraying comic roles and has appeared in over 300 films in his career including in  Mast Maja Maadi (2008), Aithalakkadi (2010), Mallikarjuna (2011) and Aryan (2014). He made his debut in the movie 'Dhruva' released in 2002 and has acted alongside stars including Darshan, Puneet Rajkumar and Upendra. He was a participant in the second season of Kannada reality television show Big Boss. He joined the BJP in 2015 and was welcomed into the party by senior leader R Ashok.  Bullet Prakash underwent weight reduction surgery two years ago. His brother Narayan Swamy was quoted by Kannada television channels as saying he was confident that the actor will recover. "The doctors are doing their best. People are calling us saying there are rumours in the media that he has died. We request the cooperation of people. We will update regularly about his condition," he said.     

Body 2: 

from Karnataka https://ift.tt/2UMWUmQ
via IFTTT

How internet is making live events, religious occasions and more possible amid lockdown

Culture

Many cultural spots and places of worship are leveraging online platforms to engage with people.

Alithea Stephanie Mounika

How does one experience culture during the lockdown? In this digital age, you may be watching a lot more TV, reading a lot more news or books on your phone or tablets, or even streaming videos through Facebook and OTT platforms like Netflix. And the remote capabilities of the internet are what many establishments – from cultural spaces to religious ones – are tapping into to keep their affairs going amid the lockdown. Socialising online The use of video conferencing software such as Zoom has become a go-to during this period of self-isolating. For those with access, it is now common to have video conference calls during the lockdown, whether with work, classmates, or friends. Going against the grain, as many other businesses count their losses, Zoom has had an unprecedented growth due to the lockdown. READ: Video conferencing app Zoom tops download charts in February and March: Report However, it may not be everyone’s cup of tea to operate platforms like Zoom. So, some public spaces have stuck to the YouTube and Facebook live options to invite people to join events that cannot be physically attended. Several artists – including Coldplay, Hozier, Lindsey Sterling – have performed at-home concerts on Instagram or YouTube live, where people could send in requests, and they could talk to their fans. Towards the end of March, Instagram announced a Live in your Living Room feature, which was a virtual music festival featuring many Indian artists like Monica Dogra and Arjun Kanuno. Cultural spaces coming online In Bengaluru, a local bookstore and cafe, Champaca, which often has speaking and book events at their space, decided to hop on to Zoom to have a themed speaking event on Sunday. Journalist-author Rohini Mohan spoke on the topic, ‘Writing as an act of hope’. “I write to document something, in the hope that there is justice in the future. I write to do something, to give something for my hands and legs to do while something is happening,” she said. She spoke for about half an hour and then took questions about being a writer, and about her books. It was interesting to see how the platform was being used to its maximum potential: Everyone got emails about the event, and once it started, about 40 people logged in. Everyone, except for the speakers, was muted until the end, when they asked questions. The listeners who tuned in were asked to use the virtual ‘raise hands’ option, so they could be unmuted, or they typed the question into the Zoom group chat which Rohini then answered. The Bengaluru International Centre (BIC), an important cultural space in the city, has also decided to take some discussions online. Their website announced that the centre is closed until May 31, 2020. However, the managers are using YouTube livestream as well, and are saving their sessions so that people can access them whenever they want. On platforms like BookMyShow, you can now find theatre performances and concerts, that you can register for free, and watch from the comfort of your home as well. Religious institutions leveraging digital platforms Churches across the world are closed because of the COVID-19 pandemic to prevent large gatherings. South Korea’s Patient 31, for instance, reportedly became the first of a fringe church in the country called Shincheonji, to be infected with COVID-19. Within a month of her diagnosis, thousands who were connected to the church tested positive for the virus. Churches became hesitant to open their doors to worshippers early on, even before the lockdown was announced. This year's Easter season falls in the first two weeks of April: right in the middle of the national lockdown. While religious centres look to avoid large crowds, many pressed on to provide online celebrations for devotees. The pastors of one of Bengaluru’s largest churches, St Mark’s Cathedral, posted a video of a pre-recorded Palm Sunday message on YouTube. In Rome, the Vatican church also streamed their Palm Sunday service through YouTube with a sparse gathering of about a dozen people in the church, after the pope cancelled the in-person service to the public. Thousands of people watched the livestream, and more are expected to stream the sermon on Good Friday and Easter Sunday. The video description for Sunday’s livestream was as follows: “Pope Francis presides over a Mass at 5 pm (Manila time) on Palm Sunday, April 5, in Vatican City, without the physical presence of the faithful due to the novel coronavirus pandemic.” In another example, the Nanjangud “Rathothsava of Srikanteshwara Swamy temple” in Mysuru, a chariot festival, which usually sees thousands of devotees attending every year, also had to have a low-key observance of the event. The city of Nanjangud in Mysuru district has reported a localised cluster of coronavirus cases, the exact source of which not been found yet. This year, the temple priests of Srikanteshwara temple pulled a mini chariot early morning of the festival, and did not gather a crowd.   Follow @XpressBengaluru Every year lakhs of people attend the annual & age old Rathotsava at Nanjangudu. This year due to lockdown, srikanteshwara temple authority symbolically pulled mini chariot in the early morning .@NewIndianXpress @santwana99 @Tejasvi_Surya @mepratap pic.twitter.com/VoTJnWSY1t — TNIE Karnataka (@XpressBengaluru) April 4, 2020   Such steps are being taken even in Islam. The Friday sermons in mosques have been disallowed, and in many places, have moved online. It’s interesting to note that both the religious events, whether the temple or church, were carried out like they would previously: one with chanting of the shlokas and pulling the deity’s chariot through the city, and the other with the playing of the hymns and the declaration of the sermon as usual. The only difference is the lack of the followers being physically present.

Body 2: 

from Karnataka https://ift.tt/2X9qEfb
via IFTTT

COVID-19: Muslims and Muslim volunteers heckled, harassed in Karnataka

Coronavirus

On Monday, a video emerged of three Muslim men being heckled by villagers in Bagalakote, accusing the community of spreading coronavirus.

Soumya Chatterjee

Theja Ram

Ever since the Tablighi Jamaat congregation in New Delhi resulted in a rise of COVID-19 cases in the country, several Muslims have been heckled and harassed in Karnataka. On Monday, residents of a village in Bagalakote humiliated members of the Muslim community, who had gone to the banks of the Krishna river to fish.  A video of the incident went viral on social media on Monday. Around 10 to 15 residents of Bidari village in Rabkavi Banahatti taluk in Bagalakote can be seen holding wooden sticks and iron rods, while heckling three Muslim men.  The three men can be seen folding their hands and begging for mercy, while the village residents kick them and shoo them away with the wooden sticks. “Don’t touch them. They are the ones spreading the disease,” one of the men can be heard saying.  One of them makes the men kneel in front of them and apologise for coming outside. “You people (referring to members of the Muslim community) are the ones who are spreading the disease. Why are you coming to our village? Do you know how many people have died?” one of the men can be heard saying.  When TNM contacted the Mudhol Police, under whose jurisdiction the incident occurred, they said that no complaint had been filed due to which an FIR was not registered.  Attacks in Belagavi On Sunday night, a mob of men allegedly attacked two mosques in Belagavi district. Two separate cases have been registered in the district in connection with the attacks. Belagavi police say that the mosques were attacked by miscreants as the lights were on at 9 pm.  Nine people were arrested by the Yamkanmardi Police. The men allegedly barged into the mosque and heckled the imam, who was cleaning up the space. “These men attacked the mosque and tried to shut it down. They kept saying that the whole country is switching off the lights and lighting candles and that members in the mosque too must follow the same. They have been arrested now,” the Yamkanmardi Police said.  Prime Minister Narendra Modi had asked people of the country to shut off their lights for nine minutes at 9 pm on Sunday and light candles instead. These incidents occurred in the backdrop of this announcement by PM Modi.  Meanwhile, the Sadalaga Police arrested 13 people for allegedly attacking another mosque in the area. The men allegedly barged into the mosque and demanded that the lights be turned off.  All 22 men in connection with the two cases have been booked under sections 153A (Acts prejudicial to the maintenance of harmony between different groups), 295A (malicious acts intended to outrage the religious feelings) of the IPC.  More incidents in Bengaluru In Bengaluru, more than one incident of activists arranging and delivering food for migrant worker communities being harassed allegedly by BJP/ RSS activists has come to light.   Zeerin, an activist working in Amruthahalli area in north Bengaluru said she was surrounded by more than 20 RSS workers on Saturday evening. “They said ‘who gave you permission to give food? You are a Muslim, you guys mix poison and spit on food before distributing. Have you guys come from Nizamuddin and want to spread the disease to everyone?’ They also went to meet my landlord and asked him why he rented us a room knowing that we are Muslims. They said ‘Go to Shivajinagar or RK Hegde Nagar, we don’t need help from Muslims, thank god we have enough’,” she said. She continued, “Then they called the police after arguing with us for two hours and demanded the police arrest us. But the police came and supported us and only said we should maintain social distancing.”   In another incident, Roselin Gomes, a volunteer who was supplying food in Devi Nagar, also in north Bengaluru was stopped by BJP activists.  “I had put up a video on social media stating that I was going to pick up some food packets from Indira Canteen and these are the things that I want to collect. Then I got a call from Jai Shankar (a BJP worker) saying ‘why are you picking up food? For people like you there is a shortage of food.’ So I replied that I am only giving to the needy people and asked them if they can arrange food for them, then I need not move,” she said. Both of them are volunteers of Swaraj Abhiyan, a socio-political organisation founded by psephologist Yogendra Yadav and senior advocate Prashanth Bhushan. At least two other incidents of Swaraj Abhiyan members being harassed came to light on Saturday. Following these incidents, Swaraj Abhiyan leaders from Bengaluru met with senior police officials to complain about the developments. “We went today and met DCP (Deputy Commissioner of Police) North and he was very supportive. In fact, he condemned it and said especially in this time such kind of racial and communal attacks should not take place and people need to help each other,” Zia Nomani, Youth President of the outfit, said. Karnataka Chief Minister BS Yediyurappa has repeatedly said that the disease should not be communalised and had even met Muslim legislators to ensure that those who attended the jamaath declared themselves.     

Body 2: 

from Karnataka https://ift.tt/2RhPW77
via IFTTT

Seven new cases in Mysuru, five others across Karnataka as total cases rise to 163

Coronavirus

Two people connected to the cluster of cases related to the pharmaceutical company in Nanjangud tested positive for the coronavirus.

TNM Staff

Karnataka reported 12 new cases of SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes the disease COVID-19 on Monday, taking the total number of people infected in the state to 163. Seven of these fresh cases were reported in Mysuru. Three of the patients had travel history to New Delhi. However, the health department did not confirm whether they attended the Tablighi Jamaat congregation, which the government says has contributed to the doubling of cases in the country.  The three patients with travel history to Delhi include a 37-year-old man, a 52-year-old man and a 22-year-old man. Two of the people tested positive in Mysuru are connected to the cluster of cases related to the pharmaceutical company.  Patient 154 in Mysuru is the brother of patient 104, a 27-year-old man from Nanjangud, who worked in the pharmaceutical company. Another 32-year woman, who is an employee of the pharmaceutical company was also tested positive. This takes the total number of cases in Mysuru connected to Jubilant Life Sciences, a pharmaceutical company in Nanjangud, to 19.  The Karnataka government, however, has not been able to identify the source of infection in the Mysuru cluster. So far, the health department is looking into the visitor log of the company to see if people from other countries had visited the facility in the recent past. Samples from packages received by the company from China were also taken. The government, however, has not clarified whether these test results were positive or negative.  While one of the patients from Mysuru is a 35-year-old man with travel history to Dubai, the Health Department is yet to ascertain travel history and movements of patient 158, a 26-year-old man from the city. Family of Bagalakote man tests positive The relatives of the 75-year-old man from Bagalakote, who died on Saturday, tested positive on Monday. The man’s wife, aged 52 and his brother, aged 58, tested positive. Both have been isolated at the district government hospital. The 75-year-old man had no travel history. Cases in Bengaluru Of the 12 people who tested positive on Monday, two are being treated at isolation wards in Bengaluru. Patient 152 is a primary contact of patient 43 and 44. Patient 43 is a 63-year-old man from Bengaluru with travel history to Brazil. He returned to Bengaluru on March 19. Patient 44 is the wife of patient 43.  In addition, a 62-year-old woman from Kerala has been isolated at a Bengaluru hospital and had travel history to Germany. She is also a primary contact of patients 106 and 133. Patient 106 is a 49-year-old man from Dakshina Kannada with travel history to Dubai. He returned to Mangaluru on March 20. Patient 133 is a 60-year-old man from Kerala with travel history to Germany and is currently in isolation at Akash Institute of Medical Sciences in Bengaluru.   

Body 2: 

from Karnataka https://ift.tt/2Xb5qxh
via IFTTT