Laying of tracks on Baiyappanahalli-Whitefield line of Bengaluru metro begins

Transport

This comes as a major relief for those living and working around Whitefield area, as many have been waiting for metro connectivity.

TNM Staff

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In good news for residents and those working in Whitefield, the Bangalore Metro Rail Corporation Limited (BMRCL) has started laying tracks for the Baiyappanahalli-Whitefield metro line as part of the Purple Line extension. With this, the installation of rail tracks, as well as welding work, is being carried out on a 3-km stretch near Whitefield.  The report quotes contractors as saying that they are optimistic that around 3 km of track between Sitharama Palya (formerly known as Visvesvaraya Industrial Area) and Whitefield metro stations will also be done by October. Most of the work, including track laying work between KR Puram and Whitefield, is expected to be ready by March 2021, the report added.  However, Channappa Gowda, Special Land Acquisition Officer for BMRCL, told Bangalore Mirror that they are yet to acquire 57 properties needed for widening roads near the KR Puram Railway Station and Jyotipur underpass. Another issue that may be a hurdle to the metro line is that 60 trees in the Benniganahalli lake area need to be cleared and the case is currently being heard by the high court. This could further delay the timeline. This is the third stretch of the Bengaluru metro in the phase II plan, which has already seen the Kanakapura Road and Mysuru Road metro extensions being completed. The metro station at Yelachenahalli will be extended to Anjanapura while the station at Mysuru Road will be extended to Kengeri. Earlier, the inauguration of Baiyappanahalli-Whitefield line was to be done by December 2021 but a shortage of labour and a halt in construction this year due to the COVID-19 pandemic has delayed construction works. The 15km stretch is now expected to be completed by June 2022. Along with the Baiyappanahalli-Whitefield line, three other metro lines were expected to be completed by 2021. This included the metro lines from Nagasandra to Bangalore International Exhibition Centre (BIEC), Gottigere to Swagath Road Cross, and RV Road to Bommasandra via Electronic City.

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DK Shivakumar recovers from COVID-19, discharged from hospital

Coronavirus

Photographs emerged showing DK Shivakumar standing outside the out-patient department section of Suguna Hospital.

TNM Staff

Karnataka Pradesh Congress Committee (KPCC) President and senior Congress leader DK Shivakumar was discharged from the hospital a week after he tested positive for the coronavirus. DK Shivakumar was receiving treatment in Suguna Hospital in Bengaluru's Rajajinagar and was discharged on Monday afternoon. Photographs emerged showing DK Shivakumar standing outside the out-patient department section of Suguna Hospital. "DK Shivakumar, President, KPCC who was admitted in Suguna Hospital, Rajajinagar since 24/08/2020 with complaints of fever and myalgia has recovered well and discharged from the hospital," read a statement from Dr. Kiran Kumar BR, CEO of Suguna Hospital. The statement said that Shivakumar had responded well to the treatment. "Suguna Hospital’s multidisciplinary team of specialists from internal medicine, critical care, pulmonology; infectious diseases treated DK Shivakumar and he responded well to the treatment," the statement by Dr. Kiran added. Shivakumar was hospitalised on August 25 on the advice of doctors. He was hospitalised soon after he returned from New Delhi after meeting senior Congress leaders. He postponed a scheduled visit to flood-affected areas in north Karnataka on August 25. His visit was set to cover Bagalkot and Belagavi districts in the state. Heavy rains disrupted life in parts of the state causing flood-like situations and triggering landslides. Recently, Chief Minister BS Yediyurappa, Health Minister Sriramulu and former Chief Minister and Leader of Opposition Siddaramiah were hospitalised after testing positive for coronavirus. All three of them made a full recovery after being infected.    

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Karnataka issues order for Unlock 4.0, no word on pubs and bars yet

Lockdown

The Karnataka government is considering issuing a set of guidelines which allows pubs and bars to function in a reduced capacity.

TNM Staff

The Karnataka government on Monday issued an order in line with the Union Home Ministry's guidelines for relaxing restrictions in Bengaluru under Unlock 4.0. The guidelines allowed for metro services to resume in a phased manner from September 7 but there is no confirmation or guidelines specified for allowing pubs and bars to serve alcohol. The guidelines issued by the Home Ministry did not prohibit the opening of pubs and bars and the Karnataka government is considering issuing a set of guidelines which allows pubs and bars to function in a reduced capacity.  "The state government is deciding on the issue of opening bars and pubs. This will be communicated shortly," an official from the Excise Department told TNM. Until the decision is taken, pubs and bars will remain closed.  Theatres, entertainment parks, swimming pools etc will continue to remain closed however open-air theatres will be allowed from September 21. Schools and colleges will continue to remain closed. However, from September 21, 50% of teaching and non-teaching staff can be called to the school at a time for online teaching and counselling related work.  "Social, academic, sports, entertainment, cultural, religious, political functions and other congregations with a ceiling of 100 persons, will be permitted with effect from 21 September 2020, with mandatory wearing of face masks, social distancing, provision for thermal scanning and handwash or sanitiser," reads the order.  Online education will be encouraged but students of classes 9-12 may visit schools for guidance from September 21. However, marriage gatherings will be limited to a maximum of 50 guests and funerals, last rites will be carried out with up to 20 people. The limit will be increased to 100 persons from September 21. The relaxations are applicable only outside containment zones. In these zones, the current restrictions will continue till September 30.  

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Bengaluru drug bust: Drug peddler allegedly had diary with names of Kannada celebs

Crime

The NCB has arrested three people in connection with the drug bust on August 21.

Theja Ram

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The Narcotics Control Bureau, which busted a synthetic drug racket last week, has seized a diary from the prime accused, which allegedly contains the names of 15 celebrities including actors, musicians, models and reality TV actors from Karnataka. NCB sources say they suspect that the drug peddlers, who were arrested, were selling MDMA and LSD to these artistes regularly. NCB sleuths are now looking to question these actors and musicians in order to obtain more information on other peddlers operating in South India.  On August 21, the NCB conducted raids at Nikoo Homes, an upscale gated community in Bengaluru and seized 96 pills of MDMA, weighing 40 gm, and 180 LSD blots. A drug peddler named Ravindra was arrested here. The second raid was conducted at Royal Suites Hotel service apartment in Kalyan Nagar, 145 MDMA pills weighing 60 gm were seized along with Rs 2,20, 500 cash. The sleuths arrested a man named Anoop, who was allegedly in possession of these drugs. Based on inputs from the arrested accused in these two raids, the NCB arrested Anikha D, who is the prime suspect in the case, from her home in Doddagubbi. The NCB seized 270 MDMA pills, weighing 111.6 gm, from her residence.  Upon interrogation, the NCB learned that Anikha allegedly became a campus dealer in 2014 and began selling synthetic drugs to students. NCB sources said that over the years, she built a network of actors, musicians, models and reality TV actors in Karnataka and used to sell drugs to them regularly. “In Anikha's possession was a diary, which has the names of celebrities she used to deal drugs to. We want to question them in the coming days to get to the bottom of the racket and fish out the peddlers and their network,” an NCB source said.  The drugs, which were seized in Bengaluru, were allegedly shipped from Brussels in Belgium. NCB sleuths said that Anikha was one of the drug peddlers, who used to supply synthetic drugs in huge quantities to members from affluent sections of the society. “Since the news of actors and musicians being involved is out in the open, it will be difficult to nab them red handed,” the NCB added.  Sandalwood filmmaker Indrajit Lankesh on Saturday, had openly said that drug use was rampant in the Kannada film industry. “Some actors do consume drugs, mostly at the parties. I am aware that they consume drugs inside their vanity vans on the sets. I would not deny the allegation that there is a link between the drug mafia and the Kannada film industry. Many budding actors attend rave parties and consume drugs to get noticed. But it is also true that not all actors consume drugs,” Indrajit Lankesh said. After his statement to the media, the Central Crime Branch summoned him for questioning on Sunday. Karnataka Director General and Inspector General of Police said that apart from the NCB’s probe, the state police too would begin probing into the drug mafia. Praveen Sood said that synthetic drugs were mostly sold by foreign nationals, whose visas have expired. “We will identify forign nationals whose visas have expired and look to see if they are selling drugs. Most of the time they turn to drug trade as they don’t have many employment options after their visas expire,” Praveen Sood added.   

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IMD predicts more rain in coastal, south interior Karnataka this week

Weather

The weather agency further predicted fresh rainfall including thunderstorms in the coastal region of the state.

TNM Staff

A fresh bout of rain was forecasted in coastal and southern interior Karnataka this week. The Indian Meteorological Department (IMD) recorded rainfall in coastal Karnataka on Sunday. "The southwest monsoon was weak over north coastal Karnataka. Rainfall occurred at most places over coastal Karnataka and in few places over interior Karnataka," a release by IMD said. Heavy rains and gusty wind were reported in Uttara Kannada district's Karwar since Saturday night.  The weather agency further predicted fresh rainfall including thunderstorms in the coastal region of the state this week. "Rain/thunderstorms are very likely to occur at many places over coastal Karnataka and south Interior Karnataka and at a few places over north interior Karnataka," IMD said. According to the IMD, this is expected to continue for another week. Fairly widespread rainfall is predicted on August 31 in coastal Karnataka while widespread rainfall is predicted from September 1-4. Fairly widespread rainfall is predicted in south interior Karnataka, the weather agency's forecast stated.  The Karnataka government has estimated that a loss of Rs 4,000 crore was incurred during the monsoon this year after heavy rains affected life in 12 districts in the state.  Heavy rains disrupted life in Karnataka earlier this month. The state government had set up 92 relief camps in the affected districts for sheltering over 4,000 people. Home Minister Basavaraj Bommai reported that 385 houses were fully damaged and 7,238 houses partially damaged. Food crops in 89,440 hectares and horticultural crops in 51,803 hectares of land have been destroyed in heavy rains and floods as well. Karnataka Chief Minister BS Yediyurappa said he will be seeking more funds for the state for flood relief works when he visits New Delhi in September. 

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Falling Covid-19 cases create opportunity and peril for Trump

Virus cases are dropping everywhere, but the rush to reopen could backfire.

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Bengaluru’s west zone reports most COVID-19 cases, east zone has highest recoveries

Coronavirus

Bengaluru reported 2,821 COVID-19 patients on August 30.

TNM Staff

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Bengaluru, which reported 2,821 COVID-19 cases on August 30, taking the total number of people to have tested positive for the novel coronavirus to 1,07,875. Of these, 37,703 are active cases. While a majority of the new patients on August 30 are from the west zone, east zone reported the highest number of recoveries. According to the latest Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike COVID-19 War Room report, west zone has reported nearly 500 patients, accounting for 23% of the new cases, while recoveries were just under 400. East zone meanwhile, reported over 400 recoveries – the highest in the city on the said day – and less than 400 new COVID-19 cases (14% of the new cases). No other zone reported more discharges than positive patients. Bommanahalli has been seeing an increase in its share in the last few days and 16% of the new cases on August 30 were from there. South zone accounted for the third highest – 17% share – of the new cases.  West zone, which has been reporting a quarter of all cases in Bengaluru for many past days, has seen a reduction in share in the last 10 days and accounted for 21% of COVID-19 cases reported. South zone reported 18% and east zone 17% in the last 10 days, followed by Bommanahalli (12%), RR Nagara (11%), Mahadevapura and Yelahanka (8% each) and Dasarahalli (5%). BBMP did not provide an updated number of containment zones in Bengaluru on Sunday, so the number remains the same at 15,723 active containment zones out of a total of 40,563. Overall, 39% containment zones are active in the city – most of them being in the south zone – and 61% have returned to normal status. The active rate in Bengaluru is at 29.99%, while the recovery rate has risen to 68.48%. The death rate due to COVID-19 is at 1.54%. Karnataka has 88,091 active coronavirus cases, with 2,42,229 recoveries and 5,589 deaths.    

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