Latest news with #Namma
Economic Times
22-06-2025
- Automotive
- Economic Times
Bengaluru was built to solve India's tech problems, but can't fix its own traffic: Commuters cry foul over this ‘normalised' issue
The streets of Bengaluru are no longer just crowded—they're suffocating. What once was a tech-driven metropolis full of promise has become a city gripped by traffic paralysis, failing infrastructure, and commuter fatigue. Across Whitefield, Hebbal, and the Outer Ring Road, short distances stretch into hours-long slogs. Buses don't arrive. Autos demand tips. Ride-hailing apps blink in silence. And every journey feels like a test of endurance rather than a trip home. 'Left office at 6 PM. Got home at 9:15. My house is 12 km away. There was no rain. No protest. No accident. Just Bengaluru being… Bengaluru,' wrote one Reddit user in a post that went continued, 'The bus that usually covers my route didn't show up today. Nothing on Tummoc or Namma BMTC, just silence. Waited a while, then gave up and took a different bus hoping to switch mid-way. That one dropped me somewhere in between, and then began the great auto hunt.'The frustration didn't end there. The same user hit out at the city's much-hyped digital tools, saying, 'Namma Yatri? Not a single driver accepted unless I tipped ₹50+. 'Optional tip' is the biggest joke in this city. Meter? LOL. Eventually paid more for an auto than I'd pay for an intercity bus. And the worst part? I wasn't even surprised. Just… drained.' The post summed up a broader despair, 'This is supposed to be the startup capital of the country. A city full of people building tools to 'solve urban problems.' You'd think basic commuting would be one of the first things we'd figure out.''It's like the city slowly chips away at you, not with one big failure, but with a thousand little ones every day,' they added. 'Still, in some stubborn corner of my brain, I keep thinking maybe someday it'll get better. Don't know when. But I want to believe that it will.'The post struck a chord. One user replied, 'Bro at least your office is 12 km from ur home, some of us travel 30+ km daily... Commuting is a real pain in the ass with the traffic being so worse... today I was stuck for like 20-30 mins in Hebbal traffic itself because of stupid metro and flyover works... we are screwed up way too badly.'Another recalled, 'I once left Whitefield at 5:30 and reached home at 10. This was before the metro was a thing. It's insane how this problem has been ongoing for more than a decade now, but all our politicians want to do is dhudh thindu dhappa agokey.'And one voice captured the mental toll, saying, 'Commute is shit, horrible bosses, pathetic mood all the time. I have simply decided the following — I give it two years to put up with this shit, save / invest as much money as I can, slowly start relocating closer to my native or move to a smaller city like Mysore... I am needed for my family, I can not be a statistic on people dying prematurely due to stress.'Amid the daily traffic grind, a fresh infrastructure issue brought further disruption. A flyover section near Bagalur Road Circle in Hosur developed a sudden lateral shift of nearly 50 damage, which resulted in a 15 cm wide, 50-metre-long gap, forced authorities to shut down traffic on the Krishnagiri-Bangalore flyover. Vehicles were rerouted via Hosur's service road, causing severe jams.'Vehicular traffic had already been diverted due to widening work on Bagalur Road. This sudden shift in the flyover has only made the situation worse. Motorists are facing significant hardship,' a local traffic official said. Engineers began emergency stabilisation using a circular bearing mechanism. The diversion triggered snarls stretching up to 3 km from Hosur Bus Stand. Officials from the National Highways Authority have launched a detailed probe and advised drivers to avoid the stretch until repairs are complete. Just as motorists caught their breath, the weather delivered another blow. Heavy rain on Sunday flooded several parts of Bengaluru, causing traffic to slow to a crawl. Waterlogged roads made commuting hazardous across key junctions. According to Bengaluru Traffic Police, slow movement was reported in: In a public advisory on Twitter, police said, 'Motorists are advised to take caution and expect delays in the following areas due to waterlogging and rainwater flow.'On Saturday, light rain and breezy weather had offered momentary relief. The temperature stayed between 20.3°C and 28.8°C, with winds peaking at 32 km/h. But any reprieve was to their limits, citizens are now beginning to rally online. Reddit user Popular‑Peace6795 posted,'People of Bluru, we have two choices! Either hold a strike against the 'auto mafia' or persuade employers to adopt widespread work-from-home.'He added, 'I think we have two options to beat this traffic … how much more are you willing to sacrifice your money, time, mental health and physical health?'The suggestion received more than a hundred comments, with users sharing stories, rage, and ideas. One commuter explained,'I'm sitting at office frustrated, booking autos with 50‑60% tip. Making them wait outside a random street and cancelling … This is my silent protest.'Another said, 'We're not dependent on autos for our meal. If they get cancelled enough, they'll understand and be desperate for rides.'Some, however, warned this could backfire, 'This doesn't help. It only makes genuine travellers lose rides.'What's unfolding isn't just a civic inconvenience. It's a mounting public pressure cooker. One commuter said,'I used to walk 1.5 km from my bus stop to office … by the time I reached, I was too exhausted to do anything.'Another posted, 'Just stop going to office as a strike. Force companies to force government. That's the only way.'Some are choosing the path of resignation, opting for personal vehicles even though they worsen congestion.'I just got a car. I know it adds to traffic but I can't deal with bikes or autos anymore,' one user the face of failing systems and fading patience, Bengaluru's citizens are asking the question their city refuses to answer: how long can this go on? (Disclaimer: This article is based on a user-generated post on social media. has not independently verified the claims made in the post and does not vouch for their accuracy. The views expressed are those of the individual and do not necessarily reflect the views of Reader discretion is advised.)
Time of India
19-06-2025
- Business
- Time of India
RTI revelation exposes massive over-allocation of Hidkal dam water to industries
Belagavi: In a significant development that could intensify the ongoing opposition to the diversion of Hidkal Dam water to industries in Hubballi-Dharwad, activist and whistleblower Sujit Mulgund unveiled official documents revealing that industrial units received nearly 22 times more water than the original allocation. Mulgund shared a letter from the assistant executive engineer of the Karnataka Niravari Nigam Limited (KNNL), CBC subdivision No. 2, dated July 6, 2024. The letter, addressed to the executive engineer, discloses that only 0.1 tmcft of water was initially allocated to industries under the project report. However, the allocation surged to 0.2 tmcft gradually, and there is an additional fresh demand of 0.5 tmcft under the Bengaluru-Mumbai Industrial Corridor Project, part of the Suvarna Karnataka Corridor initiative. Crucially, the letter indicates that the excess allocation already far surpassed the sanctioned limit. If the additional 0.5 tmcft is approved, it would come at the cost of irrigation water meant for farmers, a point likely to fuel further unrest among farming communities. Last month, the Karnataka govt approved the controversial diversion of 0.5 tmcft from Hidkal Dam to industrial areas in Hubballi-Dharwad, sparking widespread protests across Belagavi and neighbouring districts. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Free P2,000 GCash eGift UnionBank Credit Card Apply Now Undo Farmers and civil society groups decried the move, arguing it threatens their livelihood and violates the dam's original purpose. Earlier, water resources minister MB Patil claimed that the water being diverted was within the allocated limits. However, Mulgund's findings—obtained through the Right to Information (RTI) Act—contradict the minister's statement. Pipeline construction for the water diversion began over four months ago—without formal approval, tenders, or even informing the local administration, including district minister Satish Jarkiholi. The work only came to light when local farmers discovered pipelines being laid across their fields. In response, several organisations launched protests under the slogan 'Namma Neeru, Namma Hakku', prompting the Belagavi DC to halt the work temporarily. Despite the opposition, the project resumed following a green signal from the state cabinet. Activist Mulgund sought further details under RTI—including the tender cost, official approvals, and progress reports—but KNNL denied the information, citing confidentiality. Constructed in 1961 and named after former prime minister Lal Bahadur Shastri, the Hidkal dam was built to provide irrigation and drinking water. Though it has a storage capacity of 51 tmcft, effective availability is only around 44 tmcft due to siltation and unusable reserves. Speaking to the TOI, Mulgund criticised the lack of transparency. "The RTI documents clearly prove that more water has already been diverted to industries than originally sanctioned. Any additional diversion will directly impact farmers in Belagavi, Bagalkot and Vijayapura," he said.
Hindustan Times
14-05-2025
- Climate
- Hindustan Times
Bengaluru rains bring city to standstill, Manyata Tech Park turns into water park again
Bengaluru was brought to its knees on Tuesday evening after intense rainfall led to widespread waterlogging and massive traffic disruptions across the city. The downpour, one of the heaviest in recent memory, laid bare the fragile state of the city's infrastructure yet again, especially during extreme weather events. Also Read - Bomb hoax delays Bengaluru-bound Karnataka Express by 3 hours, Four held for questioning Several arterial roads, particularly in east Bengaluru, were submerged, causing long traffic snarls as commuters struggled to reach home. The chaos began during peak office hours, with vehicles stuck in knee-deep water in areas like Whitefield, Marathahalli, Banaswadi and Hebbal. Motorists were forced to wade through inundated streets, while rain continued to pour relentlessly. In response, the Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) deployed teams to drain the water from affected roads. Bengaluru Traffic Police also stepped in to manage the gridlock and direct traffic flow in the worst-hit areas. One of the most severely affected zones was Manyata Tech Park, which once again turned into a flood zone. Videos shared by tech workers on social media showed roads within the park submerged under several inches of water. The recurring issue triggered sharp reactions online. 'Another year, same story! Heavy rains = waterlogging at Manyata Tech Park. Roads flooded, commutes ruined, productivity hampered. How long will this go on?' posted one user on X, tagging BBMP and Embassy REIT. Another user sarcastically remarked, 'Manyata Tech Park on sunny days and water park on rainy days. Thanks to our brilliant urban planners and the unchecked real estate lobby.' Private weather blogger Namma Karnataka Weather (@namma_vjy) reported that East Banaswadi saw the highest rainfall at 37.5 mm, followed by HAL Airport (35 mm), Cottonpete (25.5 mm), and Marathahalli (24.5 mm). The India Meteorological Department (IMD) confirmed these reports and has issued a yellow alert for the coming days. The forecast warns of light to moderate rainfall, accompanied by gusty winds reaching speeds of 30–50 kmph. Due to the rain, Bengaluru's maximum temperature dropped to 32°C, which is 1.3°C below the seasonal average, providing temporary relief from the summer heat — but at the cost of major inconvenience. As the city braces for more rain in the coming days, residents are once again left questioning the state of urban planning, drainage infrastructure, and political will to address these recurring monsoon woes.
