Geeky posts no more

Between work and Praja.in, I hardly have time left for this ‘personal’ blog. Never started this with any ambitions of becoming the best known blogger on the Indi-blogosphere or anything like that. I am not that good either. I was told I would find like minded friends via this thing called blogging. And that I [...]

Transportation reforms around the BMLTA concept

[Cross posted from Praja-Bangalore, comments off]
In the telecom space, you have TRAI, which is a national level regulatory body. Rightly so, since telecom networks have national footprint through interconnections, it need not be looked at as a state subject. Drawing a parallel for our state, think of extending BMLTA concept to the state – a [...]

Traffic police – why stand and deliver?

[Cross posted from Praja-Bangalore, comments off]
Was driving my F-I-L’s Santro the other day when I was stopped by one of those police parties. 5 of them, settled under a thick tree. Half of them waiting to stop unsuspecting vehicles, the other half busy ‘punishing’ the ’successful’ catches. I never get stopped when driving bigger cars, [...]

Meeting with Mr Tripathy, BMTC – Summary

[Cross-posting from Praja-Bangalore, comments are off]
So it did happen. Naveen, Murali sir, Vasanth, Praveen, myself got 30 minutes of Mr Tripathy’s time in his office. After introducing Praja etc, we were planning to present our (rather, Naveen’s) slides on single dedicated lane based BRTS idea. But Mr Tripathy said he was short on time, [...]

How is 18% for majority!?

After casting my vote early in the morning yesterday, while I drove around and was doing some shopping, I was curiously trying to spot the ink on those index fingers. My empirical observations told me that less than 50% of people had taken the trouble of visiting a polling booth. Morning newspapers are saying that [...]

Traffic – Insurance laws to strengthen enforcement?

Over an year ago, I was driving not so fast not so slow, near the hard median of a road, when I spotted a bold biker riding on the ‘wrong’ side. Right around then, an impatient cab (Sumo) following behind decided to pass me from the left, the overtaking action putting him on a collision [...]

Shell outlets: shutdown coming?

Suman isn’t the only one. I too noticed that my neighborhood Shell bunk now sells only the premium petrol (Shell supreme or something), cost ranging from Rs 61 – 64 a liter over last month. The BP bunk nearby offers Rs 52 – 55 Rs/liter. 15% is a bit much premium to pay, though I [...]

Update on roads over storm water drains

It was just over an year ago when BBMP talked about the project – about 250 km of roads over Bangalore’s storm water drains. Local papers, when covering BBMP budget today, are saying that this project is now funded. Here is a quote from TOI:
“Here’s what people can see within one year: Bangalore will see [...]

Bangalore’s Water: 38% is not “accounted” for!

Some newspaper reports (Hindu, ToI) this week mentioned that:
… water supply to Bangalore is … 694 million litres a day … consumption which is actually billed … around 429 million litres a day. The unaccounted for water comes to an alarming 38.2 per cent
Wow, 38.2 percent (quoted from Hindu)! This would include two types of [...]

So really, who owns Hindi?

Alright, okay. So I am a North Indian, and someday I will be branded a Northie and questioned in Bangalore as well. I can take that, and would understand the sentiments and politics around that. But, at times, when I am called a Hindi guy as opposed to a Northie, I pause and think.
Would you [...]