Debate rages on Mass Rapid Transport System for City
Even as citizens struggle to get to work and back battling the traffic and inhaling noxious fumes, debate on the right kind of mass rapid transport system for the city rages. While the Bangalore Metropolitan Rail Transit Limited proclaimed this week that a revised feasibility report on the Elevated Light Rail Transit System would be submitted by the end of August, a transport expert went on record to emphasise once again that a metro rail type of facility would be more beneficial and cost effective for the city. With no solution in sight, arguments continue while hapless motorists and commuters wage war daily with burgeoning traffic.

BCC extends Dealdine for new scheme
Having introduced a transparent, simple and harassment - free scheme for paying of property tax - the Self Assessment Scheme, the Bangalore City Corporation decided to extend the deadline to June 8 following a barrage of representations from people stating that they needed a little more time since it was the time for school admissions and such others. Bowing to their requests, the BCC extended it. The response however has been quite overwhelming according to officials themselves. By Friday night nearly one lakh owners had opted for the scheme bringing in more than Rs 50 crore as property tax, which is nearly half the total amount collected last year as property tax. The BCC is also pleased that protests and an ongoing court case has not deterred the citizens.

City goes into a tizzy over construction on TG Halli banks
The city, especially represented by politicians, went into a minor tizzy as construction activity was spotted on the banks of the T.G Halli tank, the main source of water for a substantial part of the city. Protests began with the corporators who contended that it would prove to be a disaster for the city. The mayor led a delegation to the chief minister urging that the activity be stopped and Mr Krishna is reported to have promised to look into the matter and do the needful.

Trees hacked mercilessly in the name of development
Development and infrastructure is fine, but environmental degradation that accompanies it makes one wonder if it is worth it all. The Coimbatore-Bangalore highway which is currently underway through the Kanakapura Road witnessed the merciless hacking of 25 full grown avenue trees. A little digging revealed that unscrupulous contractors had cut them down without so much as trying to work them in the plan. The move raised a lot of protests from localites but precious little could be done since the tress had already fallen.

CM says he is satisfied with progress at BATF review
Nearly six months after the BATF organised Bangalore Summit, the civic stakeholders met for a review last week under the chairmanship of the Chief Minsiter. Impressive progress both tangible and visible has been made during these six months and the chief minister did state as much. The most impressive has been BDA which not only kept its commitments but has gone one step ahead and allotted 1,000 more sites than the 5,000 that it had promised. What's more the Ring Road is also heading for completion. In fact almost all the civic stakeholders showed commendable progress which is a good sign for the city.