Good morning, Bengaluru!
🌧️ Today’s weather: High: 28 ℃ | Low: 20 ℃ | Generally cloudy sky with light rain.
🧐 Did you know? The first-ever map of India was drawn using Trinity Church on MG Road as the starting point.
🐘 Tusker toddler
Bannerghatta Biological Park has recently welcomed a new addition to its elephant family, captivating visitors and increasing the park’s elephant population to 27.
What’s it about? The newest member, a baby elephant born to a 9-year-old female named Rita, is drawing considerable attention from tourists. This birth marks Rita’s first time as a mother, and both the park’s doctors and staff are dedicated to ensuring the newborn’s well-being.
- The baby elephant’s tiny steps and playful antics provide a heartwarming experience for onlookers.
- Bannerghatta National Park has also made headlines by launching South India’s first Cheetah Safari in Bengaluru.
Leopard Safari: The leopard safari, inaugurated by Forest Minister Ishwara Khandre, features 8 leopards released into an open forest area dotted with natural cliffs and semi-deciduous forests. The safari area, constructed at a cost of ₹4.5 crore, includes robust security measures such as a 4.5-meter-high chain link net and 1.5-meter-high MS sheets.
🚗 Bengaluru leads EV sales
Bengaluru, India’s tech capital, has outpaced other major cities like Delhi, Mumbai, Hyderabad, Pune, and Chennai in electric vehicle (EV) sales.
What’s it about? Bengaluru saw the sale of 4,283 electric cars between January and May this year, following last year’s record of 8,690 units sold. Delhi was the runner-up in EV sales with 4,016 units, followed by Hyderabad at 2,114 units, Mumbai at 2,065 units, and Pune at 1,620 units.
- Chennai, Ahmedabad, and Jaipur also saw significant EV sales.
- The surge in Battery Electric Vehicles (BEVs) in Bengaluru can be traced back to Reva, an electric car manufacturer founded by Chetan Maini, a Stanford graduate, four decades ago.
Early exposure: Reva was acquired by Mahindra & Mahindra in 2010. Maini highlights that Bengaluru’s tech-savvy, younger community has been exposed to EVs since 2001, fostering a culture of acceptance and experimentation with green vehicles.
🛣️ PRR split mulled
In an effort to attract bidders for the ambitious Peripheral Ring Road (PRR) project, the Bangalore Development Authority (BDA) is considering splitting the 74-kilometer corridor into three parts.
What’s it about? This decision aims to distribute the total project cost of ₹27,000 crore among three companies instead of requiring one firm to bear the entire expense. The proposal and other project modalities were discussed in detail at a recent meeting chaired by Bengaluru Development Minister DK Shivakumar.
- Experts believe that splitting the project will attract better competition and minimise risks.
- The segmentation is expected to make the project more appealing to multiple bidders, thereby ensuring better participation.
Proposed split: As per the new plan, the 74-km road, which will form a semicircle around Bengaluru, will be divided into three segments – Tumakuru Road to Ballari Road, Ballari Road to Old Madras Road, and Old Madras Road to Hosur Road.
🏦 BoB branch shut over rent due
The Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) has locked down the Bank of Baroda and the post office located on the ground floor of the Public Utility Building (PUB) on MG Road due to unpaid rent amounting to ₹20 crore.
What’s it about? The rent for the premises occupied by the Bank of Baroda was revised in 2011. However, the bank continued to pay the old rent until December 2022 and has since stopped payments altogether.
- The dues, along with accrued interest, have now risen to ₹17.5 crore.
- Similarly, the MG Road branch of the post office has not paid the revised rent since 2006 despite multiple notices from the BBMP.
Early morning action: The outstanding dues for the post office had now reached ₹2.3 crore. At 6:45 am on Saturday, officials from the BBMP’s East Zone carried out the closure operations.
📊 Today’s Poll
(Only subscribers can participate in the polls)
Have you been on a safari at the Bannerghatta Biological Park?
- I have been on a safari at the Bannerghatta Biological Park.
- I have not been on a safari at the Bannerghatta Biological Park.
❓ Today’s Question
(Only subscribers can submit their answers)
What will you look for when buying an EV?
Reply to this email with your answers.
🗞️ In other news…
- 25 medical negligence FIRs have been filed in the city since 2015 without a single conviction.
- Filmmaker Vasanth Mokashi has died at 70.
- BDA’s decision to lease Sadashivanagar’s mini market to a private developer has been marred by residents’ protests.
- Samsung R&D Institue has renewed its Bagmane property lease.
- The body of the 27-year-old delivery worker who fell into a SWD has been retrieved after a 30-hour operation.
🛋️ Local Lounge
Yesterday’s Poll:
- Bengaluru needs a second airport: 75.0% 🏆
- Bengaluru does not need a second airport: 25.0%
That’s it for today. Have a great day!