Good morning, Bengaluru!
⛅ Today’s weather: It’s going to go from sunny to cloudy.
🧐 Did you know? Bangalore blue grape is a variety of fox grape that’s been grown for the past 150 years in Bengaluru Urban, Chikkaballapur, and Kolar. Grape cultivation in Karnataka goes back to the 18th century when the Nizam of Hyderabad introduced it in the state.
📹 Safe City phase-one
Honeywell installs AI video cameras as a part of the government-backed safe city project.
Story so far: On Tuesday, Honeywell, in conjunction with the Bengaluru Police, announced that it’s successfully wrapped up phase 1 of the Safe City project. They have installed over 4,100 video cameras powered by Honeywell’s safety and security technology across 3,000 strategic locations.
- The project aims to secure a safe environment for citizens, especially women and girls. It allows city administrators to make decisions in near real-time.
- Honeywell demonstrated using the connected video camera technology to catch thieves. The system can analyse the colour of suspects’ clothing, vehicle types, and vehicle number from a distance.
Phase 2: The first tranche of the project concluded in record time. It’s expected to improve the police’s decision-making. The next phase will prioritise integrating these systems to stitch a seamless smart-city experience.
🗳️ Vote from home
The elderly and people with disabilities (PwD) can vote from home in the upcoming assembly elections.
Story so far: The wind blows heavy with controversies while city walls stand plastered in ornate appeals. It’s almost time for the Karnataka Assembly elections. On Wednesday, Rajiv Kumar, the Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) of India, revealed that persons with disabilities (PwD) and senior citizens past 80 years of age can vote from home.
- 12.15 lakh registered voters in Karnataka are above 80 years of age, and 5.55 lakh voters are PwD.
- Qualifying people can send their votes through form 12D, which allows voters to send in their votes by post. Kumar said the entire process will be videographed while ensuring the vote’s secrecy.
Tell me more? The Assembly elections will be held in a single go on May 10, 2023. On May 13, the votes will be counted. Kumar announced that half of the polling booths would be webcast. Women officials will manage 1,320 booths.
🎞️ Women-centered film festival
A charitable trust is organising a film festival today around domestic violence and power.
Story so far: To celebrate Women’s History month, NGO Aweksha, partnering with Bengaluru City University, is organising a day-long film festival around domestic violence and women empowerment. Starting at 10:15 am in the Jnana Jyoti Auditorium, there will be two film screenings followed by a panel discussion.
- Idi Katha Maatramena is a 1983 film by Yugantar Film Collective. It opens up the discourse on dowry and domestic violence.
- The Great Indian Kitchen is a 2021 film by Jeo Baby. It’s about a woman struggling to adorn the role of a submissive wife.
Panellists: Akkai Padmashali, a social activist, will chair the panel and condense it around domestic violence, gender roles in domestic spaces, and ways of empowering women. Dr Sudeshna Mukherjee, associate professor at the university’s Women’s Studies Department, will be present.
- Sumitra Acharya, lawyer and women’s rights activist, and Kajol Singh, project coordinator at Aweksha, will participate too.
✈️ Airport upgrade coming soon
Phase 1 of transport integration at the Kempegowda International Airport is nearing completion.
Story so far: The Bengaluru airport will soon be India’s first airport to get a Multi-Modal Transport Hub (MMTH), joining the likes of Heathrow and Zurich. The MMTH construction is in its advanced stages. Once complete, the MMTH will prune tediousness out of travel and offer seamless transport integration.
- Some facilities, like temporary parking and drop-off area, are wrapped up and ready for use.
- The hub will bring together metro and bus stations, private car/taxi/cabs parking, a baggage sorting area and a retail area.
Why it matters? In India, most airports don’t have multiple modes of transport brought under a single roof. The addition will be helpful as the Kempegowda International Airport caters to about 1.05 lakh people per day.
📊 Today’s Poll
(Only subscribers can participate in the polls)
Do you cover your laptop’s webcam when it’s not in use?
- Yes, I cover my laptop’s webcam.
- No, I don’t cover my laptop’s webcam.
❓ Today’s Question
(Only subscribers can submit their answers)
What’s your go-to breakfast food?
Reply to this email with your answers.
🗞️ In other news…
- BBMP declares five prominent Bengalureans as ‘Namma Bengaluru Icons’ to improve voter turnout.
- The Karnataka High Court has directed the BBMP not to permit construction and other activities near the Mallathahalli lake.
- Bengaluru’s KR Puram junction will breathe easy with a wider road.
- Ila Arun, best known for her song Choli Ke Peeche, is bringing her latest plays to the city.
- Here’s a piece about digital addiction in rural India and NIMHANS’ work to address it.
🛋️ Local Lounge
Yesterday’s Poll:
- I have attended the circus: 100.0% 🏆
- I have attended the circus: 0.0%
Answers to Yesterday’s Question:
Which language/s can you speak?
Sriranga: “Kannada, English & Hindi”
Parthi: “Tamil, Telugu, Kannada, English”
Subramanya: “Telugu, Kannada, English, Tamil, Hindi”
Raghuram: “Kannada, English, Hindi, Tamil, Telugu, C, Python and Verilog”
That’s it for today. Have a great day!