Good morning, Bengaluru!
🌁 Today’s weather: Foggy in the morning and cloudy during the day.
🧐 Did you know? The total built-up area of UB City on the Vittal Mallya Road is 16 lakh sq ft.
🥕 Heavy metals in veggies
Research by the Environment Management and Policy Research Institute (EMPRI) shows alarming levels of heavy metal contamination in vegetables across Bengaluru due to wastewater irrigation.
What’s it about? The study analysed 400 vegetable samples from various markets in Bengaluru, discovering exceedances in permissible heavy metal limits set by the Food and Agriculture Organisation.
- Cadmium, dangerous to the liver and lungs, is found in high concentrations in several vegetables.
- Vegetables like beans showcased high iron content, double the permissible limit.
More study needed: EMPRI urges avoiding wastewater for irrigation and proposes a broader study to delve into the health impacts on different age groups, pushing for defined metal limits for each vegetable type.
🏗️ Ejipura flyover project resumes
After a hiatus, the Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) reignites the Ejipura flyover project, swapping contractors to hasten completion.
What’s it about? The Ejipura flyover project, initially tendered in 2017, faced delays due to financial issues encountered by the original contractor, Simplex Infrastructure. The project, which had seen a 50% completion, was halted until BBMP decided to switch contractors.
- BBMP has now engaged a new contractor, targeting work commencement within 15 days.
- A new contract worth ₹176 crore has been awarded, with an escalated cost of ₹93 crore due to the delay.
Timeline: BBMP aims to complete the project within the next one and a half years, despite some public demands for alternative transit solutions on the stretch.
😐 Fixing before Branding
Citizens’ Action Forum (CAF) expressed concerns to Deputy Chief Minister DK Shivakumar over the ‘Brand Bengaluru’ campaign, stressing the necessity of addressing core urban issues before branding efforts.
What’s it about? CAF urged prioritization of key urban problems like sewage management and garbage disposal, warning that without such focus, branding could mislead and merely serve as a short-term placation for residents and investors.
- CAF advocated for a series of realistic White Papers backed by formal studies to reach a consensus on Bengaluru’s challenges.
- It also emphasised holistic, sustainable urban development over mere image enhancement, to truly elevate Bengaluru’s “quality of life.”
Concerns: CAF’s letter portrayed a grim ‘Dirty Bengaluru’ if core issues were ignored, advocating a shift from ad-hoc, superficial measures towards substantial, democratically-driven solutions for a sustainable, “Brand Bengaluru.”
🏢 Urban Vault expands footprint
Urban Vault plans to add 10,000 managed co-working seats in Bengaluru to meet the growing demand for flexible workspaces.
Boosting inventory: The expansion across major micro-markets will boost Urban Vault’s total inventory to 25,000 desks in the city, amid rising corporate preference for managed flex spaces.
- About 3,000 seats each will be added in Sarjapur Road and Hebbal, 2,000 in Koramangala, and 1,000 in HSR Layout.
- The expansion reflects a broader shift as companies transition from traditional office setups to co-working spaces for better flexibility and cost efficiency.
Future growth: Looking forward, Urban Vault eyes further growth with entry into Delhi, Hyderabad, and Pune markets, extending its customer-centric, flexible workspace solutions to a wider audience.
📊 Today’s Poll
(Only subscribers can participate in the polls)
Do you prefer wearing jeans while travelling?
- I prefer wearing jeans while travelling.
- I don’t prefer wearing jeans while travelling.
❓ Today’s Question
(Only subscribers can submit their answers)
Which attraction do you like the most in an amusement park?
Reply to this email with your answers.
🗞️ In other news…
- Shortage of river sand delays the Chennai-Bengaluru highway project.
- A Bengaluru-based economist discovers her true passion in belly dancing.
- An event at the National Centre for Biological Sciences recounted the institute’s inception and progression over the previous twenty-five years.
- Bengaluru has set a new weather record by experiencing its coldest October morning on Tuesday.
- 40 unauthorized buildings have been discovered in a single layout in Whitefield.
🛋️ Local Lounge
Yesterday’s Poll:
- I would settle down in Bengaluru: 50.0% 🏆
- I wouldn’t settle down in Bengaluru: 50.0% 🏆
That’s it for today. Have a great day!