Good morning, Bengaluru!
🌧️ Today’s weather: High: 30 ℃ | Low: 21 ℃ | Generally cloudy sky with light rain.
🧐 Did you know? The Sirsi Circle Flyover is the oldest flyover in the city.
🚗 AI traffic control
The Bengaluru Traffic Police (BTP) has introduced the Bengaluru Adaptive Traffic Control System (BATCS), an AI-powered technology aimed at improving traffic flow and reducing congestion.
What’s it about? The system, launched in May 2024, upgrades 136 existing traffic signals and installs 29 new ones, covering a total of 165 junctions by January 2025. Once completed, BATCS will expand to an additional 400 junctions across the city in phases, creating a comprehensive AI-driven traffic management network.
- BATCS uses the indigenously developed CoSiCoSt ATCS application from the Centre for Development of Advanced Computing (C-DAC) to handle the city’s complex and unpredictable traffic conditions.
- It employs real-time data from camera sensors to dynamically adjust signal timings based on traffic volume, ensuring smoother travel and minimising delays.
Creating green waves: The system also enables centralised traffic signal monitoring from a control room, allowing for quicker responses to changing traffic conditions. Signals along major corridors are synchronised to create “green waves”, reducing stops and travel times while improving fuel efficiency.
🏠 Premium residential project
Arvind SmartSpaces Ltd has launched a new premium residential project near ITPL Road spanning 2.9 acres with a saleable area of 4.2 lakh square feet.
What’s it about? The project, located in one of Bengaluru’s prime areas, aims for a revenue of ₹600 crore. Positioned close to IT hubs and key infrastructure, it will appeal to professionals in the Whitefield area.
- This is Arvind’s 12th project overall and eighth high-rise in Bengaluru, further boosting the company’s portfolio.
- With a projected business potential of ₹1,010 crore for 2024, Arvind SmartSpaces is also expanding across other cities like Ahmedabad and the Mumbai Metropolitan Region (MMR).
Future plans: The company expresses confidence in the brand’s continued success in India’s real estate market, highlighting the trusted “Arvind” name among homebuyers. The company now plans to launch projects worth ₹2,300-2,500 crore by FY25.
👩🏽💻 New WeWork location
WeWork India has expanded its premium flexible workspace offerings by launching its latest facility, WeWork 37 Cunningham.
What’s it about? Spanning over 61,120 square feet and spread across four floors, this new space features 891 desks. It is designed to meet the growing demand from large enterprises, multinational corporations, and C-suite executives who seek more than just a conventional office environment.
- The facility offers a range of premium amenities, sustainable design elements, and bespoke services tailored specifically for executive-level users.
- The latest building is LEED Core, Shell Gold, and WELL Gold certified, reinforcing its commitment to sustainability.
Growth story: Since its entry into the Indian market seven years ago, WeWork India has grown significantly, adding over 90,000 desks across 61 locations in major cities, including Bengaluru, Chennai, New Delhi, Gurugram, Noida, Mumbai, Pune, and Hyderabad.
🏝️ Muizzu in Bengaluru
Maldivian President Mohammed Muizzu and First Lady Sajidha Mohammed visited Bengaluru and were welcomed by Chief Minister Siddaramaiah.
What’s it about? The visit focused on strengthening trade, tourism, and technology ties between Karnataka and the Maldives where Siddaramaiah emphasised Bengaluru’s status as India’s Silicon Valley, highlighting its strong ecosystem in start-ups, AI, and innovation hubs.
- The Chief Minister expressed interest in fostering IT industry growth in the Maldives and promoting Karnataka’s handicrafts and handlooms to Maldivian tourists.
- The visit also emphasised cultural ties, with the Chief Minister referencing Karnataka’s natural beauty and diverse heritage, positioning the state as a peaceful and culturally rich destination.
Discussion focus: President Muizzu reaffirmed Maldives’ longstanding partnership with India, acknowledging India’s steadfast support. The discussions also focused on deepening economic relations, particularly in IT and trade, while also encouraging educational and cultural exchanges.
📊 Today’s Poll
(Only subscribers can participate in the polls)
Would AI’s traffic control be better than that of human controllers?
- AI’s traffic control will be better than that of human controllers.
- AI’s traffic control will not be better than that of human controllers.
❓ Today’s Question
(Only subscribers can submit their answers)
What makes a builder trustable for you?
Reply to this email with your answers.
🗞️ In other news…
- Malaika Arora inaugurated a Page3 Luxury Salon in the city, the thirtieth in the country.
- Nikhil Kamath, Ankit Nagori, and Prashanth Prakash have joined as franchise owners for the GEPL Bengaluru Team.
- LinkedIn has compiled a list of the top 10 fastest-growing start-ups in the city with Zepto leading the race.
- The BBMP has introduced a capsule-based waste management system to make the city cleaner.
- The BMRCL plans to introduce multi-modal connectivity in Phase 3 of the Namma Metro project.
🛋️ Local Lounge
Yesterday’s Poll:
- I have a pet: 9.1%
- I do not have a pet: 90.9% 🏆
Answers to Yesterday’s Question:
What’s the best anti-virus software to have on a budget?
Simon: “Windows Defender. And having the discipline to not click on any link with an offer that is too good to be true.”
Sriranga: “Windows defender is good for PC, no need to have a third party antivirus separately.”
That’s it for today. Have a great day!