Good morning, Bengaluru!
⛅ Today’s weather: A bit of sun during the day.
🧐 Did you know? The Chinnaswamy stadium is named after former BCCI President M Chinnaswamy. He was the president from 1977 to 1980.
🕗 Adjusting working hours
The city police have urged tech companies to adopt dual shift timings to help ease traffic on ORR.
What’s it about? In the wake of persistent traffic congestion at the Outer Ring Road (ORR), the city traffic police department has asked the IT companies along the stretch to adopt dual work shifts.
- The police have asked the companies to operate on two shifts – 8 am to 4 pm and 2 pm to 10 pm. While no decision has been finalised, most companies prefer working in morning shifts.
- The Outer Ring Road Companies Association (ORRCA) had a similar proposal. They said companies should be notified to encourage them to adjust their working hours to help reduce traffic during peak hours.
It’s bad out there: The traffic situation on ORR has deteriorated. On October 4, the number of vehicles in the area increased by 20-25%. The police have banned the movement of Heavy Goods Vehicles on this stretch from 3 p.m.
🚗 Overcrowded vehicles
Authorities remain callous as public transport gets overcrowded putting people at risk.
What’s it about? Overcrowded autos, buses, and vans are a common sight, particularly during school hours, putting children’s lives at risk. In August, the traffic police registered 79 cases for vehicles carrying more students than permitted. However, many private vans and autos continue to flout rules.
- For school buses and vans, the guidelines specify a 1-1.5 ratio for kids below 12. A 45-seater school bus can carry only 50 students. Until May 2023, 42 violations were registered.
- In 2022, over 1,900 individuals were booked for exceeding the limit. In 2021, 1,750 cases were registered. Despite these instances, there are many more that go unnoticed.
Blame game: Parents say the rules are only on paper and the schools are responsible for only their vehicles. However, some feel only private unaided schools and their buses are under the scanner and the rules should apply to all.
🌱 Watering plants
A new initiative encourages citizens to water plants when they visit city lakes.
What’s it about? The new initiative, called Bageeratha, was launched at the Varanasi Lake. It encourages people to bring water in plastic cans to water plants and saplings planted around lake bunds.
- In 2021, the Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) Lakes Department recovered one acre and six guntas of land from land sharks. It was then developed for ₹3 crore with hundreds of saplings, plants, and trees along the lake bund.
- Private water tankers have refused to supply water for the saplings. They say that it takes more time and want a premium. Several residents have taken to adopt several saplings and water them on visits to the lake.
Expanding the cause: Yashwanth J, a volunteer from Gangondanahalli, wants to launch this initiative at Gangondanahalli and the surrounding areas.
❓ Quiz nights
A great evening in the city now includes themed quizzes at pubs and bars.
What’s it about? A laidback evening in the heart of the city doesn’t just include great food and drink. Pubs and bars are now including themed quizzes each week.
- Many city pubs host quiz nights with rewards for winners. They’re using this to entice patrons of all age groups. At the 21st Amendment Gastrobar, Wednesdays are star nights with themed quizzes that see a packed house.
- At the Trippy Goat cafe, the quiz night trend, though new for them, saw a great customer response. They’re planning to host another round this month.
Why’s it popular? Quiz nights bring people together from different age groups. There’s also a shared joy in some friendly competition with others over food and drink.
✨ Things to do…
Here are some fun and interesting things to do in the city over the weekend!
- The Raghu Dixit Project is back in India for a live performance in the city this Saturday.
- Bending Reality will bring you up close and personal with magician Sanjay this Sunday.
- Pop-rock band Sanam will perform live this Saturday.
- Never Odd or Even is an English play by Theatre Marina happening this Sunday.
- The Mousetrap is a Hindi adaption of Agartha Christie’s play happening this weekend.
🛋️ Local Lounge
Yesterday’s Poll Results:
- I prefer long drives: 50.0% 🏆
- I prefer long walks: 50.0% 🏆
That’s it for today. Have a great weekend!