Good morning, Bengaluru!
⛈️ Today’s weather: Thundery showers are in store. Hold onto those umbrellas!
🧐 Did you know? The Bowring and Lady Curzon Hospital is named after Lewin Bowring, the commissioner of Mysore in 1868. The coat of arms on the building facade and a dispensary named after Rayalu Thumboo Chettiah, the first Indian chief judge of Mysore state, are the surviving pieces of its British origins.
🚌 Bus services hit
Public transport will be disrupted tomorrow and the day after.
Story so far: On May 9 and 10, public transport will be significantly disrupted since both Karnataka State Road Transport Corporation (KSRTC) and Bengaluru Metropolitan Transport Corporation (BMTC) have deployed thousands of their buses for election duties.
- As of May 6, KSRTC committed 3,700 buses to election duty, and the BMTC offered 1,868 buses.
- They will be used by district administrations and the police.
Why it matters? Bengalureans should plan their travel with elections and transport disruptions in mind.
🏞️ Flaw in the lake rejuvenation plan
Yet again, a lake rejuvenation project comes under experts’ microscope for being flawed.
Story so far: Things do not seem to be going well for the Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike’s (BBMP) lake rejuvenation plans. Experts have pointed out flaws in the Palike’s ongoing restoration project of Subbarayanakere Lake.
- The authorities haven’t constructed rainwater drains, even with more rain on the horizon. They have cut down trees for the project.
- Experts aren’t confident of the oft-used soup-bowl design for lakes. They say that inlets can’t stop plastic bottles from entering the lake.
Why it matters? A lake activist suggests that the BBMP should make documents about the lake rejuvenation project available in the public domain. It’ll keep them accountable and help them make better decisions.
📜 Informed voting practices
A group of friends launched an awareness campaign to call for informed voting practices.
Story so far: On Friday, a citizens’ group carried out a voter awareness program ‘#VoteWisely’ at the Press Club in Cubbon Park. The group highlighted that voting is the easiest way to participate in a democracy.
- The group distributed pamphlets with news about the incumbent state government. They underscored the rise in crimes against women and the seizure of ₹8 crore from BJP MLA Madal Virupakshappa’s son.
- They have distributed about 90,000 pamphlets across Karnataka. They aim to distribute 200,000 in total.
Why it matters? The group wants to clean up myths about Indian politics. They argue that politics doesn’t have to be dirty and citizens can make informed choices. To walk the talk, they collected information on the present government’s performance, and supplemented it with party manifestos and candidate affidavits.
🎚️ Bengaluru’s EDM scene
Last weekend, German Techno music artist DJ Boris Brejcha performed in India after 7 years.
Story so far: When the top-selling Techno music artist DJ Boris Brejcha returned to India after seven years, he discovered the Electronic Dance Music (EDM) stage had expanded beyond his imagination. People from all over the country flew in to attend his show in Bengaluru last Saturday.
- After his show, the EDM heavyweight admitted to listening to all genres of music except electronic.
- People from all over the world can connect to Brejcha’s music, which he makes in his basement. He calls it ‘high-tech minimal.’
Tell me more? The last time Brejcha was in India, he saw a much smaller crowd. On May 6, he performed at the Bharathiya Mall as part of Sunburn Arena 2023.
📊 Today’s Poll
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Have you ever been scammed?
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❓ Today’s Question
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According to you, what’s the best way to beat traffic?
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🗞️ In other news…
- Three more flights with Sudan evacuees reach Bengaluru.
- Hundreds of BMTC commuters suffer due to PM Modi’s Bengaluru roadshow.
- KSTDC’s Mayura hotels to give 50% discount for voters of Karnataka polls.
- Read more about Bowring and Lady Curzon Hospital through the ages.
- Will Manjunath Nagar flyover pass IISc’s test?
That’s it for today. Have a great day!