Good morning, Bengaluru!
🌧️ Today’s weather: Generally cloudy with a bit of rain.
🧐 Did you know? Bengaluru is the first city in Karnataka to have a Commissionerate of Police, with the Commissioner as the head of Bengaluru City Police. It was established in 1963.
💰 Congestion tax proposal irks residents
The Karnataka government’s proposal to introduce a congestion tax on Bengaluru’s busiest roads during peak hours has faced backlash from the city’s residents.
What’s it about? The government, in collaboration with the Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FICCI), released a report on September 22 suggesting a congestion tax on private vehicles on nine major roads in Bengaluru during peak traffic hours. The idea behind the tax is to reduce traffic congestion, similar to systems in cities like Singapore, London, and Stockholm.
- The proposed roads include Bellary Road, Tumkur Road, Magadi Road, Mysuru Road, Kanakapura Road, Bannerghatta Road, Hosur Road, Old Madras Road, and Old Airport Road.
- The report indicates that traffic congestion in Bengaluru results in a loss of 60 crore person-hours annually, with nearly 2.8 lakh litres of fuel wasted per hour.
Residents upset: Residents argue that the lack of efficient public transport forces them to rely on personal vehicles, and poor road infrastructure contributes to congestion. The government claims that the revenue from the congestion tax will be used for improving public transportation services.
🧑🏽💻 Police go paperless
The Bengaluru South Eastern police have become the first in India to adopt a paperless system for their administrative functions.
What’s it about? The digital transition includes various administrative tasks such as processing leave applications, managing long leaves, handling promotions, dealing with building electricity matters and overseeing police station construction. The initiative, led by Deputy Commissioner of Police (DCP) South-East Division Bengaluru City Police, CK Baba, aims to streamline the traditionally manual process of document transfer within the police department.
- The first phase of implementation has been successfully completed in the South East Division, with plans to extend the digital transformation to all police stations in the region.
- The 14 police stations in the South East division and 3 ACP offices, all under CK Baba, have transitioned to e-offices. In total, 17 units have been trained for this e-office system.
More digitization: Efforts are also in progress to digitize old cases, marking a comprehensive move towards a paperless environment within the police force, ensuring both efficiency and transparency in their operations.
🎒 School timings to be changed?
The Karnataka government is contemplating adjusting school timings in Bengaluru to mitigate traffic congestion.
What’s it about? In response to a recent high court order, the state’s education department is considering revising the timings of schools in Bengaluru. The order directed the state government to modify school and industrial establishment timings to address the city’s traffic woes.
- The high court’s directive was influenced by the need to ease traffic and ensure the safety and security of children.
- The education department has scheduled meetings with stakeholders, including the Association of Private Schools, the Association of School Vehicles, and parents, to gather their opinions on the proposed changes.
Worst affected: Bengaluru is ranked second, after London, in the Tom Tom traffic index as one of the most traffic-congested cities globally. In 2022, the city recorded an added travel time of approximately 29 minutes and 10 seconds for a 10-kilometre distance.
📱 Nothing service centre
The London-based consumer tech brand Nothing has inaugurated its first exclusive service centre in Bengaluru, India.
What’s it about? The Bengaluru service centre offers a unique experience, including technical workshops and the opportunity for consumers to try out the latest Nothing products.
- The service centre, situated in Indira Nagar, is the first of its kind globally for Nothing.
- Plans are in place to launch exclusive service centres in Delhi, Mumbai, Hyderabad, and Chennai, with a goal to have 20 such centres by 2024 and 35 by 2025.
Other services: The company also plans to host monthly service camps, offering discounts on labour and component charges. Additionally, the centre promises priority services, aiming to repair products within two hours or provide a standby device if needed.
📊 Today’s Poll
(Only subscribers can participate in the polls)
What do you prefer – long drives or long walks?
- I prefer long drives.
- I prefer long walks.
❓ Today’s Question
(Only subscribers can submit their answers)
Which is the best school in Bengaluru?
Reply to this email with your answers.
🗞️ In other news…
- Karnataka is studying the issues related to carpooling and the Centre’s aggregator guidelines.
- Puravankara Limited’s premises were raided by the I-T Department in Bengaluru and other cities.
- Bengaluru court initiates criminal proceedings against Sobha Ltd for forgery in a residential project.
- TVS Emerald’s Bengaluru project sees ₹169-crore sales on day one.
- Stories of climate resilience are in the spotlight at the Jacaranda Tales film festival.
🛋️ Local Lounge
Yesterday’s Poll:
- I have used the Namma Yatri app: 66.7% 🏆
- I haven’t used the Namma Yatri app: 33.3%
That’s it for today. Have a great day!