Good morning, Bengaluru!
☁️ Today’s weather: High: 31 ℃ | Low: 22 ℃ | Mostly cloudy skies for the day.
🧐 Did you know? Lalbagh once housed a zoo. The garden was home to a menagerie and an aviary.
🪑 An experiential furniture store
Vaasa, a new furniture store, combines the old and the new.
What’s it about? Vaasa is a bespoke new furniture store in Sadashiva Nagar spread across 3,600 square feet with two floors. The store has several conceptual and experiential pieces made using reclaimed wood.
- The first floor has small tables with art pieces and the centre has some of the furniture on display. One corner has a bed with a side table and the other has Chesterfield leather chairs.
- On the second floor is another experiential setup, a two-seater beige sofa with embroidered cushions next to a three-seater cane sofa and a three-legged round coffee table.
A unique piece: One unique piece in the store is a vintage beverage cooler with a bottle opener restored to its original form.
🚰 Water quality concerns
Whitefield residents were concerned about sewage contamination in their water supply.
What happened? At Whitefield’s Borewell Road, residents were shocked to find their Cauvery water supply contaminated with sewage. Several households reported a foul smell from the water taps. The problem was first discovered on Saturday but happened again this week.
- Civic officials took action and collected water samples. Households get Cauvery water twice a week and are unsure if it would be contaminated with sewage again.
- Residents complained to authorities about serious health concerns for their families. They already spend a lot of money to clean tanks and buy water from tankers.
How could this happen? One reason is the poor quality of pipes and faulty installation. Water pipes are sometimes laid next to the sewage line and pass through open drains that have raw sewage.
🚌 Another fare hike?
After a fuel and a possible water tariff increase, bus fares in the city could be next up.
What’s it about? State Transport Minister Ramalinga Reddy hinted bus fares for the city could increase due to financial strain on transport companies. The recent increase in fuel prices and the non-revision of fares are the reasons cited.
- Reddy blamed the BJP government for the fuel price increase and said transport companies needed to be compensated.
- While no formal proposal has been released, the ministry would review it to take the necessary action. The fares of the Bengaluru Metropolitan Transport Corporation (BMTC) were increased in 2014.
Not enough revenue: Despite the success of the Shakti scheme, the corporations haven’t revised staff salaries for many years. The increase in revenue from the scheme hasn’t been enough to cover the losses.
🛫 Elevated taxiway at the airport
The Bangalore Airport has invited tenders for an elevated cross-field taxiway.
What’s it about? The Bengaluru International Airport Limited (BIAL) has invited expressions of interest to construct an elevated western cross-field taxiway at the Kempegowda International Airport. It’s part of BIAL’s plan to improve efficiency and safety.
- The taxiway is scheduled to be completed in 2026 and help improve airport operations. The new taxiway will be able to handle different aircraft types, including wide-body ones like the Airbus A380, Boeing 777 and 747-8.
- The taxiway will increase capacity by connecting the south and north runways on the west side to improve airfield circulation and better connectivity between the two runways.
Successful example: At the Delhi airport, additional taxiways reduced taxi times, enhanced safety and bolstered operational efficiency to reduce fuel consumption and emissions.
✨ Things to do…
Here are some fun and interesting things to do in the city over the weekend!
- Music lovers are in for a treat with Job Kurian Live in concert this Saturday.
- For the movie buffs, catch Under the Sky Movie Night this Saturday.
- Celebrate Pride at the Absolutally Pride Night this Saturday.
- Catch unique acts like Shanka Tribe and Shai Flai at One Night at Fandom this Saturday.
- Master your skills with a Pizza Making Masterclass this Saturday.
🛋️ Local Lounge
Yesterday’s Poll Results:
- Utility hikes make me view the government negatively: 33.3%
- Utility hikes do not make me view the government negatively: 66.7% 🏆
That’s it for today. Have a great weekend!