Good morning, Bengaluru!
🌧️ Today’s weather: High: 28 ℃ | Low: 21 ℃ | Generally cloudy sky with light rain.
🧐 Did you know? The Kempambudhi Kere was built by Kempe Gowda I in the 16th century to meet the town’s water requirements.
🛣️ 600 km economic corridor
The Karnataka government has announced plans to develop a 600-kilometre greenfield expressway connecting Bengaluru to Bidar.
What’s it about? This new economic corridor will span seven districts, including Kalaburagi, Yadgir, Raichur, Koppal, Ballari, and Vijayanagara, enhancing transportation efficiency and reducing travel time between these areas and the state’s capital.
- The project will be led by the Public Works Department (PWD) and funded by the Kalyana Karnataka Regional Development Board (KKRDB).
- Currently, the journey on National Highway 50 from Bengaluru to Bidar takes 12-14 hours.
Study underway: A pre-feasibility study is being conducted to determine the best route, number of lanes, and land acquisition needs for the project. The study will also assess traffic data, future growth potential, and the economic and technical viability of the project.
💦 One billion drops
City Police Commissioner B Dayananda has inaugurated the ‘One Billion Drops’ campaign to promote climate resilience.
What’s it about? In collaboration with Mphasis and United Way Bengaluru, the initiative involves constructing 590 percolation wells across five police campuses, including the City Armed Reserve and the Karnataka State Reserved Police.
- These wells aim to capture rainwater, reduce surface runoff, and prevent flooding, while also replenishing groundwater and supporting Bengaluru’s green cover.
- The wells help conserve water and mitigate climate change impacts by maintaining soil moisture and restoring water resources.
CSR efforts: Since 2022, Mphasis has supported the creation of 1,338 percolation wells in key locations across Bengaluru, including Lalbagh Botanical Garden. Mphasis is aiming to create 1,200 additional wells by 2026 to benefit around 225,000 people.
🚨 Overspeeding crackdown
Karnataka’s traffic police have registered over 89,200 cases of overspeeding on the Bengaluru-Mysuru highway since the implementation of a sectional overspeeding system.
What’s it about? Drivers exceeding the 100 kmph speed limit by completing the 119-km stretch within an hour are fined, with 48 Automatic Number Plate Recognition (ANPR) cameras tracking violations.
- While 89,221 vehicle users were booked, only about 5,300 have paid their fines.
- A total of 400 FIRs have been filed against those exceeding 130 kmph for dangerous driving.
Increased measures: To enforce compliance, police officers are being stationed at key checkpoints like Kempegowda Circle and Gananguru Toll Plaza to issue on-the-spot fines. The crackdown aims to reduce fatalities on the highway, where 20 deaths occurred between April and August.
📊 Today’s Poll
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Are you an introvert or an extrovert?
- I am an introvert.
- I am an extrovert.
❓ Today’s Question
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What’s the longest car ride you have ever taken and on what route?
Reply to this email with your answers.
🗞️ In Other News…
- Four Bengaluru-bound Bangladeshi infiltrators were arrested in Tripura.
- Docusign has opened a new office in the city.
- Mangaluru has joined Bengaluru in the list of south Indian cities with alarming pollution levels.
- DCM DKS has warned civic officials of “merciless action” if they do not fill up the city’s potholes within the stipulated 15-day deadline.
- Bengaluru Space Expo is going to be held from September 18-20.
That’s it for today. Have a great day!