Good morning, Bengaluru!
☁️ Today’s weather: Generally cloudy.
🧐 Did you know? Founded in 1915, the Kannada Sahitya Parishad in Chamarajpet was established under the guidance of renowned writer-political leader Sri Alur Venkata Rao, who also played a key role in the establishment of the Karnataka Pradesh Congress Committee.
🧑🏽💻 Digitizing property records
BBMP undertakes a major project to digitize property records.
What’s it about? For the first time, the Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) is digitizing its property records, including ‘A’ and ‘B’ khata certificates. This ambitious project, mirroring the Revenue Department’s Bhoomi initiative, involves scanning and entering details from 5,100 handwritten registers of over 20 lakh properties into newly developed software. The digitization aims to make records easily accessible and manageable, though it raises concerns about data accuracy and potential tampering.
- The digitization process is being outsourced to a private agency and will be completed across BBMP’s eight zones.
- Property owners will be given an opportunity to review and raise objections to the digital records once completed.
March deadline: The BBMP plans to complete this task by March next year, with extensive proofreading by officers and an open review period for property owners to ensure accuracy and transparency in the digitization process. This step is critical as BBMP moves towards offering all khata-related services online.
🚑 Rising road fatalities
Bengaluru experiences its deadliest year in road fatalities since 2011.
What’s it about? Bengaluru has recorded 823 deaths in 794 road accidents in 2023 (until November), the highest annual toll in 13 years. Despite a decrease in total road crashes from 7,506 in 2016 to 4,499 in 2023, the fatality rate has significantly increased, with over 17% of crashes being fatal. The majority of these fatal accidents occurred in areas outside the central business district, with higher vehicle speeds and fewer road safety measures.
- Traffic police are addressing this issue by identifying and improving blackspots and enhancing pedestrian safety measures.
- The increase in vehicle population and reduced police presence are contributing factors.
Collaborative plan needed: The need for a comprehensive speed management plan and improved urban street design has been highlighted by experts. Collaboration between city agencies, communities, and transportation professionals is crucial to make roads safer for all, especially vulnerable groups like pedestrians and cyclists.
🌳 Inclusive horticulture initiative
A new sustainable horticulture centre in Bengaluru is redefining inclusivity for disabled individuals.
What’s it about? The Association of People with Disabilities (APD) in Bengaluru has established an Inclusive Sustainable Horticulture Centre, located between Kidwai Memorial Institute of Oncology and NIMHANS. This initiative, which includes eco-therapy and environmental education, is designed to provide 425 residents with disabilities, vulnerable women, and children with sustainable livelihood opportunities. The project also focuses on waste management and occupational therapy.
- The project aims to shift the perspective from charity to holistic inclusivity, offering job skills in gardening and caretaking.
- A tripartite collaboration between APD, the Department of Women and Child Development, and Bosch has made this project possible.
Transforming rehabilitation: This 32,000 sqft centre, inaugurated in November, represents a transformative approach to rehabilitation, blending nature’s calming influence with skill development and environmental stewardship. It is designed to be wheelchair accessible and includes modified tools for safe use by beneficiaries.
🏠 Surge in house sales
Bengaluru’s residential real estate sales soar in 2023.
What’s it about? The sale of residential units in Bengaluru has seen a significant upturn, with the sales value for the first nine months of 2023 reaching ₹38,517 crore, marking a 42% increase from the same period in 2022. This growth, reported by Anarock, reflects both a rise in real estate prices and sales volume, with 47,100 units sold between January and September 2023.
- The average unit value is around ₹80 lakh, with a notable rise in luxury home sales.
- The last quarter of 2023 is expected to maintain this upward trend, particularly with increased interest from the NRI community.
Overall market: The Indian residential sector overall has surpassed previous records in 2023. The total sales value of homes in 2023 is expected to cross ₹4.5 lakh crore, a 38% increase over 2022. The top seven cities, including Bengaluru, recorded a combined sales worth of nearly ₹3.5 lakh crore this year, a 44% increase from last year.
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🗞️ In other news…
- Bengaluru Mavericks defeated the Bengal Wizards to win the title in the Tennis Premier League.
- Pratyush from Bengaluru has secured the Guinness World Record for the most twirls in Hula Hooping.
- The Bengaluru traffic police have teamed up with the Indian Institute of Science (IISc) to address traffic problems using data-driven solutions.
- Over 1,000 participants gathered at a dance festival celebrating inclusion.
- The BBMP has begun the process of sealing commercial properties owned by property tax defaulters.
That’s it for today. Have a great day!