Good morning, Bengaluru!
🌧️ Today’s weather: High: 30 ℃ | Low: 20 ℃ | Generally cloudy sky with one or two spells of rain or thundershowers.
🧐 Did you know? Bengaluru has the second-highest number of iPhone users in the country.
🌧️ Civic bodies in action
Heavy rains in the city have led to significant waterlogging and tree fall incidents across several parts of Bengaluru.
What’s it about? The Indian Meteorological Department (IMD) reported that the city recorded 10.4 mm of rainfall. The worst-affected areas were in the southern and eastern regions, where various roads and localities were inundated, and the strong winds during the downpours caused trees to be uprooted.
- In response to the situation, teams from the Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) were quickly deployed to restore normalcy.
- These teams worked to clear the water from waterlogged areas and remove trees that had fallen, blocking roads and causing further inconvenience.
Basement submerged: One of the severely impacted locations was Kendriya Vihar apartments in Yelahanka, where the basement was flooded, leaving many vehicles, including cars, partially submerged. The situation led to significant challenges for residents, and efforts were being made to pump out the water.
🚂 Namo Bharat launch
Namo Bharat trains will soon be launched between Bengaluru and the nearby towns of Tumakuru and Mysuru, according to Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw.
What’s it about? Manufactured at Bharat Earth Movers Limited (BEML) in the city, these semi-high-speed trains aim to reduce travel time and ease transportation between the capital and surrounding areas.
- The initiative is part of the government’s broader commitment to improving train transport and the growing traffic congestion in Bengaluru.
- Vaishnaw has emphasised the trains’ affordability and safety, noting they are equipped with advanced sensors and the Kavach system to alert loco pilots of potential dangers.
Trains for all: The Namo project also aligns with Indian Railways’ goal of providing middle-class travellers with a comfortable, affordable, and efficient train experience.
🚇 Inspection scheduled
The Bangalore Metro Rail Corporation Limited (BMRCL) has announced that the Commissioner of Metro Rail Safety (CMRS) will inspect the Yellow Line (RV Road to Bommasandra) in December.
What’s it about? Civil works on the 19.15-km stretch, part of Reach-5, are nearly complete, with 95-98% finished, except for some sanitary works. Testing is underway with prototype trains, and three trainsets will be available by November-December.
- BMRCL aims to commission the line by January 2025, initially operating with a 30-minute headway, which will be reduced as more trains are delivered.
- All 15 train sets will be available by August 2025, with two trains arriving monthly starting in March from Titagarh Rail Systems Ltd (TRSL).
Passed tests: Recent trials, including oscillation and Emergency Braking System (EBS) tests, have been conducted on the line, ensuring safety and operational readiness.
💻 e-khata troubles
Several residents are facing difficulties in locating their names or property details on the BBMP’s newly launched e-Khata portal, where records of 21 lakh properties were uploaded starting October 1.
What’s it about? While accessing the portal via OTP is easy, identifying the draft e-Khata has been challenging. Despite multiple search options like the owner’s name, property identification number, and address, many users are unable to find their documents.
- Additionally, the BBMP’s 1533 helpline has not been helpful for many in resolving issues.
- A senior BBMP official acknowledged the concerns, explaining that the software is still stabilising, and about one lakh property records are yet to be digitised.
Lingual troubles: Many names in the database were entered in Kannada, which has contributed to the search difficulties. The civic body is currently translating these records into English to make them more accessible.
📊 Today’s Poll
(Only subscribers can participate in the polls)
Has there been waterlogging in your area due to the recent rains?
- There has been waterlogging in my area due to the recent rains.
- There has not been any waterlogging in my area due to the recent rains.
❓ Today’s Question
(Only subscribers can submit their answers)
What are the must-do things in a Mysuru trip?
Reply to this email with your answers.
🗞️ In Other News…
- The Railway Minister has announced that the Airport to Cantt station journey will soon be reduced to 40 minutes.
- The city’s traffic jams cost the state ₹20,000 crore annually per the state’s IT minister.
- Businesses and traffic flow are being affected due to the ongoing white-topping work in Basavanagudi.
- Traffic was diverted across several zones in the city to facilitate the 11th edition of the Bengaluru Marathon.
- Kempegowda International Airport witnessed severe crowding due to a 12-hour-long outage of Indigo’s systems.
That’s it for today. Have a great day!