Good morning, Bengaluru!
🌫️ Today’s weather: High: 31 ℃ | Low: 18 ℃ | Mist.
🧐 Did you know? Bengaluru-headquartered seafood and meat e-commerce startup Licious was launched in 2015 by Vivek Gupta and Abhay Hanjura.
📱 App for booking sports clubs
BBMP plans to develop an app for sports club bookings to enhance revenue.
What’s it about? The Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) is taking a significant step towards modernising its revenue collection methods by developing a mobile application aimed at managing bookings for sports and badminton clubs within Bengaluru. This initiative, still in its early stages, seeks to address and curb revenue leakage by ensuring that fees paid by users go directly to the civic body.
- The app will provide a centralised platform for sports enthusiasts to book playing slots, thereby streamlining revenue collection directly into BBMP’s accounts.
- By securing direct payments, the BBMP aims to improve the maintenance and management of sports facilities, which have suffered due to mismanagement by contractors.
Plugging losses: Special Commissioner Munish Moudgil highlighted the move as part of broader reforms to increase the BBMP’s revenue and prevent losses.
🛵 River’s Series B funding
Bengaluru EV startup River secures $40 million in Series B funding.
What’s it about? River, a Bengaluru-based electric vehicle startup, has successfully raised $40 million in a Series B funding round led by Yamaha Motor Co. The round witnessed participation from both new and existing investors, underscoring strong confidence in River’s vision and product offerings.
- The funding will be instrumental in expanding River’s distribution and service network nationwide and will fuel further research and development efforts for its upcoming electric scooter lineup.
- With a strategic plan to become a billion-dollar utility-lifestyle brand by 2030, River is leveraging this investment to bolster its R&D and manufacturing capabilities, eyeing both domestic and international markets.
Future promise: The endorsement from global giants like Yamaha and continued support from investors like Al-Futtaim Automotive and Toyota Ventures highlight River’s promising trajectory in the EV sector.
♿ Inclusive park sees low footfall
A unique disabled-friendly park in Bengaluru has been underutilised since its opening.
What’s it about? The Jawahar Bal Bhavan’s disabled-friendly park, a space designed specifically for children with disabilities, has seen lower-than-expected attendance since its inauguration in 2022. Developed in collaboration with the Mindtree Foundation, this park offers wheelchair-accessible swings and sand tubs aimed at enhancing the physical development of children with disabilities.
- Public awareness about the park’s existence is low, and some visitors have called for better upkeep of the facilities.
- While the park is praised for its specialised amenities, critics argue that restricting access exclusively to disabled individuals and their guardians may counteract broader inclusivity goals.
Universal inclusion: Advocates for people with disabilities recognize the value of such dedicated spaces but suggest integrating these facilities into regular parks to foster a more inclusive environment where children of all abilities can interact.
💧 Water initiative for Bengaluru outskirts
BBMP allocates ₹90 crore for drinking water in peripheral areas.
What’s it about? The Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) is set to invest ₹90 crore to enhance drinking water supply in 110 villages and areas that were incorporated into the city’s jurisdiction in 2007.
- Of the total budget, ₹40 crore is dedicated to direct water supply efforts, including an ₹8 crore contribution to the Bangalore Water Supply and Sewerage Board (BWSSB).
- The remaining ₹50 crore will support maintenance activities like deepening existing borewells and repairing water supply facilities to ensure continuous access to drinking water.
Groundwater depletion: This decision comes in response to the declining groundwater levels in these peripheral regions, which primarily rely on borewells and water tankers due to the absence of a piped water infrastructure.
📊 Today’s Poll
(Only subscribers can participate in the polls)
Did you ever go pub hopping?
- I have gone pub hopping.
- I’ve never gone pub hopping.
❓ Today’s Question
(Only subscribers can submit their answers)
What’s your biggest fear?
Reply to this email with your answers.
🗞️ In other news…
- Fog at Kempegowda International Airport caused delays for 46 flights.
- Embassy Group has signed a Joint Development Agreement for a residential project in Bengaluru, targeting revenue of ₹550 crore.
- Karnataka has utilised only 52% of its planned borrowings.
- In the second half of 2023, Mumbai and Bengaluru featured among the top 10 cities in the Asia-Pacific region with the highest increase in residential prices.
- A liquor ban will be in effect in parts of Bengaluru from February 14 to 17 due to bypolls.
🛋️ Local Lounge
Yesterday’s Poll:
- My office provides free/subsidised food: 50.0% 🏆
- My office doesn’t provide free/subsidised food: 50.0% 🏆
That’s it for today. Have a great day!