[paragsachania]

Originally Posted by rohanak1

Not a whole lot of data but just goes to show the better driving conditions on ORR towards Hebbal.

Bring a few more Manyatha Tech Parks on both sides of this ORR stretch, at Kammanahalli.and Banaswadi and then see the magic .

[rohanak1]

Originally Posted by paragsachania

Bring a few more Manyatha Tech Parks on both sides of this ORR stretch, at Kammanahalli.and Banaswadi and then see the magic .

In 100% agreement with you. That is exactly the reason for the better driving conditions. This stretch of ORR is actually an "outer ring road" unlike the other side. After building the peripheral ring road, if they build more IT parks on either side, we would see a proposal for "peripheral ring road-2".
I would also like to add that the ORR from tin factory to hebbal generally doesn't see flooded underpass or severely potholed roads.

[kiran_cr]

Came across this news which happpened in Koppal district. I know it is wrong but this kind of treatment is necessary in Bangalore to get first hand feel of what citizens of this city go through everyday in pothole ridden bangalore roads.

http://www.news18.com/news/india/wat...e-1265888.html

[chandrda]

Someone is at least thinking to do something regarding the Traffic

http://epaperbeta.timesofindia.com/A...06072016004042

But I can't make out what they are planning

Regards

[petrol_power]

Hows the traffic today in ORR, Google map shows all good to go. I was planning to work from home today, but seeing the less traffic, I am tempted to go to office.

[shankar.balan]

Originally Posted by kiran_cr

Came across this news which happpened in Koppal district. I know it is wrong but this kind of treatment is necessary in Bangalore to get first hand feel of what citizens of this city go through everyday in pothole ridden bangalore roads.

http://www.news18.com/news/india/wat...e-1265888.html

Poor engineers. What can they do really?

It is the politicians, the bureaucrats and the road building bodies/ authorities that need to be brought to book along with the contractors.

the greatest sadness here in India is that corruption is institutionalised and there is nothing that anyone can do because the rot has gone so deep.

[NPV]

Due to unforeseen circumstances, I learned on Monday that today would be a working day, obviously wasn't happy missing out on a mid-week holiday!
I started later than my usual time and still reached earlier than I would on other days
Traffic was sparse on account of several offices and educational institutions not working today, took me just 20 minutes to reach office via Old madras road, Tin Factory, KR Puram Railway station and ITPL road

*Hadn't seen Tin factory, KR Puram Railway station, Phoenix Market city and Hoodi junctions so free in a very long time.

[binand]

Originally Posted by shankar.balan

Poor engineers. What can they do really?

Do their jobs diligently?

PWD engineers are supposed to:

1. Evaluate the technical aspects of the bids for public works. This includes history of the bidders (quality and timeliness), expertise to do the job at hand, quality of raw material, equipment and processes that are proposed to be used, viability of the project plan, stop-gap arrangements etc.

2. Constantly monitor ongoing public works for adherence to law of the land, compliance with the accepted aspects of the tender, ensuring minimal inconvenience to public etc.

Here it is so obvious that the PWD department failed ("The water filled ditch was formed when a portion of the ongoing underground drainage work on the road collapsed"). Maybe these are not the individuals who accepted the tenders or were in charge of overseeing the work; but let this be a warning to PWD that the tolerance levels of people is now very low.

To contrast, here is a news item from my home state:

http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/a...w/53002584.cms

[shankar.balan]

Originally Posted by binand

Do their jobs diligently?

PWD engineers are supposed to:

1. Evaluate the technical aspects of the bids for public works. This includes history of the bidders (quality and timeliness), expertise to do the job at hand, quality of raw material, equipment and processes that are proposed to be used, viability of the project plan, stop-gap arrangements etc.

2. Constantly monitor ongoing public works for adherence to law of the land, compliance with the accepted aspects of the tender, ensuring minimal inconvenience to public etc.

Here it is so obvious that the PWD department failed ("The water filled ditch was formed when a portion of the ongoing underground drainage work on the road collapsed"). Maybe these are not the individuals who accepted the tenders or were in charge of overseeing the work; but let this be a warning to PWD that the tolerance levels of people is now very low.

To contrast, here is a news item from my home state:

http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/a...w/53002584.cms

I agree they should do their jobs diligently.
But think also that they also face innumerable politically motivated hindrances.
Similarly, just look at the quality of Civil Engineers and Engineers from other disciplines these days....everyone is an Engineer, but very few are really worth their salt.

[suresh_gs]

Originally Posted by shankar.balan

Poor engineers. What can they do really?

It is the politicians, the bureaucrats and the road building bodies/ authorities that need to be brought to book along with the contractors.

the greatest sadness here in India is that corruption is institutionalised and there is nothing that anyone can do because the rot has gone so deep.

More then the technical know how the engineers possess, it is the bureaucracy/seniority that creates the major road block to progress. Assuming the engineer does have the interest to serve the society and if he has good knowledge say regarding infrastructure,road will his superior/senior allow him to o so. Will this junior not be a threat to his senior, career wise and growth wise.
On the other hand, cities like Chennai do have better infrastructure and planning when compared to Bangalore. Not sure why Bangalore progress is sliding downhill

[sachinpk]

Originally Posted by suresh_gs

On the other hand, cities like Chennai do have better infrastructure and planning when compared to Bangalore. Not sure why Bangalore progress is sliding downhill

Don't know if I am touching a raw nerve here . I feel that every city (or a state) has got some kind of "institutional" procedures/process/ethos in place. And in Chennai they have got a firm "institutionalized" process when it comes to these stuff. I mean, it does NOT mean that the corruption is not there but for certain core areas that is kept aside and the work gets going. I read some where that during the very last years of the British Raj, the entire Mount Road stretch (of Chennai) was controlled by 3 Traffic Sergeants (SIs) who patrol on motor cycles. Yet they could enforce the law.

Bangalore perhaps was NOT meant to be such a huge city. It was a retirees paradise, and things would work in a different way. Things work slow, but people also had enough and more free time to meet, talk and get things done etc. And the political culture out here also seems to be very different, and changing that would take at least 15-20 years.

[binand]

Originally Posted by sachinpk

Bangalore perhaps was NOT meant to be such a huge city. It was a retirees paradise, and things would work in a different way.

During British rule, Bangalore was a major military garrison in Madras Presidency. In addition there were many administrative offices of Mysore state in Bangalore (it was the capital of Mysore state too for a period of time). Post state reorganisation it became the capital of Karnataka state. Many PSUs are headquartered here (HAL, BEL, BEML, HMT, ITI...) too, not to mention the educational and research institutions, banks etc. In short, Bangalore has been historically a major job creator so calling it a "retiree's paradise" doesn't feel accurate.

[ajayclicks]

Have to go to office today. JP Nagar till RMZ Eckspace. Google maps shows red in the usual places! Is everyone going to office today! ��

[the_joker]

Originally Posted by rohanak1

Some data on driving conditions on Outer Ring road (from KR Puram - Yeswantpur side).

...

Not a whole lot of data but just goes to show the better driving conditions on ORR towards Hebbal.

Off-Topic : what app are you using to log that?

[dark.knight]

Originally Posted by sachinpk

Bangalore perhaps was NOT meant to be such a huge city. It was a retirees paradise, and things would work in a different way. Things work slow, but people also had enough and more free time to meet, talk and get things done etc. And the political culture out here also seems to be very different, and changing that would take at least 15-20 years.

Originally Posted by binand

Many PSUs are headquartered here (HAL, BEL, BEML, HMT, ITI...) too, not to mention the educational and research institutions, banks etc. In short, Bangalore has been historically a major job creator so calling it a "retiree's paradise" doesn't feel accurate.

Lets not forget other major factories which had an India-wide impact like ITC, KIOCL admin office, DRDO, silicon chipset manufacturing facilities based in Electronics City, and close to a dozen major pharmaceutical manufacturers in that age (which today crosses a 100). I.T is NOT what Bangalore is famous for even today.. to me I.T remains a bubble, an industry which churns out cyber-world materialism which otherwise is invisible and known only to the coders and testers who live in that world. That bubble can pop anytime based on what America feels. I'll go so far as to say India wouldn't be India if it weren't for Bangalore.. at least wherever the important stuff is concerned.

Having been here since birth and especially watching the city transition from a slow-moving retirees paradise when I was entering my teens in the late 90's to a faux-American influenced "I.T" city it is today I have to agree with both of you. The thing is that Bangalore was indeed a retirees paradise, people had all the time in the world to travel, meet people and enjoy the outside world & at the same time we had the government employees who'd travel in their special buses to the city outskirts (BEL office in north, ITC in Whitefield, Electronics City etc), punch in their 8-4 and be back home well before 5 (yes travel was fast in those days). Today we have the afternoon shift, the night shift & the evening shift accompanying the usual morning shift.. the roads are flooded 24/7 as a result.

Today every time I travel on the roads I feel sad, even a hint of anxiety perhaps. Being a BHPian I should typically love to drive but I don't anymore, the autos are fleecing people left right and centre and the cabbies are the worst thing to happen to the city. I feel marooned in a place which was once my home, a place which taught me happiness through simplicity. I'd gladly give up on the internet, the useless "apps", the malls, the UBER/OLA cabs just to get back the city which I once knew as my own. For people coming from outside its easy to compare the overcrowded Bangalore with their own city and straddle both worlds by earning in one and living in the other, I do not have that luxury.