At last Metro work is moving in Bangalore

TOI Reports: Namma Metro work is gathering pace along the northern corridor. With Bangalore Metro Rail Corporation (BMRC) confident of finishing work by mid-2013, residents of Malleswaram, Rajajinagar, Yeshwantpur and Peenya can hope for an early ride.

“It’ll take another four months to construct the span over the railway lines near Malleswaram, and complete track work between Peenya depot and Sampige Road station,” N Sivasailam, managing director, BMRC, told reporters on the Metro, during the launch of the utility’s automatic ticket vending machines (ATVMs) at MG Road, Indiranagar and Byappanahalli stations on Tuesday.

He also said that BMRC is awaiting approval from the central government to start land acquisition and field work for Phase II of the project.

Amita Prasad, principal secretary, urban development department, who launched the machines, complimented BMRC for matching up to international standards. “I think we can compare Bangalore Metro to the one in Australia, Taiwan or Singapore,” she said.

In a hurry? Head for the automatic ticket vending machine, insert coins or currency notes of Re 1, Rs 5 or Rs 10, and the black Metro coin will pop out.

BMRC on Tuesday launched its ATVMs at the MG Road, Indiranagar and Byappanahalli stations. Officials warned that commuters are not to insert a Rs 2 coin as the machine cannot differentiate it from a Re 1 coin.
Delhi Metro has such machines at many stations. But the ones in Bangalore might soon have the facility to swipe debit and credit cards.

Pic is from here.

Garbage problems in Bangalore!

BANGALORE: After dumping garbage at Mandur and Mavallipura in North Bangalore, the Bruhat Bangalore Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) is now heading south — a move that has angered landlords who own prime properties on Kanakapura Road.

The Khoday Group has offered 500 acres of its land on Kanakapura land for setting up a garbage landfill. The land is very close to Tataguni Estate, once owned by late Russian artist Svetoslav Roerich.

Not too long ago, Rajarajeshwari Nagar MLA M Srinivas had suggested that garbage be dumped at Roerich Estate, now with the government. BBMP and other legislators vehemently opposed this move.

Now, BBMP plans to dump waste next to the 460-acre Roerich Estate. “This is not acceptable. Kanakapura is one of the upcoming hubs on the outskirts. This stretch has Cauvery 4th Stage pipeline passing through it and it’s a major source of water for Bangalore. The road hosts many spiritual centres such as Art of Living and Pyramid Valley , which are visited by international tourists. Garbage trucks should not be allowed on this stretch,” Prashanth Sambargi, a property owner on Kanakapura Road, told TOI.

Pic is from here.

Don’t touch residential areas, BBMP told

The Karnataka high court on Thursday directed the BBMP to recall those sanction plans, trade licences and change of land use issued after the January 25 interim order of the court. These relate to those areas which were categorized as residential as per the comprehensive development plan,1995.

A division bench headed by Chief Justice Vikramajit Sen issued this classificatory order after the BBMP informed that such permissions were given after the January 25 order in areas classified as ‘residential mix’ zone.
Wondering how its order could be misconstrued, the court issued the classificatory order giving the benefit of doubt to the civic body.

Earlier, the BBMP counsel informed the court that 183 such permissions given after the January 25 interim order have been cancelled/recalled.

On January 25, 2012, the court had directed the authorities not to permit any re-construction or re-development in areas classified as residential.

Areas like Malleswaram, Richmond Town, Vasanthnagar, Vijayanagar, Jayanagar and Rajajingar which have been classified as residential were covered by the order.

Bangalore-based Citizens Action Forum (CAF), in a PIL, had claimed that the master plan 2015, notified by the BDA on June 25, 2007, was without jurisdiction. The organization had challenged the concept of mixed use of land claiming that the same would choke the city and also render the Town and Country Planning Act redundant.

A division bench headed by Justice NK Patil on Thursday stayed some portions of the order passed by the Central Administrative Tribunal (CAT), Bangalore Bench, in the RP Sharma case. CAT had quashed the August 13 government order transferring RP Sharma from the post of ADGP, BMTF, and also the August 14 order in posting senior IPS officer P Ravindranath in his place.

The CAT directions to the state government to extend all possible assistance to the BMTF to speedily bring before the prosecuting bar all erring officials by allowing the applicant Sharma to work his full tenure and the direction to Sharma to commence immediate investigation have been stayed by the bench. It also stayed the observation that the amendment to police act does not cover Sharma, who belongs to the ADGP rank.
The sate government on Thursday gave an undertaking before a division bench headed by Chief Justice Vikramajit Sen that it would publish in future the list of those persons who have been issued ration cards .

The court was hearing a PIL filed by minister SA Ramdas in 2006 complaining about ineligible persons getting BPL ration cards.

The state government, in its latest status report, stated that 52 lakh ration cards issued to ineligible persons had been cancelled.

The state government on Thursday said that it would submit a draft notification for granting relief/ immunity to those officials who have taken action against SC/ST persons from being prosecuted.

Government advocate Ravindra G Kolle thus informed a division bench headed by Chief Justice Vikramajit Sen when it wanted to know the action taken by the state to protect the forest officials, against whom many cases under the SC and ST (Prevention of Atrocities) Act have been filed in the aftermath of them initiating action against those who indulged in poaching or encroachment of forests.

The Karnataka State Range Forest Officers’ Association and the Karnataka State Assistant Conservators of Forests Association filed a petition complaining that in majority of the cases booked by forest personnel against those indulging in forest encroachment, timber smuggling, poaching, etc, the offenders had lodged counter complaints with the police under the SC and ST (Prevention of Atrocities) Act.

Value vs price is the debate in Bangalore!

Smart Value Homes, a 100 per cent subsidiary of Tata Housing Development Company, today said it has launched an affordable housing project in Bangalore, marking its entry into the city.

Smart Value Homes is developing affordable homes under two brands Shubh Griha New Haven and currently has projects in Mumbai, Ahemdabad, Chennai and Pune.

“Envisaging a rising demand for affordable homes with premium facilities in the Silicon Valley of India, we are pleased to bring this iconic and successful affordable housing brand for the people of Bangalore,” Tata Housing managing director and chief executive officer Brotin Banerjee said in a statement.

The Bangalore project would be developed under the New Haven brand, he said.

“New Haven – self-contained, amenity and lifestyle affordable homes are intended for the urban aspirers’ segment of consumers that have a distinct lifestyle preference. The launch of New Haven in Bengaluru is in line with our expansion plans for the Smart Value Homes across the country,” Banerjee said.

New Haven, Bangalore is the fourth project of Smart Value Homes under the brand name. The first New Haven was developed in Boisar and later at Vasind near Mumbai and early this year in Ahmedabad, the release said.

Farm houses gaining demand in Bangalore!

Financial times reports: Fully-developed farms with plantations of many varieties of fruit bearing trees and seasonal crops will be made available. He said the area had excellent weather conditions and independent tube well facilities will be provided at each farm round the clock. Also there is a provision of drip irrigation water system for all the plantations.

 Parvinder Sandhu, Senior Director, WWICS Group said the project has a locational advantage, just being 30 kilometers away from the NH 7 on Bangalore-Hyderabad Highway near Anantapur or Penukonda, Andhra Pradesh. It’s an hour and a half drive from Bangalore International Airport. Imperial Farms and Orchards, which promises a return of 8 percent per annum in form of agricultural income, is in close vicinity to Puttaparthi, which is about 50 kms away. It is the religious abode of Sai Baba and is visited by thousands of devotees every year.

 Lt. Gen. B.K.N. Chibber, Former Governor Punjab and a member of Board of Directors of WWICS said, “After being a pioneer and an undisputed leader in immigration and resettlement for the last 19 years, it is overwhelming to see the phenomenal response that the real estate division of WWICS has got.”

Mumbai, Delhi, Bangalore slip to bottom of investment destinations list: PwC-ULI

Economic Times reports: Outlook for Indian property markets has turned cautious and cities like Mumbai, Bangalore and Delhi are likely to witness less appetite for real estate investment by international entities, showed a report by PricewaterhouseCoopers and Urban Land Institute.

Mumbai, Bangalore and Delhi have slipped sharply to the 19th, 20th and 21st positions respectively in the list of top 22 investment destinations covered in this report Emerging Trends in Real Estate Asia Pacific 2013. In the previous report of 2012, these cities were placed at 10th, 15th and 12th rank respectively.

The report highlighted Jakarta, Shanghai, Singapore, Sydney and Kuala Lumpur as the top 5 investment destinations for 2013.

The PwC-ULI report is based on 130 individuals' interviews and survey responses from over 275 executives working for property developers, investors, realty services firms, banks, investment managers, etc.

Mumbai is stressed with over supply across asset classes, resulting in record levels of vacancy and stagnant yields, the report said. While Bangalore realty market is perceived to be a mature market and has demonstrated fairly stable pricing and reasonable absorption trends, the city's over-reliance on the sluggish global information technology sector translates into low growth potential in the medium term.

The report based on the survey, however, casts a positive light on Delhi and the surrounding National Capital Region in view of the expected master development plans for the region, perhaps indicating a flight of capital from western and southern India to the north in the medium term, the report highlighted.

"While Indian real estate may currently be grappling with certain socio-political and economic issues, particularly rising inflation; uncertainty on fiscal policies; and subdued interest from opportunistic investors, there appears to be light on the horizon," said Gautam Mehra, Executive Director at PwC India.

According to Mehra, India's favourable demographics and inherent, latent demand continue to be redeeming factors. Several micro-markets will continue to provide suitable investment opportunities for investors and end-users.

He expects the recent policy decision to allow foreign investment in multi-brand retail can lend a spark to the dormant retail real estate space. The report stated that for Asia Pacific as a whole, steady economic growth, rising incomes, and stable or increasing property values are contributing to an overall sense of optimism. However, the outlook is tempered by growing concerns among investors that prime assets in key real estate markets are becoming overpriced.