One way city

- While the rest of India drives on the left side of the road; Bangaloreans drive on what's left of the road.
- In the rest of India, there's no flyover with a traffic intersection; in Bangalore, they have a traffic signal and criss-crossing traffic atop a flyover.
- In the rest of India, one-way roads mean traffic can only move one way; in Bangalore, there are two ways traffic can move on a one-way road.

It's easier to smile at the above traffice jokes than being stuck in the infamous traffic of the city.My only hope to this madness is that everyone accepts we dont have civic sense.Forget the governing bodies taking any initiatives,we as people have never tried to make a difference coz we just dont seem to have the time.If even a few people try not to be in such a tearing hurry,we could make things more pleasant on the roads.

Keeping my expert comments on one side(we all have something dont we?)...here is a good article on the one way system:

Source:Times of India,Jun 2001(when one ways were put into force on a grander scale)

*Traffic jams, choked lungs and frayed tempers are usual scenes at most roads in bangalore during peak hours. additional commissioner m.n. reddi comes up with a new solution. bansy kalappa studies the roadmap.

1. critics term the one-way traffic system a hare-brained scheme. it is a major plan that has taken months to conceive and execute. we laboured on it for over a year. it is not the idea of one person but a joint effort involving several agencies -- city police, bmp, bmtc, etc. it is based on well-researched findings of several agencies.We are also contemplating some other solutions like flyovers to ease traffic congestion.

2. why has the present one-way system come in for criticism? it has nothing new to offer. bangalore has had one-ways for over three decades. anybody will remember the two-way traffic on avenue road and cottonpet road. look at the ease with which traffic flows in malleswaram due to the one-ways on margosa and sampige roads. one-ways are just one of the solutions to urban traffic management. it is practised worldwide, and successfully.

3. one-ways lead to wastage of fuel as people have to go round in circles. how do you explain people using the ring road though there are shorter routes across the city's central areas? it is a concept that takes people from destination x to destination y faster. as it reduces the stoppage time, studies such as the one made by central road research institute suggest that it helps save fuel at macro levels. for example, it took 15 minutes for the traffic to clear on kempe gowda road when it was a two-way route. now, it is five minutes even during peak hours. it is the same on other roads too.

4. critics say one one-ways lead to high speeds often resulting in fatal accidents. the one-way system is introduced to increase speeds but if people hurtle along like missiles, then it's another problem. we will install traffic signals that act as a deterrent. for instance, traffic signals will be timed such that those approaching it from the previous signal at a speed of 40 kmph will get the green signal, while those zipping at 80 km will be stopped. we also plan to deploy policemen with radar guns to book speedsters.

5. how do you think one-ways will work as the road surface is the same? in a one-way-system, we look at intersection surfaces and not road surfaces. traffic congestions occur at road intersections and not on roads since they are narrow. bangalore has a large number of road intersections -- more than 30,000 when last counted in 1993. this is because of the grid pattern of the city's roads. we believe one-ways reduce the pile-up by half at the intersections. bangalore traffic is a classic case of road overload. every road is laid to take an optimum amount of traffic but with the congestion at intersections, the pile-up increases. junction delays are an indicator of poor traffic management and one-ways are the answer. we plan to have one-ways in the central areas of the city, which means many roads which are two-ways, will be converted. when the rt nagar roads were made one-way, we expected criticism, considering a large number of vips reside there. instead, we received accolades.

6. is the one-way-system `the' answer to the city's traffic mess? one-way system is a part of the larger traffic management programme. it also includes flyovers, intelligent computerised traffic signals and smart enforcement. one-ways will ease traffic congestion by 35-40 per cent and improve average speeds. one-ways have increased average speeds from less than 5-8 kmph to 35-40 kmph. we will also build flyovers wherever necessary. this will ease the problem by another 30 per cent. we have also planned some intelligent traffic signals to measure the traffic volumes and accordingly change the time duration of signals. finally, smart enforcement alone can ensure traffic snarls are minimised.**

A good point of reference for directions on one ways,check the Blore Traffice Police website.

The famous 20 "Bangalore Facts"

Ahem,this one's finished it's circulation in email forwards a million times over.I would hence like to paste this here and check a few years later if any of it still holds good?(or it it it ever had:).I wouldn't argue with the facts about two wheelers and traffice density though!

Source: Karnataka Tourism website

-Bangalore has the impeccable record of highest growh within a span of 20 years [as of 2005]
-Bangalore has the highest number of 2-wheelers in the world.
-Bangalore has the dubious reputation for the highest 2-wheeler thefts.
-Bangalore has the highest number of pubs in India.
-Bangalore has the highest number of breweries in the world.
-Bangalore has the highest number of public sectors and government organisations in India.
-Bangalore has the highest density of traffic in the world.
-Bangalore is considered the fashion capital of the East comparable to Paris.
-Bangalore has the highest number of Anglo-Indians in India.
-Bangalore was the first city in India to receive electricity.
-Bangalore is considered an antipode of Boston, in terms of IT.
-Bangalore has produced the highest number of professionals in USA - almost 60% of Indian - population abroad are from Bangalore.
-Bangalore's Lalbagh botanical gardens is credited to have one of the most diverse man made collection of flora.
-Bangalore has produced the maximum number of models from a specific area.
-Bangalore has produced the maximum international sportsmen in India for all sports ahead of even Mumbai & Delhi.
-Bangalore has produced the maximum number of scientists considered for Nobel Prize nominations (from India).
-Bangalore is the only city in India with maximum number of temples, mosques, churches & gurdwaras.
-Bangalore University produces maximum number of doctors in India.
-Bangalore has the richest people in India. The line of poverty is the least of all cities of the world.
-Bangalore was founded in 2nd Century and still has the same infrastructure drainage & sanitary systems - the oldest in the world.

Bangalore leading exporter of.... Roses!

Ok,I know its not a new thing about Bangalore being famous for it's export of roses(one would wonder where is the place?)..Here is an interesting article from the local newspaper- Deccan Herald from Feb last year.Every Valentine's day ,expect such an article in all the local newspapers(year over year:)

Love blooms in Bangalore roses
From Bala Chauhan DH News Service Bangalore:

In the global hierarchy of rose cultivation during the Valentine’s season, Bangalore ranks “second” in the world, producing as it does 28 million stems after Ecuador’s 55 million and well ahead of Pune’s 2 million. The global market of roses during the Valentine’s season, beginning February 2 to 10, is “180 million stems out of which 30 million stems are from India. Red roses comprise 80 per cent of this chunk. The consumption of roses in the domestic market is 10 million stems, out of which 90 per cent is red,” says Ramakrishna Karuturi, managing director, Karuturi Networks Limited, a leading flower export house in Karnataka. The most popular varieties of red roses: Grand Gala, Passion and First Red are grown in Bangalore, Doddaballapur, Hosur and Pune. “Bangalore is said to produce one of the finest qualities of red roses in the world after Kenya. At an altitude of 1100 metres, night temperature of 12-14 degree Celsius and day temperature of 28-32 degree Celsius, between November to February, it has the ideal climate to grow roses. In the international market, a single stalk of red rose from here can fetch as much as Rs 30,” he says.

India would have topped the chart in rose cultivation throughout the year if it weren’t for the adverse taxation by the State and Central governments. “There’s an 80 per cent tax on Air Turbine Fuel (ATF) in India as compared to nil in other countries on the out-borne cargo. The Karnataka government charges 38 per cent sales tax, while the Centre levies 16 per cent plus 20 per cent, as Customs and Central excise,” he says Exceptionally lucky This year Valentine’s season has been exceptionally lucky for rose growers. “There has been a 100 per cent rise in the wholesale price of roses this year, from last year’s Rs 4 per stem to this year’s Rs 7.95,” adds Mr Ramakrishna. A look at Bangalore’s consumption of red roses during the Valentine’s season shows a three-time increase from a normal of Rs 6 to Rs 8 for a single stalk to Rs 15 to Rs 25. According to Ms Padmaja Kamisetty of Ohana, the boutique of exotic flowers sells around 2,000 red roses, of export quality, at Rs 20 to Rs 25 for a single stem during the season. The wholesalers in Bangalore also report staggering figures, of selling around one lakh single stems of red roses between February 11 and 13 alone. “In the last three days, we have sold about 5,000 bunches of roses, out of which, 50 per cent are red ones,” says wholesaler M Kalidasa Raj, proprietor of Sneha Florists.

Look at the auction figures of roses. On Sunday, the International Flower Auction Bangalore (IFAB) at Hebbal auctioned 98,000 single stems of roses between Rs 120 and Rs 180, for a single bunch. On Monday, the figures, though dipped slightly, remained over 80,000 between Rs 100 and Rs 150. One bunch has 20 single stalks, he says. And it’s not just the local market that blossoms out during the Valentine’s week. “Export of flowers, especially roses is maximum during this season. We earn around Rs 10 crore during the Valentine’s season, 80 per cent of which comes from the sale of roses. Karnataka’s average export of flowers is annually worth Rs 40 crore,” says Mr J K Vasanthkumar, director, horticulture department.

Another recent article from the Times of India this year:

Now, Indian takeover roses

MUMBAI/BANGALORE: One day after Valentine’s Day, there’s news of a deal that’ll make the global Indian takeover come out smelling of roses. Next Valentine’s Day, when lovers and spouses gift roses across the world, chances are that most of those flowers will have an Indian imprint.

That is because Karuturi Networks, a little-known Bangalore company, is making a big move in the $80-billion floriculture space which will make it the largest rose grower in the world. It is close to acquiring Hollandbased Sher, the world’s largest producer and supplier of roses for $40 million. Sher’s greenhouses in Holland, Kenya and Ethiopia produce 600 million roses annually.

When contacted, Ramakrishna Karuturi, MD of Karuturi Networks, confirmed his company is in the process of wrapping up the deal. The company recently raised a GDR issue of $25 million.

"This money will part-fund our in-organic growth. Also, UTI Bank has committed us an external commercial borrowing of $30 million.We are getting another ECB from a Spanish bank, while the rest of the funds will come from internal accruals,"he said.

It all began on Valentine’s Day 12 years ago when Karuturi, a mechanical engineer,was sniffing around Bangalore for roses to take to his wife. Finding none, he decided to step out of the cable business he was running and plant high-value stem roses for a living. The man who set up Karuturi Networks — a company that processes 12 million roses annually — is now set for a whiff of the global scene.

Karuturi Networks has 60 hectares of land in India and Ethiopia under rose cultivation. Besides the European company’s facilities,Karuturi will also get a strong brand in Sher. The company is also in negotiations with Fisher, an Ohio-based plant material and seedling company, for a $30-million acquisition.

"These expansions will make us the lead player in the world flora industry in all verticals like fresh cut flowers, plant material, breeding and green house infrastructure by 2010,"said Karuturi.

Direct International Flights from BLR

Air India and Indian Airlines were the only two carriers that were having international flights out of Bangalore until recently.Post 2000,major international airlines started flying directly out of Bangalore to their hubs,opening more doors of opportunities for the city.To the best of my knowledge Lufthansa,Malaysian Airlines,Royal Nepal Airlines were the first few entrants.One no longer had to go to Chennai or Mumbai to get that connecting flight abroad.

It makes me proud to see so many airlines making a beeline for Bangalore..coz there sure are loads of passengers.Lets keep our fingers crossed for the long awaited,much promised,supposed to be world class - Bangalore International Airport @ Devanahalli :)

Airlines flying out of Bangalore as of now!!

1) Air France (Paris-Charles de Gaulle)

2) Air India (Chicago-O'Hare, Dubai, Frankfurt, London-Heathrow, Paris-Charles de Gaulle, Jeddah, Riyadh,Kuwait)

3) British Airways (London-Heathrow)

4) Emirates (Dubai)

5) Gulf Air (Muscat, Bahrain)

6) Indian Airlines (Bahrain, Bangkok, Male, Muscat, Sharjah, Singapore)
Jet Airways (Kuala Lumpur, London)

7) Lufthansa (Frankfurt)

8) Malaysian Airlines (Kuala Lumpur)

9) Thai Airways (Bangkok)

10) Singapore Airlines (Singapore)

11) SriLankan Airlines (Colombo)