The year that defined safety, public health

Dramatic, disturbing visuals of a armed man mercilessly attacking a helpless 40-year-old woman inside a locked ATM, stood out as the defining moment of 2013.

The widely televised CCTV footages of the horror inside the Corporation Bank ATM exposed the City’s extreme vulnerability to violence of the most heinous kind.

But much earlier, on April 17, the City had its first major brush with violence dipped in terror. In the heat of the Assembly polls, an explosives-laden motorcycle was detonated barely 150 metre from the State BJP head office in Malleswaram. The blast left 17 people injured. Fourteen suspects were eventually arrested, and the City police claimed it was the handiwork of a terror module from Tamil Nadu, a regrouping of the banned Al-Umma organisation. The same module had targeted right-wing Hindu leaders in Tamil Nadu.

The ATM attack triggered massive public outcry over the lax security at kiosks. In response, City police called on banks to deploy security guards and instal CCTV cameras at all ATMs within three days. Non-compliance with these orders forced the closure of 1,137 ATM kiosks in the City. Most were re-opened within days, but only after they were assured of round-the-clock security. Police have not been able to track down the attacker, although he was found to be also involved in a murder in Dharmavaram, Anantpur district.

Struggling to manage the City’s chaotic traffic through the year, traffic police were finally in a position to offer something concrete to the public as the year reached its twilight: A traffic management centre — the first of its kind in the entire country — which police hope to use for seamless traffic management. Just how effective the centre will be in addressing the problem, remains to be seen.

Transport

Continued construction on Namma Metro sites played havoc with schedules of Bangloreans. But the promised commercial launch of the Peenya-Yeswantpur stretch never materialised. While trials by the Research Designs and Standards Organisation (RDSO) are still being carried out, the deadline for operations to begin have been given a new date: March 2014.

Delays aside, commuters also had more reason to complain: A steep hike in minimum fare of autorickshaws  from Rs 20 to Rs 25 for 1.9 kilometre. Perhaps, the only silver-lining in the transport sector was the BMTC’s launch of its new BIG trunk bus services. The service promises better connectivity within the City from 12 arterial corridors. Yet, this could hardly compensate for two, devastating back-to-back fire accidents on privately-operated Volvo buses which killed scores of passengers. Both buses had originated from Bangalore.

 Water supply

Water problems continued to dog Bangaloreans this year. The Bangalore Water Supply and Sewerage Board (BWSSB) had a tough time in the summer as Kabini and Krishnarajasagar reservoirs had lowest recorded water levels. The Board was forced to even shut off a few pumping stations due to an acute water shortage at these sources. Only above average monsoons saved the BWSSB from further trouble.

The Board attempted a revision in water tariff, but due to various reasons, this was postponed. However, it did impose a steep tariff hike on bulk consumers, including apartment complexes and multi-storey buildings. The rates skyrocketed from Rs six per kilolitre (for up to 8,000 litre) to Rs 19 per kilolitre.

Dengue scare

The spectre of dengue resurfaced in the City — brought upon by excessive rainfall and poor hygiene. Over 1,000 confirmed cases were recorded across the State.

The City also had to contend with the death of children due to malnourishment. To help severely malnourished children, the State set up a Nutrition Rehabilitation Centre, which also helped distribute iron and folic acid tablets to address anaemia among adolescent girls.

Poor roads

Potholed roads and mounting garbage issues showed Bangalore and the Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) in a poor light. Echoing the anguish of Bangaloreans, Governor H R Bhardwaj lamented the pathetic state of the roads, citing them as being largely responsible for his back pain. In contrast, the BBMP, entrusted with fixing the roads, blamed the problem on year’s unprecedented quantity of rains, which they said had hindered road repair work.

 But the potholes persist even after the monsoons — inspite of Palike’s acquisition of a Python-5000, a modern, pothole-filling machine, and even though the government sanctioned Rs 230 crore to improve road infrastructure. Focused on getting the main arterial and sub-arterial roads motorable, the civic agency virtually orphaned interior roads.

Pathetic roads, drains, footpaths, streetlights and garbage management reflected the Palike’s poor finances, and in particular, its empty coffers. Reeking of scams and corrupt practices, the Palike struggled to pay its debts. But that did not stop it from making lavish plans such as erecting  Kempe Gowda gates at eight entry points to the City.

The Palike’s neglect of gross building plan violations had disastrous consequences: Buildings collapsed in Someshwara Nagar, Adugodi and other parts of the City, claiming several lives. Yet, the deaths failed to awaken the slumbering BBMP.