Urban News

The Hindu 01.09.2009

ABIDe meet stresses urban poor rights

Staff Reporter

Bangalore: Creation of a single window agency to eradicate poverty and plan for development of urban poor, a comprehensive survey to identify them and land and ownership rights, are among other needs of urban poor discussed during “experts consultation on urban poor” organised by the Agenda for Bengaluru Infrastructure and Development (ABIDe) Task Force here on Monday.

The participants, mainly the representatives of NGOs working for the rights of urban poor, stressed the need to enumerate the number of slums and poor families living besides analysing the migratory trends to enable proper planning.

They also pointed out that 25 per cent of land in all new layouts to be formed by government should be reserved for urban poor besides establishing a land databank for proper allocation of land for housing projects for the urban poor. They have also demanded earmarking 25 per cent of funds raised from auctioning of government land recovered from encroachment for the development of economically weaker sections.

A minimum quantum of water should be supplied free of cost to slum dwellers at public locations. Instead of public-private-partnership programme in water supply for poor, some participants suggested public-people-partnership. Earmarking of 25 per cent of MLA and MP area development fund for urban poor was also suggested.

Many NGOs rooted for special programmes for children living in slums and on the streets as well as a legislation to protect the unorganised sector and for the welfare of construction workers.

Representatives of Karnataka Kolageri Nivasigala Samyukta Sanghatane, Association for the promotion of Social Action, CIVIC, Community Health Cell, Association for Voluntary Action and Services, National Centre for Labour, Karnataka State Construction Workers Central Union presented their suggestions.

The Hindu 01.09.2009

Yeddyurappa for extending JNNURM to entire State

Special Correspondent

BANGALORE: A modern Traffic and Transit Management Centre (TTMC), which not only houses a bus terminal but also provides various other facilities such as parking for vehicles besides shops, a food court, a bank and a hospital, was inaugurated at Jayanagar Fourth Block here on Monday.

The Jayanagar TTMC, which is the first to be inaugurated among 10 such centres planned in various areas of Bangalore is built by the Bangalore Metropolitan Transport Corporation (BMTC) under the Jawaharlal Nehru National Urban Renewable Mission of the Union Government at a cost of Rs. 12.9 crore.

The three-floor building of the TTMC has space for parking 60 cars and 150 two-wheelers on the terrace. The ground floor houses a bus-terminal, drinking water facility, toilets, police outpost and KSRTC reservation counters. The first floor has a health centre, post office counter, BangaloreOne Centre, a cyber café, public telephone booth, bank, ATM and air booking counter. The second floor has a food court, departmental store, book store and a fancy store among other establishments.

Chief Minister B.S. Yeddyurappa, who inaugurated the terminal, urged the JNNURM authorities to extend such facilities to the entire State. He promised to fulfil the dreams of people with respect to infrastructure development in Bangalore during his tenure. Referring to the ongoing development works in every ward of the BBMP, he appealed to people to bring to the notice of the government any instances of sub-standard works. “Do not tolerate substandard works,” he told people.

Transport Minister R. Ashok said construction of the remaining nine TTMCs being taken up in different areas of Bangalore in the first phase will be completed by July 2010. These TTMCs will come up at Shantinagar, Koramangala, ITPL, Kengeri, Vijayanagar, Banashankari, Yeshwanthpur, Domlur and Bannerghatta. Another 10 TTMCs would be built in the second phase in different areas, he noted.