Metro Reach-1 will be ready by December next year

The Bangalore Metro Rail Corporation Limited (BMRCL) on Friday said it was on track to complete the 8-km stretch (Reach-1) from Baiyappanahalli to Chinnaswamy Cricket Stadium by December 2010.

Addressing members of the Federation of Karnataka Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FKCCI) here, Managing director of BMRCL, N Sivasailam, said: “The opening of the first line is a very feasible option. It is most likely to happen. We are on track.” Admitting that the award of underground (UG) tenders has suffered a delay, Sivasailam said the UG tender package would be rebid and awarded in three-month time. “However, we will open the line on the Northern stretch anytime between June and September 2011 and the Southern stretch between September 2011 and January 2012” Contract The BMRCL also announced that a contract has been signed with Johnson to supply 176 lifts to stations of Bangalore Metro at a cost of Rs 120 crore. Sivasailam further added that elevated stations will only have passenger space and there will be no room for merchandising. “Five per cent of our revenue is expected from sources other than fares, such as advertising. At the moment, our priority is to get the Metro running. It is better to test the market after the trains run” he said. Afforestation On a query from FKCCI members, Sivasailam said the BMRCL has begun an afforestation drive on 300 acres of land in the Tippagondanahalli catchment area. “Despite trees being cut, 90 per cent of them will be back, after project construction is done” he assured. The BMRCL also announced that it was working with BBMP to offer option of Transfer of Development Rights in lieu of a rehabilitation package for land losers. Source : deccanherald Bought to you by : Ravina Media Media &PR Division of Ravina Consulting No.429 Mahavir Tuscan Near Hoodi Circle, Whitefield Mahadevapura Post BANGALORE 560048 raghav@ravinaconsulting.com www.twitter.com/bangalorenews

Petition on Tagore circle

The issue of Tagore Circle underpass was taken to the Central Government, with Hasiru Usiru, the Green Organisation submitting a petition to the Union Minister for Urban Development, Jaipal Reddy, on Saturday

More buses: Union Minister for Urban Development S Jaipal Reddy flagging off the BMTC buses at Shantinagar on Saturday. Transport Minister R Ashok, Principal Secretary Shankarlinge Gowda are also seen. DH PHOTOThe underpass project has been taken up by the Bruhat Bangalore Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) under the Jawaharlal Nehru National Urban Renewal Mission (JnNURM) at a cost Rs 22 crore.

The NGO submitted the petition to Reddy, who was in the City for the flagging off 380
buses .

The petition states: “The BBMP claims that 12,000 passenger car units (PCUs) passed through the (Tagore) Circle. Independent survey done by traffic management experts about three months ago confirmed a figure of hardly 4,500-5,000 PCUs. This is a serious intentional exaggeration to justify the huge expenditure. It is reported in the media that ACP (Traffic) has disassociated with the traffic density figures assumed by BBMP.”
Reddy said that he was not for flyovers or grade separators in the City. “The flyovers (grade separators) will only cause traffic jams on it. I have tried to keep the number of projects for grade separators to a minimal through the JnNURM,” he said.

Twitter users meet Shashi Tharoor

This was the moment tweeple (people who use twitter) were waiting for - a meeting with poster boy Shashi Tharoor.


There was no proverbial ice to be broken during the tweetup (meeting of tweeple) at the Bangalore International Centre. No sooner had the minister of state for external affairs finished his introduction on how he got tweeting than questions gushed in torrents -- from whether he had become a Twitter addict to problems of dealing with the Left Front government in his constitutency.

He had the audience in splits as he described his adventures on the social networking platform. Stating that the cattle-class row did a lot of damage, he said, "I was called to defend Twitter on TV and explain what Twitter was to the Prime Minister. Some even advised me to give it up for the sake of my political career."

Why did he persist? "I am not revealing any state secrets. I see this is as a tool to demystify the process of governance. It brings in an element of transparency and accountability." One overzealous suggestion was that tweeting be made compulsory for all ministers. Tharoor quipped: "I shouldn't be the one to do that."

On the transition from diplomacy to politics: "I am here for the long haul. We are all here with a mission, to serve the society. When we leave, it should be a better place."

At one point, it seemed the roles had reversed: Tharoor was the listener. The audience, comprising mostly computer professionals generously offered suggestions on how his ministry could be made more transparent and interactive by using technology. But it's evident there is a long way to go, as Tharoor said, "Twitter is banned in the MEA."

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SKF unveils its Global Testing Centre in Bangalore

SKF, a leading global supplier in areas of bearings, seals, mechatronics, services and lubrication systems, today inaugurated its India Global Testing Centre here.


Unveiling the new Testing Centre, Tom Johnstone- Group President and CEO, SKF told reporters "we are putting in place in India a knowledge infrastructure that will significantly reduce lead time for our customers and ensure we are able to respond speedily to the requirements for new products".

The main objective, Johnstone said, will be to conduct testing at close proximity to its customers for design process and supplier validation. This shall entail greater support for SKF's processes in a faster and cost effective manner by applying global test standards that adapt to local customer specific requirements.

The Global Testing Centre at the onset will cater to the two wheeler, automotive and sealing solutions businesses of SKF and will subsequently expanded to to encompass the industrial segment as well. The Centre will also cater to teting value added solutions that integrate SKF's five technology platforms.

"The Rs 10 crore Testing Centre is the first phase of the Global Technical Centre comprising the Testing Centre, Laboratory and Development Centre involving a total investment of Rs 30 crore and an overall employee strength of 100-130", he said.

Source : PTI

Bullet Train to link Bangalore - Chennai

Japanese investors have shown a keen interest in introducing a bullet train connecting Chennai and Mysore via Bangalore under a public private partnership model, besides setting up a Japanese industrial park on a 1,000-acre land in Tumkur.

Chief Minister B S Yeddyurappa has given the approval in principle to the proposal put forth by the representatives of the Japanese External Trade Organisation (JETRO). JETRO representatives held a meeting with the chief minister in this regard on Wednesday.

However, it is not clear which Japanese companies were interested in taking up the train project, its estimated cost, the State Government’s role in it and other details. Official sources said the plan was still in its preliminary stage. JETRO, sources said, has already conducted a survey and found the Chennai-Mysore route very viable for investment.

The Union government is seriously considering developing the Chennai-Mumbai industrial corridor on the lines of the Mumbai-Delhi industrial corridor.
Moreover, Japanese car manufacturing companies Hyundai and Toyota already have their units in Chennai and Bidadi near Bangalore. Toyota has plans to set up another unit in Mysore. This will throw up lucrative business propositions as far as freight service is concerned, sources said.

55 more underpasses, flyovers on cards

Many of the projects are bound to resemble the flyover at Windsor Manor and the underpass a few yards away at the Cauvery theatre junction. The only difference would be that the BBMP is likely to reduce the usage of the controversial magic box or the pre-cast element technology to almost zero.
According to BBMP sources, the Palike has proposed to build at least 55 more underpasses and fly overs at many bottleneck areas of the City including Minerva Circle, Shoole Circle, Kasturba Road, Shivananda Circle and near Commercial street. “Already we have planned to have a steel bridge from Minerva Circle to Hudson Circle. Work would start soon at Vidyapeetha Circle where an underpass is coming up. At Shoolay Circle we may require one project.

As the Metro Rail project is underway, we do not want to add more to the chaotic traffic in the City by starting new infrastructure projects. First we would like to have a clear picture of Metro Rail to take further steps in this regard,” said a top BBMP official.

Rediff picks minority stake in Imere Tech

Imere Technologies, a Bangalore-based company has got backing from India's leading online portal, Rediff.com, both in terms of capital and as a platform.Imere brings location-awareness to applications and provides a host of comprehensive geospatial features for cutting-edge mobile and Internet location-based services. Imere's technologies work without the need for GPS on mobile phones.

On the Internet, Imere endeavors to bring high levels of user location accuracy without entirely being dependant on IP addresses.

Ajit Balakrishnan [ Images ], chairman and CEO, Rediff.com said, "Location-awareness in applications is critical for hyper-local search and local advertising besides many evolving social networking and enterprise applications. Imere's technology is very cost effective in delivering location awareness."

"The investment from Rediff will not only help us achieve our goals, but also is strategically very important for the company" said Anil Mathews, founder of Imere.

Imere uses Cell-ID, Wi-Fi, GPS, IP Addresses and proprietary algorithms in its technologies, bringing best in class location accuracy for both mobile and Internet applications.