[bhansali_hardik]

Hi,

I'm hoping this thread might get the required approval and we might pull off something to save the city which I used to love.

A little background about myself: born in some other state but have lived in Bangalore since Age 3, out and out a Bengaluru boy.

With time flying by and the city running literally on the highest pace possible, we have all gained a lot, lost a lot, and have made our living around it in one way or another.

I have been grateful to the city for everything that I have got and I used to swear by it in every aspect of life other than the obvious lack of public infrastructure and transport!

Off late, post covid especially I have a constant feeling that this city is inching towards non-liveable status. Just not because of the notorious traffic which has become a part of life since last decade.

However, there are a couple of things that are going beyond my understanding in the city currently, and anything which I can do or we as a community to do is the only thing I seek out of this thread, and not want this to be a complaint box, rather as a solution and small steps which we can take towards restoring the city for what it used to and what most of them fell in love for!

1) Road rage is at its peak, I am genuinely scared for my life of late. (The thread starts because I saw an elderly man driving a car getting abused by an Auto Driver with a huge stone in hand today. We managed to diffuse the situation but can discuss this in length elsewhere)
2)Folks who treat Bengaluru as a temporary turf and act indifferent to everything including the prices of things to the general attitude toward lifestyle

I can and have traded larger things in life to enjoy the by 2 coffee and a masala dosa. But the direction in which this city is inching towards scares me and If I can make anything better from my end what can that be?

[Raghu M]

Nice thread, totally understand your feelings as well. The point is, every city's citizens are feeling the same way. Can't always blame it on administration too. With the huge population, the infra is nowhere sufficient for 1/4th, so whatever we see is just the outcome of mad development, centralization of jobs and of course poor admin. Apart from being a good citizen, I don't know what else we can do.

[Kosfactor]

Travel a bit Hardik, experience some of the other big cities and see how it goes. After my first visit to Mumbai I forgive Bangalore for everything it throws at me, it's heaven.

[bhansali_hardik]

Originally Posted by Raghu M

Nice thread, totally understand your feelings as well. The point is, every city's citizens are feeling the same way. Can't always blame it on administration too. With the huge population, the infra is nowhere sufficient for 1/4th, so whatever we see is just the outcome of mad development, centralization of jobs and of course poor admin. Apart from being a good citizen, I don't know what else we can do.

Being a good citizen doesn’t help me solve any issues, can turn into a part time activist if there is a peaceful way of doing it! Need to channelise the inner pain what I’m seeing that is going i through!

Originally Posted by Kosfactor

Travel a bit Hardik, experience some of the other big cities and see how it goes. After my first visit to Mumbai I forgive Bangalore for everything it throws at me, it's heaven.

I am sorry if the post was misleading to you, I am not ever going to compare things to worse and be happy about it! If this is the case you can well compare it Caracas or Rio! I have traveled wide and far enough and that’s not the point here, I’m still sticking to a hope of restoring Bangalore to what it was even remotely if possible! And if there is something I or you can do as a community, why not?

We are inching towards the bad cities, if anything why don’t we consider comparing Bengaluru to Bangalore and take it from there?

[salluks]

I've realised where you stay in Bangalore matters a lot for your mental peace. I've lived all my life in central Bangalore and genuinely feel out of place (like a foreign land) when I go to IT areas or even south Bangalore (which apparently is a term now).

Central/East (areas around Frazer town) are much more laid back, greener, and peaceful and still maintain the old charm to some degree. Maybe moving to these may help?

I've noticed even auto guys to be more respectful when they are around these areas.

[airguitar]

People in Bengaluru ( and similar such cities that are melting pots of cultures) are making hay while the sun shines. As you pointed out the approach is centered around thinking everything is temporary and the belief that you can outwit each other in the short term to stay ahead of the game, for some intangible outcome.

As a person who has lived his life all the time in Bengaluru, here are the things that I loath.

1. Lack of consideration and empathy + inflated sense of self-importance: Most don't stop for pedestrians or follow the rule of the 'right of the way'. A loooot of people think it's ok to Drink and drive as long as they don't get caught. These are the same people that would preach ethics and other things at work. This is also closely related to perceived self-importance ( "Hey, I don't have the time, I really need to get to my destination quickly and I will call it 'work life balance' but I'll endup watching reels on social media after all the mayhem I cause on the road" types)

2. Greed: Many shops, malls, hospitals, landlords, establishments : are absolutely greedy and focused on siphoning off money without being ethical about the services they provide and quality ( e.g, faulty product etc )

3. Neo-rich's Money: As is symptomatic of "new money", people don't see the value in relationships and humanity. On the other hand, lack of money fosters better human relationship and connectivity as without money people can only bank on their community. For most of us our money is our "best friend", which isn't always right. "New money" also means that people aren't careful about money (I bet people will lose the skill of counting money in a few years from now, not that they do it anyway now). To pip others ( a room at a hotel or a service ), people don't mind spending a premium to ensure that the service is theirs. This puts enormous stress on the system, especially those that don't have the kind of money that some of these folks have. And people are in a perpetual race of peer pressure.

4. Instant Gratification: Post poo on social media, get a few impressions, get those envious glances by talking random things or by dressing weirdly, spend a lot of time drinking at pubs (I'm not against drinking, but 6pm on a Monday at the pub? really? drinking and breaking bottles on a hillstation? really?). So anything to prove that "you are different" or "enjoyment". A good example is how irresponsibly people are marauding tourist places during rain, parking cars on the road, playing loud music and causing nuisance and public places.

5. Inability to culturally assimilate oneself into the destination city: I'm not saying this means that everyone should learn the local languages or celebrate local festivals, but two things a) Be open minded in accepting and appreciating the local culture b) Stop being rude or authoritative (irrespective of if you are a local or someone that moved to bangalore) : Bangalore as a city seldom had rude people (at restaurants, on the roads etc). Don't antagonize people by saying "my city is better, my food is better, my culture is better" or trying to push people over (eg., at shops, restaurants etc). There is certainly this new "style" of using harsh language and unnecessary aggression that has come in ( not blaming anyone here, but it is there for me to see. And hey, I'm an immigrant myself, just that I'm the second generation of the family that immigrated to Bangalore, but we have steadfastly followed the Bengaluru way. We celebrate Ugadi, Sankranti like any other Kannadiga and I read Kuvempu, Bendre, Masthi, Gorur despite being a non-Kannadiga - I have balanced my native culture with the city we moved to without compromising either).

A few things are absolutely important right now

1. Better restraint from people, especially those that are well-off (irrespective of what culture, language you follow or if you are a local or someone from outside bangalore). Don't back off when you are not wrong, but at the same time be civil in all exchanges.

2. Community support and courage : If there is an accident or some incident or something unfair, we need to grow some balls as a community to stand up against this with support from law and order. Call the bluff. This action should happen without any groupist tendencies. Right now we shy away, throw money to avoid trouble or are outright apathetic. Trust in law and order that the right action will be taken at all times (irrespective of the antecedents of the aggressor) is paramount too. Don't lose the sense of right or wrong. It's more important for us to show these attributes so that our kids can learn too, right now most kids don't have a role model TBH.

3. Periodic community sessions by police or local administration or community events : Traffic rules sensitization, humanity sensitization, cultural exchanges and any other efforts to bring people together and reinforcing a sense of togetherness is required. We need to do what Japan does consistently.

4. Better planning of the city: the congestion, traffic and the daily struggle for mundane things causes a lot of lost energy leading to people having a short fuse. It's important to address the traffic problem first and enable easier egress/ingress from home/work. People will have a bit more energy to be generous.

Originally Posted by salluks

I've realised where you stay in Bangalore matters a lot for your mental peace. I've lived all my life in central Bangalore and genuinely feel out of place (like a foreign land) when I go to IT areas or even south Bangalore (which apparently is a term now).

Central/East (areas around Frazer town) are much more laid back, greener, and peaceful and still maintain the old charm to some degree. Maybe moving to these may help?

I've noticed even auto guys to be more respectful when they are around these areas.

In one line: one gets back what one gives. Good or bad.

[bhansali_hardik]

Originally Posted by salluks

I've realised where you stay in Bangalore matters a lot for your mental peace. I've lived all my life in central Bangalore and genuinely feel out of place (like a foreign land) when I go to IT areas or even south Bangalore (which apparently is a term now).

I have stayed in jayanagar all my life and I am way too used to the way of life in here, from schooling to college! The people who know me around have stuck to the roots since I was a kid, the fruit vendor or the veggies where I source from have seen me in each part of the growth.
The incident of the elderly car driver being almost lynched by the auto guy was right in front of Vidhan soudha, where we turn towards rajbhavan road. It cannot be a area wise discrimination, people are bad, they are just bad and the overall lynching attitude is just something which is tearing me apart. It is just getting worse by the day!

Originally Posted by airguitar

People in Bengaluru ( and similar such cities that are melting pots of cultures) are making hay while the sun shines. As you pointed out the approach is centered around thinking everything is temporary and the belief that you can outwit each other in the short term to stay ahead of the game, for some intangible outcome…

I echo and relate to each and every narrative in there! People with disposable income is one thing, but treating people as disposable resources is shattering!

Have tried my best to diffuse situations, help people teach my colleagues language for that matter! Just need to scale it up, I hope if there are any such communities or leads towards starting one I’m all game and the whole pupae of this thread in a sense.

Originally Posted by airguitar

In one line: one gets back what one gives. Good or bad.

This is not the case, if only that worked out in real life.

[theabstractmind]

This is a thought inspiring but a difficult thread. I will try and give a few pointers.

1. Traffic Issue #1 - All road users must show more patience. Especially car drivers. If possible, don't honk even when the other person is at fault - I know it's difficult. I do honk at idiots who cut across me but tell myself time and again, not to.

2. Traffic Issue #2 - Lot of people are already taking Metro. If possible, try taking public transport. I am guilty of not taking office or public transport. I am anyway working from home mostly. And I suffer nausea in cabs. But, whenever I don't have a car or car is not feasible, I try to take a bus as first option. Then an auto. I prefer not to use two wheelers due to allergies and neck pain. Last option is a cab.

3. Traffic #3 - Drive with respect for others. I do this. Always. I stop for pedestrians. I stop for a car trying to take a turn but unable to due to the oncoming traffic trying to speed or cut off the person trying to take a turn. I don't bully fellow road users.


4. Traffic #4 - Abide by the rules. Don't try squeeze in from the left or from the opposite lane. Wait at signals. Don't block a free left. Don't ride or drive in wrong lane.

In general, I see that most people offer a solution to tackle our traffic which is either law enforcement or just behaving exactly the way they don't want others to behave under the pretext of being helpless. Give a try to self-govern, it is difficult. Not impossible. And don't point fingers on others who are not doing their bit. You continue to do your bit. For all the pride we Indians take in Bhagavad Gita, we forget a famous couplet from it - which says do your karma, don't expect the result.

Regarding cost of living:
1. There is really no solution. The income gaps are widening. The ones with money don't bother spending a bomb - say in the malls. I am nobody to advise altruism. But, if you can, avoid buying in those places one out of two visits, or try a cheaper movie hall, etc. I personally find it ridiculous to spend 700 bucks on popcorn and pepsi. Teach your kids also the reason. That may bring down the demand a hit and therefore the prices. Same thing with everything like vegetables and groceries. Until consumerist approach exists, the prices will remain high. I try to reach my kid these stuff. He may or may not learn. But, I do my bit.

2. On home deposits, try bargain for 6 months instead of 10. Once more and more people do it, it will change the market dynamics. I have done this, many times in the past.

Finally, this one will sound regionalistic, but it is the reality.
1. People coming from other states must respect the locals. Learn the language of this land and try mingling with the crowd. You will see that it will become better. I tried this when I has to live in another city. I couldn't learn the language to speak. But I could understand decent enough to be treated as one among them. In fact even when a few folks tried to switch to a common language only for my sake, I encouraged them to continue in their language.

2. Someone already mentioned this - respect in general. You can't complain you don't get good punjabi Or some other food here just the same way I can't complain about not getting good Masala Dosa in another region. Don't complain or try to show that your city of origin is superior. Try to make the best.

Having said all of the above, the reality is that the Realty sector is callous and destroying the surrounding of our City. Will there be a time when we can get on the street like with "Steel Flyover BeDa"? Don't know. But why not a BHPian well versed with law take a chance and organize a gathering for a cause to oppose one such bad decision of the Government? Or to protest it's apathy? You can sign me up.

[crossoverhead1]

Originally Posted by bhansali_hardik

Hi,

I'm hoping this thread might get the required approval and we might pull off something to save the city which I used to love.

Is this taken near Richmond circle ? It’s one of my favourite part of the city along with Chamrajendra ( Cubbon ) Park and Jayanagar.
Also , I’ve lived in BLR for 4 years + now , absolutely love the city to bits. Only regret is not able to learn Kannada. I understand the emotion, which helps to some extent , I guess.

Coming to the topic, keeping the cultural perspective along with the western discipline , I think we can make this city one of the most liveable cities across the globe.

Let’s be civil and respectful towards each other and yet not be a pushover is what I mean in essence.

In terms of infra , keeping the authorities accountable through RTI is one of the weapons in our arsenal. Constant digging up is the bane of this city , and to make it a smart city , smart babus are required.

It might be utopian , but one can hope

[abaliga]

The load on Bangalore is far higher than it can take, administration should encourage remote working but on the contrary it is doing the exact opposite (not a political statement, this applies irrespective of the party at helm), it is time to move some businesses to satellite towns and tier 2/3 cities and allow remote working, this will lead to job loss for the support services and possibly be detrimental for the real estate sector, but if one is realistic on long term sustainability of the city, I find this to be the only option.

[theabstractmind]

Originally Posted by crossoverhead1

Is this taken near Richmond circle ? It’s one of my favourite part of the city along with Chamrajendra ( Cubbon ) Park and Jayanagar.

Don't want to Hijack this thread. This is somewhere around Jayanagar / JP Nagar. In the background you can see ISKCON temple I think. And the rock/hill you see is Savandurga with the sun setting further to the right. I used to get this view from my Manager's cabin in Jayanagar, and from my desk I could get a similar view of the horizon on east towards Bellandur.

The background what you see in the pic also adjoins erstwhile forest areas which are fast getting converted to residential concrete jungles. This is the part of the charm which you won't get back.

[livetodrive]

Few days back while taking a legal U turn (from left to right lane) a new Thar owner confronted me by coming on opposite lane. I was in middle of the road and traffic on left side of me came to a halt. Signaled the Thar owner to move back. Instead he told me to take a back gear Few seconds and honks from bikes and cars from my left side made Bangalore not a charming city at least. He had to back off because of the pressure. But why respected IT walas have to behave like this? To save a U turn and few paisa of diesel?

[vharihar]

Originally Posted by livetodrive

Few days back while taking a legal U turn (from left to right lane) a ...

From left to right carriageway you mean?

For a minute there I was wondering what kind of legal UTurn you were talking about, until I realized you meant carriageway!

[livetodrive]

No it was main road, not carriage way. Legal U turn means taking a Proper U turn. Nowadays you will see people not only driving opposite lane but taking U turn from right lane to left after driving opposite.

[One]

Originally Posted by bhansali_hardik

If I can make anything better from my end what can that be?[/i][/b]

Very commendable and yes, there's lots that can be done....

Originally Posted by bhansali_hardik

Being a good citizen doesn’t help me solve any issues, can turn into a part time activist if there is a peaceful way of doing it!

... On these lines you mentioned.
__________________________________

Explore the civic focused NGOs in the city initially so that initially, there's a crash course of learning things in a team environment. You may get disillusioned, but if you don't, this is an excellent place to get started (Mumbai has NGOs like Agni, there will be similar Civic focused Banglore based ones).

2. Connect with your local MLA, police and community services. There will be enough to be done locally should you choose to go that route.

Some realities:

1. There will be a sense of cynicism in some NGOs, there will be a great sense of purpose in some individuals in some NGOs.

2. Most things take time and somethings might never happen. This won't be a corporate kind of result oriented environment.

3. Most people in the educated, upper class environment will have plenty of advice, complaints but no action. Don't mistake their consulting as interest, there are plenty of consultants you will meet who will go back home and sleep after giving their "ideas".

4. The same class of people will be a good source of contributions - indulge them and be patient with their "audit-based" queries like "how do I know that each paise will be spent correctly".

5. The municipal bodies often like community driven engagement as their work reduces. Use volume to your advantage - keep thinking in terms of scaling which will increase potential impact.

6. In continuation with above, a group of people can be a mob or a community. But civic agencies and politicians transact only in currency of group of people. Build that currency even if it implies that most in that currency may not be engaged but are lending names. That is enough.

7. Do it under someone else's umbrella initially atleast to get up and running in as less time as possible.

All the best, you are going in the right track. Please keep us posted...