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Bangalore
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This city is all full up
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No amount of funds seem to put balm on the innumerable glitches in the city's infrastructure. Yes, it was the same city that once sold coffee for a quarter anna
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AFFORDABLE FARE During the Emergency, the Government had fixed prices for most dishes available in hotels Photo: K. Gopinathan
From its humble stature, Bangalore has grown to become a teeming metropolis that has made its mark and impact on the international map. Things have naturally changed in the administration of the mega city, beginning with funds. The annual budget of the Municipal Corporation was Rs. 83,38,952 lakhs in 1950-51. In 2005-06, the BMP's total outlay was Rs.1,569 crores.
Considering its phenomenal growth, there are the attendant problems with Cassandras predicting infrastructural meltdown. Space is at a premium and our roads are a nightmare, especially when it rains.
To quench the ever-increasing thirst of Bangaloreans, the BWSSB has formulated a Rs. 3,385 crore project, the Cauvery 4th stage, 2nd phase, which will bring about 540 million litres of water per day to the city. It has also taken up a project to supply drinking water to new BMP wards and the seven CMCs around Bangalore. There is also a proposal to integrate the seven CMCs — Yelahanka, Byatarayanapura, Dasarahalli, Uttarahalli, Kengeri, Mahadevapura and Krishnarajapuram — with the BMP.
Cosmetic changes
The city may in future have more flyovers, a metro rail system, amusement parks, musical fountains, cobblestoned footpaths, etc. But will such cosmetic changes solve the ills plaguing the city such as water logging on roads, overflowing garbage and drains, and flooding of houses during the rains?
Way back in the 1920s, a noted Kannada writer had made his observations on the culture of the civic body: "It is not a time of large financial resources and much had to be accomplished with little. But the deficiency in resources was made up by personal effort and unwearied devotion."
Today Bangalore has many darshinis or swadeshi fast food joints competing successfully with MNC fast food outlets like MacDonald's and Pizza Hut. Today's youngsters don't mind shelling out huge sums on pizzas and milkshakes.
During the Emergency (1975 to 1977), the Government had fixed prices for both vegetarian and non-vegetarian dishes sold in hotels. For instance, coffee/tea was available for 25 paisa, poori-sagu for 40 paisa, masala dosa for 50 paisa, two idlis for 30 paisa while meals cost Rs. 1.25. Non-vegetarian dishes like chicken biryani came at a throwaway Rs. 3, fish curry for Rs. 1.50 and mutton cutlets for 75 paisa.
For people
During 1977, Bangalore Dairy used to dole out subsidised milk for the poor in localities like Adugodi, Koramangala and Tilaknagar at 85 paisa for 500 ml, 30 paisa for 200 ml and five paisa for 50 ml. When the Janata Party came to power in 1977, many janata hotels cropped up in the city cashing in on the popularity of that party.
But despite the growing buying power and seeming happiness, Bangalore is also becoming infamous as the city with the largest number of suicides in India. Mental breakdown and stress are increasing amongst our youngsters who put in long hours at work thanks to a global economy. A number of counselling centres, motivators and spiritual gurus now do roaring business. Information technology has changed the lifestyle of a once-laidback population. Now even small children play "professionally" in coaching camps, attend all sorts of summer camps and have their future planned by ambitious parents even before entering the portals of their high school. Today everything is fast-paced; everyone is in a hurry, except for a few like me who have time to brood over the past.
(Concluded)
S. SRINIVAS
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