BANGALORE A DREAM CITY –
By Manu Nair Bangalore,

Situated on the Deccan Plateau is endowed with a salubrious climate, never too hot, never too cold or wet for long, the year round. The four-season weather pattern of Northern and Eastern India is not easily felt here, as it is green all over, with tall and shady trees. It is as if this city of over five-and-a-half million people is camouflaged by greenery. Roads and lanes are lined with trees of every sort that particularly in summer, they burst with flowers of various colours. Bangalore rightfully earned its reputation, as The Garden City. It is truly cosmopolitan and home to many cultures and languages. Besides being the capital of Karnataka State, it's a hub of industrial activities. Many of the major national and international companies have their shops here. Products range from silk, fabrics, handicrafts, tools and machines, watches, heavy earth moving machinery, aircrafts, electrical and electronic goods and every bit of information technology and IT enabled services. Bangalore in fact is the home to giants in IT that it is also called the Silicon Valley of India. Quality educational facilities from primary to post graduate levels in arts, science, commerce, law, engineering, medicine, agriculture and at super professional levels exist. Pioneering research institutions, some of them jewels of the nation are housed here with their immense resource of scientists and technologists. Entertainment, hotel and tourism industry flourish in Bangalore with innumerable facilities. World class hospitals and medical centres are also available. Bangalore is well connected by roads, rail and by air traffic. No wonder, Bangalore is a preferred city to live in and work. Singapore is an extremely prosperous island city-state connected to Malay Peninsula by a causeway (a little longer than a km). It is about 616 sq.km in area with three million people. Literacy is very high, so also, the per capita income which is at least a hundred times more than that of Karnataka. Roughly 77% of the population is Chinese, 15% Malays and 6% of Indian origin. Singapore is the largest centre of trade, industry and shipping in South East Asia. International trade and finance is at the core of the economy. Singapore is altogether glamorous, strikingly clean, green and beautiful with plenty of shops, entertainment centres and business establishments. Naturally, the city is busy with traffic that it is unwalkable. Jay-walking is strictly prohibited, pedestrian cross-walks are inadequate and the traffic signals are too long. Cleanliness comes at a big price. Stiff fines are imposed on littering. Chewing gum is banned. Public toilets are clean and many. The roads are clogged with automobiles, comparable to those of Salsette Island (Mumbai). But, traffic management on Singapore roads is superior to that of any Indian city. Traffic controls and restrictions in Central Business District and the Area Licence Scheme are subjects of technical discussions. Yet, road accidents and casualties are high, the children and the aged are most vulnerable. Traffic regulations are stringent. Focused on Bangalore was Somanahalli Mallaiah Krishna, the dynamic former Chief Minister of Karnataka with a vision to transform Bangalore into the best of Asian cities by the year 2004-2005 on lines with Singapore. Been highly educated he wanted to transform Bangalore in the lines with Singapore. He was the right person to take Bangalore forward. The Government needs be a facilitator rather than an executive at a project. Once the infrastructure is there, the people will do the development on their own. The Government shouldn't interfere and throttle private enterprise. IT business in India bloomed because it was least controlled and influenced by the bureaucracy in the Government. But now could Bangalore be called the Garden City as the garbage are strewn on almost all the roads, traffic jams are an everyday affair, the metro rail has created more problems as we will lose out on the flavours of the Coffee and the sweet dishes which does water our mouth, across the Indiranagar and CMH Road. We will also miss the so called advertisements like the one on the Kurl- On (Indiranagar, Blr.) –“We have curtains for all windows except Microsoft Windows”. Potholes and pits have risen on almost all the roads.
A pity that the pedestrians would have to walk on the road risking themselves from the busy oncoming traffic too. Clubs and pubs are essential enjoyable part of city life. Bangalore is dotted with exclusive clubs, old and new for the benefit of the affluent. Bangalore is littered with pubs where alcohol and food is relished by a large section of the upper crust of the society. The pubs are frequented by the youth, both men and women. These are meeting places for both good and evil. Intoxication leads to crime and unruly behaviour. Nowadays, the Govt. insists on closing the pubs by 11p.m. to reduce crimes and drunken driving. The response is mixed.. Liquor is a major source of income for governments, be it in Singapore or Bangalore. Almost everyone agrees that Bangalore roads are very poor in standards. Somebody even suggested a guide map of potholes, humps and channels across the road will help. There is no disputing the fact that the existing roads in Bangalore need constant attention in maintenance by the concerned authorities. Potholes and pits have risen up on almost of all the roads. The drains on either side of the road get clogged. The water on the roads even otherwise cannot find its way into the drains.
Accidents do occur when there are many who don’t obey the rules by jumping signals especially by the two-wheeler riders which is becoming quite famous in Bangalore. Autorickshaw drivers take people for granted by asking for extra money above the meter but once in a bluemooon you will find a autorickshaw driver who will take you to the right destination, give back the exact balance but he will also observe you closely if you offer a smile to them they would be happy and would talk to you and even pray for you too! Repeated complaints by the people to cover the drainage near the RBANMS Ground near Shree Complex on St.John’s Road has fallen on deaf-ear potholes .If a student falls in this drain would the Student or would the Authorities be responsible? The green cover in our city has been lost since many trees are cut for one reason or the other but are we replacing these trees? No in these places tall and multi-storeyed buildings do rise up.
Yes Mallus (Malayalees) are living in Bangalore, but would they stay for long……..
Can Bangalore be transformed in another Singapore? And could time tell…….NO?
Off to New Zealand next year as Bangalore would be a city of HAVOC!
But the youths need to be proud of the city, 'THE GARDEN CITY' for its own individuality for the city has opened up challenges for the youth to THINK & ACT.