Pubs in Bangalore

Pubs in Bangalore

Pubs in Bangalore

Guzzlers Inn
48, Rest House Road

Brigade Road
Bangalore
Timings: 11 am to 11:30 pm
Phone: 2558-7336/2558-2138
Type of food: Multi-Cuisine


Jockey Club
41/3, Taj Residency

MG Road
Bangalore
Timings: 5 pm to 11:30 pm
Phone: 5660-4444
Type of food: Multi-Cuisine


Nasa
1/4,

Church Street
Bangalore
Timings: 11 am to 11 pm
Phone: 2558-6512/2558-4595
Type of food: Multi-Cuisine


Pecos
34,

Rest House Road
Bangalore
Timings: 11 am to 11 pm
Phone: 2558-6047
Type of food: Multi-Cuisine


Purple Haze
2nd Floor,
Opp Prestige Towers,
Residency Road
Bangalore
Timings: 11 pm to 11 am
Phone: 2222-0054
Type of food: Multi-Cuisine


Scottish Pub
17/12,
Vasavi Complex
St Marks Road
Bangalore
Timings: 11 pm to 11 am
Phone: 2221-5002
Type of food: Multi-Cuisine


Sparks
133,
Raheja Chancery
Brigade Road
Bangalore
Timings: 11 am to 11 pm
Phone: 2223-0306
Type of food: Indian


Spinn Courtyard
80, 3rd Cross

Residency Road
Bangalore
Timings: 7:3o pm to 11:30 pm
Phone: 2558-1555/2559-0901
Type of food: Multi-Cuisine


Styx
45, Kids Complex
Next to Cauvery Emporium
MG Road
Bangalore
Timings: 12 noon to 11 pm
Phone: 2558-2259/5697-6040
Type of food: Multi-Cuisine


Tavern At The Inn
1, Museum Inn
Opp MG Road
Museum Road
Bangalore
Timings: 11 am to 11:30 pm
Phone: 4111-3339
Type of food: Multi-Cuisine


The 13th Floor
84, Barton Center

MG Road
Bangalore
Timings: 7 pm to 11 pm
Phone: 2558-9333/4178-3344
Type of food: Multi-Cuisine


The Bunker
45/3, Near Symphony

Residency Cross Road
Bangalore
Timings: 11 am to 11:30 pm
Phone: 2558-3315
Type of food: Multi-Cuisine


The New Nightwatchman
46/1, Museum Road

Church Street
Bangalore
Timings: 10:30 am to 11:30 pm
Phone: 2558-8372
Type of food: Multi-Cuisine


The Polo Club
39, The Oberoi

MG Road
Bangalore
Timings: 10 am to 11:15 pm
Phone: 2558-5858/5135-8205
Type of food: Multi-Cuisine


The Pub World
65, Laxmi Plaza,
Opp Advaith Hyundai
Residency Road
Bangalore
Timings: 12 noon to 11 pm
Phone: 2558-5206
Type of food: Indian


Zero G
10th Floor, Prestige Towers

Residency Road
Bangalore
Timings: 12 noon to 11:30 pm
Phone: 2207-9014/2207-9016
Type of food: Multi-Cuisine


Fabulous
280, Opp DELL

Amar Jyothi Layout
Bangalore
Timings: 11:30 am to 11 pm
Phone: 4125-4058/4152-6628
Type of food: Multi-Cuisine


Geoffrey's
1, Golf Avenue
Hotel Royal Orchid, KGA Gold Course
Airport Road
Bangalore
Timings: 11 am to 11:30 pm
Phone: 2520-5566
Type of food: Multi-Cuisine


Sherlock Holmes
60/1, Near Tata Indicom

Coles Road
Bangalore
Timings: 11 am to 11:30 pm
Phone: 4125-0156
Type of food: Multi-Cuisine


TGI Friday's
1, Carlton Towers,
Opp Diamond District
Airport Road
Bangalore
Timings: 11 am to 11 pm
Phone: 2521-0570/2521-0571
Type of food: Multi-Cuisine


Dublin
25, ITC Windsor Sheraton

Golf Course Road(Sankey Road)
Bangalore
Timings: 10 am to 11:30 pm
Phone: 2226-9898
Type of food: Multi-Cuisine


The Blue Bar
The Taj West End
Near Race Course
Race Course Road
Bangalore
Timings: 11 am to 11:30 pm
Phone: 5660-5660
Type of food: Far East


Windsor Pub
7, Kodava Samaja Building
1st Main Road
Vasanthnagar
Bangalore
Timings: 12:30 pm to 2:30 pm 6:30 pm to 11:30 pm
Phone: 2225-8847
Type of food: South Indian


Enigma
2, 5th Block, 100 Feet Road
Opp Canara Bank
Koramangala
Bangalore
Timings: 8 pm to 11 pm
Phone: 2563-3999
Type of food: Multi-Cuisine


Jcubez
1431, 22nd Cross
Near BDA Complex
Banashankari
Bangalore
Timings: 11 am to 11 pm
Phone: 2671-7007
Type of food: Multi-Cuisine


Legend of Rock
903, 3rd Cross
6th Block, 80 Feet Road
Koramangala
Bangalore
Timings: 11 am to 11 pm
Phone: 4130-3232
Type of food: Multi-Cuisine


Maithri 'The Pub'
632/A, 24th Cross

BSK II Stage
Bangalore
Timings: 10 am to 11:30 pm
Phone: 2671-3322
Type of food: Multi-Cuisine


South Point Pub
200, Laxmi Towers,
Near South End Circle, RV Road
Basavanagudi
Bangalore
Timings: 11 am to 11:30 pm
Phone: 2656-3642
Type of food: Multi-Cuisine


The Eleven
6, 11th Block
Opp Prestige Towers,
Jayanagar
Bangalore
Timings: 11:30 am to 11:30 pm
Phone: 2657-3389
Type of food: Multi-Cuisine

Bangalore slums set to go vertical

Bangalore slums set to go vertical


Bangalore: The horizontal Bangalore slums may go vertical, with parks, grounds and schools around them. All this at no cost to the government!
This proposal based on public-private partnership has been mooted following the success in Dharavi (Mumbai), Andhra Pradesh and Gujarat.
“We are thinking of this to make urban areas slum-free. Each house costs Rs 2.5-3 lakh. The developer will be responsible for the project and pay premium to the government,’’ Karnataka Housing Board (KHB) chairman G T Devegowda told TOI.
After attending a presentation on the proposal, chief minister B S Yeddyurappa showed interest in taking up a pilot project in a few Bangalore slums.
New sites and houses
The KHB on Wednesday announced the allotment of 5,426 sites in 21 places and 654 houses in 10 places. It also launched 11 new projects consisting of 1,719 sites and 284 houses.
The sites and houses allotted are in Chitradurga, Bijapur, Gulbarga, Haveri, Uttar Kannada, Belgaum, Bidar, Bellary, Raichur, Dharwad and Mysore districts. The new project will come up in Koppal, Belgaum, Bidar, Bellary, Kodagu, Chamarajanagar, Dakshina Kannada and Shimoga districts.
The urban poor will get 20% of KHB houses/apartments at 50% subsidy. Gowda said the government had planned to build 300 apartments at Allalasandra.
KHB’s ambitious 100 housing projects and 50 Suvarna Karnataka Housing projects in 87 locations across the state is under way. This will provide 15,000 sites and 13,500 houses at an estimated cost of Rs 850 crore with assistance from several financial institutions.

18 kmph is City traffic speed

18 kmph is City traffic speed
From Ajith Athrady, DH News Service, New Delhi:
Bangalore figures among the top three cities in the country, in terms of its sluggish traffic movement...


According to the latest study, Bangalore’s peak hour traffic speed is 18 kmph while Delhi and Mumbai’s speed is 16 kmph.

The nation-wide study on “Traffic and Transportation Policies and Strategies in the Urban Areas in India” conducted by Wilbur Smith Associates on behalf of Union Ministry of Urban Development, shows that in bigger cities like Bangalore and Mumbai traffic movement was slower than small cities.

The traffic situation in Bangalore deserves serious attention because of the alarming vehicle growth rate, which is highest in the country with 14 per cent against the 10 per cent national average. The rate in mega cities like Chennai and Delhi is 8 per cent and 7 per cent respectively.“If the growth rate continues to remain the same it’d be no wonder if traffic speed reduces to even less than 15 kmph soon,” a senior official in the Urban Development Ministry told Deccan Herald.

The study also show that BMTC’s fleet has been growing by 9.4 per cent every year for the past five years. Bangalore stood third in the country with 7,575 accidents and a death toll of 833. Mumbai tops with 21,678 accidents (787 deaths) and Delhi comes in second with 9,351 accidents (2023 deaths). Hyderabad is fourth with 6149 accidents (1196 deaths), while in Hubli-Dharwad it’s 1000 (250 deaths).

Most of the road accident victims in Bangalore are pedestrians. Pedestrian-related death rate in Bangalore is third highest in the country. In Bangalore 18 per cent of vehicles park on the road side.

Road sense

*Peak hour traffic speed in Bangalore 18kmph; in Delhi and Mumbai it is 16 kmph

*Hubli-Dharwad traffic speed 23 kmph

*18% vehicles parked on roads in Bangalore

*In road accidents pedestrians are worst victims in Bangalore

*Vehicle growth in a year highest in Bangalore - 14% against national average 10%

Beautiful Bangalore

Interesting Photo

Bhubaneshwar vs Bangalore

Bhubaneshwar vs Bangalore

Bangalore:

Bhubhaneshwar has found an effective way to prevent walls in the city from being defaced, by having tribal art work painted on walls.

We bring you a comparison between the infrastructure in Bangalore and the capital city of Orissa, Bhubaneshwar, a comparatively smaller city.

Stick no bills

Bangalore's flyovers have been defaced with posters and advertisements.

While the Bangalore Development Authority (BDA) and the Bruhat Bangalore Mahanagar Palike (BBMP), send circulars asking people not to stick anything on flyovers, on an occasional basis, this seems to have had little or no effect.

The authorities have the bills removed but have not yet found a permanent solution.

Effective

In Bhubaneshwar, flyover walls have been painted with tribal art.

This helps in the beautification of the city, as well as provides employment to several artists.

The culture of the State is also showcased through these paintings.

Walls in Bangalore are filled with posters, advertising movies or paying guest accommodation.

Bhubaneshwar on the other hand has extended paintings to walls also. The entire city is lined with paintings.

Pedestrian walk

Footpaths in Bangalore are getting smaller due to encroachments. As for separate cycle tracks, we do not have them at all.

Bhubaneshwar has built six lane roads. It has given serious thought to its cyclists and pedestrians as well.
There are footpaths and cycle tracks on either side of the road.

New garden city

Bangalore has lost its identity as the garden city with the indiscriminate cutting down of avenue trees.

Bhubaneshwar is perhaps all set to grab the tag of garden city, given its effective approach to problems faced by the city. Trees line its roads, and saplings have also been planted alongside roads.

Bangalore Monorail

Four Corridors Identified;
TIMES NEWS NETWORK



Here is the an old monorail routemap(Can someone tell me if the new corridors are the same as the old ones?)

Bangalore: The state government has added pace to the long-pending proposal for a monorail system in Bangalore by identifying four corridors covering 60 km. The corridors have been identified under the ambitious comprehensive traffic and transportation plan (CTTP), chief minister B S Yeddyurappa told a high-level meeting on Bangalore infrastructure on Monday. The meeting was held as a follow-up review of proposals made during the Agenda for Bengaluru Infrastructure Development (ABIDe) meeting in June.
Asian Infrastructure Consortium (AIC) had already submitted a proposal to implement the monorail system, under the Swiss Challenge method. The AIC is expected to submit the DPR (detailed project report) by October 8. The new time frame was decided after the consortium had asked the state government for more time to work on the DPR.
The development of the monorail network, conceived to act as a feeder network to Namma Metro, was initially given to the Bangalore Metro Rail Corporation (BMRC) Limited, before the state government decided to go in for the Swiss Challenge model.
The meeting, attended by transport minister R Ashok, BDA commissioner H Siddiah, BBMP commissioner S Subramanya and urban development department secretary K Jothiramalingam, also hosted industry leaders like Biocon CMD Kiran Mazumdar-Shaw, Infosys CEO Kris Gopalakrishnan and Infosys HR director T V Mohandas Pai, along with Janaagraha founder Ramesh Ramanathan and Dr Devi Shetty.
MONORAIL CORRIDORS
Corridor 1: Hebbal to J P Nagar (31 km) Corridor 2: PRR to toll gate along Magadi road (9 km) Corridor 3: Kathriguppe/ring road junction to National college (5 km) Corridor 4: Hosur Road-Bannerghatta Road junction to PRR along Bannerghatta Road (15 km)

Thanks 2Paise for starting this thread. Its great to see Monorail, Metro Phase I and Metro Phase II all happening simultaneously. Way to go!!!!!

Don't walk this way

Bangalore:

Cauvery Junction

The magic box at Cauvery Junction has brought no magical change for pedestrians. The footpaths are still very narrow.

"They made the road to the airport signal-free. But what about us pedestrians? How are we supposed to cross the road? Besides, the condition of footpaths is so bad that we are forced to walk on the road," said Sohan Kandpal, a techie who works in Sadashivnagar.

No leg room

Old Madras Road

Old Madras Road was initially considered a highway. Several shopping complexes and offices have come up since then, but nothing has been done for pedestrians.

"Every month at least one pedestrian is killed on this road. Vehicles are always going at full speed. At nights the road are not illuminated, making it difficult for both pedestrians and drivers," said Rudresh, a traffic police constable at Jeevan Bhima Nagar police station.

There are just two zebra crossings, one near Isolation Hospital and the other near the K R Puram Flyover.

Cunningham Road

The entire road has only one zebra crossing at Wockhardt Hospital. There is a security guard instead of a traffic constable who mans it.

"Some times people do not listen to the security guard. I have a tough time crossing the road. The footpaths have telephone boxes and poles to facilitate ads, which makes walking tough," said Ashwini M, a marketing executive.

Other roads

Richmond Road
This road is possibly the most notorious for being pedestrian unfriendly. "It is very difficult to cross the road. There is heavy traffic all the time and not enough zebra crossings," said Nancy T, a copy editor whose office is on the road.
There are just two zebra crossings, one at Vellara Junction and the other near Baldwin's School. Pedestrians are at the mercy of drivers when they cross the road.

Hosur Road
There is no place for pedestrians to walk on Hosur Road.

"The footpaths are dug up and nobody seems in any hurry to fix them. In some places there is no footpath at all and crossing the road is very difficult. If other well-frequented roads were in the same condition, there would have been a hue and cry," said Rohan M, a student.

Vyalikaval Road
Huge footpaths had been built on Vyalikaval Road, second main on, but they have all been encroached.

"Three years ago the government had wide footpath made but now there are shops on them. I had written to the BBMP commissioner and to the additional commissioner of traffic. But there has been no response from them. I even made a five page report on all the encroachments, but they still did not bother," said G N Muthy, a resident of Vyalikaval.

Nothing is done

K S S Iyengar, founder member, Bapu Pedestrians' Association
"The authorities do not understand our plight. They are only bothered about motorists. Footpaths have been encroached, forcing people to walk on the road."

M N Srihari, traffic expert
"Skywalks are often too high for people to climb. They are built keeping in mind ad revenue and not pedestrians. In many places zebra crossings are not painted. No thought has been given to footpaths."

At a traffic signal

Morning times are a rush hour.Everyone running as we have daura daura bhaga bhaga sa jindagi.School kids looking like Atlas carrying a huge load and anxious parents tagged,office goers like Vishnu holding on to their life in buses,angry vehicle owners scowling like monkeys ..............it sure looks funny.Traffic signal is a strange place as people stop their for some time and look around.You can see diferent sights.Someone tapping on the wheel as he waits the signal to turn green.Kids opening the windows and waving.Best are the hawkers we can sure use the 2 minute wait near a signal.Hawkers trade handmade stuff,Admag,clothes for wiping the glass,ear buds, news paper and to so many innovative products.Best are the Romeos in the junction smoothening their hair giving a glance to gals in Scooty peps.Heard Hritik saw his wife at a junction.Romance happens.So also does abusing.Beggars carrying babies tapping the window panes.They will rather beg than work.Next time you wait a signal let me know what you felt amusing or what bad.No wonder a movie was made named Traffic Signal.You should also thank the police as he manages the junction and inhaling the fumes and your abuses.We had a famous traffic whistling cop in a junction here but he got killed by a rash driver.Do not break rules .Your kid is also sitting next and learning.So give respect to life and observe rules.

Rains,friends and gossips...

Fall In Office Rental In Delhi Ncr, Mumbai and Bangalore

Office rental prices are unlikely to see any major fall across the country’s three major business hubs National Capital Region, Mumbai and Bangalore even as the commercial realty markets in these areas are expected to witness a significant surge in supply, a leading real estate consultancy firm said.
While Bangalore is expected to witness further rise in the average office rentals, those in Delhi and adjoining areas like Gurgaon and Noida as well as Mumbai are expected to remain mostly flat in the short to medium term, CBRE said in its latest office market review for Asia-Pacific region.

Only certain small pockets in National Capital Region (NCR) and Bangalore could see a correction in prices in the near future, while any downward correction is very unlikely across Mumbai region, it said.

“The National Capital Region (Gurgaon and Noida) is expected to witness flattening trend in rentals over the short to medium-term,” CBRE said.

“However, some micro-markets with forthcoming supply is likely to experience a marginal value correction in the next six months,” it said, adding there would be significant additional supply in Gurgaon, Noida and Jasola in South Delhi.

CBRE noted that in preparation for hosting the Commonwealth Games in 2010, rigorous efforts have been made to improve infrastructure all across the NCR.

For Mumbai it said, that with over one million square feet of corporate office supply currently available and another nine million square feet ordinary office space expected to come online in the next two quarters, rental values are likely to remain stagnant.

Is Bangalore insenitive ?

Bangalore:

Last week, a woman was hit by a vehicle while crossing the road and run over by other vehicles until every bone was powdered. Her body had turned into a ball of flesh by the time police arrived at the spot.

This gruesome accident involving this 60-year-old woman on August 11 bears testimony to the Bangaloreans' increasing insensitivity to humanity.

The woman was perhaps crossing the Old Madras road near Big Bazaar at around 4 am. She was hit by a vehicle and then mowed down by vehicles that followed.

"At around 7 am one passer-by informed us and we went to the spot. It was difficult to make out if the body was that of a human being or an animal. Not a single bone was left in tact. It was all mangled flesh. Just because there was a saree in between the flesh, we figured that it was a lady," said a cop at Jeevan
Bhimanagar police station.

The police had a tough time gathering the various parts of her body.

"We used a spade and put the pieces together. It was shifted to Bowring hospital mortuary. The body was beyond recognition and no one came claiming for it. We then buried the body," he said.

Left to die

The police say such insensitivity is not new. "Bangaloreans these days have no heart. We come across several cases where accident victims are left to die on the streets. People are scared of being questioned by the police, so they do not bother to report dying people. At night vehicles usually cannot see a body lying on the road and zoom over it," he said.

Three months ago, a man bled to death on the same road. Chinu (45), a father of four was riding his two-wheeler, when he was hit by a silver Indica car. "He was lying on the road bleeding for over three hours. No one bothered to either inform the police or take him to hospital. When we finally took him to hospital he died of profuse bleeding. We found a piece of a silver Indica, but we could not find the car," said a police.

Last year, an assistant manager at ITC Infotech, Shiv Kumar Bora (27), who was riding a two-wheeler met with an accident on Dickenson Road. He was lying there but no one helped take him to the hospital. When an ambulance was passing by people stopped it and sent him to the Bowring hospital.

He had died by the time they reached hospital.

Don't hesitate

K Srinivas, DCP Traffic (East), said people should come forward to help accident victims. "As on July 31 this year we have 54 hit-and-run cases, where people have died. People need not be scared to help accident victims. The most important thing is to save a life," he said.

Rain exposes Bangalore’s infrastructure yet again

Rain exposes Bangalore’s infrastructure yet again


Bangalore: The fragile infrastructure of Bangalore was exposed yet again on Thursday following the torrential rain for more than three hours. With clogged shoulder drains and blocked inlets, the rainwater took its own course on the roads, turning them into pools.

Though the usual complaints of inundation of low-lying areas were very few this time, all major roads literally became storm water drains as the Bruhat Bangalore Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) did not clear most of the shoulder drains of silt. The resultant water logging jammed the roads and traffic was chaotic even beyond 11 p.m., causing hardships to citizens.

BBMP officials, who expressed helplessness, said it was natural for rainwater to stagnate for sometime. The chief engineers of BBMP East, West and South zones claimed that most of the shoulder drains along major roads had been cleared of silt.

Justifying waterlogging on the roads, the officials said that “most drains are clogged because people dump waste into them,” they said.

“That may be true in residential areas. What is the reason for water logging on Ambedkar Veedhi (in front of Vidhana Soudha) even after a drizzle?” asked a traffic constable.

On Thursday too, cars and two-wheelers were submerged in rainwater up to two feet on this prominent road.

Apart from discharging their duty of regulating traffic in the torrential rain, the traffic police had to do all the donkey work of clearing the drain inlets, removing fallen tree branches and pushing broken down vehicles across the city. One harried traffic policeman was heard cursing the BBMP for not doing its job, forcing his helpless creed to don the role of a civic worker.

“It is natural for rainwater to stagnate on the roads for a while. It will take sometime for the water to run off into the drain,” said BBMP Chief Engineer (East) H.C. Ananthswamy.

“We have desilted 50 km of shoulder drains in the West zone. The traffic was chaotic because of the holiday rush and tree-fall,” said Cief Engineer (West) A.M. Nayak.

“Our safe capacity is 70 mm of rainfall and our storm water drain network cannot handle anything beyond that,” said Chief Engineer (South) Jeevan Paul.

Fall in Bangalore office space demand by 61 percent

Indian real estate boom is getting busted. India is not detached from global economy. Global economic slowdown is now causing loosing demand for office space in Bangalore. The major portion of the office space in Bangalore is occupied by the IT companies. With the companies have been forcing to review their plans to beat the slowdown, the land absorption by the companies is also coming down. This affects the real estate market of Bangalore and many other cities in India.

According to a report by Cushman & Wakefield, a property management consultant firm, the demand for office space in Bangalore witnessed 61 percent drop on a quarter-on-quarter. During the April-June period of 2008, the supply of office space was 3.11 million sq ft while the total absorption was 1.97 million sq ft.

Even with the all the slow downs many speculators still believe that Indian real market will never go down. Oh, well…

What next on Race Course land? A parking lot ???

The Lease for the race course is set to expire in 2009 and Yeddyurappa has said that he won't renew the lease. I think its a great idea. Right now that big patch of public land is used only by a few - those who indulge in horse -racing.

I think the best use of the land would be to make it into a park or part park-part , part-playground. We have a shortage of green spaces and playgrounds in the city.And these are public spaces which can be used by anyone irrespective of income etc. However there was talk of building an amusement park there(i read this some days back in DH I think) or even underground parking lots (see article below) .

India today article

I dont know what will be on the surface level if there is an underground parking lot, but it wont be a park for sure!

I guess the government should take inputs from citizens as well before deciding.

If the government does open a channel to get public inputs , I personally would request that the land is used for either creating a park or part-park, part-playground.

What do you guys think? If any of you agree, what do you think are the ways in which we can start engaging with the government to do this?
Any other views on what this land could be used for?

New course for horses

Bangalore Race Course, an 85-acre prime landmark of the city and a familiar haunt for race horse owners like liquor baron Vijay Mallya and industrialist M.A.M. Ramaswamy, is now finally being turfed out.

Karnataka Chief Minister B.S. Yeddyurappa announced this in the Assembly, saying that the government will not extend the race course’s lease beyond December 2009.

Bangalore Race Course

However, Congress legislator Roshan Baig wants it to be maintained as a lung space since the city is being choked with seven million people and almost three million vehicles.

PWD Minister C.M. Udasi, who has already hinted that the race course will be shunted out to the outskirts, says the Government wants to build underground parking lots there to ease parking and traffic woes.

Various state Governments over the past 20 years have mulled over shifting the race course, which was founded by four Britishers in the early part of the century on lands leased by the Maharaja of Mysore.

In the early 1980s, the then chief minister Ramakrishna Hegde wanted it to be relocated to the vicinity of the Jakkur flying school. However, successive governments dithered, with H.D. Kumaraswamy even dropping the idea.

Some BJP leaders like Ramachandra Gowda insist that all forms of gambling should be banned. A high-level committee comprising legal experts has also been scrutinising various judgements of the Supreme Court and the high courts relating to horse racing and betting.

Recently, a court classified horse racing as a sport while setting aside the ban on it in Tamil Nadu. Since the idea of shifting the race course has come from the horse’s mouth itself this time, Hegde’s long pending blueprint may just see the light of day

Cycles for Bangalore

To fight global warming and for a cleaner environment some European countries have created infrastructure to promote cycling in cities for commuting.

Can the success of this initiative can be replicated in cities across India ? Cycling is already popular in India. It is preferred mode of transport by students and teenagers for middle classes. As people grow old they shift to more mechanized means of transport .If you consider large Indian cities where can become an important means of transport Bangalore seems to be the ideal place .

Why Bangalore is ideal place in India to promote cycling ?

1> Climate : The climate of Bangalore remains pleasant for at least 9 months of the year(the remaining months aren’t that bad either). So it should not be a problem for people to leave the comforts of their AC car and cycle to office.

2> Young population of software professionals : Bangalore is the silicon valley of India. South Bangalore is the hub of software companies (but with BIAL that may change). Most of the people working in these companies are below the age of 40 . This age group is best suited for rigours (in case you consider cycling to be rigrous .We are living in the age where any sort of physical work is considered rigrous.) of cycling. Secondly the young are more receptive to change. So a change in a habit should be relatively easy for them. Perhaps also they have more at stake when it comes to environment. ( They have to spend more time on this planet than the old generation ).

3> Nature of work and health reasons : By nature the work in s/w industry is sedantry. There is little or no physical exercise involved. So it’s good to have some physical exercise for maintaining good health. So instead of work outs on tread mills in gymns what about some real cycling .

4> Traffic jams : Finally if people their cars at home while commuting and use cycles it will help in reducing the stressful traffic jams and will make commuting to office a pleasure ride .

5> Shorter distances : In software industry companies are located inside cities unlike some other industries. So the distance for commuting are shorter. Shorter distances are suitable for cycling. Though this argument is not valid in all cases .(say for example if your office happens to be in Electronic city)

Why is it the right time to do ?

1>Rising oil prices : As the oil prices are rising it will be easier to encourage people to shift to cheaper means of transport .

2> Concern for environment : As the ill effects of global warming become apparent there is a greater urgency to reduce our carbon footprint .

3> Pollution in cities : Increasing number of vehicles in Indian cities mean more pollution and thus increase in related ailments . So a need to shift to cleaner means of transport .

What can be done ?

In India promoting cycles can not be done just by private comapanies or government alone.
In Bangalore for example s/w companies and govt. should come together and chalk out the road map. Perhaps they can learn from European countries in this regard. I am not discussing here the various strategies needed for bringing the change . That itself is a big topic .

Pune has already taken lead in cycling. According to Outlook Business:

Rainwater Harvesting In Bangalore

It is a well known (and nightmarish scenario) that the groundwater levels in cities and the rural parts of the country are declining. In rural parts of the country, the promise of free electricity, and agriculture that is not well fed by canals (along with some wrong crop planting policies in which heavy water seeking plants have been planted) has caused a tremendous decline in the water levels. In some parts of Uttar Pradesh, there were recent reports that in some parts of the state, there has been a sudden cracking of the surface land crust due to a total absence of water underneath, causing a drying up of the surface.

In cities, the groundwater is pumped out by various authorities as well as individuals; all of this is done for satiating the growing water requirements of cities. On the contra side, water levels would normally get replenished through rain water seeping in from the normal watersheds and lakes inside a city, as well as through water seeping in from river-beds (most cities have some form of river running through them). However, both of these methods are in great decline. Rivers in cities are like drains, and water bodies are in a state of decline (recent reports from Delhi point to many of these water bodies being coveted by builders, or being used as a means to dump trash).

One possible solution that is being increasingly touted for cities is the use of rainwater harvesting by buildings. The reasoning goes that if each new building is forced to do rainwater harvesting all over its compound, then the water levels of the whole city will rise. Towards this end, the Bangalore Government is trying to bring in a low to enforce water harvesting in the city:

BANGALORE: Ensure your building is equipped with rainwater harvesting technology in the next few months. If not, local authorities will install one for you and collect the expenses later.

Even though the Act is applicable to the entire state, the government is concentrating on making rainwater harvesting equipment mandatory for all new buildings — residential and commercial — in Bangalore. Aimed at replenishing groundwater, the Act, once it becomes operational, makes it mandatory for users of groundwater through well or borewell to register with the Ground Water Authority within 120 days of its establishment.

This sounds very good, but in principle. In reality, this is already law in many places (including I believe in Delhi), and it has been a spectacular failure. Why ? Because builders do not do it, and they are hardly ever caught for it. Even if at some point they are asked, they do the great India money appearance trick, and presto, no more problems. This sort of law is only good when either people genuinely believe in this sort of welfare, or when inspection procedures are strict.

Majestic to go

Bangalore:

Busted: A normal day at the Kempe Gowda bus stop file pic

Transport authorities have begun work on the Rs 700-crore Inter Model Transit Centre project at the Majestic Bus Stand, also referred to as the Kempegowda Bus Terminal.

The building, expected to be sixty-six storeys high, will be the tallest in the country, according to transport officials.

Work on the project has begun as the plan has been approved by the authorities. But Bangaloreans are not happy at the thought of losing yet another of their heritage landmarks.

Public in dark

People's representative groups are furious that public has not been informed about the plan. They are gearing up to move court.

"The project cannot be undertaken just like that. A concrete and comprehensive plan has to be prepared. It has to be debated and then has to take off using minimum space in Majestic. The public is not aware about the development," said former Bangalore mayor P R Ramesh.

"It's wrong to start work without bringing it to public notice. As Kempegowda bus terminal is a unique structure and an important landmark, they can't demolish it. Officials have to take people into confidence, which they haven't. If that is the case, we will move court," said Lakshminarayan, former deputy mayor, Bangalore.

Proposes plan

The transport ministry has given their consent for the proposed plan which involves the construction of more than sixty floors. The process of shifting depots began last week.

Three designs for the construction of the structure have been proposed. They are: one like Ali Burj Hotel in Dubai, Double Tusk design and Shikara design.

"We have started work on the project after consultations with the public representatives. Shifting work has begun. Construction will also begin after the structure shape is finalized.

'Work has begun'

"We are having talks with private companies, who are interested in taking up this initiative under PPP (public private partnership)," said M A Saleem, director (security and vigilance), KSRTC.

Initially KSRTC will shift BMTC and KSRTC depots to four other places in Bangalore. A part of BMTC depot has already been shifted to Mysore road.

The layout

While 1,43,000-sq feet has been set aside for public purpose 36 lakh sq feet is earmarked for commercial use. The iconic tower will come up in the northwestern side. Shopping malls and cinema theatres will be constructed in the western side of the building.

Metro and Monorail stations will come up in the fifth and fourth floors. Third and second floors will serve the parking purpose and first floor will be BMTC terminal above which KSRTC terminal is proposed.

Seven floors above the ground floor will serve as offices to many government departments.

Final plan

"The plan is finalised. The new terminal is designed under densification of corridor concept, which supports seamless travel. As it has been finalised, the work has begun," said M N Shrihari, advisor to BMTC.

Groundwater business thriving sans regulation -Bangalore-Cities-The Times of India

BANGALORE: Acute surface water shortage and inept supply agencies are fuelling a boom in non-regulated groundwater markets in the state. The dependence on groundwater has risen to 51%, 30% and 37% in Hubli, Dharwad and Belgaum respectively. Kolar almost entirely depends on groundwater, while the sampled ward in Bangalore - covering areas like Nagarbhavi and Chandra Layout - had 873 tubewells in an area of just 2.9 sq km. In the ward, inequity and depleting groundwater tables are key concerns.

A new study, 'Urban water supply services : Case studies of five cities in Karnataka' , by K V Raju, S Manasi and Latha N of the Centre for Ecological Economics and Natural Resources, Institute for Social and Economic Change (ISEC) sampled the cities of Hubli-Dharwad , Belgaum, Kolar and Ward No. 39 of Bangalore city. About 7,300 households were surveyed and 756 groundwater samples analyzed.

The levels of dependence on groundwater are reflected in the borewell business which has an annual turnover of Rs 50 crore in Hubli, Dharwad and Belgaum. Bagepalli taluk in Kolar tops the list with a Rs 12 crore turnover.

The proposed state policy to regulate borewells is still being worked upon. "Since there's no regulation for digging of borewells, these businesses are posing major threats to water tables. In places like Kolar, borewell water samples showed high levels of contamination ,'' said Manasi.

Modest estimates show that more than 2,000 borewells have been drilled in Dharwad, while in Hubli, the figure is over 5,000. The groundwater markets, along with the businesses of tankers, borewell drillers, packaged drinking water and accessories like pumps and storage gadgets add to the boom.

The demand of water in Hubli and Dharwad is 90 MLD (million litres per day) and 45.16 MLD respectively. The agencies supply about 25.6 MLD and 19.2 MLD, exclusive of the 40% of the unaccounted-for water. Groundwater (9 MLD in Hubli and 3 MLD in Dharwad) is also supplied. In Kolar, there is a nearly 40% gap between supply and demand. Researchers found that in Belgaum, the issues are more management-related .

In Hubli, Dharwad and Belgaum, 42%, 45% and 22% of samples analyzed were classified as non-potable . In Kolar, the figure is a startling 97%. The city registered high levels of fluoride and nitrate contamination.

New Bangalore airport faces probe by legislators

The two-month old Bangalore international airport, a Rs.25- billion ($625-million) greenfield project, faces a probe by a Karnataka legislators’ panel over alleged deviation in design and lack of sufficient facilities for passengers as well as visitors.

“The new airport is no better than an ordinary bus stand”, “It is substandard”, “There is no proper seating arrangements for passengers and visitors” - these are the terms in which state legislators and ministers describe the new airport.

A consortium of Unique Zurich Airport, Siemens Project Ventures and Larsen & Toubro (L&T) has built the airport, with the Airports Authority of India (AAI) and the Karnataka government as minority stakeholders.

“There has been deviation from the architecture, style and design. It does not add to the image of Bangalore. There are no proper facilities for passengers and visitors,” Congress legislator D.K. Shivakumar, who raised the issue in the state assembly last week, told IANS.

Legislators from other parties supported him. The Bharatiya Janata Party government agreed to set up a committee of members from both the assembly and the council to probe the lapses. The panel is to be set up soon.

“I have raised the issue based on my personal experience at the airport and also because of complaints I have received from several people,” Shivakumar said.

“As a representative of the people I cannot sit quietly,” he said when asked why the alleged deviation and lack of facilities are being raised now, more than two months after the airport began operations.

“I am a former urban development minister. The design of the airport is different from what was approved,” Shivakumar charged.

When asked if there was any scope to change the design now, he insisted: “There are lots of possibilities to improve. It can be done. The legislators’ panel will decide that.”

On Wednesday Minister for IT and BT Katta Subramanya Naidu called the new airport, about 40 km north of the city centre, “a poor cousin to other airports of international standards, including the New Delhi and Hyderabad airports.

“The new airport was expected to enhance Bangalore’s image and also that of Karnataka. But it is nowhere near the expectation one had from it.”

He said if the airport management does not upgrade the facilities to international standards, the state government may invite others to take up the job.

While the management declined comment on the move for a probe by the legislators’ panel and Naidu’s near-threat, the response from industry and trade organisations was lukewarm.

“It is a ticklish question. It is better if we leave these issues to the judgement of users,” said D. Muralidhar, president of the Federation of Karnataka Chambers of Commerce and Industry.

“Personally I think facilities are good. However, scope for improvement is always there,” he said.

“It is a new airport. Some questions (regarding facilities) do get raised when we tend to compare it with other international airports. At the same time we need to understand that facilities are far better than at the old airport,” Muralidhar said.

T. Ramappa, secretary general of the Bangalore Chamber of Industry and Commerce, shared Muralidhar’s views.

“Personally I don’t think it is so bad,” he said.

“I have used it twice and I did not have any problems. Of course there certainly is room for improvement,” Ramappa said.

The airport began operations May 24 after three failed starts in the previous two months. The promoter operator - Bangalore International Airport Ltd (BIAL) — had to settle for a soft launch because the Election Commission’s model code of conduct was in force as assembly elections were on in Karnataka.

Marred by controversies, litigations, protests and cost over-runs, the much-awaited launch was put off thrice (March 28, May 11 and May 23) due to delays in setting up the air traffic control, training operators, government clearances and finally the poll panel’s directive.

With the opening of the new airport, the 50-year-old state-run Hindustan Aeronautics Ltd (HAL) airport in the city was shut for civilian traffic despite protests by corporate honchos of the new economy against its closure.

However, Naidu said the state government will ensure HAL airport stays as there are a number of cities with two airports. “We will take up the matter with the central government,” he said.

According to the Concession Agreement between BIAL promoters and the Indian government no airport can operate within 150 km of the new Bangalore international airport.

Traffic versus trees: Bangalore in a fix

ambitious plan to widen city roads and decongest traffic by involving landlosers has run into a hurdle with Karnataka High Court ordering that all projects that are a potential threat to the environment would have to be vetted by a committee of experts.

The court’s intervention followed a public interest litigation alleging that the massive exercise, which entails the cutting of 35,000-40,000 trees along 300km of roads, would cause irreparable damage to Bangalore’s climate. Environmentalists say the temperature in areas where the trees would be cut could go up by at least 3°C.

“The committee will look into the complaints and based on its order work can be executed,” said a bench of Justices R. Malimath and Gopala Gowda in a recent ruling. The court, however, added that the committee should consider public interest and sentiments while examining the projects.

“The committee is a permanent one and any infrastructure project being taken up by either the city civic body or Bangalore Metro Rail Corporation will be referred to it. This is a precedent for the entire country. Other cities, too, can take a leaf out of this judgment as many Indian cities are planning fast-track infrastructure projects,” said Leo Saldanha of Environment Support Group, which, along with other NGOs, had filed the PIL.

The panel will be headed by the retired principal chief conservator of forests, A.N. Yellappa Reddy, and will have five members on the board.

The judicial intervention is a big blow to the new BJP government as it had captured 17 of Bangalore’s 28 Assembly seats on the promise of launching infrastructure initiatives to improve the condition of a city bursting at its seams.

Among the plans was kick-starting the nearly three-year-old initiative of widening roads and transferring development rights to landlosers instead of paying low amounts in compensation. In turn they could either add additional floor area to their existing structures or sell the rights to builders for doing so.

The Bangalore City Corporation, now called the Bruhat Bangalore Mahanagara Palike, had planned to widen over 125 important roads where traffic flow was bumper-to-bumper even in non-peak hours.

A master plan was drawn up under which commercial and residential properties were to lose much-coveted frontage by at least 4-4.5 metres once acquisition started.

To make the idea saleable, the corporation held out a carrot in the form of transferable development rights, which meant building owners not interested in additional floors within the same premises could sell the certificates to builders.

Although three years old, the scheme did not quite take off because of suspicion by many landlosers that a law permitting this exchange would never come through. Now, after relevant laws have been passed, the new BJP government was all set to market this idea and widen roads.

But NGOs said that instead of widening roads and damaging the green belt, the need of the hour was integrated junction management

Bangalore Engineers invent super mileage car

A team of eight Engineering Students of RVCE Bangalore has invented a super mileage car.Team has claimed that they have achieved mileage of 180Km/liter.Now, they are trying to increase the milage to 500 km/liter.

This team is working on this project for last few years.Tantra Infosolutions, CD Adapco and Chameleon Motors are some of the companies that have funded the project.Nishant Sarawgi is the leader of the team.Nishant Sarawgi said, “There were a lot of changes, right from the engine, tires, chassis and body. We kept making constant improvements to the design of the car to make it more aerodynamic.”

Next year,team will take part in the Shell-Eco Marathon in UK.

Places near Bangalore: Cauvery Fishing Camp, Shivagange, Sawan Durga

Kaveri Fishing Camp

The River Cauvery, also known as Kaveri, is one of the majestic rivers of South India. Making its way from the dense forests of Karnataka to the coast of Tamil Nadu, this imposing waterway gives a chance to indulge in fishing and catching the largest and most challenging tropical sporting river fish known to man - the Mahseer.

Ideal Locales for Camps

Bheemeshwari

This is one of the favorite getaways for those wanting to experience adventure and relaxation first hand. It is located at a distance of about 100 kilometers from Bangalore city (Karnataka) and is renowned for its Mahseer sport fish. Bheemeshwari is responsible for turning the ordinary camp into an adventure sport of sorts. You may stay at the various cottages that are available here. Though they look rustic from outside, they provide luxurious comfort to all vacationers, thus adding comfort and elegance to your dream vacation. You could visit the ruins of an ancient Shiva temple adjoining the Bheemeshwari camp, while exploring the place. You could visit the Mekedaatu water falls, Sangam and also the Simsha water falls and take a trek along unspoilt beauty of nature.

Galibore

Located quite near Bheemeshwari and around 95 kilometers from Bangalore, Galibore is a lovely place to camp. The entire locale it seems has been customized by nature just for enthusiastic campers! Wilderness all around, huge trees like Terminalia Arjuna adding to the ‘wilderness effect’, the rushing river right in front of and undulating hills on either sides are at par with perfection, making your adventure vacation one that will be truly memorable. Wildlife enthusiasts can eat their heart out as wild elephants come to the banks often to quench their thirst and play around. You may also spot crocodiles, turtles and birds of different varieties.

Doddamakali

This place is situated around 6 kilometers beyond Bheemeshwari. What makes Doddamakali stand out is the fact that it is so naturally beautiful, it seems as though time has forgot to touch this place. Since it is at a remote location, you will enjoy solitude here like nowhere else. At this place, the River Kaveri collects into a large pool and the water is almost devoid of currents due to the stillness. This makes it perfectly ideal for water-sports. There are around 6 tents here and the staff is very co-operative when it comes to making you feel comfortable.

Best Time to Visit

Any time of the year is fine to visit this Paradise, though you may want to avoid the monsoons from July to September. If you are particularly interested in fishing, then come here during the months of November to June as this is considered the best time for fishing.

How to Reach

By Air

One can reach Bangalore via air by taking a flight from one of the many cities in India that is connected to Bangalore. From Bangalore, you can hire a car to reach here.

By Rail

The nearest railway station is at Mysore, located at a distance of around 85 kilometers. You may reach Mysore by train from different cities and then hire a cab to reach at the camps.

By Road

Bangalore is 100 kilometers from Bheemeshwari and around 132 kilometers from Doddamakali. The camps are easily accessible by road from anywhere in Karnataka and nearby southern states.

Shivagange

Shivagange is 8+Kms from Dabas Pet on the way to Tumkur from Bangalore on NH 4.
Distance from Bangalore: 50+Kms
Nearest Hospital: Shivagange, Dabas Pet.
Nearest food point : Shivagange.

How to get there:

Plenty of buses operate between Tumkur and Dabas pet, Shivagange. From Bangalore also quite a number of buses are available. Many private operators also run between Dabas pet and Shivagange.

Shivagange gets its name from the Holy places and temples it hosts. The spring water found here is considered to the sacred water ‘Gange’.

The hillock has few temples atop and a statue of Nandi carved out of single stone is a beauty. It is about two kilometers from the bottom of the hillock where there is a village to the top of the hill. There are many temples all along the way.

The place being a huge collection of boulders and solid granite rock structures, it invites not just pilgrims but rock climbers and adventure lovers as well. Though there are no bolted routes, there is plenty of climbing.

Manchina Bele, Magadi

This is about 36 km from Bangalore by road and about 8 km from the Big Banyan Tree. Manchinabele Dam is situated in the midst of hills and forests. Even though it is not a big dam, it is a good picnic spot.

Route: Proceed from the Big Banyan Tree via Chikkappa Circle. This reservoir and dam is about 15 km from the tree

Sawan Durga

In Kannada Durga means Fort (also Goddess Amba). Savan Durga being one of the nine such forts around Bangalore, is situated at a distance of around 50 kms west of Bangalore near Magadi.

This is also the biggest monolith in Asia.

There are several routes to the monolith at Sawana Durga, rising to the height of more than 1000ft, At the foothill there is a village by the same name and the forest around has been declared as Reserved forest and there is protected garden of the Herbs of medicinal interest

Events

Sampthgintha Mangalya Dodadu - Play - Buy your Tickets on Buzzintown

Details: Sampthgintha Mangalya Dodadu - Kannada play will be staged at Gubbi Veeranna Kalakshetra

Venue: Gubbi Veeranna Kalakshetra, Opp National Market, Majestic

Date & Time: Till August 10^th, Monday to Saturday two shows - 2:45 pm and 6:15 pm; Sundays 3 shows - 11:45 am, 2:45 pm and 6:15 pm

Fridays Playback at Hard Rock Cafe

Details: HRC & Radio Indigo presents Fridays Playback at the Hard Rock Cafe

Venue: Hard Rock Cafe - 40 St. Marks Road, Bangalore - 560001

Date & Time: August 8^th, 7 pm

The Suit - Play

Details: The Company Theatre present 'The Suit' written and directed by Can Themba, adapted by Surjit Patar / Neelam Mansingh. Play will be staged in English and Punjabi

Venue: Ranga Shankara - 36/2 8th Cross II Phase J P Nagar, Bangalore - 560078

Date & Time: 13^th & 14^th August, 6:30 pm

Saturday night with DJ Kay

Details: Enjoy this Saturday night with DJ Kay at the Beach Restaurant

Venue: Beach Restaurant - No.1211,100Ft Rd, Op To Reebok Showroom, Hal 2Nd Stg, Indiranagar, Bangalore - 560038

Date & Time: August 9^th, 8 pm

Mojina Seemeyache Ondooru - Play

Details: Natana Theatre Troupe present 'Mojina Seemeyache Ondooru'- Kannada play written by Badal Sirca and directed by Balaji Manohar

Venue: Ranga Shankara - 36/2 8th Cross II Phase J P Nagar, Bangalore - 560078

Date & Time: August 8^th - 10^th, 3:30 pm and 6:30 pm

Friday unlimited with DJ Jamie & DJ Shreww

Details: Experience the power of music at the Friday unlimited with DJ Jamie & DJ Shreww

Venue: Hint, 5th Floor of Bangalore Central Mall, Residency Road, Bangalore - 560011

Date & Time: August 8^th, 8 pm

Trekking in Karnataka

Trekking in Karnataka

Karnataka provides paradise for trekkers on the Western Ghats section. There are many more places with numerous waterfalls, rocky terrains, national park reserves along the Kaveri basin, Bandipur and Nagarhole reserves etc.

• Aagumbe (Narasimha Parvata)

  
  Aagumbe provides the best sunset scenery. This peak is situated in the South Kanara in Western Karnataka. It belongs to the Kudremukh National Park. Look out for the Barkana falls and the View point offers us splendid view of the Western Ghats.
  
  Jogigundi a good camping area, brings the view of the stream forming a waterfall.

  
  Getting Here

  From Bangalore, taking a bus to Sringeri , you need to get down at a place called Kigga.There are two ways to reach the peak, one from Sirimane Waterfalls and the other is from Narasimha Parvatha. The other interesting location is the Koodlu Teertha.
  1. 350Kms for Bangalore in Shimoga district in North West Karnataka.
  2. 16+ kms from Shringeri
  
  Best Time to Visit : December, January
  Climate : Sunny with showers through out.

  Tourist Information : Since Aagumbe belongs to Kudremukh National Park reserve you will be asked to pay the entry fee and need permission to stay here. Prepare for a rainy and sunny weather, with enough drinking water supplies.

• Edakumeri

  This is situated in the dense green forest rightfully called as the Green Route from Sakalesh Pura to the Subramanya Railway station. The railway track stretches through the think forest for about 52+kms with 50 odd tunnels and bridges along. Trek route takes to Edaku’meri for one night stay. Another night at Donigal.
  
  Places to visit near by are Kukke Subramanya, Kumar Parvatha, Sakalesh Pura.

  
  Getting Here

  1. 300+kms from Bangalore.
  2. 30+ kms from Subramanya.
  3. 20+ kms from Sakalesh Pura.

  Best time to visit : End of September to Early March.
  Climate : Sunny with showers.
  Tourist Information :To avoid odd hours to track on the rail route, begin trek from Subramanya or Donigal.

• Kudremukh in Chikamangalur District

  Kudremukh as the name suggest it has a face of a horse, boasts of very rich biodiversity and wildlife.Trek starts from Samse, Lobo mane, Shola. . Kaikamba is a place between beLtangaDi and Navoor, Killur. This route converges with the other at Lobo house.this is another route. Jamalabad fort, a fort built by Tipu Sultan near Navoor is 1700kms from sealevel is another landmark.

  Getting Here

  1. 300kms from Bangalore.
  
  Best time to visit : End of September to Early March
  Climate : Sunny with showers.
  Tourist Information : This whole area is inside the Kudremukh National Park so no one allowed to camp inside the National Park and will have to follow the guidelines of the authorities
  
  Resources :
  1. From Nearest Town Kudremukh Colony
  2. Nearest Hotel: Samse.

• Kurinjal in South Kanara District

  This peak in 20kms from Kudremukh colony. The trek route takes us to Bhagavati forest check post, Village called Mala. Deep into the jungle typical to Western Ghats. One will find an old Receiver Station which is abandoned. Watch out for wild bisons.Nature camp, Bhagavati, Hanman Gundi, Kudremukh Sutanabbe falls are some of the land marks.

  Getting Here:

  1. 300kms from Bangalore.
  
  Best time to visit : End of September to Early March.
  Climate : Sunny with showers
  Tourist Information : This whole area is inside the Kudremukh National Park so no one allowed to camp inside the National Park and will have to follow the guidelines of the authorities.
  
  Resources :
  1. From Nearest Town Kudremukh Colony
  2. Nearest Hotel: Samse

• Kodachadri Hosa Nagar taluq in Shimoga District

  It is believed that 'Shankaracharya' did meditation at this peak and a 'Sarvajna Peetha' at the top. Agastya teertha , a waterfall is enroute to the peak. You can also have a golden glimpse of the Arabian sea for a moment.

  Getting Here

  1. 300kms from Bangalore.
  2. 20+kms from Kollur

  Best time to visit : October to Early March.
  Climate : Sunny with showers.
  Tourist Information : The route will take you inside dense forest it is advisable to take help from locals and not to venture at night.

  Resources:

  1. From Nearest Town Kollur 20kms

• Tadiyandamol in Virrajpet taluk in Coorg

  The peak is the highest in Madikeri district adjacent to Makutta forest. ‘Nalku Naadu Aramane” an old palace is situated here. This is an one day trek. Bhagamandala, Madikeri, Abbey falls, Nagara hole are the landmarks on this trek.

  Getting Here

  1. 250kms from Bangalore.
  2. 30+kms from Virrajpet town

  Best time to visit: Early winter
  Climate :Misty showers
  Tourist Information: Though the place boasts of thick forest, caution on trekking routes. Be prepared to encounter leeches at the marshy soils.

  Resources:

  1. From Nearest Petrol Bunk: 20kms (Napoklu)
  2. Nearest Medical Help: ~20kms (Kakkabbe)
  3. Nearest Hotel: ~50kms(Vir raj pet)

Tour Operators

• Outrigor
  618, Ansal Forte, Rupena Agrahara
  Hosur Road,
  Bangalore - 560 068
  Phone +91-80-4120 2831, 2573 7232
  Mobile +91-98441 15315
  Email: outrigor@airtelmail.inThis e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it
  
  
• Summiters Outdoors Private Limited
  #24, "Belaku",
  1st Cross, APC Layout,
  Thindlu, Vidyaranyapura post,
  Bangalore - 560097
  Telephone: +(91)-80-2364-7529
  Mobile: +(91)-98456-30364, 99456-48287, 98800-42096
  Email : info@summiters.netThis e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it
  
  They also conduct trekking tours which cover bird watching, rock climbing, river rafting, nature walks, skywatching, aero sports, water sports, homestays.

Adventure Clubs

• Bangalore Mountaineering Club
  Gokulam,
  #1310, 6th Cross,
  10th main,
  HAL 3rd Stage ext,
  Bangalore - 560008.
  Phone: +91-80-2527-1045
  team@bmcindia.orgThis e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it
  

• GETHNAA
  General Thimmayya National Academy of Adventure
  State Youth Center, Nrupatunga Road, Bangalore 01.
  Ph:91-80-2210454.

• Youth Hostels Association of India (YHAI)
  Guru Nanak Bhavan
  Jasma Bhavan Road, Bangalore.

• Karnataka Mountaineering Association
  6, Guru Nanak Bhavan
  Jasma Bhavan Road, Bangalore 52.
  Ph: 91-80-2269053
  EMail: kmacamps@yahoo.co.inThis e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it

• Karnataka Mountaineering Association (KMA)
  No. 307, 3rd Cross, 5th Main,
  Gandhinagar,
  Bangalore-560 009.
  
  A pioneer organization in south India dedicated to the cause of promoting adventure activities among the youth in the State of Karnataka.

One Day Treks

• Honnemaradu

  Talaguppa to Honnemaradu:Honnemaradu, the village, having been engulfed in the mid-1960s by the Liganamakki dam, , is in the Shimoga District in north-west Karnataka about 25 km from Sagar town on the way to Jog Falls. It is also the headquarters for Western Ghats Restoration Project. Mupane, a wildlife sanctuary, Jog Falls (26 km), Dabbe Falls (30 km from Jog falls), Tyavarekoppa Tiger and Lion Safari (9 km out of Shimoga), Sagar (a cultural centre), Sharavathi Valley Wildlife Sanctuary and Kaanur Kote, a fort (75 km by road). are worth visiting .

• Anatargange

  IT is situated about sixty kilometers from Bengaluru, Anthargange is in Kolar. Thorny shrubs cover the hill, while there is dense plantation forest at the base. Flight of steps, halfway the hill leads to an ancient temple. The spring at this temple is claimed to wash off your sins. The forty-five minutes hill climbing will keep you panting for breath and opens up for an extensive and beautiful green plateau on the top. Anthargange is an ideal location for light trek, rock climbing and camping.

Other places for one day trekking : Nandi Hills, BR Hills, Pearl Valley, Mekedhatu, Kemmanagundi, Bandipur, Nagarahole, Murkal.

• Trekking Gear in Karnataka

The 10 Most Common Honks in Bangalore Traffic

The 10 Most Common Honks in Bangalore Traffic

The first thing you notice in Bangalore is the traffic. It is...loud. Everyone is honking their horns. When you slow down, they honk. When they catch up, they honk. When you pass, you honk and then they honk back at you. (See all those cars to the right? They're all honking right now. Seriously.)

I spoke with a couple of the guys here about driving school. He's adamant they do have it. Apparently they don't try to teach drivers how to drive so much as how to survive. One of the two key things you learn is to communicate constantly with your horn. (The other is to ignore anyone else's horn.)

But I started paying attention and I think I've figured out a code to all the horns. I've interpreted here the ten most common beep-honk combinations you hear on the roads in Bangalore. That way when you come, you'll know exactly what people are saying to each other (and sometimes you!).

First, a couple definitions so you're not confused. A beep is a quick toot of the horn. A honk is a long toot of the horn. Think Morse Code. Only louder and with everyone beep-honking at the same time. In Bangalore, "Buraian" would look and sound like this (you can make your name here):

Honk beep beep beep - beep beep honk - beep honk beep - beep honk - beep beep - beep honk - honk beep

I hear traffic honking this very sequence everywhere I go. They love me here.

The Ten Most Common Honks In Bangalore Traffic

10. Honk Beep -- "You'd better go or it's your rear end. Thanks." This is used by autos and cars approaching a light that just turned green. The beep kind of acts like an, "Okay, you're going, but pick it up quickly, mister." My auto driver on the first day, Kay Kay, liked this one.

9. Doodly doodly -- "I have an SUV so you'll move out of my way even though my horn is kind of weenie." I've heard a few SUV horns that sounded like that. Honestly I feel the same way I felt when I first heard Mike Tyson's voice: "He...sounds like that?"

8. Beep Beep Beep Beep Beep Beep Beep Beep -- "I'm going around a bend in the road and I can't see you so you'd better hear this horn 'cause I don't want to have to explain to my company the damage to the car!" Yes, this is my company's driver, Saif. And yes, I honestly do believe he's more worried about the car than the people crossing the road.

7. HONK HOOOONK -- "Damn it I've been trying to pass you for over 3 seconds now get the hell out of my way!" Saif is the only person I've seen use this honk, too. He holds the second honk for the duration of the pass. Sometimes he even throws in a glare. The man gets his money's worth.

6. Honk Honk -- "I'm flying down the road and there's nobody around me, yippee!" And you think I'm kidding.

5. Beep Honk -- "Hey man, let me out of this driveway. Hey Man! Let me out of this driveway!" This always starts out as an innocent beep but when the guy in the road moves up immediately to keep the guy in the driveway from getting any space on the road it quickly turns into the Beep Honk.

4. Beep -- "Let's go." It's usually used when a light has turned green but 800 cars have to move before the car in front of you can go. Auto drivers love to do this.

3. Beep Beep Beep -- "I'm driving straight into this intersection without looking so please don't slam into me." I cringe when I hear this horn.

2. Honk -- "Watch it, Bro!" This is the horn of choice when the guy next to you starts coming into your area (I say "area" because lanes don't exist here, despite what you see painted on the road). It's generally triggered when someone violates the six-inch rule. (Note: that doesn't stop anyone. Space is meant to be filled.)

And the number one horn you'll hear in Bangalore is...

1. Beep Beep -- "Tower, this is ghostrider, requesting a flyby." It's used by motorbikes, scooters, and autos almost exclusively as they rocket by whatever is in their way. They all think they are Maverick. The response of the car next to them is almost always, "Negative ghostrider, the pattern is full." But you know that doesn't stop Maverick.