Bangalore, Is it a safe place?

Bangalore city is not growing fast enough to accommodate the sudden increase in human population due to the IT boom. Neither is it capable of accommodating the increased number of vehicles. Even though BDA (Bangalore Development Authority) is building new roads and over bridges, by the time the project completes, the need is almost doubled. IT industry is the major share of business in Bangalore and every individual here is having at least one or two vehicle. Government has proposed the idea of quota based registration for vehicle dealers, like each of the dealers will be allowed to register only a limited number of vehicles per month. But restricting the growth will not work and I believe that the Government will not be able to implement it.

Three things that BDA should take care:-
  1.  Increase the efficiency of public transport.
  2.  Make strict rules to reduce atmosphere and sound pollution.
  3.  Take strict action to reduce the crimes happening in Bangalore.

Need for increased efficiency of public transport.
Even though there are city buses reaching every location in Bangalore, its not sufficient to handle the morning and evening rush of people going and returning to offices and institutions and back to their home. Big companies are therefore forced to start their own transport facilities for their employees. Even at the non-peak hours the number of the BMTC (Bangalore Metro Transport Corporation), is not sufficient. One may have to wait from 30 to 60 minutes to get the particular route bus. So, currently the situation is like no one will hire the BMTC bus if he has to be in time. One another important profit from the public transport being efficient is that, individuals will start using the service, which will reduce the number of private vehicles and auto-rickshaws, which will definitely decrease the noise and air pollution. We can feel the intense level of air pollution if just drive away from the outskirts of the city. The air will suddenly become cool, and we can feel the difference easily.

Atmosphere and Noise Pollution Issues.
Sound pollution is mainly due to the very old auto-rickshaws, which are barely alive, still running as taxi! The riders with the modified engine, especially in bike add to the sound pollution. If we are behind a rickshaw in Bangalore for 10 minutes in Bangalore, we will become almost deaf. That’s the condition here in Bangalore city. Its mainly due to old vehicles, especially rickshaws, which are not maintained properly. I feel that there should be strict rule against modifying the vehicle in such a way that it increases the sound. There are lots of vehicle modification centers in Bangalore, which should be under observation. If we are riding an open vehicle like a bike for about 30 minutes in the city, we can see the dark lining in our dress due to air pollution. Another reason for air pollution is the use of adulterated petrol and diesel; the rickshaws uses kerosene mixed fuel.

Increasing Crime in Bangalore.
I am thinking that Bangalore police is supporting the gundas or local "dadas" here. It is not at all safe to travel alone in Bangalore after 7.00 pm and before 6.30 pm. Last month two of my colleges working in Mindtree were robbed and injured by Gangsters who turned up in the form of a taxi driver and his gangsters who appeared to be passengers. He was offered a lift by the taxi, at 10.00 pm to his house. They took his mobile, credit cards, money, watch and left him in some lonely place after a lot of physical attack. The worst thing happened after that, he went to the nearest police station around 11:00 PM, and the police was not at all ready to here his complaint. They were just behaving like; it’s not a matter of them. They asked him to go to the nearest police station where he hired taxi, and when he reached there, they pointed to some intermediate police station. They demanded bribe from that guy, to register the case whose everything was just robbed!! The Bangalore police is not even ready to register a crime, because they want the crime percentage to be low, so they won't be forced to work more. They just want to sit idle and collect bribe to satisfy their wives. It is the case with mobile theft. Mobile robbery (pick pocketing) is a common thing in Bangalore. The police will not at all register a mobile theft in FIR (First Investigation Report), they will make a report saying that a mobile is lost. So no mobile theft is happening in Bangalore!!!!
One another big crime is rickshaws with false meter. I have experienced this many times. The taximeter may just jump to some few points. Once I had this experience, the meter was going like 17-00 ... 17-50 ....18-00 .... 18-50... then suddenly 29-00 instead of 19. The taxi driver threatened me when I questioned him. And many of my friends shared the same experience with me when I described it. Another problem is that most of the rickshaw drivers will not be willing to take us to our destination. And the rule in Bangalore is one and half charge from 9.30 pm to 5.30 am, but never kept. They will charge us double and more. I have heard about rickshaw drivers attacking the passengers in gang, like if we are hiring an auto, their gangsters will be following our taxi and we will be eventually attacked for money. While I was coming back from my hometown to Bangalore, I reached the city around 3.00 am. I hired an auto and the total charge was 140 INR. I had exactly that much change with me( 4*10 + one hundred rupee note). I first gave him the 100-rupee note, and I took the other 4 ten rupee notes from my pocket. Suddenly the guy showed me a 10-rupee note and argued with me that I handed over him a 10-rupee note initially. It was dark; no one was there to help me, no help lines. At last I lost.

So dear Bangaloreans, think about this. We have to do something against this injustice.