HSR Layout

In seven separate thefts across HSR Layout, several valuables, including bikes, cars, laptops and jewellery were stolen in a fortnight, between February 9 and February 23. Which means, there was a theft in HSR Layout every alternate day. Stay safe, stay aware.

HOUSE BREAK; OWNER SUSPECTS MILKMAN & CAR WASH PERSON

On February 23, retired professional PK Chandran (68) had locked his house on 14th Cross, 22nd Main Road in Sector 1, and gone out of town with his family at around 11.45am. When he retuned on February 27 at around 2.45pm, he found the front door broken. Upon further investigation, he found that many valuables were missing from his house, including one gold chain, one silver ring and Rs 12,000 in cash. In addition, Chandran has indicated in the FIR that he suspects his milk vendor and car wash person behind the theft.

TWO WHEELER THEFTS GALORE
On February 22, 22-year-old engineer Rajatha Prabhu went out of town after parking her Honda Dio (KA04 HT7369) at 9am in front of her house on 21st Cross, 5th Main, Sector 7. When she returned on February 25 at around 10am, the vehicle was missing.

A similar incident occurred on the same day at the other end of HSR Layout. At around 7am, software engineer Ismail Nagnoor (33 years) parked his Honda Active (KA01 HQ4574) near the lorry stand at Silk Board junction before going to work. When he returned the next day at 6.30am, the vehicle was nowhere to be seen at the spot.

INNOVA STOLEN IN SECTOR 2
On February 16, 42-year-old CEO Manoj Kumar Nair was dropped in his company car by his staff driver at around 8.10pm. After parking the grey Innova (KA01 MM0316) in front of Manoj’s apartment in Garden Layout on 25th A Cross in Sector 2, and handing over the car keys to Manoj, the driver went home. The next day at around 9.30am, when the driver returned, he found the car to be missing from its place.

On February 12, at around 9.45pm, 36-year-old tailor Khalid, a resident of Agara, parked his scooter (KA01 EX3911) in front of his house on 24th Main in Sector 1. About 15 minutes later, it had gone missing when he stepped out to go somewhere. It was a Honda Activa. His FIR was registered the very next day at noon and the cops are investigating the theft under Section 379 of the Indian Penal Code.

TWO APPLE LAPTOPS STOLEN FROM CAR
On February 8, 27-year-old Jinesh Bhaskaran and his friend Debangan Roy visited Tea Villa Cafe on 17th Cross in Sector 1 at around 4.30pm. When they came out of the coffeeshop at around 5.15pm, they found that the rear passenger window of Jinesh’s car was broken and many of their valuables stolen. The items missing included two Macbook Pro laptops belonging to their company, and the accompanying adapters, chargers and laptop bags.

LORRY GOES MISSING ON 24TH MAIN
On February 9, businessman Karan Singh (32 years), who runs a provision store on 24th Main in Sector 2, was a victim of theft. At around 2.45am, his brother Mahendra Singh parked Karan’s lorry in front of his shop (Ashok Leyland Dost LS, KA01 AG3988). However, the vehicle was missing when he checked on it at 6am. After looking around for it everywhere, he realised that it was stolen.

Close on the heels of a drug ceisure near NIFT college in Sector 1 worth Rs 50,000 in December 2018, comes another, albeit small, seizure again near the same institution.

Around 2.30pm on February 14, sub inspector M Nilakantan (54 years) received a phone tip off that a few people were selling drugs in Sector 1 near NIFT on 27th Main in HSR Layout. After seeking the relevant permissions from the higher authorities, he rushed to the place and arrested the alleged drug peddlers in the presence of eye witnesses and a gazetted officer, the requirements under this tough law.

The cops seized 900 grams worth ganja (cannabis) and Rs 500 cash from the alleged drug peddlers. Those arrested under the Narcotic Drugs & Psychotropic Substances Act, 1985 include private sector employee Sathish (28 years), student Chethan P (25), and women labourers Shahina (45), Chandrakala (29) and Chaitra (25). They have been arrested under Section 20(b) of The Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances Act, 1985. If convicted, they could be behind bars for up to ten years and a fine of up to Rs 1 lakh.

The controversy over the 5-day event at BBMP Grounds refuses to die down. The latest is that despite setting down the rules, the noise levels were higher than permitted and the music went on way beyond the stipulated 9pm. And it happened on a day when it shouldn’t: yesterday. The event was supposed to begin from today, so was that a dress rehearsal yesterday, the residents want to know.

“The loud speaker volume was quite high and caused much inconvenience to students writing their board exams yesterday,” says Girish Shivalingaiah, one of the residents leading the campaign against the event. “With repeated complaints to the police by numerous residents, police were able to bring it down a little bit. Again in the morning today, the music level was high. We have asked the BBMP executive engineer to warn the organizers, including the cancellation of the event itself.”

Another bone of contention for the residents is the provision given by the BBMP to break the wall for providing an emergency exit on the South side, right in front of the residential area. “It is such a bad idea as the area was flooded with vehicles for parking yesterday,” says Girish who has asked the BBMP to shut this gate.

That’s not all. “The stage is so close to a couple of houses that they are being bombarded with huge noise,” he goes on. “The stage area could have been placed near the BWSSB office which could have reduced the impact for the residents. Poor planning shows no one cares for the regular citizens.”

The BBMP officials have informed us that they will look into these complaints and try to address them as the major events are yet to begin at BBMP Grounds.

In December 2018, we reported that the construction of the Shell petrol bunk was stopped for violating the rules. So far, the status quo remains. “Until the Town Planning department of the BBMP does not give its approval, we will not let it reopen,” said one BBMP official at Bommanahalli. “However, they have taken all other permissions and might open anytime soon.”

The bunk was in the eye of a controversy when neighbours objected and got the Sector 3 Residents Welfare Association to complain against the bunk coming up in a residential area. However, the DC converted site was clearly given a commercial status by the BBMP paving the way for a commercial building. The civic officials also tell us that since it’s on 18th Main Road and 22nd Cross, both being largely commercial roads, the residents should not object to it as the entrances are not pointing towards the residential areas. However, that obstacle also seems to have been cleared now as the residents have given a ‘no objection certificate’, according to our sources.

Then what’s causing the delay? Sources tell us that the Indian Oil Corporation bunk on 19th Main is using political influence to stop the Shell petrol bunk from coming up. “Since they know that Shell delivers quality, they expect business losses if it comes up, and are doing everything they can to prevent it,” said one source.

So far, Shell’s competitors have been successful in stalling it as this issue is around for almost two years now. “There was one other issue about the Bescom transformer coming in its path. But now even that is resolved as Shell has agreed to pay and have it relocated,” said one official familiar with the issue.

The construction of the bunk itself is 80% complete. Once they get the green signal from the BBMP’s town planning department, it will be business as usual for the Shell petrol bunk. However, if the BBMP continues to delay the issue, the bunk owners are ready to approach the court as well. “After all, they are paying Rs 8 lakh every month as rent for the site,” said one source. That’s almost Rs 2 crore for the two years of its existence. 

The BBMP came under heavy fire by HSR Layout residents for letting the BBMP Grounds to Sri Seervi Samaj Trust for organising a 11-day event, that includes another 20-days of setting up and dismantling the gigantic metal frames. Taking note of the protests as the civic body had violated its own rules blatantly under the advise of Bommanahalli MLA Satish Reddy, the BBMP has issued a fresh set of 20 conditions to the organiser to ensure that the mega event does not cause traffic jams, fire hazards, cleanliness and hygiene issues or any untoward incident. Importantly, the 11-day event is now curtailed to just five days from March 5 to March 9, 2019.

Some of the conditions that the organisers have accepted are as follows:

1. The programme should end by 9pm every day.

2. No cars will be allowed inside the venue. Instead, they should be parked near the 3-acre space around the Somasundrapalya Lake, the 6-acre space around Freedom International School and the 1-acre space inside BDA Complex.

3. Fire tenders should be stationed at the venue round-the-clock.

4. There should be a temporary toilet for every 50 visitors. Which means, if there are 3000 people expected for the event, there should be 60 toilets.

5. No plastic or plastic of Paris (PoP) should be used anywhere at the event.

6. No temporary commercial stalls should be set up at the venue.

7. There should be three entrances for people to enter the venue. The organisers are given the permission to break the wall for it and later put it back after the event is complete.

8. Atleast 10 fire extinguishers and water tankers, in addition to a safety barricade wherever gas cylinders are placed inside the venue.

9. The sound boxes being used should emit very low decibels, and audible only to people inside the premises, causing no inconvenience to residents around the BBMP Grounds.

Hangover, the pub on 17th Cross in Sector 1 has reopened again after obtaining a stay order from the Karnataka High Court on February 13, 2019. The pub was shutdown on February 5, 2019.

Looking at the writ petition filed by Goldwing Ventures’s partner Tanuja, the court has granted a stay on the excise department’s shutdown order of February 5, 2019 “until next hearing”. Going by the infamous judicial delays, we are not sure when the actual verdict will take place. Which means, the pub will continue to function despite the BBMP cancelling Hangover’s trade licence in November 2018 after an order by the Lokayukta, the state watchdog organisation meant to protect the rights of citizens. 

“It is unclear how the BBMP can keep quiet on this when the pub is functioning without a valid trade licence,” protests BNR Reddy, the chairman of Federation of HSR Layout Residents Welfare Associations. “When the BBMP officials tried to shut it down again, the pub owners are threatening them with contempt of court.”

It is to be recalled that Hangover was closed after HSR residents moved the Lokayukta. However, even after the BBMP cancelled Hangover’s licence in November 2018, the pub was functioning till February 5 before it was shutdown by the Excise Department.

FRIDAY, MARCH 1

Night of the MAFIAs
8PM – 11PM
Brimstone Cafe 670, 13th Cross Rd, 1st Sector, HSR Layout,
Rs 249

A super interactive game of Mafia in a unique setting where you can watch the drama unfold and find the mafias before it’s too late. This is a unique chance to meet and bond with strangers, whether you’re an innocent villager or the cunning mafia killing them off! Don’t worry if you have not played, rules will be explained to you. This game is suitable for all poker-faced adults and requires no prior experience. Spend your Friday night solving a unique murder mystery.

SATURDAY, MARCH 2

Conversations in the Dark
4pm-7pm
Brimstone Cafe 670, 13th Cross Rd, 1st Sector, HSR Layout
Rs 499

A series of activities involving blindfolded conversations. Engaging in heartful conversations, feeling and sensing into the one-ness that surrounds and is within us. With the blindfolds on, you look beyond the initial physical judgment phase and can open up to strangers anonymously. This is NOT for dating but an experience to share your stories, get to know people’s stories and discover new things about yourself with ease. In the three-hour session, there will be a series of engaging blindfolded experiences and you will get to know about lots of interesting moments. Join the unique experience to enjoy an evening of free-flowing conversations with strangers. PS: Blindfolds will be provided. Just come with an open mind. Limited spots.

Belly Dance Drum Solo Workshop
3pm-5pm
7 Shades Dance Music And Fitness Studio, 1176, 24th Main Rd, Garden Layout, Sector 2, HSR Layout
Rs 499

Power-packed and popular, this style of belly dance is certain to take away your breath. Learn the magical form of Drum Solos! Drum Solos are generally advanced level movements where you complement every beat of the? Darbuka? a single head drum. The technique consists of shimmy variation, body isolation, pops and locks, and layering! It’s one of the most challenging dance styles takes and it takes years and years of practice to master it. In the Beginner-Intermediate level of choreography, you’ll learn basic and essential middle-eastern rhythms, shimmies and more!

Standup Comedy: It Is A Laughing Matter

8pm-9.30pm
True Bleu Restocafe, #89, 1st floor, 17th Cross Road, Sector 4, HSR Layout
Rs 200

A Hinglish stand-up comedy night where you don’t take anything seriously, seriously where sports, politics, personalities, music, mythology — everything is a laughing matter. Tickets are partially redeemable on F and B.

STEM Genius Robotics and Coding Workshop
Saturdays & Sundays, 10am-1pm; 2pm-5pm
Paperbots STEM Academy, 1st floor, No 398, 10th Cross, 27th Main Road, Sector 1, HSR Layout
Rs 400

The student gets to explore and discover STEAMS (Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts, Math, and Soft Skills) by being part of hands-on activities. Paperbots’ parent company Bytes&Bots is a pioneer in STEAMS education in USA, California. Their focus is to help kids make exciting discoveries and enhance their curiosity. Kids (Std 2nd to 8th) can discover the potential of STEAM subjects through projects Robotics, Computer Coding, Design Thinking, Multi Engineering discipline and more.

SUNDAY, MARCH 3

Women’s Day Run
6.30am-8.30am, BBMP Grounds, 19th Main, 17th Cross, Sector 2, HSR Layout
Rs 450

On International Women’s Day, Kaagaz Foundation is organizing the 3rd Edition of Women’s Day Run to encourage women to take up running and develop a healthy exercise regime in addition to raise funds for Women Safety & Awareness Workshops taken up by the NGO.

Cyclothon – HSR to Bangalore Palace (40 KMs both ways)
5.30am-10am, Nift College, Sector 1 to Bangalore Palace
Free

05:30 AM: BRIEFING | Gather at NIFT College HSR Layout. 06 AM: Start the Trip to Bangalore Palace (one way ~15 KMs). 07:00 AM: Reach Bangalore Palace. 07:00 – 08:30 AM: Take Rest + Explore + Enjoy the Breakfast (VEG). 08:30: Leave Bangalore Palace. 10:00: Reach HSR Layout NIFT College & Wrap up.

Roll your own icecreams
4.30pm-6.30pm
IceBreakers, 172, 9th Main Rd, Sector 7, HSR Layout
Rs 349

Learning is so deliciously sweet and ice creamy. De-stress yourself. Go wild with flavors and mix all your favorite stuff together and invent your own special flavor you had always wanted to. Best ice cream innovators get prizes too. So, are you greedy to make your own ice creams?

Standup Comedy: Joke It Off
4pm, Howlin Wolf, No 170 Sector 7, 9th Main Rd, Sector 7, HSR Layout
₹199

Joke it off is the best way for you to close your weekend with upcoming comedians in Bangalore.

Stay With Me
7pm, Grapevine, 43, 22nd Cross Road, Sector 3, HSR Layout
₹249

A live Stand Up show performed by two Bangalore comedians Hari Krishna and Gaurav Purohit. Both of them have a journey in their mind, come be a part of it.

Laugh & Sip & Laugh – A Standup Comedy Show
8pm, Still Sipping, 1514, 19th Main Road, Vanganahalli, Sector 4, HSR Layout
₹199 onwards

What to do on a Sunday night if you’re too fed up of going to pubs and shaking your body? Listen to some hilarious jokes? Welcome to a night full of laughter and fun. Book a seat and tighten the seatbelt to laugh till your stomach aches!.

 

 

A few shopkeepers in BDA Complex have come together and knocked on the doors of the court against the agency’s plan to turn the HSR landmark into a mall. Citing loss of business, they have filed a Public Interest Litigation. However, there is no confirmation on when the case will come up for hearing. But the Bangalore Development Authority officials say that the complex will be shutdown for sure.

 

The shopkeepers have confirmed receiving 2-3 closure notices from the BDA so far, but nobody is clear on when the complex will eventually shutdown for construction. Until then, they are simply chugging along. Some tenants have identified alternative places while others have chosen to ‘wait and watch’.

 

“We are identifying a place, but nobody knows when the complex will be shut or will it be shut at all,” said retailer Vijay Purohit. “All I know is that our landlord took this shop on lease from the BDA in 2003-2004.”

 

According to M Prabhu, assistant executive engineer, BDA, “The complex will shutdown, but when, nobody knows”.

RESIDENTS DON’T WANT A MALL TOO!

The local shopkeepers are opposed to the idea of the BDA complex turning into a mall, because they will have to pay a lot more rent, and until the reconstruction happens, they will be without a cheaper venue. If you take them out of the equation, there is still some food for thought. Indiranagar resident and civic activist Sneha Nandihal is facing a similar issue in her locality. What she says resonates with HSR as well. “The BDA complex is supposed to provide all civic amenities to the local population,” she says. “It is meant to reduce traveling. But the proposed expansion will make it a favourite shopping/entertainment destination for outsiders, and promote long-distance traveling. It will also increase the traffic density in the neighborhood. For a residential area, it’s bad news.”

HSR resident Suraj Lulla who runs three branded showrooms in HSR Layout, agreed with Sneha: “It is not right to change every civic amenity to something which becomes commercial and the essence of having all civic facilities under one roof is lost. We should rather look at strengthening the BDA complex to be a one-stop solution to all the civic and government needs of the locality.”

One shopkeeper at the BDA complex was categorical when she said, “The BDA Complex isn’t shutting down too soon. The government itself is undecided on how to proceed with BDA complexes after the resident protests.”

In what should come as welcome news to many civic activists, an unauthorised shed is being demolished today by the BBMP (Jakkasandra ward) with the help of the cops on 14th Main near Greenview Hospital in Sector 5, HSR Layout. “The people should shiver before they think of building anything without BBMP’s plan sanction,” said one BBMP official. In addition, the building was being built in the Agara Lake buffer zone specified by the National Green Tribunal.

According to the National Green Tribunal, no structures can come up between 30 and 75 metres of Rajakaluves (major stormwater drains). If they are already constructed before May 2015 but uninhabited, such houses are not to be occupied without the prior permission of the court, and in any event, not until the commissioning of the sewage treatment plants to prevent the generations more sewage.

In a letter dated January 16, 2018, the BBMP asked the land owner Nitya Muralidharan to demolish the building that was encroaching the buffer zone and being built without the plan sanction from the BBMP. However, when no action was taken, the BBMP took the help of the police force and is demolishing it today.

The BBMP Grounds recovered after a five-year fight by the Resident Welfare Associations of HSR Layout is being misused by the local politicians and BBMP officials despite resident protests. But this time, the residents decided that enough was enough when they realised that the BBMP, on the advice of Bommanahalli MLA Satish Reddy, had given the permission for a 11-day non-sports event from March 1. Though the permission was given in November last year, it has come to bite BBMP now as the event is slated to begin from tomorrow.

When the residents saw that the erection of the pendal had begun, they went to the BBMP office last week, and asked them to suspend the event as the permission is illegal. 

“About 20 concerned residents met the Assistant Engineer of the BBMP at the HSR Layout office and gave a representation along with BBMP circulars that clearly indicate that BBMP can only give permission to non-sports events for only five days in a month, to five different organisations. There is no room for mega events as the rules stipulate that only one Sunday can be used by one organisation, and they can only use the grounds for one day. In this case, one organisation is holding a 11-day event, including two Sundays, which is a blatant violation of the BBMP rules,” said Sector 2 resident Girish Shivalingaiah who is leading the protest. 

But the BBMP officials insist that such a big event cannot be held anywhere else. MP Kupendra Reddy also called for a meeting precisely for this reason, citing traffic issues if “2 lakh people” turn up for the event. However, the organisers are apparently saying that arrangements are being made to feed only 4000 people per day. The truth could well be inbetween, but what concerned Kupendra Reddy is the traffic mess and the fact that it’s exam time for students.

The protestors contend that though the event is only for 11 days, the dismantling of the massive structures will take another month. “Before the programme, they took 20 days to build the structure. After the 11-day event, they will take another 10 days to dismantle it. Totally, the playground will be blocked by this event for 41 days and the playground will not be available for any sporting and related activities during this time,” says Girish.

The BBMP and the MLA are in the middle of a controversy yet again for violating all the rules of the land concerning the open corporation grounds.

Since September 2018, the 9th Main-14th Cross was inaccessible to commuters. Thanks to rains and stormwater drains getting blocked and flooding homes in low-lying areas, this was BBMP’s way of desilting the drains. However, the works hit a road hump when the Karnataka Power Transmission Corporation Ltd (KPTCL) took its own time to do its bit after the BBMP had done its desilting.

In fact, the box drain could not be closed until the KPTCL shifted their cables going underneath the 9th Main Road. “We cannot touch the cables; they have to switch off the power going through these lines and work on holidays,” one BBMP official had said. “Once they shift the cables from the centre of the drain, we can cover the gaping hole quickly.”

Sounded easy peesy, but the KPTCL said this would mean shutting off half the city’s power supply on a Sunday to get the job done, which was a logistical nightmare. This led to some more delay.  When the BBMP officials reminded them again, the KPTCL people who had promised were posted elsewhere. The wait continued. Finally, this week, the job was done and the road is ready for primetime traffic near Empire restaurant in Sector 6. It is only a matter of time before the barricades go and the traffic movement is allowed. The stretch doesn’t appear to be super smooth just yet, but eventually will, we hope.