Bengaluru
The city of Bengaluru is known globally as India’s technology hub and home to the biggest billion-dollar corporations, but the biggest concerns of its over 12 million residents are related to footpaths, garbage management, traffic congestion and water, according to a new survey.
The survey, conducted by Janaagraha, a civic advocacy group, to gauge awareness on city politics, has found that 23% of its sample size were worried about footpaths, 20% on garbage, 16% on traffic and congestion while 15% were worried about availability and cleanliness of water.
“Cutting across socio-economic divides, pedestrian mobility remains Bengaluru’s Achilles heel,” according to the survey report.
While the sample size of the survey was just 503, across all eight zones of India’s IT capital, the result does mirror the sentiments of a large chunk of Bengaluru’s residents.
The other issues include flooding, public transport, green spaces, public health, air quality, public safety and education, according to the report.
People who belong to Bengaluru’s affluent and middle class consider traffic as their biggest problem while the poor have prioritised availability of clean water.
Rapid erosion of green cover and encroachments of lakes and open spaces have led to rise in temperatures in Bengaluru which were not felt in the city at least in the last decade or so.
{{/usCountry}}Rapid erosion of green cover and encroachments of lakes and open spaces have led to rise in temperatures in Bengaluru which were not felt in the city at least in the last decade or so.
{{/usCountry}}“89% Bengaluru voters are concerned about environmental issues & climate change,” the report stated, adding; “Only 25% voters feel councillors accord environmental issues noteworthy significance.”
Of those surveyed and in the younger age groups, 79% were concerned about the BBMP’s actions and their impact on climate change.