Triumph for Informal Workers: New bus route in B'luru to help 3000+ people with better connectivity
In what can be described as a major triumph for women's collective Alli Serona and for the women of Bengaluru’s informal workforce, BMTC (Bangalore Metropolitan Transport Corporation) has taken cognisance of their demand for a new bus route that will connect approximately 3000 residents living in and around Seegehalli. In a recent poll conducted by the women from the community, over 1131 individuals had expressed their need for a bus stop at Seegehalli, not counting the thousands more who had also put forth their requirements for a bus stop on this route. In a pleasant start to 2024, buses have begun to ply on this route since 3rd January, offering residents of Mallappa Layout, Sonnenhalli, Priyanka Nagar, SBQ, and Medahalli, better connectivity to educational institutions and employment opportunities, impacting their overall quality of life in the city.
On the 11th of January 2024, children and women from Priyanka Nagar and Seegehalli who form a part of the Alli Serona Collective, gathered to ride in the bus as a mark of celebration. Alli Serona, a collective of civil society organizations, ideators, and think tanks working to address the transport needs of women from the informal sector has repeatedly highlighted mobility gaps in the city and also brought together experts and underserved women to co-create solutions like bus routes and walkable footpaths. Based on an audit report by the women from the collective itself, Alli Serona had suggested five critically needed bus routes to BMTC in 2023 and in January 2024, their efforts to plug mobility gaps notched up a big win to kick off the new year.
An elated resident from Priyanka Nagar, Anuradha, who is also an Alli Serona Woman Leader, shares, “Being part of Alli Serona, I've had the privilege to engage with BMTC officials, discussing the underserved bus services in our community. We expressed our transportation challenges, and officials pledged to address them. During one interaction, we met DTO Mr. Avinash, who later visited and assessed the proposed bus route by Alli Serona Women, understanding our needs well. The route from Shivaji Nagar to KR Pura, Seegehalli, and Medahalli now benefits housekeeping workers, high school students, single women, and visually impaired individuals. This route, particularly to Medahalli, serves Seegehalli and Priyanka Nagar, especially children.”
The Medahalli route holds significant importance as it is a crucial gateway for communities, providing access to various key destinations. This route facilitates travel to essential areas such as Hoskote, the International Airport, and Silk Board, and also links to KR Pura, KR Market, and Shivaji Nagar. The newly operational Seegehalli bus route will now also ensure first and last-mile connectivity to women who need to commute to Majestic, which is a central transport hub, KR Market, the largest wholesale market in the city, and Shivajinagar, one of the busiest commercial areas.
“This development brings immense joy and satisfaction. The dedicated efforts of the women in Seegehalli and Priyanka Nagar have borne fruit, and for that, I extend our heartfelt gratitude. Let's unite in celebrating this achievement” said I.S Patil, Senior Community Coordinator at Seegehalli and Priyanka Nagar, Alli Serona Collective.
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95-year-old woman's body found in underground tank in Vadodara
Vadodara: The body of a 95-year-old woman, Ujam Parmar, was discovered in the underground water tank of her residence in the Tarsali area on Wednesday morning, nearly 10 days after she had gone missing.
Police believe Parmar accidentally fell into the tank on December 21 and drowned. Her family had filed a missing person's complaint on December 22 but had no leads despite extensive inquiries and CCTV footage reviews.
The tragic discovery was made after the family noticed a foul smell in their tap water and called for the tank to be cleaned. Inspector Vivek Patel of the special operations group confirmed that the postmortem report indicated drowning as the cause of death, ruling out any foul play.
Parmar, a resident of Navjivan Society, lived with her daughter, a government school teacher. Her two sons and daughter had been actively searching for her since her disappearance.
