āFeatured Post
News
CA
Civic Admin
17 Jul 2024
Bengaluru
National Policy Debate: The Mojo Story
Mithilesh Kumar joined Barkha Dutt on The Mojo Story to debate the economic viability of the proposed Private Sector Job Reservation Bill.
Our Stance:Ā
We argued that the mandate is practically infeasible and risks diverting attention from the core issueāthe urgent need for urban infrastructure reform to drive genuine economic growth.Ā
Ā
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Campaigns
CA
Civic Admin
19 Jan
Bengaluru
Save Kadugodi Forest: An Urgent Call to Defend Bengaluruās Last Urban Green Lung
1000
Campaigns
CA
Civic Admin
05 Jan
Bengaluru
Bengaluru Cannot Be Dug Out of Congestion: A Citizenās Appeal to Halt Tunnel Roads
To The Honāble Chief Minister of Karnataka Siddaramaiah Vidhana Soudha Bengaluru Subject: An urgent appeal to halt the tunnel road project and protect Bengaluru from irreversible urban harm Respected Chief Minister Sir, We write to you on behalf of Civic Opposition of India, a citizen-led public platform working on issues of urban governance, mobility, and environmental accountability. This letter is a sincere and urgent appeal to pause and reconsider the proposed tunnel road project in Bengaluru before the city is pushed further into irreversible ecological and financial damage. Bengaluru is not facing a shortage of roads. It is facing a collapse of planning, public transport neglect, and institutional accountability. The tunnel road proposal, projected to cost tens of thousands of crores of public money, attempts to treat congestion as an engineering problem rather than a governance failure. History shows that such solutions do not reduce traffic. They merely relocate it, deeper and more expensively. Around the world, cities that once embraced urban highways and tunnels are now dismantling them at enormous cost, having learnt that induced demand overwhelms every new lane, flyover, or tunnel. Bengaluru risks repeating these mistakes at a scale the city can neither afford nor survive. Recent experience in Bengaluru validates this concern. The newly constructed loop at the Hebbal flyover, instead of easing congestion, has merely shifted traffic to the next junction, exactly the pattern predicted by transport experts. This real-time evidence underscores that building more road capacity for cars does not solve congestion; it merely relocates it and deepens the cityās infrastructure distress. Why this project alarms citizens 1. It diverts scarce public money from real solutions At a time when Bengaluru struggles with broken footpaths, unsafe streets, poor bus frequency, unfinished suburban rail, and chronic last-mile gaps, committing massive funds to tunnels prioritizes private vehicles over the daily commuter. This is neither equitable nor sustainable. 2. It poses serious environmental and hydrological risks Large-scale underground construction in a city already suffering from groundwater depletion and flooding raises grave concerns. Tunnelling threatens aquifers, destabilizes soil layers, and increases long-term flood risk, especially in a city whose natural drainage systems and lakes are already compromised. 3. It weakens democratic and planning processes Projects of this magnitude demand transparent studies, independent peer review, and genuine public consultation. Citizens increasingly feel that decisions are being fast-tracked while dissenting voices, urban experts, and resident groups are treated as obstacles rather than stakeholders. 4. It locks Bengaluru into a car-centric future Every rupee spent on tunnels is a rupee not spent on buses, metro integration, suburban rail, cycling infrastructure, and walkable streets. Tunnel roads institutionalize inequality by privileging car owners while the majority continue to endure unreliable, unsafe, and overcrowded public transport. The larger truth Bengaluruās traffic problem cannot be solved underground. It must be solved at the surface, where people live, walk, cycle, and commute daily. Cities are not saved by hiding cars beneath them. They are saved by reducing car dependence altogether. This city once led India in innovation and forward thinking. Today, it risks becoming a case study in how not to plan a metropolis. Citizens are not opposing development. We are opposing misdirected development that mortgages the cityās future for short-term optics. What we respectfully ask We urge your government to: 1. Immediately pause the tunnel road project and place all related studies, contracts, and feasibility reports in the public domain. 2. Constitute an independent urban mobility and environment review panel, including transport planners, hydrologists, climate experts, and citizen representatives. 3. Redirect priority and funding to public transport, especially BMTC expansion, suburban rail acceleration, last-mile connectivity, and safe pedestrian infrastructure. 4. Adopt a long-term mobility vision that reduces private vehicle dependence rather than accommodating its unchecked growth. A citizenās appeal Chief Minister Sir, Bengaluru does not need grand underground experiments. It needs honest governance, people-first mobility, and the courage to say no to projects that look impressive but harm the city quietly and permanently. We request your personal intervention to ensure that Bengaluruās future is shaped by wisdom, not by inertia or pressure from vested interests. This decision will define how history remembers this phase of the cityās leadership. Yours sincerely, Civic Opposition of India Citizen-led platform for urban governance and public accountability
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Other
CA
Civic Admin
10 Dec
Bengaluru
We Blame the Government, But What About Us?
A recent viral post on Reddit titled "As if the roads aren't trash enough already" captures a frustrating reality in Bengaluru. While we rightfully demand better infrastructure from the authorities, we often witness citizens adding to the chaosābe it dumping garbage, debris, or recklessly blocking already damaged roads. Civic Opposition of India, calls this the "Double Whammy" of Bengaluru.
We fight the system for filling potholes," They say, "but who do we fight for basic civic sense? If the government fails us on infrastructure, and we fail ourselves on cleanliness, the city doesn't stand a chance."Civic responsibility goes hand-in-hand with civic rights. We cannot demand a world-class city while treating our streets like open dumpsters.
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News
CA
Civic Admin
06 Dec
Mahadevapura, Bengaluru
Another Life Lost to Bengaluruās Potholes: When Will It End?
It is devastating to read that a 30-year-old techie has lost his life simply because our roads are unfit for travel. This isn't an "accident"; it is a systemic failure.
Civic Opposition of India, has consistently warned that "Bengaluru's roads are killing people." Their words ring tragically true today.The cycle is predictable: a life is lost, outrage follows, a few potholes are patched, and then silenceāuntil the next tragedy. We demand more than just patchworks. We demand accountability for the engineers and officials responsible for maintaining these death traps. How many more tax-paying citizens must die before we get safe infrastructure? Full coverage. #Bengaluru #RoadSafety #CivicOpposition #PotholeDeath #Accountability #UrbanInfrastructure #Karnataka
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Protests
CA
Civic Admin
22 Nov
Anekal, Bengaluru
Anekal Is Not on the Moon: Citizens Demand Basic Roads and Drainage
Public Protest Highlights Deep Infrastructure Crisis in Anekal Taluk Residents of Anekal staged a peaceful protest today, marching up to the Anekal Tahsildar Office to demand safe roads and proper drainage infrastructure. The protest was a response to years of neglect, during which road conditions across Anekal Taluk have deteriorated to dangerous levels. Despite prior intimation, neither the Tahsildar nor any responsible government officer was present at the office to receive the citizens or address their grievances. This absence further intensified public frustration and reinforced the perception of administrative apathy.
Roads Filled With Potholes, Drainage Missing or Nonfunctional Almost all major roads in Anekal Taluk are riddled with potholes, making daily commuting unsafe for pedestrians, two-wheelers, school children, and senior citizens. The situation worsens after every rainfall due to inadequate or poorly designed drainage systems, which lead to waterlogging and rapid road damage. Citizens are not demanding luxury infrastructure. They are asking for basic, motorable roads with functional drainageāa minimum expectation in an urbanizing region like Anekal. Massive Public Participation Reflects Growing Anger More than 1,500 residents witnessed and supported the protest, reflecting the scale of public dissatisfaction. The turnout clearly shows that this is not an isolated complaint but a collective civic demand cutting across communities and residential layouts.
Appeal to Government and Elected Representatives We urge the Government of Karnataka, the local administration, and elected representativesāincluding the Anekal MLA and officials responsible for urban development and civic infrastructureāto treat this issue with urgency. Anekal is a fast-growing region contributing significantly to Bengaluruās economy. Continued neglect of basic infrastructure undermines public safety, economic activity, and trust in governance. Conclusion: Basic Infrastructure Is a Right, Not a Favour Citizens should not have to protest on broken roads to be heard. Anekal is not on the Moon. It deserves the same standards of roads, drainage, and accountability that any urban area in Bengaluru receives. The government must actānow. #Bengaluru #Anekal #BadRoads #BrandBengaluru
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News
CA
Civic Admin
31 Oct
Bengaluru
A "Return Gift" for Litterbugs: Is the GBA's New Approach Effective?
Bengaluru is known for its innovation, but the Garbage Dumping Festival (or Kasa Suriyuva Habba) takes it to a new level. The Greater Bengaluru Authority (GBA) and BSWML have launched a campaign where garbage dumped on the streets is collected and returned right back to the doorstep of the offender.
Civic Opposition of India, weighs in on this bold move:Ā
"It is a drastic measure for a drastic problem. For years, we have seen apathy. This 'return gift' policy forces citizens to literally face their own mess. Accountability must be a two-way street."
While some call it controversial, the message is clear: If you litter, be prepared to get it back. The question remainsāwill this shame-based approach lead to long-term behavioral change? Full coverage #Bengaluru #GarbageDumpingFestival #CivicOpposition #SwachhBharat #WasteManagement #CivicSense #GBA
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Protests
CA
Civic Admin
18 Oct
Varthur, Bengaluru
It Wasnāt a Protest. It Was a Walk for Dignity.
While the government stays in "whataboutery mode," the reality on the ground remains unchanged. This Saturday, citizens of Bengaluru once again took to the streetsānot in defiance of the law, but in desperation for basic infrastructure.
As protests are banned in the city, many couldn't officially join. So, as Civic Opposition of India) described it, this wasn't a protest; it was simply a "walk on non-existent roads."
The public anger is palpable. It is hard to imagine that in a global tech hub like Bengaluru, we are forced to fight for the most fundamental right: a paved road. Ā
Civic Opposition of India warns that the sentiment is shifting from frustration to action: #NoRoadNoTax.
Civic Opposition of India warns that the sentiment is shifting from frustration to action: #NoRoadNoTax.
We appeal to Chief Minister Siddaramaiah and Deputy CM D.K. Shivakumar to stop the deflection and start the paving.
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Protests
CA
Civic Admin
18 Oct
š The Silence is Broken: #NoRoadNoTax
After years of neglect, citizens are finally speaking up, exposing the governmentās duplicity in failing to provide durable, quality roads.
"The 'Civic Opposition of India' stands firmly with every aggrieved taxpayer demanding answers. We refuse to accept crumbling infrastructure as the norm."
Listen to this voice from Bengaluruās IT corridor. More power to such hardworking taxpayers!
#BrandBengaluru #CivicIssues #Bengaluru #MahadevapuruĀ #NoRoadNoTax
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News
CA
Civic Admin
20 Sept
Bengaluru
Global Tech Hub, Third-World Infrastructure?
Today's reports on the dangerous condition of roads outside the Google office in Bengaluru expose the grim reality of our so-called "IT Corridor."
Civic Opposition of India (previously Citizens Movement) has repeatedly raised this issue: If a global tech hub like Bagmane Tech Park cannot guarantee safe footpaths for its employees, what hope do ordinary residential layouts have?
The Civic group points out the irony: "We have Google Maps to navigate the world, but no safe footpath to navigate into the Google office itself."
We demand immediate repair of these service roads. Pedestrian safety cannot be compromised for corporate gloss.
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