Here are the big stories from Karnataka today

Karnataka Today newsletter: Ramalinga Reddy proposes separate commission for RTCs similar to KERC, and more

Karnataka Transport Minister Ramalinga Reddy has proposed the establishment of a separate regulatory commission for state-run Road Transport Corporations (RTCs), akin to the Karnataka Electricity Regulatory Commission (KERC). Mr Reddy told The Hindu that this new commission would streamline the process of fare regulation and other critical decisions concerning RTCs.

Traditionally, the four RTCs in Karnataka — KSRTC, BMTC, NWKRTC, and NEKRTC — must individually submit proposals to the State Government whenever a fare hike is considered. These proposals are typically the outcome of internal board meetings held by each corporation. However, this process can be cumbersome and time-consuming, as it involves multiple layers of approval and coordination between the RTCs and the government.

To evade a penalty and an First Information Report (FIR), some motorists have installed the Radarbot app that detects speed cameras on the Bengaluru-Mysuru access controlled highway (NH 275). The speed limit on the highway was set to a maximum of 100 km/hour after the 119-km stretch witnessed several accidents soon after the road was opened for use in March 2023.

To implement the speed limit, traffic police have installed 60 cameras at various spots. For those overspeeding, the penalty is ₹1,000, and for those overshooting 130 kmph, an FIR is registered. The Radarbot app detects speed cameras well in advance, using a combination of GPS technology and a database of speed camera locations to provide real-time alerts to drivers about such cameras. 

Rural Development and Panchayat Raj Minister Priyank Kharge has promised necessary action against those responsible for the broken chain link of a crest gate of the Tungabhadra reservoir at Hosapete in Vijayanagara district. A expert technical team had arrived to analyse the strength of the dam, and to fix the damaged gate of the reservoir, he added.

A survey has been conducted for the construction of a bridge parallel to Tungabhadra dam, the Minister said. As all the reservoirs in neighbouring Maharashtra have reached their capacity, the State Disaster Management Officials are taking measures to tackle any possible flood situation in Kalaburagi district if the excess water is released.

The Kalaburagi district administration, along with Fire and Emergency Services and other departments conducted a drill on the banks of Bhima river at Saradagi (B) village on August 13 to determine preparedness to tackle a flood. The team created a hypothetical flood situation to demonstrate a rescue operation.