Bengaluru 2017: A look back at some headlines about the city's development

In an article titled "Bangalore and Its IT Industry",Michiel Baas writes: "A persistent myth has it that when Kempe Gowda founded Bangalore in 1537, he had four towers built to mark the outermost boundaries of the city, and had proclaimed that the city would never grow beyond these limits."

480 years later, Gowda could not be more wrong. Not only is the city expanding horizontally and now vertically, it's being called one of the fastest growing cities for over a decade now according to various sources.

In 2017, several infrastructure and development projects were announced and some were also unveiled. Here are some of them that made headlines this past year.

Prez flags off Metro link to South Bengaluru
The first phase of Bangalore Metro marked its completion with President Pranab Mukherjee inaugurating the 11.3 km stretch 'Metro Green Line' this June.

Mounted police get new, chic uniform
Bengaluru will soon see horse-mounted police force patrolling on weekends around Cubbon Park, Brigade Road and Commercial Street. The mounted police personnel will sport a new look with a black polo T-Shirt, a matching cap and a pair of white trousers. 

Namma Niagara waterfalls in Lal Bagh
Namma Niagara is going to be the top attraction of Lal Bagh garden this New Year. The work on the waterfall was begun in July 2017, with the intention of increasing the quality of stagnant water in the famous Lotus lake.

The waterfall will create motion in the water, and while the construction of the waterfall using the natural rock quarry near the Lotus lake will also serve an aesthetic purpose, the main intention is to make better the quality of water.

Rail station near trumpet flyover to connect KIA
The proposal to build a railway station (halt) near the trumpet flyover to provide train connectivity to the Kempegowda International Airport (KIA) has got the momentum with the state government holding talks in this regard.

Church Street's Kasuti Makeover
Kasuti or Karnataki Kashida is a traditional hand-embroidery form with origins in North Karnataka. This pattern now features on pavements of Church Street with granite cobblestones laid in Kasuti patterns as part of Church Street’s mega makeover plans.

Renovated gallery highlights India's achievements in space
From the Mysorean rockets used by Hyder Ali and Tipu Sultan, to the much-lauded Mangalyaan mission, India's contributions to space technology have been displayed at the newly inaugurated gallery in Visvesvaraya Industrial and Technological Museum.

Construction may stop near city's heritage buildings
Construction near Bangalore Palace, Trinity Church, Someshwara Temple, and other places may be prohibited, if the BDA has its way. This move aims to protect the heritage status of some of the oldest buildings in the city.

This city temple proves Godliness is cleanliness
Following the simple rule of 'segregation', a city temple is leading by example in managing waste effectively. For over one year, this temple has generated near zero waste.

(Compiled by Poornima)