Praja Bangalore is a unique group of citizens who take active interest in urban civic issues concerning Bangalore. Unlike the traditional Activist groups and NGOs in India, members of this non-profit group interact largely via Internet based Social media tools.
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The group started in 2007 when some enthusiasts built a collaborative blog for analytical discussions on local issues pertaining to Bangalore. Content was moderated for language and references, and tended to be very analytical. The virtual group met face to face for the first time during a visit to the then under-construction Bangalore International Airport (Praja visit to BIAL). As the virtual community grew in size, some members felt the need for an on-ground organization to interact with local governments so that constructive criticism and suggestions can be taken forward. A Society was created to formalize this organization.
Praja Bangalore is largely confined to Bangalore, though there have been efforts made to start in cities of Mysore, Pune and Chennai. The Group has evolved to undertake projects based on volunteer's time and support and resources from academic institutions, local government or industry partners. The group has so far focused largely on land based public transportation issues, and interacted with BMTC regarding marketing, availability of information, last mile issues and with South Western Railways for Bangalore Commuter Rail.
In November 2009, in association with CiSTUP, Indian Institute of Science, Praja Bangalore organized Mobilicity, a group think event to evolve practical transportation solutions for Bangalore[1]. Onwards from this event, members of Praja Bangalore helped BMTC conceptualize and implement the Bus Day event[2]. The group has also undertaken a partly successful project to lobby for implementing Commuter Rail System at Bangalore[3]. At present, the group is working to lobby for BRTS in Bangalore via a project called Bus Priority System.
Praja got an award from best Social Media Usage at India eGov 2.0 awards in October 2010 [4]. In October, 2011, Praja received a special mention from Volvo for encouraging positive initiatives to support sustainable Mobility.[5]
At times, Praja Bangalore is criticized for being largely virtual. Use of Internet based social media tools means access is not easy for a lot of citizens. The group is also criticized for not doing enough to convert discussions and analysis to meaningful projects that can make real impact on the ground.