malleswaram.org
Malleswaram Urban Living Lab (M-ULL)
Malleswaram Urban Living Lab (M-ULL) is a collaboration between Malleswaram Social and Sensing Local Foundation. It was established to create an open innovation ecosystem in Malleswaram, bringing together residents, experts, institutions, and civic agencies to co-create and test solutions for neighbourhood challenges. Through this collaborative approach, M-ULL aims to preserve Malleswaram's unique heritage and culture while planning for a more liveable and sustainable future.
Sustainable Urban Mobility Accord (SuMA)
The Malleswaram Urban Living Lab (M-ULL) was awarded the ₹50 lakh Sustainable Urban Mobility Accord (SuMA) Grant by the Directorate of Urban Land Transport (DULT) in 2020. The proposal envisioned a neighbourhood-wide walking network by integrating Malleswaram's existing footpaths with its underutilised conservancy lanes, making everyday journeys safer and more accessible, particularly for children, older adults, and persons with disabilities. The project included traffic studies, school drop-off zone designs, parking management strategies, public space activation, and community engagement to promote walkability.
Walkable Malleswaram
Walkable Malleswaram transformed the SuMA proposal into reality by revitalising a 3.5 km network connecting nearly 50 key destinations across the neighbourhood. Led by the Malleswaram Urban Living Lab (M-ULL), the project reimagined neglected conservancy lanes as pedestrian-friendly slowways through infrastructure improvements, clear wayfinding, street art, dedicated activity zones, and measures to reduce vehicular intrusion. Malleswaram Social worked closely with residents through surveys, focus groups, and on-ground implementation, while Sensing Local provided urban planning expertise and technical guidance.
The project was further enriched by Malleswaram Hogona, a public art initiative curated by Geechagalu, which brought together artists, residents, and Malleswaram Social to create 13 murals celebrating the neighbourhood's history, culture, and everyday life. Thoughtfully designed street furniture, signage, and community spaces complemented the artwork, transforming the lanes into vibrant places for walking, board games, performances, plant exchanges, garage sales, and neighbourhood gatherings.
Malleswaram Katte Maathu
Malleswaram Katte Maathu was a series of online community conversations launched during the COVID-19 pandemic. Envisioned as a virtual katte, the initiative brought citizens together to discuss local issues, combining research with community action. The collaboration also led to the development of a COVID-19 information website, which was later adopted by the BBMP as its official public information portal.
MALLESHWARAM HOGONA
Malleshwaram Hogona was a collaborative public art initiative by Geechagalu, supported by Bengaluru Moving with Malleswaram Social supporting the project as a community partner. The group helped identify mural locations, secure permissions, engage with local stakeholders, provide inputs on mural concepts, and facilitate the project on the ground, contributing to the creation of public artworks that celebrate the neighbourhood and its stories.
_JPG.jpg)
ZERO WASTE COLLECTIVE *
Zero Waste Collective Malleswaram is a community-led environmental initiative, and Malleswaram Social is on of the prime contributors to it. In February 2023, the collective launched temple composting under the initiative "Greens & Browns Story". It has now expanded to 12 temples and 2 parks, diverting an average of 1.50 tons of waste per month from landfills, and demonstrating a scalable and replicable model of decentralized waste management.
PEDAL POWER *
Pedal Power is a community cycle sharing program anchored by Malleswaram Social and Sampige Foundation to promote cycling in Malleswaram. The 20 e-cycles for this program have been provided by the Green Urban Mobility Innovation Living Lab to the Malleswaram community. Community members can rent these e-cycles for a month at a nominal rate, to see how they can incorporate cycling into their daily life.
MEET TO SLEEP
Meet to Sleep, an initiative by Blank Noise, reimagined public parks as spaces of comfort rather than caution. Inspired by the ease with which men occupy public spaces, the initiative invited women to rest together in neighbourhood parks before sharing their experiences. Malleswaram Social collaborated with Blank Noise to host the event across several parks in Malleswaram, opening up conversations about safety, vulnerability, and every woman's right to feel at ease in public space.
CITIZENS FOR BANGALORE (CfB)
Citizens for Bengaluru (CfB) is a city-wide civic collective that advocates for better urban governance and sustainable development in Bengaluru. Malleswaram Social actively participated in several CfB-led campaigns, supporting initiatives such as:
Steel Flyover Beda
Steel Flyover Beda campaign, opposed the proposed 6.7 km steel flyover between Chalukya Circle and Hebbal and advocating for more sustainable, transparent, and environmentally responsible transport solutions.
Modalu Train Beku
Modalu Train Beku campaign, advocated for a stronger suburban rail network as a sustainable solution to Bengaluru's growing traffic congestion.
Mara Kadhi Bedi
Mara Kadhi Bedi campaign on Jayamahal Main Road, supported efforts to prevent the cutting of full-grown trees and raise awareness about the importance of preserving the city's tree canopy.
Namma Mata, Namma Hita
Namma Mata, Namma Hita, a public initiative, encouraged citizens to engage with civic issues and advocate for better urban governance ahead of the 2018 Karnataka Assembly elections.
ROTI EXPRESS
Roti Express was a community-driven initiative launched during the COVID-19 pandemic to provide food for migrant workers returning to their hometowns. As part of the larger citywide effort coordinated from Palace Grounds, residents of Malleswaram came together to prepare, collect, and pack meals, water, and other essentials. The name “Roti Express” came about as residents mainly made and packed rotis. The initiative reflected the neighbourhood's spirit of collective action and support during a time of crisis.
