Bus lanes, Metro work in Bengaluru need urgent push: Experts
Sanjeev Dyamannavar, mobility expert, highlighted the long delays in construction of underground Metro corridors to caution against overly ambitious tunnelling projects. He said, 'Phase 2 of the Metro was sanctioned in 2014. Now we're in 2025 and the Kalena Agrahara to Nagawara stretch, mostly underground, still hasn't opened. You can imagine the challenges of tunnelling in Bengaluru.'
He also stressed the unfulfilled promise of the Bengaluru Suburban Rail project. 'One of its outcomes was meant to be the removal of all level crossings in the city to reduce congestion. That hasn't happened. Our elected representatives and administrators are not treating this project with urgency. There's no review, no pressure, no push.'
Civic evangelist V Ravichandar joined Dyamannavar in flagging the poor state of road and drain infrastructure. 'BBMP must take up proper maintenance of stormwater drains and ensure desilted mud is not left on the roadside. It just washes back in.' He added that carpooling and cab sharing should be promoted to reduce the volume of vehicles on roads. 'The most important projects we should prioritise are public transport and this includes Metro, suburban rail, bus, walkability and cycling infrastructure. Given that the biggest challenge for Bengaluru is outer ring road and that the Blue Line Metro is still under construction, the single biggest intervention that can yield quick results is revival of the bus priority lane on ORR, which was suspended due to Metro construction,' said Srinivas Alavilli, fellow at World Resources Institute India.
With the city's vehicle population nearing 1.3 crore, experts said without immediate and sustained investment in public transport infrastructure, the city's mobility crisis will deepen. Bridging the gap between rapid urban expansion and accessible, efficient transport systems is no longer optional, it is essential for the city's sustainability and quality of life.
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Deccan Herald
3 hours ago
- Deccan Herald
Five municipal corporations: The Greater Bengaluru Jigsaw puzzle
Bengaluru: 'In 1990, when I became a councillor for the first time, Bengaluru city was just 180 sqkm. In 1995, it expanded to 225 sq km. Then came seven town municipal councils and one city municipal council around it. In 2005, it expanded to the 800 sqkm range as Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP),' remarks P R Ramesh, who was the mayor of Bengaluru in 2002, just when the information technology boom started consuming the the area, wards, population and administrative challenges in governing Bengaluru also increased. The erstwhile Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) government attempted to redraw the ward boundaries of Bengaluru but was unable to hold the municipal elections. .The Siddaramaiah-led Congress government recently passed the Greater Bengaluru Governance Act and notified the five-way division of Bengaluru, paving the way for one reform that can help resolve many issues in the city if implemented correctly, but can also easily cause a mess if not handled carefully..'Anti-Kannada'.Like any other exercise related to Bengaluru, this also has turned into a BJP-Congress tug of war. Ramesh N R, former president of the BJP- Bengaluru South District, calls it a 'major conspiracy that renders Kannadigas orphans', 'extremely unscientific' and 'a conspiracy to sideline the original residents of this land'..He says the move is anti-Kannada, with the central part being dominated by Urdu and Tamil, the North by Urdu and Telugu, the South by Urdu, Telugu, and some Kannada, and the East by Telugu and North Indian languages. He brands the Western part as 'the only area retaining a Kannada majority'..'As a result, Kannada-speaking members will be permanently denied the mayoral post in four out of the five new corporations. Only Urdu, Telugu, or Tamil speakers are likely to become mayors. This is a grave injustice to Kannadigas and a decision that cannot be undone,' he are also political motives, as seen in this step. 'In the past two elections held after the formation of BBMP in 2007, the Congress could win only 58 and 76 out of 198 wards. To end the BJP's hold over BBMP, the Siddaramaiah government has now devised this strategy,' he says in a note..'In the 2024 Lok Sabha elections, Rajarajeshwarinagar Assembly Constituency played a major role in the defeat of the Congress candidate by giving a lead of over 90,000 votes to the BJP. Dividing this constituency into three separate corporations appears to be political vengeance,' he says. He adds that the division of the Padmanabhanagar Constituency, represented by Opposition Leader R Ashoka, reflects the politics of jealousy..'Greater Bengaluru': D K Shivakumar announces multi-storey parking lots near court lists problems such as financial imbalance, unemployment, and real estate issues, which he says corporations in Delhi have faced. 'Eventually, the three corporations had to be merged again,' he other metro cities, such as Mumbai, Kolkata, Chennai, and Hyderabad, function under single corporations; so, why should Bengaluru be any different? He asks..P R Ramesh, who is a Congress politician, remarks that the move is necessary to help decentralise the city administration. 'The city has been growing beyond imagination without proper planning. We need to take such steps to ensure that development is planned well. Greater Bengaluru Authority (GBA) will coordinate between all the corporations and ensure the functioning of the corporation is smooth,' he logic behind GBA Act has three conditions hard-coded into it: No corporation should have less than 10 lakh population. The minimum property tax collected should be Rs 300 crores. The population density (population/sqkm) should be greater than 5,000. The GBA Act says assembly constituencies should fit within a corporation 'to the extent possible'. .The Brand Bengaluru Committee, tasked with the division, had to incorporate all these parameters while dividing BBMP into five challenge was to obtain the official population figures for such a major exercise, as the last census was conducted in 2011. Various datasets were also used for this purpose. .'There is a figure of 1.44 crore population estimated for the BBMP area and for 28 assembly constituencies in 2023 by the district election commissioner, but this does not have ward-wise population, which is important in the context of BBMP division,' says V Ravichandar, who is a part of the committee. .'On paper, BBMP has 225 wards, but since no elections were held, these wards did not take root in administration. Therefore, the pre-2021 era data for 198 wards is the basis for all statistics. We used this,' he explains. .The committee also obtained booth-level voter data from the district election officer and estimated the number of voters in the ward, then extrapolated this to the total population using the voter-population ratio for Bengaluru assembly constituencies to arrive at the population next challenge was to figure out the revenue for each new corporation. .'In Delhi, the division failed because they have no overarching structure like GBA. They also had huge differences in their property tax revenues, resulting in imbalances,' he says, adding that the aim was to minimise property tax disparity. .BBMP's latest 2024-25 property tax data was used to estimate this. The East division had the largest area, low population, but high revenue. The West division had a higher population but lower revenue. Efforts were made to minimise revenue disparity, with various permutations and combinations. .When a balancing act was attempted, more assembly constituencies were cut, or the population disparity between East and West became huge. Increasing the East population to over 10 lakhs without a significant impact on property tax increases was challenging. .The jigsaw puzzle of balancing population, revenue, and constituencies finally resulted in a model where the maximum difference between the corporation (as per the 2024-25 property tax receipt data) is approximately Rs 360 crore. This proposal was cleared by the State Cabinet and has been gazetted as a draft notification, superseding the BBMP Act five out of 28 assembly constituencies are getting cut: Yashwanthpura and Padmanabhanagar are shared between West and South, Dasarahalli is shared between North and West, Rajarajeshwari Nagar, which is in the West, also extends to North and a very small part to the South as well; and Mahadevpura extends from East to South. .Would this impact any of the MLAs of those constituencies?.'Since MLA is a part of the corporation, he/she has voting rights in the Corporation in which a large part of the constituency falls. They can attend the council proceedings in any Corporation where their constituency extends, but they can not vote there,' explains Ravichandar. This means there is no problem practically for MLAs to state gives 60-70% of the overall capital expenditure budget as grants to the BBMP under various schemes, which will continue in future as well. The property tax revenue will be allocated to salaries, maintenance, and revenue expenditure. There will also be inflows into the Corporations from SFC and CFC next?.Both the BJP and the Congress Party have been exploring various ways to govern Bengaluru more effectively, while also trying to balance their interests. As a result, every new proposal, from the master plan to city governance models and elections, reaches the courts. Civic groups also join such fights with objections and reasons. .The draft of the five-way division has been notified, and people can submit their objections and observations within 30 days. Once the draft is revised and modifications are made, the final notification will be published. .Then comes the ward delimitation exercise, which involves redrawing ward boundaries in each ward. Each city corporation can have up to 150 wards per the Greater Bengaluru Governance Act. This exercise is likely to take its own time, as no party is generally happy with what the other political party the corporations are formed, there will also be an administrative and infrastructural overhaul, including the division and movement of files among various sections, as well as numerous other time can reveal how long all these processes will take, and when Bengaluru will see the five corporations actually functioning. Meanwhile, the city will continue to be governed without councillors, who form the foundation of local democracy.
Time of India
a day ago
- Time of India
Shift CM's house here please, say Balagere residents in Bengaluru sarcastically to demand better roads
Bengaluru: Tired of navigating crater-filled roads, knee-deep slush, and gridlocked traffic every day, residents of Balagere Road in the tech-corridor of Mahadevapura have come up with a cheeky solution: Move the chief minister's residence to their neighbourhood! On Thursday, frustrated motorists uploaded videos and photographs of the slush-filled stretches and urged for better civic infrastructure with sarcasm by turning the spotlight on CM Siddaramaiah and DCM DK Shivakumar. "Please shift the houses of @CMofKarnataka and @DKShivakumar to Balagere Road. This road will become top class tomorrow," quipped X user Hemanath C. "We should have one house for each of them in every area of Bengaluru. Only then will traffic and road issues get resolved." Balagere Road, which connects the tech companies on Outer Ring Road (ORR) with the residential complexes on Varthur-Gunjur side, is one of the busiest roads in the tech corridor. You Can Also Check: Bengaluru AQI | Weather in Bengaluru | Bank Holidays in Bengaluru | Public Holidays in Bengaluru The post, with a photo of the road resembling a muddy off-road trail, struck a chord. "Roads in Ladakh are better than this," commented Adarsh KN. Another user, Lakshmi Santosh, highlighted the bitter irony: "There are no roads in Panathur and Balagere, but a flat sqft price is Rs 13,000 upwards." Adding to the satire, Rajiv T wrote: "We've landed on the moon," while Sachin, another user, said: "BBMP is at least offering a free dirt track to all residents. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Many Are Watching Tariffs - Few Are Watching What Nvidia Just Launched Seeking Alpha Read More Undo " Meanwhile, those staying off Balagere Road said the situation has deteriorated due to BWSSB's ongoing utility work and lack of proper road maintenance. Manjunath Reddy, a resident, said, "The roads are in a horrible state. I've almost stopped stepping out of my house. There is BWSSB work going on, and there is congestion in that road, due to which it is in a pathetic condition." School teacher Vasudha R said it takes her 45 minutes to cross just 2km. "The dust, traffic and waterlogging have made it unbearable. During monsoon, I have skidded about 4-5 times in a week because of the slushy roads. Who am I to blame?" she added. With an increasing population and high property prices in the area, residents feel neglected. "Despite so much development, there is zero infrastructure support," said tech professional Santosh Gowda. Senior BBMP officials said, "The road development work has been planned, but due to laying of pipes in 110 villages, the development was halted. Once they complete it, we will do the road repair works."
Hindustan Times
2 days ago
- Hindustan Times
'B-Khata properties registered before Sep 30, 2024, are now A-Khata', says Karnataka deputy CM
Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister D K Shivakumar has said that the 'long wait is over,' as B-Khata properties registered before September 30, 2024, 'are now A-Khata.' Calling it a landmark reform, he said the move ensures legal ownership, access to civic services, and puts an end to years of uncertainty. Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister D K Shivakumar has said that the 'long wait is over,' as B-Khata properties registered before September 30, 2024, 'are now A-Khata.' (Representational Image)(Wiki Commons ) 'Good news for Bengaluru! The long wait is over; BKhata properties registered before September 30, 2024, are now 'A Khata.' This landmark reform ensures legal ownership, access to essential civic services, and finally puts an end to years of uncertainty. With this reform, we are bringing long- overdue order to the system and ensuring a more planned, inclusive, and empowered Bengaluru,' he said on X. In a major relief for thousands of property owners across Bengaluru, the Karnataka State Cabinet approved the regularisation of B-Khata properties issued by the Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) up to September 2024 last week. These properties can now be upgraded to A-Khata status, granting access to essential civic amenities such as electricity, water and sewage connections and providing long-awaited legal clarity to property owners. 'Long-awaited relief for B Khata property owners! Our government is taking a decision step by granting A Khata status, unlocking legal recognition and access to essential civic amenities like electricity, water and sanitation. This move isn't just administrative, it's about building a more inclusive, planned, and connected Bengaluru, where every family has the right to live with dignity and security,' the deputy CM had said last week. 'When giving it, we will specify the parameters. If property owners comply with the parameters, then B-Khata will be issued,' Law Minister HK Patil had told reporters after the Cabinet meeting on July 18. "To avail B-Khata, there will be certain parameters too. While A-Khata will be a perfect document, B-Khata certificates will be issued for properties with some lacunae, but with some exemptions," he had said. Also Read: Karnataka Cabinet approves regularisation of B-Khata properties in Bengaluru. Here's what it means for property owners Officials told that 'All B-Khata property owners can now apply for their property documents, which the BBMP will issue upon completion of the necessary due diligence.' "Now there will be no A-Khata or B-Khata; all such B-Khata properties will get E-Khata, which is the digital property document that the state government has started issuing since October last year," explained Anil Kalgi, secretary of Bangalore City Flat Owners' Association (BCFOA). Once regularised, B-Khata property owners will get certificates granting legal status, enabling sales, bank loans, and mortgages previously not allowed, experts said. What is a B-Khata? B-Khata is a type of property record maintained by the BBMP for properties that do not fully comply with legal and planning norms. These include buildings in unauthorised layouts, constructions without approved plans, or those lacking occupancy certificates. Even though these properties are not entirely legal, owners are still required to pay property tax, and their details are recorded for tax purposes. Also Read: Bengaluru real estate: From July 1, e-Khata mandatory for all BBMP properties. Have you got yours? However, owning a B-Khata property comes with several drawbacks. These properties are not considered fully legal and face restrictions when it comes to selling, getting building approvals, or applying for trade licenses. Banks and financial institutions usually do not offer loans against them. Compared to A-Khata properties, which are fully compliant with local laws, B-Khata properties generally have lower market value and limited legal benefits, experts say. Currently, B-Khata properties fall outside the scope of the Karnataka Town and Country Planning (KTCP) Act, 1961, leaving them unregulated and prone to violations, often resulting in unsafe constructions. To address this, the government has proposed granting A-Khata status to buildings constructed on unauthorised layouts whether currently without any Khata or holding a B-Khata under Section 17 of the KTCP Act, provided they meet specified conditions, experts said. The cut-off date for eligibility is September 30, 2024, for B-Khata properties where construction, single or multi-storeyed, has already taken place. This aligns with the provisions of the Greater Bengaluru Governance Act, 2024, which prohibits issuing B-Khatas for unauthorised properties created after that date, they said.
