BENGALURU: Most civic needs of a citizen depend on multiple authorities. It needs the government agencies like Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP), Bangalore Development Authority (BDA), Bengaluru Electricity Supply Company (BESCOM), Bangalore Water Supply and Sewerage Board (BWSSB), Bangalore Metropolitan Transport Corporation (BMTC), Police and others to work together to deliver a desired outcome. Road cutting and poorly done patch up work is a common woe – BBMP blames it on the utilities, while the latter faults BBMP. Every year, the monsoon brings drain-related deaths. The courts in the past have said that concerned engineers, contractors must automatically be part of the FIR for any road, drain mishaps in their jurisdiction but these have never come through.
You wonder why buses stop near intersections? Try asking BBMP, BMTC and Police and you will have fingers pointing in all directions. The reality is that our civic systems are opaque, insensitive and the silos of government is designed to withstand a nuclear attack.The authorities’ ability to exercise power sans accountability is an art form. In the 2000-04 BATF period, we did construct an accountability platform. Once every six months, the CEO of each civic agency held forth on achievements of the past six months and promises for the future. This ensured accountability and sorted inter agency issues. But alas, this unique experiment has been buried.
Utilities must be told the time given to do the job. In case it is not, they must be fined and the quantum of the fine doubles daily. If this is done, you will find the head of the utility on site to ensure the job is done in time.It’s State election time and there will be the usual cries for accountability. We struggle on how to hold elected leaders to account except vote them out. It’s time to build an institutional architecture that makes accountability a part of our DNA. Political leaders and officers will avoid being held accountable. Onus is on citizens to never stop demanding greater accountability.