BENGALURU: In a move that is seen as a precursor to dividing the Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) into two or three small entities, the State Urban Development Department on Monday evening issued an order restructuring and increasing number of zones in the city from eight to 10. This was one of the recommendations of the committee constituted for restructuring the Palike.
Each zone will consist of two to four assembly constituencies as against the earlier system in which some zone had two and some eight assembly constituencies. This was making administration difficult, with people having to travel up to 10 km to get their issues resolved at the zone office.
The new order with uniform number of wards in each zones is expected to come into force after government decides to recruit staff as per the new zones. With 10 zones, BBMP is likely to have 10 zonal commissioners (KAS officer cadre), 10 chief engineers and other senior officials.
Once the new system is in place South, East and West Zones will be replaced with Jayanagar, Malleshwaram, Gandhinagar, Sarvajnanagar and Vijayanagar zones. The remaining zones Yelahanka, Dasarahalli, Mahadevapura, Bommanahalli and Rajarajeshwarinagar zones will retain their names.
The order issued by K A Hidayuttulla, Deputy Secretary (Urban Development Department) says that due to uneven geographical areas in each zone, there was disparity in collection of tax and fund allotment. Also, garbage disposal was turning out to be a problem.
The BS Patil Committee constituted by the state government for restructuring BBMP recommended restructuring the existing eight zones to 10 new zones.
Speaking to Express, urban infrastructure expert V Ravichander, who is also member of the Patil Committee, said there are many advantages in having more zones. “More decentralised the system, better the citizen services,’’ he said.
WHAT IT MEANS
Addition of two more zones sets base for future splitting of BBMP
Move will ensure uniform distribution of wards in each zone
BBMP to now have 10 zonal commissioners, chief engineers and other officials
Officials say move will ease tax collection, fund allotment, garbage disposal