BENGALURU: Deputy Chief Minister DK Shivakumar said on Thursday that more areas on the outskirts of Bengaluru that have urban characteristics will be brought under the Greater Bengaluru Authority (GBA).
Speaking after inspecting such areas, Shivakumar said that he will hold a meeting on Friday to discuss this matter. A committee under former chief secretary BS Patil, who headed the BBMP restructuring committee, is preparing a report in this regard.
Shivakumar, who visited several areas close to Bengaluru South City Corporation limits such as Bannerghatta, Jigani, Electronics City and Anekal, which are under town municipal council or taluk panchayat limits, said, “Over 25 lakh people live on the periphery of GBA. There is a need to bring them under GBA.”
“Anekal will be brought under GBA in the near future. Cauvery water is being provided. Discussions will be held on other facilities to be provided to people living there,” he said.
He said that a plan to ease traffic congestion in the Anekal region should be formulated at the earliest. It will be difficult to formulate such a plan later.
On pothole-filling work, he said civic officials have been given responsibilities and they are doing their job. In some places, broken stretches are being asphalted. The work is not progressing as desired because of rain.
Asked if he saw potholes and garbage in Electronics City as complained by Biocon founder Kiran Mazumdar Shaw, Shivakumar said, “I visited the area. Biocon is in panchayat limits and not under GBA.”
On why no disciplinary action has been taken against Congress MLC Yatindra and other MLAs for their statements, Shivakumar said, “I will respond to them at an appropriate time.”
Responding to a question on the SIT report which stated that 6,000 names had been removed from the voters’ list in Aland Assembly constituency, he said, “There is no doubt about it. Officials complained about it long ago. Law will take its own course.”