BENGALURU: With the city expanding leaps and bounds, Bengaluru Development Minister Krishna Byre Gowda has directed officials to prepare a long-term master plan to progressively provide the entire Bengaluru Urban district with reliable drinking water, road connectivity and underground drainage infrastructure.
Chairing the fourth executive committee meeting of the Greater Bengaluru Authority (GBA) at Vikasa Soudha on Friday, the minister said,
“Bengaluru is growing much faster than anticipated. The master plan must take into account the city’s actual growth, including areas beyond the GBA limits, and assess the future requirements for drinking water and sewerage infrastructure.
Based on these assessments, projects must be taken up in a phased manner with clearly defined timelines. Similarly, existing roads must be upgraded and new roads developed in areas outside the GBA,” he directed.
Byre Gowda said the government is prioritising advanced treatment and reuse of sewage generated in Bengaluru, highlighting the ‘success’ of existing projects like Koramangala-Challaghatta Valley, Hebbal-Nagawara Valley and Vrishabhavathi Valley in replenishing water bodies and improving groundwater levels.
“These initiatives demonstrate the potential of treated wastewater to strengthen water security. More long-term projects must be planned and effectively implemented to ensure scientific treatment and reuse of the city’s sewage,” he said.
Expressing concern over worsening traffic conditions and the deterioration of roads due to repeated excavation, the minister said, “Municipal corporations are often held responsible for the inconvenience caused to citizens, even when roads are excavated by other government agencies.
Hence, the agency that digs up a road must also take complete responsibility for restoring it.” He stressed that a uniform policy and standard operating procedure applicable to all departments and agencies will be introduced, with defined responsibilities for road restoration and penalties for violations, besides putting in place measures to prevent repeated damage to roads.
GPS-enabled feeder buses to strengthen Metro connectivity
To strengthen public transport and reduce dependence on private vehicles, Byre Gowda emphasised the need for an efficient feeder-bus network connecting Metro stations. “BMTC should introduce GPS-enabled feeder bus services within a 2-3 km radius of Metro stations, with clearly defined routes that cannot be altered arbitrarily.
Improving first- and last-mile connectivity, particularly along the Outer Ring Road, would make Metro services more accessible and effective for commuters,” he said. Referring to the recently launched BMTC 2.0 mobile application, he said passengers can book tickets for both Metro and BMTC services through a single platform. Plans are also underway to integrate private auto-rickshaw and taxi services with the app, creating a more seamless public transport experience.