BENGALURU: The comprehensive spatial data compiled by the BBMP Restructuring Committee presents a dismal picture about the condition of the city.
The committee has urged the state government to set up a permanent Bengaluru Spatial Information Centre to provide access to, and update, the comprehensive spatial data under one platform. This means that every detail on civic amenities in a ward, including roads, streetlights, bus stops, lakes, schools and others, will be available.
According to the data available with Express, though there are 390 playgrounds in BBMP limits, there is not a single one in close to 25 per cent of the wards.
Of the 198 wards, seven - Dasarahalli, Vishwanath Nagenahalli, Nagavara, Laggere, Nilasandra, Chickpet and Chelavadipalya - do not have a single park while 12 wards have just one park each.
The data also shows that in seven wards located near IT zones like Mahadevapura and Bommanahalli, population growth soared 200-350 per cent in the last one decade. Interestingly, 28 wards, mostly in core areas like Gandhinagar, Vasanthnagar, Yediyur and Pattabhiramanagar, recorded negative population growth in the last decade.
The committee is expected to submit its final report to Chief Minister Siddaramaiah on or before July 15.
The report recommends division of BBMP into five corporations based on various studies, including those using Geographic Information System (GIS) and spatial data from various agencies.
At present, compilation, translation and proof reading of the report is being done. "We will submit the report to the state government; it is up to them to implement (it)," V Ravichander, committee member, told Express.
Ravichander said various agencies like the BBMP, BDA, BMTC, Bengaluru police, BESCOM, BWSSB and BMRCL have their own GIS.
"Now, we have integrated the GIS spatial data of all civic agencies and brought these under one platform. More than 100 layers like roads, police stations, playgrounds, parks and lakes have been compiled and another 30 layers could be added."
He said with this, everyone can get information on the number of playgrounds, parks, lakes, asphalted roads etc. in a ward under one platform. One can also find out details like how many police stations are functioning in their wards and the number of buses that ply to a particular area among others.
He said with the help of GIS, one can identify civic amenities, sites and lakes and their buffer zones.
"Committees will come and go. But there is a need for a permanent Bengaluru Spatial Information Centre which can update data that is a continuous process."
