Bengaluru Can be Most Liveable City

As controversy swirls over the proposed move to divide Bruhat Bangalore Mahanagara Palike into smaller divisions, BBMP Restructuring Committee head B S Patil has stoutly defended the proposal. In an interview with Express, he talks of the vision behind the report submitted to the CM on Monday. Excerpts:

You have submitted the report. What next?

It took eight months for us to complete this final report. We are seeking another six months to touch many minor aspects and make it comprehensive. It is up to the CM to approve.  We have done this report keeping a vision for 25 years in mind.  Bengaluru has the potential to be the most liveable city and our report is the roadmap to develop it in that direction.

Will brand Bengaluru be affected?

The committee recommended a Greater Bengaluru Authority that will ensure that Bengaluru remains as one city governance similar to London. We have kept Brand Bengaluru’s sentiments in our mind.

Will Bengaluru have five smaller municipal corporations?

We have recommended five corporations keeping the existing BBMP limits as the Greater Bengaluru Authority (GBA) limits. But, there are many places on the outskirts which are urbanised. In future, if we take the existing Bangalore Development Authority (BDA) limits, spread across 1,307 sq km, as the GBA limits, smaller corporations can be formed and they will function similar to the five suggested corporations.

How will this benefit?

One can see the change immediately if the report is implemented. As each ward committee will have representation from various civic agencies and the City police, citizens can contact them for any civic issue.

Does the report recommend ward delimitation?

The existing 198 wards are incapable of being managed effectively. These when framed were carved without any scientific study. Population and facilities are not distributed uniformly among all the 198 wards. We have recommended that there be up to 400 wards.

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