BENGALURU: Deputy Chief Minister DK Shivakumar on Monday announced that BBMP would use artificial intelligence to deliver property documents to people’s doorsteps, and to identify illegal constructions.
Shivakumar, who is also Bengaluru Development Minister, held a meeting with the city’s legislators on Monday, on the BBMP budget 2025-26. Issues related to easing traffic, water supply in outer areas and regularisation of BWSSB water supply in 110 villages merged into BBMP, protection of water bodies, collection of property taxes and better road infrastructure were discussed. Low-lying areas prone to floods, uprooting of trees during monsoon and measures to mitigate these were also discussed.
Addressing a press conference, Shivakumar said, “Many property owners have built excess floors without legal sanction, and are not paying proportionate taxes. We will use artificial intelligence to identify and measure such illegal constructions.”
“About 7lakh properties had not paid property tax, of which 1lakh were brought under the tax bracket. BBMP did not have the power to attach illegal properties, but a law was passed on that last week,” he said. The DCM instructed senior Palike officials to act against officials who are hand in glove with owners of illegal properties.
He said the initiative to deliver khatas at people’s doorsteps will be rolled out from April.
On street vendors, he said 3,778 applications were received for pushcarts. “We are willing to provide 10,000 pushcarts this year. The date for registration of pushcarts has been extended till April-end. Vendors not registered with BBMP will be cleared. This scheme will ensure that police, hooligans and officials don’t bother street vendors,” he added.
Ministers Ramalinga Reddy, Krishna Byre Gowda, Dinesh Gundu Rao, Zameer Ahmed Khan, BBMP Administrator Umashankar, Chief Commissioner Tushar Girinath, BWSSB Chairman Ram Prasat Manohar and other officials were present.