One has never been enamoured of the many crores bandied about in our government budgets. In most cases, it does not deliver the desired outcomes which is finally what citizens care about. For the record, the state has allotted Rs 8,772 crore for Bengaluru in this budget.
The opening para in the state budget this year promising a separate Act for Bengaluru is music to our ears. This is one area that falls within the ambit of the State Government / Legislature. It is a necessary building block if we are to ever address the deteriorating quality of living in Bengaluru. The tendency for the state to meddle in the city through its directed budget allocations is an unfortunate reality and consequently we need to read into the signalling of the direction of spends.
There are some good indications – addressing gaps in the storm water drain network is a worthwhile effort given that urban flooding is likely to be our Achilles heel if the coronavirus does not get us! The bigger challenge for these drains (and the lakes) is the sewage that flows in it. There is a mention of reaching 1,587 MLD sewage treatment capacity (75% on requirement), though one suspects the operational capacity is a lot lower. An official acceptance that our roads are a mess due to utility works is welcome honesty. While money to fix it is desirable, it’s more important to ensure its not repeatedly dug up. One is sceptical about waste-to-energy plants – we do not have successful, viable models in the country.
On mobility, there are some specific project-type announcements. It would have been better for the state to indicate setting up a ‘Czar’ like institution through the BMLTA and routing all its money allocations through it. Bus infrastructure needs to double, instead of the 25% fleet addition. Piecemeal additions and expecting BMTC to find the money is not the best course to promote public transport and address the traffic woes. All in all, it’s a budget that sort of delivers and we do not need to burrow ourselves underground like the pilot parking lot planned.
V Ravichandar, civic evangelist