BENGALURU: The capital, groaning under the burden of growth, will look to be future-ready with focus on four key areas. Chief Minister B S Yediyurappa on Thursday launched the vision for development of the city — ‘Mission Bengaluru 2022: Revitalising Bengaluru’ — which will focus on enabling faster commute, Swachcha (clean) Bengaluru, Hasiru (green) Bengaluru and connecting citizens to the city.
Speaking to reporters at the launch, the CM said: “I assure the citizens that the works listed out will be completed within the stipulated time. Also, six months from now, the progress of whatever has been done will be reviewed. I will also go on city tours to take stock of the ground realities.” He added that all projects which are essential for the city have been included.
‘Bengaluru Smart City work to be completed by March-April 2021’
However, some of the essential projects like development of 110 villages on the outskirts and addressing issues related to the health sector in Covid-19 times, like setting up super-specialty hospitals, advertising and hoarding policy, encroachment of drains and public spaces and making officials accountable for the lack of proper development were not included in the agenda.
While Chief Minister B S Yediyurappa spoke about strengthening public transport, there was no mention if there would be a cap on the registration of new private vehicles. The mission document also did not specifically mention about coordination between various civic agencies, which is crucial for the development of Bengaluru. It also did not have any special mention of creating more clean public toilets in the city.
However, Chief Secretary T M Vijay Bhaskar, Additional Chief Secretary, Urban Development Department, Rakesh Singh, and BBMP Administrator Gaurav Gupta said works were ongoing and tenders were also called.
Bengaluru Development minister Byrathi Basavaraj used the platform to announce that Smart City road works will be completed by March-April 2021. “I have held a detailed meeting with the officials and addressed the issue of proper coordination between all civic agencies. Directions have been issued to complete the works within the set time,” he said.
Project includes
Creating 12 high-density corridors, totaling 190 km, by KRDCL, installation of synchronised traffic signals, enhanced road appearance and annual maintenance of arterial roads of 400 km, expanding bus priority lanes, promoting shared electric vehicles mobility, completing Metro works faster to increase its carrying capacity, operationalising of suburban rail project
Hasiru Bengaluru
Launch of two new lung spaces at NGEF and Mysuru Lamps, two mega tree parks in Machohalli and Bhootanahalli, popularing mini forests at Turahalli, JP Nagar, Kadugodi and Mathikere, intensified monitoring of air quality by setting up air quality testing metres to 500, K-100 rajakaluve project for waterway beautification, restoring 25 lakes, enhancing water quality and improving biodiversity, real-time monitoring of water quality in 20 lakes.
Citizens connect
Online access to citizen services, online access to road history, location-wise information on civic services, programmes and officers, redesigning the Sahaya portal, Bengaluru culture, heritage and crafts museum at NGEF, contemporary public recreational spaces and cultural events hub at NGEF, creating living city lab at Mysuru Lamps factory, setting up Itihaasa- Bengaluru technology history and setting up of Bengaluru innovation centre at at Mysuru Lamps factory
Swachcha Bengaluru
Specialised entity for end-to-end professional waste management, rehabilitating and refurbishing existing processing plants to operate at maximum capacity, remedy and rehabilitating legacy dump sites, planning and implementing model material recovery facility and GPS-enabled monitoring of waste transportation, citizen partnership programmes for SWM, setting up Kalika Kendras in each zone, compost and manage waste at home