BENGALURU: With the formation of the Greater Bengaluru Authority (GBA), Bengaluru became the second city after New Delhi to have multiple city corporations.
Now there are five municipal corporations in Bengaluru to tackle ‘administrative’ challenges and ‘pressure’, as put forth by the government. It will be interesting to see in 2026, if this multiple corporation model works or falters like in Delhi, which went back to the original single corporation model.
Many former mayors, sitting corporators and the opposition BJP-JDS say the government broke up BBMP only to delay elections to the local body. On December 11, the GBA marked 100 days of its existence. There is, however, no clear picture on when the local body elections, due since September 2020, will be held.
Corporation commissioners undertake daily walks in the morning, hold phone-in programmes to send out a message that the new model of decentralisation is working, but issues of deviation, construction of unauthorised floors, and encroachments remain unaddressed. Further, as a classic example of the GBA’s preferential treatment of clearing encroachments, the civic body handpicked 160 slum homes in a single day, but is still gathering the guts to take action against big sharks.
Though the conversion of B-khata to A-khata was hailed as a master stroke to help owners get loans easily and other benefits, the move was seen as a money-making channel for the cash-strapped government, which is burdened with the five guarantees.
The civic body managed to mop up a record property tax collection of Rs 4,930cr as against the set target of Rs 5,210cr. The new target for 2025-2026 is Rs 5,712cr, but the civic body is lagging behind due to the split in the corporation.
In line with the apex court order, the GBA is relocating stray dogs from institutions like schools, hospitals, religious places, playgrounds, bus stands and depots. The move has been severely criticised by animal lovers who term the move as illogical.
Another landmark development in Bengaluru was the Bengaluru Solid Waste Management Limited (BSWML) dumping an auto-tipper filled with waste in front of litterbugs’ homes as a retaliatory mechanism for dumping garbage on street corners, despite the auto being sent to doorsteps to collect waste. The move was opposed by the BJP, but BSWML defended its move, saying this was the last option after measures like fixing black spot penalties.
The civic agency also planned to launch an initiative like rewarding the public with Rs 250 for recording litterbugs in the act, but this was aborted after the Deputy Chief Minister intervened.
The agency is also planning to invite tenders to run its 100 Dry Waste Collection Units, and CEO Karee Gowda said waste pickers, recyclers and self-help groups will also be given this opportunity. The agency is also opening up Kasa Kiosks, where residents can hand over segregated waste in case they miss the regular waste collection cycle.
Bengaluru Water Supply and Sewerage Board issued warnings to owners with unauthorised connections and came up with the ‘Blue Force’, a task force armed with equipment to detect illegal water connections. Since starting operations in November, the force has conducted 4,000 inspections and cut services.
In May, the water board launched the Sanchari Cauvery initiative to tackle the tanker mafia in Bengaluru outskirts. Under the initiative, the board pressed for fixed rates for tankers: Rs 660 for 4,000 litres, Rs 740 for 6,000 litres and Rs 1,290 for 12,000 litres.