The Karnataka government has approved a bill to restructure Bengaluru's administration, proposing to divide the Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) into up to 10 smaller units. This aims to enhance governance in the city, which faces challenges like traffic congestion, waste management, and infrastructure development. The plan includes increasing the number of wards from 225 to 400 and establishing a Greater Bengaluru Authority (GBA) to coordinate the smaller units. The GBA will oversee the 1,400 sq km region but not local planning, which remains with the Bangalore Development Authority (BDA).
The Karnataka government is set to overhaul the way Bengaluru is governed. A new bill, approved by the state cabinet, proposes to break up the city's current administration, the Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP), into up to 10 smaller units.
This move is aimed at improving governance in India's tech capital, which has a population of over 12 million people, and has been grappling with issues like traffic congestion, waste management, and infrastructure development. The new structure will also increase the number of wards from 225 to 400, bringing local governance closer to the people.
A key element of the proposed changes is the creation of a Greater Bengaluru Authority (GBA) overseeing the entire 1,400 square kilometre region and coordinating the work of the smaller city corporations. However, unlike earlier plans, the GBA will not have the power to control local planning. This authority will remain with the Bangalore Development Authority (BDA).
The bill is expected to face opposition from the BJP, the main opposition party in the state, which has 104 members in the 225 member Karnataka Legislative Assembly. They have previously expressed concerns about dividing Bengaluru into multiple corporations. The city has a history of failed attempts at restructuring, with political differences often hindering progress.
The last time Bengaluru held local elections was in 2015. Since then, disagreements over how the city should be divided into 198 wards (which was increased to 243 in July 2022 by the BJP government but opposed by Congress) have led to legal battles and prevented fresh polls. This has left the city without an elected body for several years.
The new proposal is a significant step towards addressing these long-standing issues. Whether it will succeed in improving governance and delivering better services to Bengaluru's residents remains to be seen.
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