BDA enhances portal design, forgets content

The Bangalore Development Authority has given its official website a makeover in a bid to make it more ‘user-friendly’. But like most of its projects, it seems the focus was merely on the aesthetics since none of the functional aspects of the website have been updated.

Among the features ignored are even the e-mail addresses starting from the commissioner to the executive engineers of the Department.

Citizens who tried to reach the BDA Commissioner, Bharat Lal Meena, through e-mail found that their mails bounced back due to server problems. 

One such citizen, Sanjay Marlecha, Secretary of the Arkavathy Layout Allottees’ Association, claimed that the mails sent to the BDA authorities bounced back to his inbox. 

Server problems

“I was told that the e-mail IDs were not functioning due to server problems that have cropped up after revamping the website,” he said.

Sources within the BDA said the systems manager who was responsible for the relaunch of the website has been at the receiving end of a lot of criticism. “Despite objections from various departments, the website was relaunched without adding any information on the new projects undertaken by the BDA in the City,” said a BDA official.

What was supposed to be a process to provide more detailed information to citizens, has now turned into a nightmare for those trying to access the website. 

No information

The website was relaunched three weeks ago, but it has not been updated yet. From the Engineering Department to the Town Planning section, most links provide little or no information. 

For instance, under the Engineering Division, the status of the projects pertaining to the Anand Rao Circle flyover is still mentioned as “an on-going project”, while the project was completed nearly five years ago. Same is the case with the Old Airport Road flyover that was completed in 2006!

Under the Town Planning section, the BDA has failed to provide the recent High Court judgements pertaining to the Comprehensive Development Plan 2015, and has stuck to the orders issued nearly eight years ago. 

Similarly, the Finance section gives receipts and expenditure of the year 2003-2004.

Pictures of Vidhana Soudha

“The website belongs to the BDA, but the slideshow on the website’s home page has pictures of the Vidhana Soudha and the High Court. Who is the owner of this website?” asked a BDA official sarcastically.