A Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) office.
Credit: DH Photo
Bengaluru: After months of uncertainty, the Karnataka government has finally settled on the number of municipal corporations that the Greater Bengaluru area (GBA) should have.
Going by what transpired at the meeting chaired by Deputy CM D K Shivakumar in Vidhana Soudha, the Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) is likely to be divided into five separate civic bodies. The government may pass the official notification by July 15.
The suggestion to form five corporations, sources said, was considered based on the revenue potential, ease of governance and the alignment of assembly constituency boundaries.
While Shivaji Nagar, Shanti Nagar, Pulakeshi Nagar, Chickpet, Gandhinagar and Chamarajpet might come under what could be called as Central Bengaluru corporation, the city's outer areas may encompass the remaining four carrying names such as East, West, North and South Bengaluru corporations.
As constituencies such as RR Nagar, Yeshwantpur, Mahadevapura and KR Puram are geographically large in size, parts of these assembly segments may come under two different municipal corporations, it’s learnt.
Speaking to the reporters, Deputy CM Shivakumar said the new corporations would be formed within the existing boundaries of BBMP, adding that the panchayat limits would be added to the corporation in a phased manner.
“The Brand Bengaluru committee has submitted its report. We will place it before the opposition leaders and take them into confidence,” he said, promising to conduct the civic body elections as soon as possible.
On April 24, the state government had notified the Greater Bengaluru Governance Act, 2024, which had repealed the BBMP Act. The 2024 Act had prescribed formation of Greater Bengaluru Governance Authority within 120 days along with the creation of up to seven corporations.
The government is expected to issue the draft notification within a week, announcing the number of corporations and their boundaries. Before publishing the official gazette, it plans to consult the MLAs of Bengaluru and also take approval of the state cabinet.
After providing 30 days to raise objections, the government is likely to pass the final notification along with governor's approval before August 25 - the deadline set by the 2024 Act.