Five IAS officers take charge of Bengaluru's new corporations.
Bengaluru: Five IAS officers took charge on Wednesday as commissioners of the newly carved municipal corporations in the Greater Bengaluru Area (GBA), formally setting in motion the new governance structure.
The new commissioners are expected to face several challenges, including streamlining administration from scratch, optimising revenue sources, and distributing responsibilities, all while the city struggles with monsoon woes such as flooding, potholes, dysfunctional streetlights, and tree pruning.
While the corporations will control property tax and other revenue sources, their budgets will largely cover routine maintenance work and employee salaries. A major share of funds — coming as state government grants — will remain with the Greater Bengaluru Authority for large infrastructure projects.
Preliminary estimates suggest that the Bengaluru East City Corporation will generate about Rs 912 crore, the highest among the new bodies, aided by multinational companies along the Outer Ring Road.
South Bengaluru is projected at Rs 733 crore, followed by Central at Rs 659 crore. The other corporations are expected to generate around Rs 550 crore each.
Deputy Chief Minister DK Shivakumar instructed the commissioners to begin their day early, inspecting stretches of roads and footpaths before commencing office work.
Know your commissioners
Rajendra Cholan P (Bengaluru Central)
A 2008-batch IAS officer, he earlier led Bengaluru Smart City Ltd, revamping roads in Central Bengaluru and launching an integrated command and control room to address citizen grievances. He will continue as secretary to DyCM DK Shivakumar. His new jurisdiction covers areas ranging from the congested Gandhinagar neighbourhoods to the upscale MG Road.
Ramesh DS (Bengaluru East)
Promoted to IAS in 2010, he has over three decades of administrative experience. His previous roles include Deputy Commissioner of Davanagere and Chamarajanagar, Regional Commissioner of Mysore, and Commissioner of Karnataka Housing Corporation. Now, as commissioner of Bengaluru East, he faces challenges in areas like Tin Factory Junction, Varthur, Marathahalli, and Hoodi, which struggle with heavy traffic and rapid development.
P Sunil Kumar (Bengaluru North)
P Sunil Kumar
An electrical engineer who secured the 18th rank in the UPSC, he earlier worked for Tata Consultancy Services before joining the IAS. His career has included postings as Deputy Commissioner in Koppal, Vijayapura, and Bagalkot, and as Commissioner in Kalaburagi. He now oversees Bengaluru North, which spans dense localities like Pulakeshinagar and the fast-growing Yelahanka and Byatarayanapura.
Ramesh KN (Bengaluru South)
A 2012-batch IAS officer, he served as zonal commissioner of Mahadevapura for 18 months, earning a reputation for being responsive and accessible. His experience spans education, tourism, and elections. Bengaluru South, which he now manages, is a vibrant mix of homes and employment hubs.
Dr Rajendra KV (Bengaluru West)
A 2013-batch IAS officer, he has worked in rural development, tourism, and district administration. He earlier served as Deputy Commissioner of Mysore and Mangalore. Familiar with Bengaluru’s Basaveshwaranagar, where his family resides, he now handles the populous Bengaluru West, home to 45 lakh residents, but limited revenue.