JOIN USBDA draws up blueprint to meet city's growth in 2031
The Bengaluru Development Authority (BDA) has given a glimpse of the year 2031 in order to seek the opinion from people for the preparation of the Revised Master Plan-2031 (RMP-2031).
The planning authority has projected the city’s population to be 2.03 crore. In view of this exponential growth, BDA has proposed 42 new planning districts.
“The change in administrative boundaries, the desire to use planning districts as planning tools and for the enforcement and implementation of plan proposals, are the reasons for change or revision and establishing the jurisdiction of planning districts for the RMP-2031.”
The BDA foresees severe traffic congestion in the city where vehicular trips increase by more than three times. There will be a substantial decline in public transport share and bus frequency would reduce to less than half even with double the fleet.
During peak hours, vehicular speed will be less than five kmph. It goes on to state that Metro Phase-II will not be able to solve the city’s traffic woes 15 years later.
In this scenario, the BDA has prepared a strategy which “seeks to address the concerns of all segments of commuting population by emphasising on the pre-eminence of public transport and non-motorised modes of travel”.
It has recommended improvement of existing roads and defined the ‘road hierarchy’. It suggested providing additional ring/radials wherever possible and more public transport. In this direction, it has suggested pushing for a commuter rail system, monorail and BRT. Safety of commuters has been given more importance.
Water requirement will go up exponentially, which will be around 5,340 MLD for domestic and non-domestic purposes. Thus, the need to use lakes as a source of water will become necessary. The role of Thippagondanahalli Reservoir will increase manifold.
To meet the water needs of the city, the BDA has proposed diversion of water from Yettinahole, Linganamakki Reservoir and Hemavathi canal to the TG Halli reservoir. The BDA has even proposed the construction of a reservoir at Mekedatu and divert Cauvery water into it. The BDA has also laid emphasis on increasing waste water treatment.
In terms of solid waste management, the city will generate 18,390 tonnes of waste everyday in the Bengaluru Metropolitan Area (BMA) and thus more land will be required for waste processing units. Keeping the two-crore population in mind, the BDA projected that the energy demand will be 8,952 megawatts during peak hours. As the existing conventional energy resources will not be sufficient, the BDA has recommended exploring renewable energy sources like solar and biomass.