BBMP gets Rs 291-crore central grant, plans 21 civic works

Bengaluru: The Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) has finalised 21 new works related to water supply, sanitation, and solid waste management at a cost of Rs 291 crore. 

The action plan was prepared based on the second tranche of grants provided by the 15th Finance Commission as part of the devolution of taxes. 

Some of the prominent works include drilling new borewells and recharge pits to harvest rainwater, construction of 150- to 200-tonne capacity garbage transfer stations in five assembly constituencies, a sewage treatment plant (STP) near Rachenahalli Lake, and a ground level reservoir in Pulakeshinagar. 

While the Bangalore Water Supply and Sewerage Board (BWSSB) will be responsible for works amounting to Rs 133 crore, the BBMP will directly handle works worth Rs 50 crore, which is entirely earmarked for lakes.

A sum of Rs 108 crore is given to the newly formed Bengaluru Solid Waste Management Ltd (BSWML). 

The Rs 50-crore grant has been distributed across 22 lakes, including Banaswadi, where the civic body plans to create a forest and a public park to stop further encroachment of the waterbody.

Barring Halasuru, which has got Rs 10 crore for enhancing storage capacity by de-silting, a majority of the lakes identified in the new action plan fall on the outskirts of the city. 

The BSWML has set aside Rs 3 crore to set up 'Kalika Kendras' at various locations with an aim to popularise composting of waste locally. The Karnataka Power Corporation Ltd (KPCL), which is setting up a waste-to-energy plant in Bidadi, will be given Rs 30 crore. 

Previous grants

In July 2021, the centre sanctioned a grant of Rs 279 crore for 27 works across the three streams mentioned above. Almost all works are currently in progress.

Last week, BBMP Chief Commissioner Tushar Girinath reviewed the progress of all these works and directed the officers to complete them at the earliest to avoid delays in receiving the fresh grants. 

The 27 works included the development of eight lakes (Rs 41.85 crore), augmentation of water supply through borewells (Rs 97.65 crore), and solid waste management (SWM) for works like upgrading dry waste collection centres, installation of automatic waste segregation machine, scientific closure of landfill sites (Rs 130 crore), etc.

The borewell works had come under the Enforcement Directorate (ED) scanner as the civic body was accused of inflating the project cost. 

Prominent works

Creation of recharge pits to harvest rainwater: Rs 30 cr

Ground-level reservoir and pump house in Pulakeshinagar: Rs 30 cr

STP inside Mahatma Gandhi Institute of Rural Energy Development near Rachenahalli: Rs 30 cr

Scientific closure of Bagalur landfill: Rs 10 cr

Five transfer stations: Rs 65 cr

Money matters   

Water supply: Rs 90 cr

Sanitation: Rs 43 cr

Lakes: Rs 50 cr

Solid waste management: Rs 108 cr

Total: Rs 291 cr