<p>Bengaluru: Citizens and activists have raised objections to the draft ward delimitation maps prepared by the Urban Development Department (UDD) for the Greater Bengaluru Area (GBA).</p>.<p>In some places, one side of a lane has been placed in one ward and the opposite side in another. Activists said this division would split long-standing communities.</p>.Bengaluru: New wards named after stalwarts, but duplication could cause confusion.<p>"This will divide communities, which are living together harmoniously for decades now. It will make the ward a homogeneous group,” said Kathyayini Chamaraj, activist and executive trustee of CIVIC-Bangalore.</p>.<p>Activists also pointed out that the UDD has yet to publish details on the area, population and voter count for each ward, data they said is crucial to raise objections.</p>.<p>The Bengaluru NavaNirmana Party (BNP) termed the entire process flawed.</p>.<p>"The state government had stated that splitting the Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) into five corporations would make governance more citizen centric. However, the ward numbers have been fixed at about 368, leaving wards still too large to be effectively governed. For a city with nearly 1.5 crore people, the BNP has stressed the need for at least 500 wards,” the party said.</p>.<p>M Maheshwar Rao, GBA Commissioner, said the data on ward population and area would be released soon. “The details on population and area will soon be published. Owing to the ongoing socio-economic survey, there has been a slight delay,” he said.</p>.<p>Citizens and political parties can submit objections or suggestions within 15 days. Submissions must be made to the Additional Chief Secretary, Urban Development Department, Room No 436, 4th Floor, Vikasa Soudha, Bengaluru-560001, by 5 pm on October 15.</p>
<p>Bengaluru: Citizens and activists have raised objections to the draft ward delimitation maps prepared by the Urban Development Department (UDD) for the Greater Bengaluru Area (GBA).</p>.<p>In some places, one side of a lane has been placed in one ward and the opposite side in another. Activists said this division would split long-standing communities.</p>.Bengaluru: New wards named after stalwarts, but duplication could cause confusion.<p>"This will divide communities, which are living together harmoniously for decades now. It will make the ward a homogeneous group,” said Kathyayini Chamaraj, activist and executive trustee of CIVIC-Bangalore.</p>.<p>Activists also pointed out that the UDD has yet to publish details on the area, population and voter count for each ward, data they said is crucial to raise objections.</p>.<p>The Bengaluru NavaNirmana Party (BNP) termed the entire process flawed.</p>.<p>"The state government had stated that splitting the Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) into five corporations would make governance more citizen centric. However, the ward numbers have been fixed at about 368, leaving wards still too large to be effectively governed. For a city with nearly 1.5 crore people, the BNP has stressed the need for at least 500 wards,” the party said.</p>.<p>M Maheshwar Rao, GBA Commissioner, said the data on ward population and area would be released soon. “The details on population and area will soon be published. Owing to the ongoing socio-economic survey, there has been a slight delay,” he said.</p>.<p>Citizens and political parties can submit objections or suggestions within 15 days. Submissions must be made to the Additional Chief Secretary, Urban Development Department, Room No 436, 4th Floor, Vikasa Soudha, Bengaluru-560001, by 5 pm on October 15.</p>