<p>What describes Bengaluru? More than 2.35 lakhs unauthorised buildings and around 2000 slums, nauseating sewage-laden rivers passing through the city, flooding, traffic woes, inadequate parking facility, deserted skywalks, dilapidated Government assets (Markets) fetching very low income to the BBMP, decaying inner-core city, the encroachment of lakes and more! Bengaluru’s decentralization through satellite towns remained a pipe-dream, though we spoke of it since the 1950s. Surprisingly, there has not been a single audit done on the overall implementation of the past Master plan proposals. Until now Bengaluru has lost 830 Sq Kms of green area since 1984.</p>.<p>Bengaluru, with its 243 wards within 15 zones under the governance of the BBMP Act-2020, should effectively integrate with the provisions made in various other acts, and most importantly, the Karnataka Town and Country Planning (KTCP) Act. It’s a welcome move to have the MLAs and MPs be the representatives of BBMP, since they could also share their vision and use their office to influence central or state governments.</p>.<p>Generally, an efficient city evolves with the improvement of each ward in all dimensions! Unfortunately, the Bengaluru Master Plan pauses vaguely at the Planning District (PD) level with general proposals, wherein, each PD constitutes 15 to 20 wards! At present, the developmental proposals at the ward level are very vague, short-term, adhoc in nature! Hence, there is no clear idea as to how each ward should be developed in terms of aesthetics, infrastructure, traffic management, parking, parks, and how these should be developed during the first, second and fifth years so that each ward’s development converges with the Master plan at city level!</p>.<p>Hence, a “Comprehensive Ward Level Spatial Action Plan (CWLSAP)” need to be prepared for each ward by BBMP with the help of multi-disciplinary professionals in coordination with various government departments, bearing valid suggestions given by citizen groups/elected representatives! </p>.<p>For effective governance, the city corporators should be guided by “Comprehensive Ward level spatial action plans”. BBMP should rejuvenate the Inner city, monetise its assets, implement skywalks/parking lots at appropriate locations, improve parks. The BMRDA should be further strengthened. A new urbanisation policy should be unveiled!</p>.<p>The Master plan-2015, that was prepared in 2008 is no longer relevant. The draft Master plan-2031 is pending for approval from the past four years. Hence, it should be revised. The City Mobility Plan (CMP) was prepared without much primary survey by churing out the 2005 data and was later approved. Hence, it is advisable to prepare a New City Mobility Plan (CMP), to put an end to the ambiguity at various levels of Bengaluru’s Urban transport governance!</p>.<p>Though the National Urban Transport Policy (NUTP) envisages the creation of Unified Metropolitan Transport Authority (UMTA), many metros including Delhi, Mumbai, Pune, etc., couldn’t pass the UMTA bill due to practical difficulties. The proposed UMTA bill may overlap with certain provisions of BBMP (and other authorities) and may also contravene with the provisions of 74th Amendment to Constitution. Hence, it’s rather pragmatic to constitute Metropolitan Planning Committee (MPC) with Bangalore Metropolitan Region Development Authority (BMRDA) as its secretariat and the Bangalore Metropolitan Land Transport Authority (BMLTA) as the transportation unit under BMRDA, more at a planning and advisory role--to address the traffic and transportation issues, and to prepare transportation plans and various transport policies.</p>.<p>The future of Bengaluru depends on the strength and vision of BMRDA, as it has a 360-degree understanding of Bengaluru. The Chief Minister, who is the Chairman of the BMRDA, should do everything to strengthen it by creating a robust institutional structure.</p>.<p>A new urbanisation policy should be unveiled by the government for the coherent development of Bengaluru and other emerging cities for a regionally balanced development of Karnataka!</p>.<p><em><span class="italic">(The writer is an urban planner. Views are personal) </span></em></p>
<p>What describes Bengaluru? More than 2.35 lakhs unauthorised buildings and around 2000 slums, nauseating sewage-laden rivers passing through the city, flooding, traffic woes, inadequate parking facility, deserted skywalks, dilapidated Government assets (Markets) fetching very low income to the BBMP, decaying inner-core city, the encroachment of lakes and more! Bengaluru’s decentralization through satellite towns remained a pipe-dream, though we spoke of it since the 1950s. Surprisingly, there has not been a single audit done on the overall implementation of the past Master plan proposals. Until now Bengaluru has lost 830 Sq Kms of green area since 1984.</p>.<p>Bengaluru, with its 243 wards within 15 zones under the governance of the BBMP Act-2020, should effectively integrate with the provisions made in various other acts, and most importantly, the Karnataka Town and Country Planning (KTCP) Act. It’s a welcome move to have the MLAs and MPs be the representatives of BBMP, since they could also share their vision and use their office to influence central or state governments.</p>.<p>Generally, an efficient city evolves with the improvement of each ward in all dimensions! Unfortunately, the Bengaluru Master Plan pauses vaguely at the Planning District (PD) level with general proposals, wherein, each PD constitutes 15 to 20 wards! At present, the developmental proposals at the ward level are very vague, short-term, adhoc in nature! Hence, there is no clear idea as to how each ward should be developed in terms of aesthetics, infrastructure, traffic management, parking, parks, and how these should be developed during the first, second and fifth years so that each ward’s development converges with the Master plan at city level!</p>.<p>Hence, a “Comprehensive Ward Level Spatial Action Plan (CWLSAP)” need to be prepared for each ward by BBMP with the help of multi-disciplinary professionals in coordination with various government departments, bearing valid suggestions given by citizen groups/elected representatives! </p>.<p>For effective governance, the city corporators should be guided by “Comprehensive Ward level spatial action plans”. BBMP should rejuvenate the Inner city, monetise its assets, implement skywalks/parking lots at appropriate locations, improve parks. The BMRDA should be further strengthened. A new urbanisation policy should be unveiled!</p>.<p>The Master plan-2015, that was prepared in 2008 is no longer relevant. The draft Master plan-2031 is pending for approval from the past four years. Hence, it should be revised. The City Mobility Plan (CMP) was prepared without much primary survey by churing out the 2005 data and was later approved. Hence, it is advisable to prepare a New City Mobility Plan (CMP), to put an end to the ambiguity at various levels of Bengaluru’s Urban transport governance!</p>.<p>Though the National Urban Transport Policy (NUTP) envisages the creation of Unified Metropolitan Transport Authority (UMTA), many metros including Delhi, Mumbai, Pune, etc., couldn’t pass the UMTA bill due to practical difficulties. The proposed UMTA bill may overlap with certain provisions of BBMP (and other authorities) and may also contravene with the provisions of 74th Amendment to Constitution. Hence, it’s rather pragmatic to constitute Metropolitan Planning Committee (MPC) with Bangalore Metropolitan Region Development Authority (BMRDA) as its secretariat and the Bangalore Metropolitan Land Transport Authority (BMLTA) as the transportation unit under BMRDA, more at a planning and advisory role--to address the traffic and transportation issues, and to prepare transportation plans and various transport policies.</p>.<p>The future of Bengaluru depends on the strength and vision of BMRDA, as it has a 360-degree understanding of Bengaluru. The Chief Minister, who is the Chairman of the BMRDA, should do everything to strengthen it by creating a robust institutional structure.</p>.<p>A new urbanisation policy should be unveiled by the government for the coherent development of Bengaluru and other emerging cities for a regionally balanced development of Karnataka!</p>.<p><em><span class="italic">(The writer is an urban planner. Views are personal) </span></em></p>