Bengaluru will need 4 clones by 2040, says Karnataka CM Basavaraj Bommai

Bommai said Bengaluru grew in an 'unplanned' way that was 'unfriendly' to natural resources

Karnataka will build six new cities in the form of integrated townships to plan for the future, said Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai on Friday.

"We will have six new cities in the state on government land," Bommai said. "Integrated townships will be built at the regional level. When we plan these six cities, in parallel, they will hold good for four new Satellite Town Ring Roads (STRR) for Bengaluru."

Bommai, who holds the Bengaluru city development portfolio, was speaking at the DH Bengaluru 2040 Summit where he laid out his plans for the state capital.

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According to Bommai, Bengaluru will need four clones by 2040. "The city’s population is currently 1.3 crore. By 2040, we will be almost 3 to 4 crore. At least four new Bengalurus should be built by 2040. We will have a health city, an integrated industrial township, a hub for aerospace or defence production and so on," he said. "We have to create a number of Bengalurus within Bengaluru where people should have the ease to do business, work and live. That’s possible if we start right now."

Bommai, the student of philosophy that he is, said that Bengaluru in 2040 should resemble cosmic arrangements. "Bengaluru should be like a planet with its own satellites having the best of connectivity, high-tech travel systems and a stay-and-work policy," he said.

Work on the STRR that will connect Devanahalli and Mysuru will commence this year, the chief minister said. "The state government has agreed to some concessions that the Centre was seeking. Shortly, we will have an agreement with the Centre," he added.

Recounting the city’s history right from when it was founded by Kempe Gowda in the 15th century, Bommai said that Bengaluru grew in an "unplanned" way that was "unfriendly" to natural resources. "Hence, we’ve seen a big strain on the city," he said. "There is the old city or core Bengaluru. Then came the Central Business District. Then came eight municipalities and 110 villages that were amalgamated with the city. They came along with all their problems."

"Synchronising these entities is difficult in terms of roads, underground drainage, open canals, water supply... it's a huge task. We’re trying to bring Bengaluru’s planning back on track," he said. "I know it’s a big challenge but someone has to take it on."

The chief minister said his government was working on better roads, traffic management and streamlining solid waste processing and sewage treatment. "These are the basics, the low-hanging fruits," he said. "And if the state of things in 2022 becomes the baseline, then some serious thought is required for Bengaluru," he warned.

Bommai called upon the city’s civil society to come together. "We need a strong, vibrant civil society that can think about problems and come out with solutions and participate in problem-solving. That can be the catalyst. Some people have tried this sincerely, but a kind of cynicism over the years hasn’t encouraged them," he said.

"The big question mark is of ownership. Unless all citizens own the city, we can't expect magic," he said. "If we start working on 2040 now by putting our heads down with an open mind and ideas coming from all directions… if we start 2022 as the year of implementation, we will achieve things by 2040," he said.

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