Government mulls single metro authority for city

Government mulls single metro authority for city
New Indian Express

BANGALORE: The Government is contemplating bringing all the civic agencies of Bangalore under a single metropolitan authority to streamline the City’s chaotic administration. At a recent Bangalore Development Authority (BDA) function, Chief Minister Dharam Singh thought this aloud.

Crumbling Bangalore is making more news than its upsurge. Due to governmental indifference, businesses including IT are looking towards relocating and cities like Hyderabad and Gandhinagar in Gujarat are only too happy to oblige. Civic agency heads feel that the CM’s utterance is pregnant with potential.

Question is will the Government deliver and when? The story so far: The Government is yet to act to save Bangalore’s pride. Bangalore City Corporation (BCC), BDA, City Municipal Councils (CMCs), Town Muncipal Councils (TMCs) and Bangalore Metropolitan Region Development Authority (BMRDA) are responsible for city’s infrastructure. These bodies pass the buck onto to each other blaming the other for lapses.

Take the BMRDA for instance. The Authority, which was formed years ago to architect the City’s expansion beyond the jurisdiction of BCC, TMC and CMCs, has become just another agency working without coordination with other agencies.

‘‘Civic authorities make a road and it is dug out the next day to lay a water line, to fix a sewerage problem or to lay an underground telecom line.

Coordination on a daily basis is the need of the hour. The Comprehensive Development Plan (CDP) can be much more effective if telecom authorities can coordinate on where they envisage future lines. Similarly inputs from BESCOM and BWSSB could be valuable. A co-ordinating agency could be very useful.’’ said the BMRDA commissioner A.K.Agarwal. Digging of newly asphalted roads is just the tip of the iceberg.

City Mayor Narayanswami is firmly in favour of the umbrella idea. ‘‘I have heard about it. I am sure it would benefit the city. In fact all public organisations providing civic services must be brought under one organisation ’’ he said.

At a future date, services like electricity, mass transport, telephones, water, sewerage and police will need to be co-ordinated centrally under one authority. That would be great leap ahead towards reversing the city’s decay felt the Mayor.