Where are the resources to fund Master Plan?

Where are the resources to fund Master Plan?
Business Standard

The government should be more clear on how the resources for the proposed Comprehensive Development Plan (Master Plan 2015) will be mobilised and how the infrastructure problems will be addressed, A Ravindra, former chief secretary, Karnataka said.

He was speaking at a seminar on ‘Coping with Bangalore Infrastructure - CDP (Master Plan 2015)’ conducted by the Bangalore Chamber of Commerce and industries (BCIC).

He said that under the 74th Amendment of the Constitution each city must have a development plan and a competent authority to implement the plan.

The lack of a central business district (CBD) and overlapping of responsibilities among the various bodies is a major hurdle in city planning, said M N Vidyashankar, commissioner, Bangalore Development Authority (BDA).

Another problem the city faces is the wastages of space, which is almost 180 sq km. “This area has been distributed to private people but no construction is taking place,” Vidyashankar added.

The Draft Master Plan talks of local planning area (Bangalore Metropolitan Area) of 1,306 sq km with a conurbation (cluster of towns) area of 786 sq km, a green belt and agricultural area of 455 sq km for a projected population of 8.84 million by 2015.

Before the new plan was drafted, a proper study of the previous plans (in 1985 and 1995) were done and so far BDA has spent 4.36 million euros for drafting the plan. The 1995 draft plan had aimed at a conurbation area of 564 sq km but this was reached in 2003 itself, two years ahead of schedule.

“We have considered all the these anomalies of the previous plans and this time have made an accurate projection,” said Vidyashankar. He added that the plan area has been reduced by 60 sq km due to the Mysore highway project.

Bangalore population is growing every year by 3.26 per cent and hence an additional 2,200 hectares are required to meet the needs of the city. Almost 6.9 per cent of the total area -- 54 sq km is marked for water bodies.

Speaking on the transport requirements of the city, Upendra Tripathy, managing director, BMTC said that the integration of public transport with private is key to the city.

The main recommendations made for the proposed master plan calls for developing a Mass Public Transport System (MPTS), promoting a Commuting Railway System (CRS) and promoting multi-articulated dedicated bus lanes along the main axes of the city.

According to S K Pattanayak, chairman, BWSSB there is no water shortage in the city but the City Muncipal Corporation (CMC) where more than 15 lakh people live, faces a serious shortage in water. “We have suggested to the integration of CMC with the BCC for the draft plan,” said Pattanayak.