NURM: Are we stakeholders for namesake? Ask councillors, people

NURM: Are we stakeholders for namesake? Ask councillors, people
Deccan Herald

The burgeoning seams of Bangalore City might have compelled the State government to moot the merger of the seven City Municipal Councils (CMC) with the City limits.

The burgeoning seams of Bangalore City might have compelled the State government to moot the merger of the seven City Municipal Councils (CMC) with the City limits.

However, the voices from these suburbs remain drowned literally. The public hearing on Jawaharlal Nehru National Urban Renewal Mission (JNNURM) held for the K R Puram and Mahadevapura CMCs on April 24, managed to attract only a handful of unprepared, curious Councillors and hundred odd furious citizens.

What transpired between the various stakeholders and the organisers (the DC’s office) was too little to be quantified.

The NURM presentation was followed by angry residents screaming for basic amenities.

The presiding officer tried to explain the purpose of the meeting, which fell on deaf ears.

“We insisted on a few things like more green space, curbing unauthorised construction and revival of betterment charges as the CMC is grappling with huge tax losses and dearth of funds. The next on agenda is of course the Cauvery water supply,” said Chandraiah, Ward 2 Councillor from K R Puram.

“The national highway needs to be widened to ease traffic jams. The new flyover needs modification to establish link roads to our villages,” suggested another Councillor from K R Puram.

However, the residents from K R Puram were eager to highlight the area’s overflowing pot of woes. “If you ask us, the area needs Cauvery water as most borewells have gone dry and the tanker supply remains erratic and unsafe. Pits make for sanitation as the locality lacks underground drainage. Whatever the NURM is aimed at, we will soon launch a public campaign for better facilities,” says T D Ramakrishna, a welfare association member in Rama Murthy Nagar.

Says Anjanappa, another resident, “We want all properties to be regularised as it will streamline development.

At present, we have unplanned layouts as the various government departments like revenue and BDA, and the local bodies are creating confusion among the people. Who is to earmark green spaces, common facilities like community hall, stadium, health clinics or schools?”

Lack of planning

The first NURM meeting suffered due to lack of planning, allege many Councillors. “Both the people and the Councillors turned up for the meeting with a blank head,” said a CMC official.

“The meeting hall had bad acoustics and the voices echoed. Most part of the presentation was Greek and Latin to us. An orientation meeting was necessary so that we could prepare for it. We hope to discuss and draw better plans. But is it possible now,” asks Chandraiah.

Says G Mallikarjuna, AEE of Mahadevapura CMC, “Luckily for our CMC, we had held a primary meeting and drafted a plan. Our major concern is the underground drainage facility and encroachment along the lake beds. We also want the BDA-owned plot to be developed as a public garden. With increasing IT activity here, we are facing huge traffic and flyovers, road over bridges and underbridges have become inevitable.”

Interestingly, Nagaratnamma, ex-president of Mahadevapura CMC, who attended the meeting believes that the CMC has all amenities. “We have no major problems in our CMC and, hence, did not demand anything.”

The last meeting may or may not be the final public meeting in the CMCs which have a stake of Rs 1,154 crore in the Central package.

But the common man and his elected representatives are keeping their fingers crossed hoping that they don’t remain ‘namesake’ stakeholders.

HAVE YOUR SAY

In a bid to help cities find their own standing, the Union government unveiled the JN-NURM in December 2005. As many as 63 cities have been chosen to receive central assistance for infrastructure development and basic services to the urban poor over the next 7 years.

Deccan Herald, in this special series, highlights different aspects of the JN-NURM. You can have your say in the City planning under the project and we will publish them. Send your responses with name, address, phone numbers to editor@deccanherald.co.in or fax it to 25880523 or post it to Deccan Herald, 75, MG Road, Bangalore-1.