Tech capital fights being Bangalored

Tech capital fights being Bangalored
The Financial Express

An urban planner in Karnataka’s IT capital sums up the sentiments of residents here: “While Bangalore has world class buildings, the infrastructure has become third class. I have little hope it will improve in the future.” He has reasons to be disillusioned. Over the past decade, in its ascend to become a favoured global IT destination, the city has also gathered heightened pollution levels, bewildering traffic woes (traffic jams on flyovers are common here) and pot-holed roads .

Rampant encroachments on drainage paths and other water bodies make the city flood during rains. A number of mega infrastructure projects announced a decade ago are stalled or move at snail’s pace, thanks to the political flux and corruption in state’s bureaucracy, according to sources. Unauthorised and temporary landfills across city outskirts are dumped with a good portion of 26,000 tonnes of garbage daily.

According to government sources, the state is finalising the revision of a seven-year comprehensive city development plan involving Rs 22,000 crore, for approval under the Jawaharlal Nehru Urban Renewal Mission (JNNURM). Effective storm water management, road development, garbage disposal and restoration and promotion of heritage sites are on top of the planner’s agenda.

Feedback Consulting CEO V Ravichander, who was involved in urban planning, says, “A more pragmatic thinking would be to focus on specific, smaller projects that can impact the lives of poor and middle class alike.” Government insiders are also apprehensive about large investments involved, as the state would have to raise 50% of the investments, while the Centre would contribute only 35% of the costs as per JNNURM.

The state government’s earlier city development plan of Rs 10,000 crore was returned by JNNURM without approval citing non-compliance with mission norms.

Public transport is a main concern in civic life here. The Bangalore Metropolitan Transport Corporation (BMTC) runs 4,035 buses, in which 32 lakh passengers commute daily, as per official estimates. According to traffic expert MN Srihari, “The traffic situation is improving with the introduction of more routes for BMTC buses. From November 1, the government will increase the number of routes to 100 from 25 currently.”

The government is mulling reforms to promote public-private partnerships in infrastructure, through a new policy, according to RK Mishra, co-chair of public-private Empowered Committee on Infrastructure.

However, sources point out the lack of water-tight guidelines to back the policy, making private companies apprehensive of investing in infrastructure. The government’s stalling of the Rs 4, 000 crore Bangalore Mysore Infrastructure Corridor has also discouraged private participation in city building, sources add.

While Bangalore’s neighbouring city Mysore has begun to attract huge IT investments, the state recently announced the formation and linking of another five satellite towns including Sathanur, Nandagudi, Bidadi, Kasaba and Solur around Bangalore to attract more investment.