City, periphery to become Greater B’lore

City, periphery to become Greater B’lore
Deccan Herald

The State Cabinet on Wednesday gave its nod for the formation of Greater Bangalore by merging seven City Municipal Councils (CMCs), a town municipality and 106 villages surrounding the City with the core area falling in the jurisdiction of Bangalore Mahanagara Palike (BMP).


The State Cabinet on Wednesday gave its nod for the formation of Greater Bangalore by merging seven City Municipal Councils (CMCs), a town municipality and 106 villages surrounding the City with the core area falling in the jurisdiction of Bangalore Mahanagara Palike (BMP).

The Cabinet approval came after Chief Minister H D Kumaraswamy held a meeting with elected representatives, where the Congress demanded bifurcating of the administration of Bangalore rather than merging it. The Chief Minister said he will hold further rounds of meeting on the subject, and assured that the government’s decision will be out before November 1.

Briefing reporters after the Cabinet meeting, Home Minister M P Prakash said the plan will help in systematic development of areas falling in the existing Bangalore City; Dasarahalli, Byatarayanapura, Mahadevapura, Bommanahalli, Yelahanka, Krishnarajapuram and Rajarajeshwarinagar CMCs and the Kengeri Town Municipal Council. As many as 106 villages falling under various gram panchayats bordering the BMP, CMCs and the TMC will also be brought under the new corporation.


The 106 villages cover an area of 197 sq km and have been identified on the basis of their ranking in urban parameters (30 per cent developed).

Prakash said the Karnataka Municipalities and Corporations Act will have to be amended as provision 7A of the Act caps the maximum number of wards in any urban local body at 100. The Act is likely to be amended during the special sitting of the State legislature in Belgaum. The BMRDA has been asked to prepare master plans for townships at Anekal, Hoskote, Magadi, Malur and Kanakapura.

Cong opposition

Eight Congress MLAs from Bangalore asked the government for bifurcation or trifurcation of Bangalore at the special meeting in the afternoon. The BJP ministers and MLAs did not air their views. Zameer Ahmed, JD(S) MLA from Bangalore, , was absent.

The Congress MLAs said there should be two-three separate corporations to ensure decentralisation of work and improve the administration of the City.

Mayor Mumtaz Begum said administrating a large city will be “very challenging” and there are no sufficient resources and funds to meet the challenges.

GREATER VISTAS

*50 wards with a jurisdiction of more than 600 sq km and population of 56.86 lakh

* City Municipal Councils, 1 Town Municipality and 106 villages will form the core area

*Population of Greater Bangalore likely to touch 80 lakh by 2010