Play by the rules, warn experts

Urban planning
Play by the rules, warn experts
Deccan Herald

While the reform agenda clearly mentions that States should ensure meaningful association of ULBs in planning function of parastatals and delivery of basic services, experts warn that Bangalore needs to start planning for this transfer of responsibility...

Who should plan a City - the same entity which is to implement the plan or a parastatal body? Whatever the opinion of the experts, transfer of urban planning function to the municipal body is top on the list of mandatory reforms under JN-NURM. The State government has agreed to a timeline of four years for moving towards this reform.

While the reform agenda clearly mentions that States should ensure meaningful association of ULBs in planning function of parastatals and delivery of basic services, experts warn that Bangalore needs to start planning for this transfer of responsibility - from BDA to Brihat Bangalore Mahanagara Palike, immediately.

The JN-NURM guidelines list 18 functions that should be directly under the control of municipal bodies, urban planning being the crucial one. However, the parastatal agencies like the BDA or BWSSB, which were founded to make up for the deficiencies of the Bangalore Mahanagara Palike, will now have to redefine themselves, point out experts.

“Urban planning begins with evolving a city development plan (CDP), which speaks of the vision for the city (and not a mere land use document like the BDA’s master plan). Unless the CDP tackles every other issue concerning the City, its development path in all its layers, urban planning will be a tough nut to crack. It is logical to involve the municipal body as it gives out building permits and checks violations,” says Mr Ramesh Ramanathan, national technical advisor, JNNURM.

A mere transfer of responsibility cannot work miracles, warn experts. “It is not a question of who does it but how it is to be done,” says Mr Ravichandar, a consultant.

“Are the parastatal agencies following transparency? Do we have qualified urban planners in the team to visualise, plan and evolve better models - are questions that need to be answered. Expertise is something we simply cannot do without. So, we should work backwards if we are to handover the function to the local body. Urban planning should look beyond land use and focus on infrastructure, architecture, transport, solid waste management, environment, health among others,” adds Ravichandar.

“The present dichotomy where BDA plans and BMP implements should end. The BDA Act can be repealed as the BBMP and its elected council can ensure more orderly growth by providing infrastructure and urbanising low-density areas,”he added.