Palike to go hi-tech in July

Palike to go hi-tech in July
Wednesday May 9 2007 10:46 IST

BANGALORE: Come July, an official in the distant Bommanahalli zone can discuss civic issues face-to-face with the commissioner of Bruhat Bangalore Mahanagara Palike (BBMP).

Palike is getting ready with video conference facility connecting all the eight zonal offices with the central office at N R Square.

In keeping with the hi-tech image of the Greater Bangalore, BBMP is implementing a 2 Mbps wide area network (WAN) of all the zonal and range offices. IT advisor to Palike, W M Shivakumar told this paper that commissioner K Jairaj had set an early deadline for the ambitious project which has many features other than video conference.

“It is a part of the larger project to create a Municipal geographical information system (GIS). Palike plans to integrate all departments of the civic body both for internal use and for better interface with the public,” he said.

Though, Municipal GIS would take some time, video conference would be a reality by July, Shivakumar said. The core zones of Palike have all the networking infrastructure but it needs to be created afresh in the five new zones, he said.

The project would cost up to Rs 70 lakh, Shivakumar said. Municipal GIS Under Municipal geographical information system project, the base map of Greater Bangalore would be updated to include data on roads, properties, storm water drains, cross drainage works, street lights, trees, public taps, toilets, parking zones, bus shelters, traffic signals, medians, footpath and shoulder drains.

On property, the data would feature details like property tax, khata details, land use status and information on compliance with building bylaw. The information of roads, footpath and other amenities would include work history and current works taken up.

Shivakumar said that all the information would be placed on the base map in various layers which would be available at a mouse click. Surely, a way to go hi-tech.