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Bengaluru's new civic body to set up border towers for city corporations, says DK Shivakumar: Report
The Greater Bengaluru Authority replaces BBMP, with plans for border towers to define new city corporation limits.
With the Greater Bengaluru Authority (GBA) now officially replacing the Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP), many residents are wondering how the boundaries of the five new city corporations will be marked.
In this light, Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister DK Shivakumar has announced that border towers will be set up to clearly show the limits of each corporation. This will help people know which civic body to approach for services or complaints, according to a report by The Times of India.
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The announcement was made at the opening of the GBA headquarters on Tuesday. Shivakumar also said that foundation stones for new municipal offices will be laid on November 1, to mark Kannada Rajyotsava.
The idea of boundary towers is inspired by Kempegowda’s historic watch towers, which once outlined old Bengaluru. A similar plan by BBMP in 2014 never took off, but the GBA hopes to bring the idea to life.
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Shivakumar also revealed plans to strengthen civic services, including:
– Hiring 300 engineers, with one assigned to each ward.
– Adding 500 junior engineers to ensure better monitoring and transparency.
A proposal to increase the number of wards from 198 to 500 is under review, with ₹300 crore allocated for salaries and admin costs, the report stated. Shivakumar said elections for the new corporations will come first, before any mergers are considered.
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There’s also a discussion about changing the GBA’s name to better reflect Kannada culture, and public suggestions are welcome, the report added.
Meanwhile, GBA Commissioner Maheshwar Rao asked citizens to be patient with pothole repairs, explaining that ongoing rain and other civic work are causing delays, as per the publication.
