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Karnataka CM plans integrated cities around Bengaluru
The Bommai government and those before him have continued to keep their focus on Bengaluru, the growth centre for Karnataka and one of the biggest contributors to the union’s coffers.
Karnataka chief minister Basavaraj Bommai on Friday mooted the idea of building-integrated cities around Bengaluru to accommodate the growing population and provide better amenities.
“Bengaluru should be, according to me, like a planet where there will be satellite towns along with the best of connectivity with rail, road, hi-tech travel systems and easy mode of transportation for the passengers,” Bommai said on Friday, PTI reported.
The chief minister was speaking at the Bengaluru 2040 Summit by Deccan Herald in Bengaluru.
The Bommai government and those before him have continued to keep their focus on Bengaluru, the growth centre for Karnataka and one of the biggest contributors to the union’s coffers.
“At least four new Bengalurus have to be built around Bengaluru, and in between these four, we can have different types of activities such as health city and integrated industrial township, including those related to aerospace and defence related industry,” Bommai said.
The proposals come at a time when the Bommai government and several others before him have been accused of allocating huge budgets to “develop” Bengaluru but the city remains one of the poorest in terms of quality of public infrastructure.
The Bommai government earmarked ₹8,409 crore for the ‘comprehensive development’ of Bengaluru in the March 4 state budget.
But the unplanned and rapid expansion of Bengaluru has led to widespread civic challenges for its over 12 million residents who have to endure treacherous roads, declining quality of air and water, encroached and polluted lakes, fall in several trees and green spaces and rising number of residents that is further draining up its limited resources.
But corruption has been rampant by Bommai’s admission.
In September last year, Bommai informed the upper house of the state legislature during the monsoon session that a total of over ₹20,000 crore was spent only on road-related works in Bengaluru over the last five years.
In October last year, Bommai launched the Dashboard that allows real-time monitoring of major projects in Bengaluru to avoid delays and speedy implementation.
Bengaluru, home to almost a quarter of Karnataka’s total population, is a city that aspires to be recognized as a global hub but has been struggling to cope with its own rapid and unplanned growth.
Many mega projects like the Metro, Outer Ring Road, Flyovers and several other public works have led to huge challenges for the residents and the 9.4 million vehicles that ply on its poor quality of roads.
Bengaluru has 13,847 kms of arterial and sub-arterial roads, of which only 295 kms are said to be in good condition and another 246 kms have now been ridden of potholes, according to the Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP, the city’s civic body) in October last year.
Potholes and bad roads have even taken lives in the city as hapless citizens tread on dug-up streets, open manholes and other life-threatening conditions.
Bengaluru had the highest number of casualties due to civic apathy in 2020 at 18 deaths, which was higher than all other major cities put together.
