Can Greater Bengaluru Authority deliver Bengaluru’s ‘London moment’ with planned densification and mobility push?

Bengaluru’s split into 5 corporations and new Greater Bengaluru Authority could be a ‘London moment’ with planned densification, mobility gains, say experts

Bengaluru’s rapid urban growth has pushed housing costs and commute time to the brink, and experts warn that the city’s new governance model may be its last chance to reset course. The proposed framework, with five municipal corporations under a strong coordinating body like the Greater Bengaluru Authority modelled on the Greater London Authority, could be the city’s ‘London moment.’ But success will depend on stricter planning rules and effective implementation. Also, with five commissioners in place, the often-neglected outskirts could finally get the attention needed for more balanced, well-planned growth, experts say.

Bengaluru’s housing and commute crisis makes its new governance model, five corporations under the Greater Bengaluru Authority, a potential ‘London moment,’ experts say. (Representational Image) (AFP)

The Karnataka Legislative Assembly, on August 19, passed the Greater Bengaluru Governance (Amendment) Bill that attempts to decentralise Bengaluru’s civic body and divide the city into five smaller corporations. These corporations will function under a central authority, the Greater Bengaluru Authority (GBA).

The Jaanagraha analysis of the Greater Bengaluru Governance (GBG) Act found that it scored just 3.4 out of 10 on governance effectiveness, far below the standards required to support a fast-growing metropolis where infrastructure and urban planning are under immense strain from real estate expansion.

What is the bill about?

Greater Bengaluru Governance (Amendment) Bill, 2025 seeks to divide the city’s municipal corporation, Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP), into several smaller municipal corporations, introducing a more decentralised and participatory model of urban governance.

It also provides for the creation of a Greater Bengaluru Authority (GBA), envisioned as a supervisory body to coordinate development and ensure integrated planning across the metropolitan region.

The five corporations - Central, North, East, West, and South - will be carved out of the former municipal body and vary in size and population. This restructuring follows the formation of GBA on May 15, 2025, replacing BBMP as the city’s official governing body.

A city growing without a centre

Bengaluru’s real estate boom has been marked by rising rents, soaring land costs, and unplanned expansion into the peripheries, experts said.

Srikanth Viswanathan, CEO of Janaagraha, told HT.com that Bengaluru’s current trajectory has left central neighbourhoods stagnant and in some cases shrinking, while hubs like Bellandur and Whitefield have absorbed much of the economic activity without any planned infrastructure. “Bengaluru has no single city centre anymore. The opportunity now is to identify and nurture multiple growth centres and plan them well, especially with the metro network expanding,” he said.

Bengaluru’s ‘London moment’

Viswanathan emphasised the need for planned densification paired with improved mobility. “We have the chance to develop 15–20 minute neighbourhoods, where people can access healthcare, schools, and transport within a short walk or commute. With five municipal corporations and a strong coordinating body like the GBA modelled on the Greater London Authority, this could be Bengaluru’s London moment, but only if planning rules are tightened and implemented well,” he said.

Janaagraha’s analysis of GBA notes that the law currently lacks mandates for ward-level planning, differential development control rules (such as flexible FSI and setbacks in growth hubs), and citizen participation in plan-making. Without these, the GBA may fail to integrate real estate development with infrastructure and mobility.

Real estate pressures mounting on IT capital

With time, experts have pointed out that Bengaluru’s real estate market has seen both residential and commercial prices surge, a trend linked to inadequate planning and poor transport integration. Viswanathan warned that high housing costs and commute challenges are beginning to weigh on the city’s competitiveness.

“We’re hearing from companies that mobility and housing costs are rising so much that young professionals are starting to think twice about staying here. Tomorrow, cities like Hyderabad or Pune or Chennai or even global cities could start attracting this talent,” he said.

“Bengaluru has to ensure planned and sustainable development, and the GBA has a clear mandate to play an important role as a planning and coordinating authority. It is only through this metropolitan model, with the GBA planning and coordinating between multiple municipalities, and state departments, that such planned sustainable development can be achieved,” Viswanathan noted.

New corporations, better planning for outskirts

The creation of five city corporations under the GBG Act, experts said, should in theory allow for greater local focus. “We will have five municipal commissioners, and the outer areas will finally get more attention. If implemented correctly, the outskirts can see better planned growth,” they noted.

Janaagraha’s analysis of the Greater Bengaluru Governance (GBG) Act concluded that while it is a step forward from earlier legislation, it remains inadequate to meet the city’s governance challenges.

The think tank has proposed a three-pronged roadmap: first, the state government must take immediate steps to establish new city corporations, complete ward delimitation and reservations, and conduct elections by March 2026 to restore democratic representation. Second, it should notify detailed rules within six months, with public consultation, to operationalise key provisions such as the election of mayors, functioning of ward committees, preparation of budgets and accounts, and the formation of a Bengaluru Metropolitan Planning Committee.

In addition, Janaagraha has called for critical legislative amendments to strengthen the Act. These include instituting a full-term Mayor-in-Council system, empowering ward committees with funds and planning authority, mandating area sabhas for neighbourhood-level engagement, and granting financial and administrative autonomy to city corporations.