BBMP

The Department of Urban Development of the Government of Karnataka has published the draft rules for the Constitution of the Metropolitan Planning Committee for the Bangalore Metropolitan Region and invited comments from the general public on these rules. These are my comments, following a detailed consideration of the provisions of these rules. Overview of the proposed MPC structure Draft rule 3 speaks of the constitution of the Committee. The State government nominees are: The Chief Minister Minister for urban development Chairperson, BDA Principal secretary to government Urban Development One representative of the Government of India (National Capital Region and Planning…

A clean up drive turned out to be a wake up drive, for shop keepers as well as BBMP, on Saturday, November 23, 2013 . As many as 26 shops at Johnson's market received notices for not having trade licenses  or for not displaying it. Health inspector Amarappa, Medical Officer of Health Sanghamitra and Additional Commissioner Yatish Kumar responsible for Solid Waste Management and Health carried out the inspection of trade licenses and waste disposal at Johnson's market on Hosur Road. There are many vendors in Johnson's Market who violate the rules. Pic: Nikita Malusare As you enter Johnson market…

This draft notification is dated November 07, 2013, and published in the Gazette dated November 14, 2013. Technically the notification can have objections till November 29, 2013. URBAN DEVELOPMENT SECRETARIAT NOTIFICATIONNo. UDD 356 MNJ 2005(P), Bangalore, dated: 07.11.2013 The draft of the Bangalore Metropolitan Planning Committee Rules, 2013 which the Government of Karnataka proposes to make in exercise of the powers conferred by section 503B read with section 421 of the Karnataka Municipal Corporations Act, 1976 (Karnataka Act 14 of 1977), is hereby published as required by sub-section (1) of section 421 of the said Act, for the information of…

Not so early in the morning, I look down from my third floor apartment. There’s a lady sweeping the dead-end road. I know her, though I don’t know her name. She wears the official BBMP coat and she collects garbage from each of the apartment building. Sometimes I see her, while walking, from a car and smile and wave at her. She smiles back. A beautiful, cheery smile, but with an edge of self-consciousness. As if unused to be smiled at. As if unacknowledged as a human by those who live in apartments. (Pic for representation only. Can’t find the…

Urban Development Department has published the draft rules for the Constitution of the Metropolitan Planning Committee for the Bangalore Metropolitan Region inviting objections or suggestions. Please find below my submissions after a detailed study: The draft Rules have not been given adequate publicity in the Press and Media. Even till date the notification does not appear in your department’s website. I therefore request you to give wide publicity in the media including publishing on your department’s website and extend the date for receiving suggestions by 30 days. Sec 4(1) c of RTI Act requires you to publish all relevant facts…

The Government of Karnataka has issued the notification outlining the formation of Metropolitan Planning Committee (MPC). The long-awaited step has been taken very secretively, with no publicity to this anywhere. Not even the Urban Development Department website has displayed it; nowhere has it been kept for public discussion. The draft notification has been gazetted and published on November 7, 2013, with 15 days for public feedback on the issue - that is on or before November 22, 2013. Problems MPC is supposed to solve Right now Bangalore has too many planning authorities that sanction approvals and plan the land use.…

The report was prepared in 2008 and proposed a different planning structure for Bengaluru region. This report was also taken into consideration by ABIDe, to prepare the Bangalore Regional Governance Bill draft. Also read: MPC draft notification published by Government of Karnataka gazette. This has come into picture now again, in the backdrop of the Karnataka government's move to constitute Metropolitan Planning Committee. You can read the report on the website itself, or download the report by clicking the below link. Dr Kasturirangan Committee Report on BBMP Related ArticlesPlanning power to other civic bodies will be an obstacle to MPCBengaluru…

Just a few months ago – on 23 February 2013– a fancy, “sky kissing” (ambara chumbana) clock tower, the tallest in the state, was installed with much fanfare at a cost of over Rs 90 lakhs (by a cash-strapped city administration). The fancy clock not only showed the time, it was supposed to change colour for each day of the week - orange for Tuesdays, blue, green etc. Go take a look now – the ‘colour changing’ bit has not lasted even a few months. It remains orange forever. Spend money on a 'colour-changing’ fancy contraption, pay the contractor, and…

There seem to be differences of opinion between the government and the BBMP, regarding the implementation of recently approved Karnataka Town and Country Planning and Certain Other Laws (Amendment) Act 2009 - popularly known as Akrama Sakrama scheme. With the Governor H R Bhardwaj giving his nod to the scheme, many illegal constructions will soon become regularised, by paying a penalty. Interestingly, the Governor had rejected the proposal sent by the BJP government in July 2010. The Governor was not in favour of legalising illegal constructions, but okayed the bill after certain amendments by the present government. Most of the…

The Mayor feels IT industry has not done enough for Bengaluru. Sir, here are four things that IT can do for the city quickly. (a) Digitise the property records in the city, and host them online, so that everyone can see who is paying taxes, who is not, and how much. Likewise, digitise the records of government properties, spatially, and put them up online. (b) Digitise the records of all public works, including the history of works on each road, and put them up. (c) Digitise file movement in the BBMP, so that the routine work of the agency becomes…