GBA would serve as a ‘bureaucratic hurdle’: BNP

NT Correspondent

Bengaluru: On a sweltering Sunday, citizens and industry experts under the banner of Bengaluru Navanirman Party (BNP) staged a day-long protest at Freedom Park against the enactment of the Greater Bengaluru Governance Bill by the state government. The Bill has become a prominent topic of discussion, as its approval by the Governor could lead to the division of the city into as many as seven corporations.

Additionally, the bill proposes the establishment of a Greater Bengaluru Authority (GBA) tasked with overseeing civic agencies such as the Bangalore Water Supply and Sewerage Board (BWSSB), Bangalore Electricity Supply Company (BESCOM), and Bangalore Development Authority (BDA). Protesters argued that the bill fails to empower local bodies and citizens. Despite the Brand Bengaluru Committee's advocacy for Ward and Area Sabhas, the bill does not incorporate these provisions, according to the agitators. The legislation grants authority to Members of the Legislative Assembly (MLAs), which, in the absence of an elected council, has already led to a troubling concentration of power.

Residents and other concerned parties have voiced their opposition to this centralisation, consistently calling for prompt elections to the Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP). Addressing the gathering, Srikkanth Narasimhan, the founder and general secretary of the BNP, expressed his concerns regarding the Bill, stating, “The Bill lacks clarity regarding its structure, daily operations, and the model of decentralisation." “It is unclear how many new entities will be established. If there are too many, how will you coordinate. If there is only one, how will you decentralise,” he asked.

He emphasised the importance of establishing a Metropolitan Planning Committee, which should concentrate on urban development and appoint a mayor with genuine executive powers, akin to a chief minister governing the state. He further remarked that the GBA would serve as a “bureaucratic obstacle.” Additionally, the BNP has decided to approach the Governor and the Karnataka High Court to request modifications to the Bill.