Vinay Baindur
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to JNNURM WATCH, CAF, greater-...@yahoogroups.com
Civic summit: Big promises but no time-frame
New Indian Express
BANGALORE:
Chief Minister H D Kumaraswamy set an agenda for civic infrastructure
in Greater Bangalore by arranging an interactive workshop for all civic
agencies.
These agencies are bound to interact with each other
on a daily basis and one wondered why their interaction was blown out
of proportion. The Bruhat Bangalore Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) has to
work in association with Bangalore Water Supply and Sewerage Board
(BWSSB) and Bangalore Development Authority (BDA).
BBMP is even
on the board of these two organisations. But city councillors always
complained of bad service from BWSSB. The Board is even accused of
digging up roads indiscriminately. BBMP has an issue with the BDA too,
in that the Authority hands over the layouts to the civic body but not
the civic amenity sites.
While BBMP is the organistion providing
civic amenities, the sites are held by BDA. BESCOM too was accused of
indiscriminate road cutting. When there is lack of co-ordination in
operations, the summit is of little use.
Further, the civic
agencies made fabulous proposals like Metro Rail in 2010, apartments
for Rs 3 lakh and roads that sound like a dream. But what happens when
the government changes in October? Would Mono-Metro controversy erupt
again? What happens to the expressways and ring roads, if opposition
comes to power? All the projects proposed by the agencies are long-term
projects that need 2 to 5 years to be completed.
Greater
Bangalore needs solutions that work in the short-term, not long-term
promises. BBMP needs higher grants, better enforcement rules and
adequate staff at the field level. Without these, the civic body would
crumble under the huge task. Until then, such summits are only of
publicity value.