BENGALURU: Greater Bengaluru’s geographical area is set to expand by 1km radius with the Karnataka legislature clearing the BBMP restructuring bill on Thursday, reports Anil Gejji.
If the move passes the government legal test, then the BBMP area will expand from 816sqkm to nearly 900sqkm after adding new local bodies on the fringes.
The proposed expansion is likely to cover gram panchayats, town panchayats, town municipal councils, city municipal councils which house some major IT companies. This is expected to increase the property prices in the new zones. This would, in turn, bring in more revenue to the Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP).
Inclusion of new areas will increase the number of wards from 198 to 243.
BILL SEEKS SEPARATE LAW TO GOVERN BENGALURU WITH 30-MONTH MAYORAL TERM, ZONAL PANELS
The BBMP bill seeks a separate law to govern the city with a 30-month mayoral term, a chief commissioner, zonal committees. At present, BBMP is governed under the Karnataka Municipal Corporation Act, 1968.
After tabling the bill in the assembly in March, the government referred it to a joint panel following objections raised by several members, including a few from the BJP.
The government was planning to implement the bill’s provisions after the BBMP council’s term ended on September 10 and hold polls in the middle of 2021. However, the Karnataka high court recently ordered the State Election Commission to hold polls to the existing 198 wards and notify it in six weeks. The government is now planning to move the Supreme Court, armed with the bill and seeking more time to implement it.