BDA Master Plan 2041 likely to go on drawing board soon

BENGALURU: The contract for the much delayed Revised Master Plan 2041 for the city, prepared by the Bangalore Development Authority (BDA), is set to be awarded to a bidder who has quoted Rs 8.44 crore. In another development, the State’s e-commerce department has proposed using drones to take photographs of the entire city to facilitate preparation of the plan, which could be the first such in the country.

This blueprint to develop the city was to be ready in March 2017, but was delayed due to numerous issues, and the city still relies on the 2005-2015 Master Plan. The minimum quote during the financial bid -- Rs 8,44,26,100 -- was made by Delhi-based Rudrabhishekha Enterprises, in partnership with Bengaluru’s Sky Group, said a top official. This was half of what the next bidder, Lea Associates, quoted at nearly Rs 17.5 crore (Rs 17,49,39,000).

There were only two bidders for the technical and financial bids called by the BDA. This is the second time tenders have been called after the previous round received zero response, he said.“The contract would naturally be given to the lowest bidder. The bid results have been tabled before the BDA Board and a written confirmation is awaited, he added.“The bidder will be given 18 months after the work order for the project is issued. It can be issued only after the latest satellite images are ready,” another official said.

Drones to be used?
The BDA has already paid Rs 1.4 crore to the Karnataka Satellite Remote Sensing Applications Centre to capture satellite images. “It is likely to capture the images in November or December, when it is less cloudy. It is not possible to take images accurately in the prevalent weather conditions, as we need pictures with a resolution of 15cm,” he said.

During a meeting held recently by the BDA and other departments, the e-commerce department proposed using drones instead of satellites, as the accuracy would be better, another official said. “The Urban Development Department is examining it and if okayed, BDA would be the first government body in the country to use drones for the Master Plan,” he added.