Budget offers no balm for South Bengaluru’s infrastructure troubles

South Bengaluru residents may have to endure critical infrastructure bottlenecks for at least another year, if the FY 2026–27 budget of the Bengaluru South City Corporation (BSCC) is any indication. Presented Saturday, the budget offers no clear allocations or detailed roadmap for key projects such as the Begur Road corridor, improvements at Outer Ring Road (ORR) junctions, and the long-pending Ejipura Elevated Corridor — initiatives that could have provided much-needed relief to commuters and residents alike. The absence of firm financial commitments for the high-impact mobility interventions has raised concerns over prioritisation and execution, particularly as congestion continues to worsen across South Bengaluru.The BSCC civic budget, with an outlay of over Rs 3,800 crore, instead seeks to emphasise select stretches such as Bannerghatta Road and give a parallel push on lake rejuvenation, highlighting a shift in immediate focus rather than a comprehensive mobility strategy. The lake rejuvenation proposal, however, holds the promise of checking flooding by overflowing waterbodies during monsoon in the region.The 10km Bannerghatta Road stretch from Dairy Circle to NICE Road has been proposed for development this year. "The corridor, currently in a deteriorated condition due to years of neglect and repeated utility works, continues to pose significant challenges for commuters. Broken surfaces, uneven footpaths and poorly restored patches have rendered large sections of the road nearly non-motorable," a senior engineer from BSCC said."Although the responsibility for restoring the road was initially expected to be handled by BMRCL as part of the Pink Line Metro works, it has now been transferred to the corporation," he added.However, with only Rs 12 crore being allocated for the project, far short of the estimated requirement of Rs 60 crore, only basic asphalting can be undertaken, raising concerns about the longevity and quality of the work, he admitted.The corporation is exploring additional funding options, including a proposal to secure about Rs 30 crore from the Greater Bengaluru Authority (GBA). With the Pink Line Metro expected to increase traffic along the corridor, the urgency to address Bannerghatta Road conditions has grown, but financial constraints continue to limit the scope of intervention. For daily commuters, the delay has already taken a toll, with many describing the stretch as hazardous, particularly for two-wheelers navigating dust, uneven surfaces and poorly laid concrete.Responding to the criticism, BSCC commissioner Ramesh KN said: "This is an ongoing project. High-density corridors and major infrastructure will be supported through Central grants. The GBA budget is primarily for corporation-level works. For areas like Banashankari, feasibility is still under evaluation, and planning is under way. We could not take it up in this budget."Even as key mobility projects remain unaddressed in the budget, the corporation has outlined selective road development measures, including Rs 50 crore for road widening under the RMP 2015 Comprehensive Development Plan, Rs 20 crore for Subramanyapura Road widening and Rs 40 crore for improvements from Begur Main Road to Begur Koppa Road. Additionally, arterial and sub-arterial upgrades worth Rs 433 crore are being implemented through CMIDP and SIP grants, focusing on asphalt paving, footpaths, drainage and junction improvements.QUOTES (with mugshots)Vishnu Prasad | member, Save Bellandur ForumThe big positive in the budget is the commitment to ensure that all wards have offices and local administration. While most infrastructure projects need deeper analysis, the elephant in the room remains land acquisition, given the failure of TDR and the low allocation for acquisition. A key missing element is a clear plan to address last-mile connectivity and congestion in a holistic mannerPadmaja Mohan | resident of Konanakunte CrossSouth Bengaluru faces a huge problem when it comes to garbage and blackspots. The surroundings of Banashankari temple are always covered with garbage. Even the garbage collection vehicles are neither clean nor punctualDhruv NK | citizen, UttarahalliI am also not satisfied with the waste management allocation — there is a need for more focus given the scale of issues on the ground. We are dealing with multiple civic problems — broken footpaths, garbage, illegal flex banners and encroachments. What we really need is more marshals in each ward. With better on-ground supervision, issues can be addressed more efficientlyBOXWhat's in the pipeline? *Begur and Madiwala lakes are likely to get boating facilities on a pilot basis on a PPP model*It is proposed to establish a special ‘Smruti Van' (memorial forest) by giving priority to trees with medicinal value within the corporation limits*To absorb excess rainwater and reduce urban flooding, sponge parks are proposed to be developed within the limits; Rs 2 crore has been earmarked *A new ‘hub & spoke' model will be implemented for collecting blood samples from patients visiting the 25 Urban Primary Health Centres and 49 Namma Clinics, and testing will be carried out in empanelled private laboratories*A mobile crematorium will be introduced for scientific disposal of carcasses of small animals, birds, and livestock found dead in public places within the corporation limitsGFXWhat's prioritised in budgetEstablishment: Rs 372.7 croreAdministrative: Rs 102.3 croreProgrammes: Rs 286.2 croreOperations & maintenance: Rs 656.6 crorePublic development works: Rs 1,661.9 croreDevelopment works undertaken by B-Smile: Rs 625.4 croreDeposits & tax refunds: Rs 120.8 croreTotal: Rs 3,826 croreWhere money comes fromTax & cess revenue: 28.6%Non-tax revenue: 28.7%GoI grants: 4%GoK grants: 17.6%Extraordinary income: 15.9%Other grants: 5.2% Where money goes Establishment expenses: 9.7%Administrative expenses: 2.7%Programmes: 7.5%Operations & maintenance: 17.2%Public development works: 43.4%B-Smile devpt works: 16.3%Deposits and tax refunds: 3.2%