Five new corporations take shape instead of Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike

Bengaluru: In what marks the first formal step taken to end the existence of Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike, the state govt Saturday came up with a draft notification that culminates in the creation of five civic corporations in the Greater Bengaluru Area (GBA).

The new civic bodies are: Bengaluru West City Corporation, Bengaluru South City Corporation, Bengaluru North City Corporation, Bengaluru East City Corporation, and Bengaluru Central City Corporation. While the total extent of the GBA would be the same as that of BBMP, at 712 sqkm, each of the new city corporations covers an area ranging between 78 sqkm and 168 sqkm.

Each corporation will comprise 2-10 assembly constituencies. Five constituencies will be split between two city corporations. While Bengaluru South City Corporation will be the largest with nine assembly segments, Bengaluru East Corporation will have only two assembly seats: Mahadevapura (excluding Bellandur area) and KR Pura. In fact, Bellandur in the tech corridor, which is a maximum revenue-generating pocket, has been added to Bengaluru South City Corporation. Localities in Rajarajeshwari Nagar assembly constituency have been divided into three corporations.

The draft notification to form five city corporations follows extensive deliberation by the Brand Bengaluru Expert Committee (BBEC), which carried out multiple simulations and studies based on population, density, infrastructure, property tax revenue, and administrative feasibility. The committee had concluded that five corporations struck the best balance between scalability, administrative manageability, and citizen convenience. Citizen convenience and easy accessibility of all services to the citizens and larger participation was also taken note of before recommending the five corporations.

All the new corporations vary in area, population, and revenue. Bengaluru West is projected to have the largest population at 4.5 million, while Bengaluru Central will be the most densely populated, with 32,051 persons per sqkm. Each corporation is expected to be financially viable, with projected property tax collections ranging from Rs 543 crore (North) to Rs 912 crore (East) annually, totalling over Rs 3,400 crore across all five. Among the area, East City Corporation will be the largest spread over 168 sq km and Central Corporation will be the smallest with a 78 sqkm area. Post the final notification, the five new corporations will each have their own commissioner, council, budget, and administrative machinery.

Over 15 simulations

Confronted with the ground reality of lower population and higher revenue in the eastern parts, higher population and lower revenue in the western parts, the BBEC experts carried out more than 15 simulations to minimise the property tax differences across new corporations. The committee initially tried dividing five corporations with Rs 100 crore differences across all corporations but it had to be dropped as east zone lacked the one-million population mandate. Efforts to carve out corporations considering the arterial roads as boundaries resulted in disturbing the boundaries of assembly constituencies.

Any objections?

If there are any objections or suggestions pertaining to the draft notification, the urban development department has stated that the samecan be communicated formally within 30 days to the additional chief secretary, urban development department, Room-436, 4th floor, Vikasa Soudha, Dr B R Ambekar Veedhi, Bengaluru – 560001.



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