One year on, how has the Greater Bengaluru Authority fared?

A year has passed since the implementation of the Greater Bengaluru Authority, replacing the old Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) with five city corporations. The restructuring aimed to decentralise administration and bring civic services closer to residents by increasing the number of wards from 198 to 369. However, despite the addition of 171 new wards, there has been no corresponding expansion of essential facilities such as primary health centres (PHCs), Indira Canteens, or ward offices.

City corporations are still operating with a workforce adapted to the old 198-ward setup, with a vacancy rate of around 40%. This indicates that the intended benefits of the new governance structure have yet to reach citizens.

Residents have expressed dissatisfaction with ongoing issues in areas like solid waste management, funding, and execution. With elections delayed and councillors and ward committees yet to be formed, many believe that the new administrative structure can fully deliver its promise of local governance only with stronger accountability mechanisms.

While top-level coordination and frequent meetings have helped expedite civic works and infrastructure projects, daily problems such as garbage blackspots, poor waste collection, potholes, and lack of citizen services persist.

The new corporations hoped for revenue growth through advertisement revenue, premium Floor Area Ratio (FAR), and B-Khata to A-Khata conversion. However, their revenue capacities have remained largely unchanged, as they face challenges such as a shortage of staff, offices, and funds. Additionally, key institutions crucial for the city's development and planning, like the Economic Development Agency and the Bengaluru Metropolitan Planning Committee (BMPC), remain far from becoming fully functional.