No consultation, BDA finalises master plan!

BENGALURU: Although the Bengaluru Development Authority has assured the citizens of Bengaluru that the Master Plan 2031 will be finalised after holding extensive public consultation, it has now uploaded on its website with any discussion.

On Wednesday, the BDA has put up a 35-page detailed master plan 2031 on its website with 10 parts, including population projection, rationalisation of jurisdictions of planning districts and transport sector. It also said that the revised master plan aims to integrate other sectoral plans and recommendations from different stakeholders and service providers such as BMRCL, BWSSB, Bescom, BMTC, KIADB and BSNL.

When the BDA called for the public consultation last time at Ambedkar Bhavan with less than 24 hours prior intimation, the members of Citiznes' Action Forum (CAF) and other Non Government Agencies protested and demanded that adequate time for citizens and it should be intimated across the city to take public opinion.

The BDA's move to update the master plan on the website without holding a public consultation has attracted the wrath of public.

CAF president D. S. Rajshekar said it was unfortunate that the BDA has already put its master plan 2031 in a hush-hush manner without even calling for public consultation. Time and again the BDA is proving that it does not care for citizens of Bengaluru, but wants to create a plan for the entire city, he added.

Being a public body, the BDA must shed this attitude and work in the interest of public, he said. Another issue is that though the BDA's jurisdiction has increased, to include Anekal, Hosakote, Devanahalli, Magadi and Nelamangala, it has failed to monitor and have a holistic plan for its jurisdiction.