Bengaluru: 2.3 crore population by 2031? Really, BDA?

Bengaluru: The Revised Master Plan (RMP) 2031, prepared by the Bangalore Development Authority, has pegged population of Bangalore to be 2.3 crore. The present population of the city is just 1.2 crore and, according to BDA, it will double in another 13 years which is not possible, said Nitin Seshadri, president, Koramangala 3rd Block Resident Welfare Association.

Pointing out the flaws in the document, at a discussion organised by United Bengaluru, Nitin said, “The population should grow at a rate of 5.6 percent annually for the next 13 years to reach 2.3 crore. But look at the population growth over the last 20 years. Between 1997 and 2007, it grew at 4.5% and then between 2007 and 2017 at 3.8%, indicating that the rate of population increase is decreasing and will continue to decrease." The consultants who prepared the RMP have got their statistics and mathematics wrong, he said.

Solid waste management expert N.S. Ramakanth alleged that the consultants have multiplied the figure of present garbage collection and projected that the city will generate 13,000 tonnes of garbage per day by 2031. “Now, the city generates 4,000 tonnes of garbage which works out to 546 gm per head. In the RMP, it is pegged at 800 gm. RMP does not talk about segregation at source, decentralised waste management etc. While the city is struggling to manage just 4,000 tonnes, it will drown if 13,000 tonnes of garbage is generated every day without any proper plan to decentralise it."

D.S. Rajashekar, president, Citizen's Action Forum, said, “BWSSB is struggling to supply water to Bengalureans. There are many parts which receive water only twice a week. Water woes will worsen by 2031 as it has to be supplied to 2.3 crore people as per the RMP projection and there are no practical plans to supply water to all.” Sajan Poovayya, senior advocate, Supreme Court, said, “Every citizen is a stakeholder and they should be consulted for any plan that is coming up in their vicinity as per 74th amendment. BDA didn't consult citizens for RMP and the consultants too were not given specific matrix to work on.” Citizen activists demanded that BDA take the RMP 2031 to a larger audience and discuss it in public forums so that citizens can understand it and record their objections.