Bengaluru: As the concept of circles has vanished from the city, the BBMP is planning to give a new look to the existing few circles by bringing in creative and innovative ideas. The Palike is also trying to rope in students of Chitrakala Parishath to give these circles a makeover.
City Mayor Sampath Raj told Deccan Chronicle that developing circles is on BBMP cards. “I have directed the joint commissioners of all the zones to come up with a plan to give the existing circles a makeover and also to discuss with the officials of Chitrakala Parishath if they can rope in their students to come up with artworks.”
He said, “Artworks, like stone sculptures, paintings, sketches and collages, creative designs made from recycled material and other innovative ideas are welcome. These circles carry a legacy and have been there for several decades. City’s old timers still recognise areas through the circles, for example Hudson Circle and Netkallappa Circle.”
He agreed that several circles in the city have disappeared and remained only in name and turned into traffic junctions. “I have asked the officials to identify the circles falling under the BBMP jurisdiction and compile a list. The work will be carried out on cost-to-cost service, which means cash will be paid only to purchases required. The Chitrakala Parishath students will also get an opportunity to showcase their work, which are seen by the public every day. We will work out the details and get an approval from the department concerned and start the work at the earliest," he said.
A senior BBMP official said that a few circles, like Armugam Circle in Basavanagudi, M.N. Krishna Rao Circle, Prof B.S. Madhav Rao Circle and a circle on Annaswamy Mudaliar, have been identified for now.
Mr Suresh Moona, a historian in the city, said, “Circles have disappeared because of city’s rapid development. Earlier there were hundreds of circles, like Mekhri circle, Mirza Circle and National College Circle. Now these are just names and have given way to traffic. Earlier, circles were beautiful and each had huge chandeliers imported from Middle East and other countries.”
