Rapidly growing Bengaluru may finally get a dedicated planning committee — a constitutional requirement under the 74th Amendment. The legislature panel headed by MLA Rizwan Arshad has recommended that the State government constitute the Bengaluru Metropolitan Planning Committee (BMPC). The proposed Greater Bengaluru Authority (GBA), under the Greater Bengaluru Governance Bill (GBGB) 2024, will also fall within the purview of this apex body.
The 13-member committee, headed by Mr. Arshad, said: “The State government shall constitute the BMPC for an area including but not limited to the GBA, with a composition as per Article 243ZE of the Constitution of India.” The BMPC will be responsible for preparing a draft development plan for the Bengaluru region, including areas under GBA.
The report recommended that the BMPC be chaired by the Chief Minister, with the Chief Commissioner of GBA serving as the member secretary.
N. Ravinchandran, who was part of the Restructuring Committee that drafted the GBGB Bill, stated that the GBA will act as the local planning authority within its jurisdiction, as per the Bangalore Metropolitan Region Development Authority Act, 1985. The GBA may delegate planning assessments or support functions to the Bangalore Development Authority (BDA). However, the BMPC’s jurisdiction will extend across a larger area to be notified by the State government, which will also include the GBA’s limits.
This effectively makes the BMPC a superior planning authority. While the GBA has the powers to draft master plans for its jurisdiction, these plans must be ratified by the BMPC. Additionally, the panel recommended that the approval of layouts, including industrial layouts, be handled by the GBA, ensuring alignment with the master plan.
To facilitate smooth traffic flow, the report suggested that the sanctioning of industrial unit plans should be overseen by the respective city corporations.
Published – March 05, 2025 09:15 pm IST