Activists raise concerns as BDA moves ahead with Master Plan

Bengaluru

With the Bengaluru Development Authority (BDA) proceeding with the drafting of the Revised Master Plan (RMP) 2041, activists and citizens have raised concerns that, in the absence of a Metropolitan Planning Committee (MPC), the plan could be challenged in court for being unconstitutional.
The BDA’s Revised Master Plan has seen significant delays, with the RMP 2031 shelved by the government in 2017 without any reasons cited. The plan currently being drafted will cover approximately 540 square kilometres of land around the jurisdiction of the Greater Bengaluru Authority (GBA), encircling the city.

Citizens also pointed out that the existence of multiple agencies involved in planning the city’s development is complicating the process. Kathyayini Chamaraj of CIVIC Bengaluru said, “Planning has to be by a single agency for the entire metropolitan area. How can synergy be obtained if two different agencies are planning?” She added, “Neither BDA nor GBA are entitled to plan for Bengaluru. Planning for the entire Bengaluru Metropolitan Area has to be done by the Metropolitan Planning Committee (MPC) mandated under the 74th Constitutional Amendment, with two-thirds representation of councillors from the BBMP area and presidents of surrounding Gram Panchayats, as well as CMCs and TMCs. So, to make a Master Plan in the absence of the MPC is unconstitutional.”

Echoing similar concerns, Sandeep Anirudhan criticised the authorities for the lack of an MPC and said the new Master Plan risks becoming another misstep like its predecessors. “First of all, they haven’t built the capacity to make a Master Plan. The sad thing is that it’s been nearly 30 years since the 74th Constitutional Amendment, but city authorities have not developed the necessary expertise. We need urban planners, ecologists, sociologists and transport planners to draft the Master Plan. Instead, they will outsource it to a land-use consultancy,” he said. He further added that the new Master Plan is likely to be challenged in court on constitutional grounds.

Offering suggestions, Raj Dugar of Citizens for Citizens said he has written to the BDA, urging steps to revive the green belt around Bengaluru and address congestion at Hebbal Junction. He noted that the green belt, introduced in the 1970s to curb urban sprawl and preserve ecological balance, has since become defunct. He has called for the formation of an expert committee to restore the green belt. Dugar also suggested measures to ease traffic congestion along the Hebbal–Mekhri Circle stretch, including improving walkability, enhancing alternative road networks, and expediting ongoing civil works in the area.