Brand Bengaluru Committee to propose creating multiple municipal corporations under GBA

The Brand Bengaluru Committee, earlier known as the Bengaluru Restructuring Committee, is gearing up to present three detailed proposals to the State government regarding the creation of multiple municipal corporations under the newly formed Greater Bengaluru Authority (GBA).

This move follows the official notification of the Greater Bengaluru Governance (GBG) Act, 2024. The committee, chaired by B.S. Patil, held its first formal meeting on Saturday since the Act’s notification and began working on restructuring plans.

The State government has formally mandated the committee to submit its recommendations concerning the formation of corporations, boundary delimitation, and associated governance structures. The panel is expected to reconvene later this week to continue its deliberations and refine its proposals.

The GBG Act was recently notified after receiving the assent of Karnataka Governor Thawarchand Gehlot. As per the notification, the GBA will govern a jurisdiction of 709 square kilometers, matching the existing juridiction of the Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP). However, despite the formation of the GBA, the BBMP will continue to function under the BBMP Act, 2020, until the civic body is officially restructured into multiple smaller corporations.

Sources familiar with the ongoing discussions revealed that the committee is considering three governance models: splitting the BBMP into three, four, or five corporations. These options are based on the current population distribution across the city. Although senior bureaucrats had previously prepared a draft for a three-corporation model, the presence of several inaccuracies prompted the State government to seek more accurate and detailed recommendations from the committee.

The panel possesses a wealth of demographic and urban data accumulated over years of research on city governance. This data will form the basis for its proposals. Committee members emphasised that their work will be independent, guided solely by empirical evidence and urban planning principles, and free from political or bureaucratic influence. Additionally, the committee will factor in the city’s inevitable growth and future expansion as a core part of its planning and recommendations.