Bengaluru Governance Vacuum Slows Building Approvals
Bengaluru’s ambitious decentralisation effort is facing an unexpected bottleneck, as the city’s town planning system struggles to operate without key leadership posts being filled. Months after the dissolution of the Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) and the creation of five new civic corporations to localise governance, approvals for building plans and land-use changes have slowed significantly due to the absence of dedicated senior planning officers.
The state government had announced new positions of Additional Director and Joint Director (Town Planning) for each corporation to improve accountability and streamline urban planning across the fast-growing metropolis. While the junior positions have been staffed, the top posts remain unfilled, leaving the entire planning function reliant on a single officer, currently holding additional charge across all five corporations. Developers and urban practitioners say the current arrangement undermines the very purpose of decentralisation. A builder seeking project clearance observed that the approval cycle has stretched considerably, noting that “one individual cannot realistically carry the workload of five independent corporations without delays”. Several industry voices expressed concern that stalled processing will affect housing supply, real estate investments and infrastructure timelines.
The Greater Bengaluru Authority (GBA), the apex body overseeing the metropolitan region, has taken temporary control of the planning operations. Its town planning wing is now not only reviewing individual proposals but has also been tasked with preparing the city’s comprehensive master plan — a responsibility traditionally handled by the Bangalore Development Authority. Insiders say the dual burden could slow long-term planning at a time when Bengaluru urgently needs clarity on land use, public transit corridors and climate-resilient infrastructure. A senior government representative confirmed that requests have been sent to the Department of Town and Country Planning for deputing senior officers and insisted that the delay should be resolved soon. However, officials privately acknowledge that finding qualified planners willing to take on complex metropolitan portfolios has been challenging.
Urban experts warn that prolonged delays may have broader social consequences. Slowing real estate approvals could raise housing costs in a city already battling affordability concerns, while deferred public infrastructure permissions could hinder mobility projects, green public spaces and drainage upgrades essential to equitable, climate-proof urban development. A senior planner noted that “Bengaluru needs predictable and inclusive planning systems to remain livable for residents across income groups not systems that depend on a single human bottleneck.” Resolving the staffing gap quickly is therefore seen as key to ensuring the decentralisation exercise delivers on its promise: faster decision-making, better citizen participation and a planning process that protects the city’s economic competitiveness while supporting sustainable, people-centred growth.
Bengaluru Governance Vacuum Slows Building Approvals
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