It appears that schemes for Bengaluru’s development are equated only with traffic decongestion, as if that is its only problem. Several projects are foreseen for ensuring ‘seamless mobility’, totalling more than INR 8,000 crore. Many of these road projects are being undertaken against scientific advice that they will not solve the problem of traffic congestion in Bengaluru. Have these plans been approved by the recently formed Bengaluru Metropolitan Land Transport Authority (BMLTA), which is mandated to make transport plans for Bengaluru as part of the Comprehensive Mobility Plan based on the Master Plan, or are these ad hoc plans being announced by the powers-that-be?
To mitigate the ill effects of climate change and control foods in Bengaluru, a project will be implemented with the assistance of the World Bank at a cost of INR 3,000 crore. A sum of INR 1,813 crore has been provided to develop 195 km of drainage and culverts. But will future encroachment of lake beds, buffer zones, etc. be prevented by taking action against officials permitting the violation of land use, zoning and building bylaw violations?
