The Siddaramaiah government, which constituted the Bengaluru Vision Group, on Tuesday decided to include the mayor in it.
The mayor’s exclusion from the group, which is also called the Bengaluru Blue Print Action Group, had come under severe criticism from various civic activists and was seen as an attempt by the government to circumvent the elected Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) council.
The new government order includes another member from the private sector — architect Vivek Menon.
The other concern about the exclusion of representatives from various civic agencies too will be addressed, said Bengaluru Development Minister K.J. George on Tuesday.
“The City Police Commissioner and representatives of Bangalore Metro Rail Corporation Limited, Bangalore Metropolitan Transport Corporation, Bangalore Electricity Supply Company and Bangalore Water Supply and Sewerage Board too will be made permanent invitees to meetings of the group,” Mr. George said.
The commissioners of BBMP, Bangalore Development Authority and Bangalore Metropolitan Region Development Authority are already permanent invitees.
Reacting to concerns about the Vision Group “sidestepping the elected BBMP council and the Bengaluru Metropolitan Planning Committee”, Mr. George said it would only be a recommendatory body asked to give suggestions to develop the city. “It will in no way impinge on the powers of the councillors or BMPC,” the Minister said.
The first meeting of the Bengaluru Vision Group is likely to be held by the end of May.
