The State government may be patting itself on the back for “remaking all major roads” in the city, including under white-topping project, but improved roads and drivability heads the citizens’ wish list. This was one of the key findings of the My City My Budget campaign, by the Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) and Janaagraha Centre for Citizenship and Democracy.
Of the total 26,297 inputs the campaign gathered, 5,407 (or 21%) made specific demands for road infrastructure in their neighbourhoods. This is an increase by 3 percentage points for the category from last year when a similar exercise was conducted.
However, what has gone down the order on the citizens’ wish list from last year is footpaths — from 23% to 18% of the inputs this year.
Sapna Karim, head – Civic Participation, Janaagraha, said it was difficult to gauge if the BBMP has carried out works in the sector and improved pedestrian facilities as most of the projects were yet to be completed. The 2017–18 State Budget had earmarked ₹200 crore for improving 200 km of pavements in the city. A senior civic official said the BBMP had undertaken several footpath projects.
Public health and sanitation has emerged as the second priority for citizens, up from 15% last year to 19% of the inputs this year. This is followed by 15% for trees, parks and playgrounds, and 8% for crime and safety. Though, water supply is not covered by the BBMP budget, the campaign found 7% of the inputs pertaining to water supply shortages. However, surprisingly, solid waste management does not figure high on the wish list.
The BBMP had incorporated only 21% of the inputs the My City My Budget campaign submitted in 2017–18, which translates to works worth ₹515 crore. Ms. Karim said those left out from the last year’s report had been included in the report submitted to the Mayor for 2018–19 on Wednesday.
N. Manjunath Prasad, Commissioner, BBMP, said My City My Budget, had established a nice bridge between people and the civic administration, and the civic body was committed to including people’s inputs in the budget.
Budget on Feb. 28
The BBMP will present its budget on February 28. The budget, earlier scheduled for February 23, was postponed as consultations are still on.
The budget is to be presented for the first time by a JD(S) councillor since the Congress–JD(S) alliance came to power in the BBMP council in 2015. It has acquired much significance for the two parties as this will be the last budgetary statement they can make before the Assembly elections.
