Bad roads, potholes, and garbage may be the issues about which people are more vocal about. But the latest on-ground survey on the citizen’s demands for the upcoming BBMP budget has revealed that sanitation, storm-water drains (SWD), regular water supply, and bus connectivity are high on people’s agenda.
The survey, My City My Budget, conducted in 75 wards across the city by Janaagraha Centre for Citizenship and Democracy from November 2015, generated 6,037 inputs with 1,028 citizens, trade associations, and residents’ welfare associations (RWAs) as participants.
The survey reflects the real on-ground priorities of people, said Sapna Karim, coordinator, Civic Participation, Janaagraha Centre for Citizenship and Democracy. “Bus connectivity has emerged as a bigger issue than potholes and roads. The priorities also vary across the city. We will be working with the RWAs to take up the issues with their councillors in the upcoming ward-wise works and other projects in the city,” she said.
Perhaps reflecting the horrific memories of floods during monsoon, storm-water drains are on top of the agenda of the citizens, with 27.9 per cent of the inputs being linked to SWDs. While 13.3 per cent of the respondents want dredging of drains, 7 per cent want the drains repaired, and 7.6 per cent want construction of new SWDs.
Regular water supply seems to be the next big issue occupying the citizen’s mind, with 26.1 per cent of inputs generated linked to it. Water supply issue is more severe in the outer zones where Bangalore Water Supply and Sewerage Board (BWSSB) is yet to lay infrastructure.
The other issue to dominate the people’s agenda is sanitation, with 17.3 per cent of the respondents demanding improved sanitation facilities. While 9.7 per cent have demanded better maintenance of sewer lines, 7.6 per cent want new sewer lines laid.
Bangalore Metropolitan Transport Corporation (BMTC) bus connectivity seems to be the bigger concern than roads and potholes in the city. Introduction of new bus routes, and increasing the frequency of buses during night time figure high on the city’s agenda, according to the survey.
In comparison, only 3.9 per cent of the respondents talked of asphalting potholed roads. The BBMP, however, spent a large extent of its finances on roads during the last two fiscals. The Chief Minister granted Rs. 1,000 crore twice under the Nagarothana Scheme for roadworks in the city (in November 2014 and March 2015).
D.S. Rajashekhar, chairman of the Citizen Action Forum, said water supply and sanitation were issues that dominated the outer zones. He argued that infrastructure to ease traffic situation and roads should be big on the agenda for the core city. He added that public transport, including Namma Metro and suburban rail, were the need of the hour.
Civic agenda in city divided
The civic agenda reflects the stark infrastructure divide in the city. The issues dominating the agenda of respondents in the outer zones and the newly added 110 villages are laying new water supply lines and sewer lines, construction of new storm-water drains, and introduction of new bus routes.
While the same issues also dominate the civic agenda in the core city, citizens here are more bothered about plugging leakage of water and sewer lines, dredging and repairing SWDs, asphalting pothole-ridden roads, and increasing frequency of buses during non-peak hours and night time.
Issues such as repair of footpaths, construction of public toilets, road signage, and parking facilities are almost absent on the agenda of citizens in the outer zones, as need for basic infrastructure such as water and sanitation takes precedence here.
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M.S. Shivaprasad, chairman, standing committee on Taxation and Finance, BBMP: Special focus will be given in the BBMP budget this time to storm-water drains, including constructing new ones in the outer zones. We have sought a special package of Rs. 300 crore from the government in the State Budget for SWD work. We are racing against time to complete these projects before the onset of monsoon.
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T.M. Vijay Bhaskar, chairman, BWSSB: The problem of lack of water lines and sewer lines is most severe in the 110 villages added to the BBMP in 2007. We have prepared a Rs. 5,000-crore project, for which we have sought assistance from Japan International Cooperation Agency. We hope to ink the deal with the JICA this year and implement the project in 2017.
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Janaagraha conducted workshops and survey in 75 wards across the city
Sample size: 1,028 citizens, RWAs and trade bodies
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‘My City My Budget’ generated 6,037 area-specific hyper-local demands
Issues of inputs | Per cent share of total inputs |
Dredging storm-water drains (SWD) | 13.3 |
Regular water supply | 13.1 |
Maintenance of sewer lines | 9.7 |
Laying new water pipes | 8.6 |
Construction of sewer lines | 7.6 |
Construction of SWD | 7.6 |
Repair of SWD | 7 |
Introduction of new bus routes | 6.5 |
Increase frequency of buses | 4 |
Asphalting pothole-ridden roads | 3.9 |
Issues dominant in outer zones | Issues dominant in core city |
Construction of SWD | Dredging storm-water drains |
Construction of sewer lines | Maintenance of sewer lines |
Introduction of new bus routes | Increase frequency of buses |
Asphalting mud/unpaved roads | Asphalting pothole-ridden roads |
