GBA to launch new campaign focusing infra fix from November 1

The drive will cover sanitation, road and junction repairs, drains and storm-water drains, drinking water supply, sewerage, streetlights, public transport, lakes, parks, waste management, tax collection, protection of government property, and traffic management.

Even as the Freedom from Waste campaign is under way, the Greater Bengaluru Authority (GBA) will launch a new campaign, titled “Ward One”, from November 1, focusing on addressing infrastructure issues.

Greater Bengaluru Development Minister Krishna Byre Gowda said on Wednesday that, under the campaign, the corporations would undertake a month-long drive to address local civic issues, with priority given to repairing roads and improving junctions.

“Initially, one ward in each division will be selected for improvement. Ward-level officials will be provided with a checklist to systematically assess sanitation and infrastructure deficiencies. The assessment of requirements will begin on Thursday,” he said.

The drive will bring together parastatals and all associated departments, including Bangalore Electricity Supply Company (Bescom), Bangalore Development Authority (BDA), the Traffic Police, railway agencies and Bangalore Water Supply and Sewerage Board (BWSSB). A ward-level committee comprising officials from all departments will be formed. The committees will coordinate the required works, monitor progress, and prepare an execution plan based on the time needed to complete sanitation and infrastructure improvements in each selected ward.

The drive will cover sanitation, road and junction repairs, drains and storm-water drains, drinking water supply, sewerage, streetlights, public transport, lakes, parks, waste management, tax collection, protection of government property, and traffic management.

“Assistant engineers, junior health inspectors and marshals will inspect roads and public spaces, identify pending issues, and map each problem to the department responsible for resolving it,” Mr. Gowda said.

According to a GBA source, during the first seven days, one ward in each division will be selected for the implementation of improvement works. Based on the outcomes on the ground and the lessons learnt, the drive will be expanded to other wards. The GBA aims to cover all wards.

Mr. Gowda said the rains had subsided and that infrastructure works could be taken up throughout November. He said priority would be given to improving and upgrading junctions.

The exercise will involve identifying junctions in each ward that are notorious for traffic problems and preparing dedicated plans to upgrade them. The plans will incorporate inputs from the Traffic Police, commuters, and local residents. Mr. Gowda added that better road conditions and improved junction management could help reduce traffic bottlenecks.

“To collect such micro-level details, we need time and dedicated staff. So, the first week of the drive will be dedicated to understanding the implementation challenges, and the plan will be tweaked accordingly,” a GBA source told The Hindu.

When asked about the progress of other drives undertaken earlier, Mr. Gowda said the debris-clearance drive was ongoing and that the works were being followed up. Meanwhile, the footpath-clearance drive had been completed to an extent, he said, while acknowledging that the “encroachments” had returned.

“No work can be done 100% in this system, but when we work together, a certain degree of success can be achieved. Now, the onus should also be shared by local leaders, who must take action on the ground to ensure that the work is sustained and becomes a continuous process,” he said.