BBMP makes way for Greater Bengaluru Authority: Top 8 things to know
On May 15, Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah announced the implementation of the Greater Bengaluru Governance Act, replacing the Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike with the Greater Bengaluru Authority.
With the official establishment of the Greater Bengaluru Authority (GBA) in May, Bengaluru underwent a significant administrative transformation. GBA replaced the Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) as the city’s primary governing body. (File photo)
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The move marks a first-of-its-kind attempt in India to fundamentally re-engineer metropolitan governance, moving beyond traditional models that have long struggled with fragmented responsibilities and poor coordination. (File photo)
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On May 15, Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah announced the implementation of the Greater Bengaluru Governance Act, replacing the BBMP with the GBA. (File photo)
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The Act allows the creation of small municipal corporations to govern the city instead of a single municipal body like the BBMP. (File photo)
Each municipal corporation will have its own elected council but will function under the overarching GBA—a chief minister-led authority, with the minister for Bengaluru development as deputy chairperson, tasked with coordinating and driving development projects across the Greater Bengaluru area. (File photo)
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Agencies such as the Bangalore Development Authority (BDA), the Bangalore Water Supply and Sewerage Board (BWSSB), the Bangalore Metropolitan Transport Corporation (BMTC), the Bengaluru Solid Waste Management Corporation, and the Bengaluru Metro Rail Corporation Limited will now operate under the GBA. (File photo)
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Experts say the GBA’s structure places significant control in the hands of the Karnataka government. It includes elected representatives, key state ministers handling home, transport, urban development, and energy portfolios, as well as the mayors of the newly created municipal corporations. (Photo: X)
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While the GBA promises decentralisation through smaller municipal corporations, experts warn it could also lead to excessive centralisation. With the chief minister at the helm and municipal commissioners reporting to the GBA’s chief commissioner, the principal executive officer of the body, the model risks sidelining elected mayors, experts were quoted by HT. (File photo)
