Bengaluru’s 5 corporations a game-changer, competition improving services, says chief commissioner

Maheshwar Rao M

Bengaluru’s urban governance has undergone a sea change in the last few months. The Greater Bengaluru Authority (GBA), the city-wide body with five corporations, replaced the Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike in September.

M Maheshwar Rao, a 1995-batch IAS officer, is the man in the middle. The Harvard graduate took over as BBMP chief commissioner in April and is now the first chief commissioner of the GBA.

In an interview to Moneycontrol, Rao shares how five corporations will make governance more efficient and responsive, the teething troubles the GBA is facing and how revenue sharing will be worked out. Edited excerpts of the interview:

In September, BBMP was replaced by Greater Bengaluru Authority (GBA) with five corporations. How has it been so far?

GBA was formed with five corporations and 10 zones to provide more local empowerment. One corporation had become unwieldy, with top-down processes and multiple layers of officers needed for efficiency. Now, all five commissioners take independent decisions, staff has been provided, and additional personnel will soon be added for subdivisions, ward offices, and revenue functions. The focus is on properly resolving citizen grievances.

Over the past few months, officers have produced better outcomes, and many citizens have noticed improvements in cleanliness, garbage management, and overall city upkeep. While there’s still work to be done, the quality of services has improved a bit, and governance is becoming more effective.

Also read: From BBMP to GBA: Will it make Bengaluru great again?

How will revenue generation and expenditure work?

Each corporation retains its own resources. Property tax collected will go directly to the respective corporation, which they can spend it as needed. Equalisation will be done only through government-owned resources.

So, East Corporation will have higher revenue than West?

For now, yes, East will likely have more revenue but this creates healthy competition and encourages other corporations to boost their revenue. The State Finance Commission will decide on grants to balance resources.

There have been many complaints about poor infrastructure in East Bengaluru.

East has grown rapidly, and historically, we couldn’t create enough posts when the population was smaller. As population surged, infrastructure — like the revised master plan (RMP) roads — did not keep pace.  We are developing some of these roads and improving them to make travel easier for people. We are now catching up, and with the new structure and revenue streams, East Corporation can improve infrastructure and service delivery more effectively.

Also read: Greater Bengaluru Authority takes charge as BBMP era ends

How do you expect each corporation to fare?

We anticipate healthy competition. Commissioners have their own approaches but good practices are quickly replicated. Officials are becoming more responsive —conducting inspections, checking work quality, widening roads, and ensuring cleanliness. There will be teething issues but as GBA chief commissioner, I’m working to resolve these challenges so each corporation functions smoothly.

Also read: Karnataka unveils 90-day action plan to fix Bengaluru’s infra woes, considers congestion pricing on ORR

Have complaints reduced?

Yes, complaints have come down. Commissioners sharing the workload has improved responsiveness. Smaller jurisdictions already show faster communication, quicker reviews, and faster decision-making. Most commissioners are younger and energetic, so we expect delivery to improve further.

Will there be more field inspections?

Field inspections have always been key. The CM and deputy CM have instructed that commissioners must be on the ground to understand the city firsthand. We hope greater visibility will help officials better appreciate local issues. Recently, some commissioners conducted eight-kilometre morning walks to inspect work and interact with residents.

Is there a fund crunch?

Being mid-year, most tax revenue has already been allocated and many schemes are underway. Initial discretionary funding is limited but as corporations mobilise additional revenues, more works can be undertaken.

How will the budget work?

Each corporation will have its own budget presentations before March 2026. The GBA budget will be part of the urban development department and included in the state budget. Corporations will manage their own schemes.

Also read: MC Explains: Greater Bengaluru Governance Bill and what it means for the tech capital

GBA’s plan to rent 46 mechanical road-sweeping machines at Rs 613 crore has faced criticism.

We have made the costing public. Some suggested cheaper alternatives, so we are engaging a third party to review the costs. We compared mechanical sweeping with hiring manual labour. On congested main roads, quality and safety are key concerns - manual work is unsafe during peak traffic or at night. For a city with a Rs 20,000 crore budget, Rs 6,000 crore annual revenue, and Rs 10,000 crore spending, an investment of Rs 600 crore over seven years (Rs 90 crore a year) for sweeping is reasonable. Hiring manpower would cost roughly the same. The main factor is machine quality, which determines maintenance costs. No money has been spent yet.

There’s criticism of Outer Ring Road's infrastructure. How is it being addressed?

ORR has extremely high traffic, mostly IT professionals. While Metro work is progressing, feeder roads also need upgrades. We are redesigning entry and exit points in multiple locations along ORR, improving road management and high-quality construction, expected to reduce traffic jams by 15-20 percent within one and one and a half months. These are temporary measures. Metro, expected mid-next year, will be the final solution. Companies along the corridor should also promote public transport over private vehicles. We are working to improve road quality on ORR but actual work will likely begin around February-March, once government approvals and grants are in place. Initial disruption is expected during the work, but upgraded roads will meet world-class standards and improve travel on ORR. I will seek government approval to hold review meetings and engage stakeholders to ensure these plans are implemented effectively.

Also read: Karnataka's Rs 600cr plan for Bengaluru sweeping machines catches internet's attention; BJP smells 'massive scandal': 'Math isn't mathing'

Many citizens say complaints filed are closed without resolution. How will this be fixed?

Our level of service in some areas has been somewhat poor and needs improvement. I will definitely take this up with the concerned commissioners, especially now that the single control room (1533 helpline) routes all complaints to the respective corporations. Having multiple corporations and increased commissioner capacity ensures more effective handling going forward.

Why are TenderSURE roads not being expanded?

We are focusing on pedestrian movement and improving footpaths. Water pipelines are being shifted, and white-topped roads will have uniform carriageways. Footpaths may vary depending on road width, and utilities are being moved to the sides for proper maintenance. This is the approach being followed for all white-topping roads.