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

The plan was discussed at a high-level meeting chaired by Chief Secretary Shalini Rajneesh

Facing criticism over Bengaluru’s deteriorating infrastructure, Karnataka government on September 24 unveiled a 90-day action plan to address potholes, garbage clearance, unfinished projects, and road maintenance, while also considering congestion pricing on the Outer Ring Road (ORR), one of Bengaluru’s busiest stretches.

The plan was discussed at a high-level meeting chaired by Chief Secretary Shalini Rajneesh and attended by senior officials including Additional Chief Secretary (Urban Development) Tushar Girinath, GBA Commissioner Maheshwar Rao, Biocon founder Kiran Mazumdar-Shaw, civic activist RK Misra and representatives from other agencies.

Also, read: BlackBuck CEO’s post on Bengaluru’s crumbling Outer Ring Road jolts Karnataka into action

“Attended a comprehensive meeting held by the Chief Secretary to discuss city infra improvement. We now have a time-bound roadmap for roads, garbage and debris management. All key agencies were present,” Mazumdar-Shaw posted on X.

She told reporters, “We have discussed the 90-day plan covering roads, garbage clearance, and sewerage. The government has given assurance, but citizens also must support. In 90 days, we expect visible changes such as filling potholes, asphalting, white topping, completing unfinished projects, ORR redevelopment, and progress on 12 high-density corridors.”

Misra outlined a phased approach for the 90-day plan. October will focus on making all major roads motorable, including areas that require complete resurfacing. November will focus on citizen participation through the ‘My Street, My Responsibility’ campaign, ensuring proper garbage disposal and reporting violations. December will involve corporate participation, particularly along ORR, which sees around 25 lakh IT employees commuting daily.

Congestion pricing

Measures such as carpooling and congestion pricing were discussed to manage traffic demand. On congestion pricing, Misra explained, “If a car with only one occupant enters ORR, a congestion fee may be deducted automatically via FASTag. Cars with two or more occupants won’t be charged. This is not just about building infrastructure but also managing demand. London and Singapore do it, and Bengaluru, as one of the fastest-growing cities, needs to consider it too.”

Misra highlighted the emphasis on accountability, saying, “All major projects will be monitored through a new contract management app covering procurement to payments. No contractor will be paid unless progress is reported. This focus on quality, timeliness and accountability should yield results.”

Officials also discussed inter-campus connectivity for IT parks, expediting the ORR Metro line, and strict quality checks on road materials such as VG 30-grade bitumen. Chief Minister Siddaramaiah has reportedly directed that contractors delivering poor-quality work will be blacklisted and denied payments. Misra said, “Every commissioner of five municipal corporations now feels empowered. If we combine this accountability with monitoring, I believe we will see improvements in the next 2–3 months.”

Also, read: Why were road works not completed? Karnataka CM expresses displeasure over Bengaluru roads, sets one-month deadline to fix potholes