I have read the Bangalore Master Plan 2015 for the first time.
I am happy to see the recommendations made after a structured study. ( Though I would have expected this to have more meat)
What concerns me is how this is being put in use? What is the govt doing to ensure that all the departments in BBMP work towards this plan and what are the Key Performance Indicators in operationalizing such a plan?
Urban development is a major concern for Namma Bengalooru. Money savvy real estate guys and underplanning agencies seems to have cluttered the city with unplanned business spaces coming up in hook and corner of the city.
Though it has benefited our economy in the short term, this same phenomen will make us to invest massively in the long run to fix the mess we create now. I am not sure what is being done on urban planning. Please do let me know if you have more inputs on this. Is there a mechanism by which we can increase the public awareness in this space?
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BM Plan 2015 - Will mess up city further
Bangalore Master Plan 2015 has several PILs pending in courts. The principal complaint against it is that it allows commercial activities in any zone including residential areas, which will lead to further traffic congestion & chaos.
I think another major weakness is that it does not include any recommendations for transport infrastructure for the newly created areas. (See this paper - second para on the opening page).
As far as implementation is concerned, I think various agencies are already doing this when sanctioning building plans, etc, as recommended by CDP-2015. A large map is posted at BDA head office (third floor) & staff consult the map whenever they have doubts - noticed this during my last visit there sometime ago.
Masterplan 2015 and now the BMRDA plan
"What concerns me is how this is being put in use? What is the govt doing to ensure that all the departments in BBMP work towards this plan and what are the Key Performance Indicators in operationalizing such a plan?"
Even if one agrees with the masterplan 2015( which i do not from a residential areas point of view), in my mind there are 2/3 very structural and institutional issues.
a)In the preperation of the plan itself very very little was done by BDA to bring other authorities on the page like transport auttorities, fire guys , water guys etc.At best this was a pushed through plan with the rest if the people who are supposed to provide civic and infratsruce services, kept on the pheriphery..
b) The masterplan is supposed to lead to secoral plans( actually it should be the other bway around ,that sectoral plans and the masterplan go hand in hand)
c)The masterplan itself is weak institutionally in that , it is not mandated ( strictly speaking) as the base planning document for other parastatals, BWSSB ,traffic etc).Therefore other authorities really do not have the masterplan in mind when they do their own work.
d)There is no institutional provison within the masterplan process to review,check on the gorund,see progres and make cahnges as required,It becomes a a static document ,that too not followed by all.
e)Finally all that the masterplan is used for is for spatial laws , ie where and how much one can build , a zonal coloring sheet.The fact even this is not followed, leading to more sakrama kind of situations is another matter.
All this becomes even more relevant , since currently there is a BMRDA masterplan being done .It is now at the first paper status.The policy document being done by SCE( a private planning org , which also did the BDA masterplan) has been submitted to BMRDA.If I am not mistaken , Abide is also on that .
This should soon come into public consultation process.Am tracking this and will post progress ,.Praja community should get in on this.
vmenon
BMP-2015
Agree with Vijay:
CDP-2015 stands in isolation & is just a zonal document, at best. It is not linked with other urban development infrastructure areas such as water, power, transport, etc.
SCE's projects can be accessed at these links (There is a feature for Pdf downloads) :
BDA: MSDI
BWSSB: BISON
The MSDI pdf file isnt
The MSDI pdf file isnt downloading anybody have luck with this document? Does this cover Bangalore rural or BMR region only?
none of the above
Bangalore Metropolitan Area is the BDA planning are for the RCMP 2015
approx 1320 sq km so more than BBMP at 800 sq km and less than BMR which is 8000 sqkm which includes Bangalore Urban, Rural and Ramanagaram
and to add to what VMenon wrote earlier the BMR draft structure plan preparation was underway since 2008 and the draft was submitted some publci meetings were held I dont think any new process is likely. Hopefully public pressure might work.
Meetings with abide were held ? are those minutes available?
Downloaded the MSDI file
IDS - I managed to download the pdf file, 9 pages, 2.34 MB, not much in it. Its more of a marketing content for SCE, a case study on work done for BDA.
If they have done all the work they claim to have done in this PDF, I am shocked to see why BDA hasn't made all this data public. this story is getting a bit irritating now - agancies do work for government, and then keep the data collected as part of the project with themselves or in hiding. There is a need for clear norms for all data to be shared for all public projects.
Its in the CDP
If they have done all the work they claim to have done in this PDF, I am shocked to see why BDA hasn't made all this data public.
Its all there in the masterplan 2015
No, there is talk of ...
IDS - besides the CDP document itself, the BDA-SCE project talks about creating some systems to make GIS data generated by the Masterplan project available to public and planners. Made a separate post to check if anyone knows where these systems are.
HC bars new commercial units in residential areas
The Karnataka high court on Wednesday directed the authorities to disallow “fresh construction of non-residential nature” in areas classified as residential in the Revised Masterplan 2015. This effectively deals a blow to the mixed-zone concept mooted in the masterplan for residential areas. - - - - On non-residential constructions that have come up with approvals in these areas, the court said it was handicapped as no counter-objections had been filed. At one stage, the chief justice wondered: “Is (the) builders’ lobby controlling the government?” The remark came in response to the government’s argument that an adverse order would affect those who have built non-residential structures under the mixed-zone provision of the Revised Masterplan. The case was posted to February 3 for further orders. - - - - -“There has been steep reduction in the green-belt area from 56% (714 sqkm) in the 1995 plan to 35% (300 sqkm) now. They have done away with zonal planning by permitting mixed use of land... This exercise has been done, ignoring suggestions from BMRDA and BWSSB,’’ the petitioner had said.
For the full report in the ToI, click here
Note posted by Vijayan Menon, member of the team that spearheaded this PIL (Writ WP 3676/2008 filed by Citizen Action Forum and others) in the SaveKoramangala Y-group:
Background to the case:
This is a case going on for over 4 years, on the basic assertion that the Government did not do due process, paid no heed to advice of government appointed committees and even statutory body recommendations in passing the Masterplan 2015.
As a result, the very nature of residential areas of the city became open by law to rampant commercialisation by the introduction of a "mixed zone concept". In fact, practically every street /road in Bangalore was now open to commercial activities of some kind.
It is important to note that the petitioners' mind-set was not anti-development or anti -commercial activities : just that in the governance of the city .For instance, the right interpretation of "mixed zoning" is that within a residential zone there can be specific areas where some kind of commercial activities can happen, just not that it can happen everywhere.
The other important issue to understand is that without the requisite infrastructure in place (water, sewage, roads, public transport), an area cannot and should not be commercialised, leading to a living hell.
This current phase of the PIL happened when we appraised the court that the GOK was actually appraised of the faults within the Masterplan 2015.In late 2009, GOK set up a committee under Dr Ravindra, to examine specifically this commercialisation of residential areas. The report clearly highlighted the issues and took steps to stop the commercialisation. Again GOK took no action on the report and even did not file objections to the court on our interlocutory appraising the court of the Dr Ravindra report.
Note: The petitioners believe the Dr Ravindra's report is in the right direction, but have not agreed to it fully.
A small aside: Somewhere in the court happenings today, The CJ actually asked the counsel for GOK something to the effect of "who ran the government, is it the building lobby?" a telling remark on the state of governance.
As usual, the fight is far from over. It is after all an interim order and even full orders of court are often not implemented!! The merry gang of people fighting this cause have cause for some celebration but are quite aware of the still long road ahead.
convenience store still ok..
yes we dont need huge store complexs in residential areas...however small convinience stores at the junctions/corners can still be allowed..
I would say they need to close down the likes of jayanagar maiyyas immediately..
Malleswaram is getting
Malleswaram is getting destroyed by the building of commercial spaces in residential areas. It seems like now the whole area is commercial - so even quiet streets like 6th Main are getting all kinds of commercial establishments. These add to the noise and traffic. As usual this is all because the corrupt BBMP wants more money - commercial establishments - and permits to build them etc. - bring in a hell of a lot more money than residential ones.
I hope this HC ruling actually has some effect and that it has not come too late for Malleswaram.
Ramesh
If nothing else, the
If nothing else, the High Court ruling on mixed zone and ban on commercial activities in erstwhile residential areas , will do two things.
a)Make the GOK/BDA sit up and actually address the issue and bring them on to the negotiating table.Till now, they have refused to take heed of any and all concerns from the position of decision making strength.
b)Creates the right framework for the next Masterplan( 2015-2035).This excercise has already started in as much as tenders for consultants etc .
Reversing the current sitruation is far more tricky , with many 3rd party intrests already created and needs to have a human face while coming up with the solution.This is an area where the attempted, obnoxious akrama sakrama bill and the masterplan isues overlap.
And the bigger issue:, by the 74th amendment ,that city planning is a municipality responsibilty,not of a para statal like BDA which essentially is not answerable directly to citizens.
Here too the "Bangalore Metropolitan Region Bill'which covers this aspect of planning , is gathering dust.
4 points, my 2 rupees take
One, considering the BMR bill is gathering dust, will GoK atleast get cracking on making BMLTA work with teeth. Lots of balls have been dropping because of this gap in governance. Latest example, multimodal integration has been nobody's child in terms of planning as discovered in Mobilicity 2012
Two, its about time the CDP laid down a real vision for the BMR region. Not stating some macro facts & quickly getting down to road widening presprictions.
Three, now that the CDP is invalid, the malleshwaram sankey road widening which relied on just this fact should now be re-appealed in court.
Four, Mixed use on roads which take public transport must be encouraged. Not on other roads. Areas in Europe must be studied for really good sustainable planning.
CDP is a 10 year plan
is the current BDA commssioner also tampering with the period by calling it as 2015-25.
effectively the RCMP 2005 will be final from 2007 and of course the court is yet considering the 1995 one.
but there is so much happening from contractor lobbies and the demographic change in the city to pro-infrastructure oriented lobby and also the hype etc created by the media and the stakeholders.
JNNURM + or 2 will be as bad or even worse because all these lobbies now feel they have a free run on the city, its roads, flyovers and all for what
certainly not for the residents / citizens but ........
dear public agenda, my 2
dear public agenda,
my 2 bits.
The 2015-.2035 is the next masterplan which needs to come into place by 2015, by which time the current one ends.Normally it is a 10 yr period.but GOK seems to want a 20 yr period for the next one.Dont know why.
The current masterplan is called 2015, and is law.But th eHC has now reopend its validity as afr as residentail areas are concerned.
bangalore also has another document the CDP( comprehensive development plan).This is doen by the BBMP.The masterplan is by BDA.
The CDP is essentially a projects listing for use in JUNURM funds.
don't think the CDP and masterplan have any real synegrgies.
It would be very worthwhile for citizens, Praja to get involved in the next masterplan.Mobilty should be a parameter for masterplan prepertaion also.
The planning district report
The planning district report available on the BDA website is missing 2.15 Mathikere planning district completely. instead 2.16 has been repeated. I find it hard to believe the city is running on plans with gaping mistakes like this. EIther that or citizens are a bunch of fools to be looking for a real document that they really want to read & understand.
HC warns BBMP - on this same PIL?
Read this in news recently (this quote from TOI, Nov 10):
The background for this order, is in a Jan 25 order:
Master Plan and CDP same
@ vmenon - I happened to come across the following statement of yours (in your 30th Jan post) just now:
"bangalore also has another document the CDP( comprehensive development plan).This is doen by the BBMP.The masterplan is by BDA".
However, the following is what is given on BDA web-site (accessible here):
Bangalore Development Authority is the Planning Authority for Bangalore Metropolitan area. As a Planning Authority, BDA has to prepare the Comprehensive Development Plan (CDP) for Bangalore Metropolitan area. CDP will be revised once in ten years as per section 25 of the Karnataka Town and Country Planning Act 1961. The first Comprehensive Development Plan for Bangalore Metropolitan area was approved on 12.10.1984. Subsequently Revised CDP was approved on 05.01.1995 which is still in force. The total jurisdiction of BDA as per Revised CDP is 1279 Sq. Kms. area. Out of this, the Green Belt area covers 682 Sq. Kms. The conurbation area (urbanisable area) is 597 Sq. Kms. including spotted development. Out of this conurbation area, about 225 Sq. Kms. areas is the Bangalore Mahanagara Palike area. BDA has now taken up re-revision of CDP, which is under progress.
Metropolitan area of BDA covers the following taluks as per 1995 Revised CDP - Bangalore North, Bangalore South, Bangalore East (Now called), Anekal (Part), Hoskote (Part), Devanahalli (Part), Magadi (Part), Nelamangala (Part).
From a reading of the same, it becomes clear that "Master Plan" and "Comprehensice Development Plan (CDP)" are the very same, and BDA is the entity entrusted with preparing the same.
BBMP's planning is perhaps limited to ward level, but in overall conformity with the Master Plan / CDP.
That both don't do a proper job of planning is another matter.
different "cdp"s
Actually my original mistake, where i had expanded CDP as" comprehensive development plan"
I should have written "city development plan", this is the one prepared by BBMP for using JNURM funds,You will find this on kuidfc website, KIUDFC is the org thro which JNURM funds flow.
The other CDP or " comprehensive development plan" is the old name for the" Masterplan", being doen by BDA.
hope this clarifies, if not i dont blame anyone, pretty confusing anyway.
vmenon
okay, got it
During a web searches, I went through the CDP on KUIDFC website, and noticed its City Dev Plan, and was confused on this CDP vs the BDA CDP aka Masterplan.
Here is the link (revised CDP for Bangalolre). Bangalore guv enthusiasts should go through this.
Bangalore 2nd Ranking in Pollution Increase Rate
Masterplan PIL/latest
sorry long note:read at leisure
Two days ago the high court further clarified their interim order of Jan 2012(banning commercial activities , sanctions in residential areas. This was required because it was felt that the BDA and BBMP , were interpreting the court order to their own liking, and it was to a great extent business as usual.
Now the clarifciation, clearly reverts the masterplan to the CDP 1995 as far as residential areas are concerned.,which in a way means that the masterplan 2015 , to a great extent ,ceases to exist!!
one expects a strong move byGOK/BDA/BBMP to have the order vacatted.
Before anyone jumps the gun and accuses me ( possibly rightly so) as anti development and archaic in thinking of bangalore and masterplans, some clarifrcations.
Actually the PIL and the overall thrust is less about specifc issues of commercialisation of residentail areas( though that was the driving reason) but more on a fundamantal question of who decides on the nature of" my city" and "my neighbourhood".
it is a strong belief by the petitioners, and supported by the 74th amenendment ,that city planning is a municipal function.Which means that it is an outcome of the democratic rights of a citizen thro elecetd city and local representatives( who in theory are supposed to push what citizens want)
Not the purview of a para statal like BDA , which reports only upwards and has no answerabilty in essence to citizens.In short citizen participation.The inabilty to get GOK to see this and what we consider as a very "lobbyed" masterplan( which in turn threatens to destory neighbourhoods and bangalore at large),meant we had to go for the jugular , and actually put a reset button on the masterplan 2015.
and maybe this will form some foundation to the process of the next masterplan and give us a breather whereby infrastructure has a chance to catch up with construction and "development".
cheers
vmenon
Interim order /clarification masterplan PIL
dear all,
text of recent HC order on mastreplan PIL.Self explanatory and comprehensive.
cheers ,vmenon
High Court of Karnataka
Daily Orders of the Case Number : WP 3676/2008 for the date of order 13/12/2012
Honble Justice CHIEF JUSTICE AND B.V.NAGARATHNA
13/12/2012
Order in WP 3676/2008
Present: Sri Aditya Sondhi, Adv. for P1-17,
Sri V.B.Shivakumar, Adv. for P18-20,
Sri Ravi G.Sabhahit, Adv. for R-2,
Sri R.Devdas, AGA, for R-1,
Sri S.G.Pandit, Adv. for R-3,
Sri Subramanya.R., Adv. for Ashok
Haranahalli Assts. for R-4, in W.P.Nos.
3676/2008 & 43472-74/2011.
Sri Vasanth, Adv. for K.Krishna for R-2
in W.P.Nos.23643/05, 28205/01 &
1305/03, and for R-1 in W.P.Nos.
4750/97 & 31562/97.
We have heard the learned counsel for the parties. Although we find that there is no ambiguity in the order dated 25.1.2012, we think it expedient to make a further clarification. We direct that the B.B.M.P. shall not permit or grant any change of land user in the following areas i.e., Malleshwaram, Richmond Town, Vasanthanagar, Jayanagar, Vijayanagar, Vishweshwarapura, Rajajinagar and R.T.Nagar. In addition thereto, the residential areas mentioned and shown in CDP 1995, regardless of whether they are subsequently depicted as residential main or residential mixed are also included. This order shall also apply to other residential areas regardless of the nomenclature used in the Revised Master Plan of 2015. Any building plans that have been sanctioned or trade licenses or change of land user that has been allowed subsequent to our order dated 25.1.2012 shall be recalled.
Renotify on 6.2.2013.
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Congratulations Vijayan! This
Congratulations Vijayan! This is a clear message that BDA & its ilk need to learn the basics of town planning & BBMP to stop approving whatever they want whereever they like & a slap in the face for people who think putting everything everywhere means mixed use.
non-mixed use involves completely seperating residential & commercial into zones seperated by many kms which is unsustainable so mixed use has been mis construed "unscientifically" (actually for convinience by connivance) by BDA & BBMP to mean mix everthing up.
I have lived in places which adopt sustainable practices where commercial activities are allowed only on roads where public transport is provisioned (ie arterial & collector streets) with approved metered parking & houses are offset into local streets without commercial disturbance. This is an acknowledged best practice for mixed use. The houses are not mixed alternately with commercial buildings. Thats plain stupid & is a disaster for mental health of the citizen.
nice but..
This is indeed a nice ..however there are still lot of construction happening which is converting residential areas to mixed use all through 2012..though this order was passed in Jan this year..
What is it..is it the govt is blind/deaf to courts..or the courts have lost all powers and its blatant anarchy running our state and Bangalore?
Unfortunately the authorities are only being directed by greed and allowing mistakes that will haunt everyone for a complete lifetime!
Finally it is upto neghbourhoods
On a sober note , any wins in PILS etc are of no use unless citizenry carries it thro.
In the caseof this masterplan PIL( as with other pils also, i suppose), a local neghbourhood has to feel the need and be motivated enough to save their locality.More times then not , it our own kind, that's starts the rot of a neighbourhood , not some big builder. like constructiong above FAR, no stebacks, renting out for illegible commercial activities and not paiyng the right property taxes.
The verdict in this PIL, does 2 /3 things( and remember it is only an interim orde!!r)
--Give those citizens who believe in this enough ammunition and court backing to clean up their own neghbou hood.
--Put some parameters and boundaries for masterplans of the future.
--Perhaps take on the administration in terms of contempt of court if , they continue to violate laws and court order.
But ultimately, i have come to believe that until we have a concientious citizenry,court orders and taking on the governance is really not enough.
More on that later.
vmenon
Very true
More times then not , it our own kind, that's starts the rot of a neighbourhood , not some big builder. like constructiong above FAR, no stebacks, renting out for illegible commercial activities and not paiyng the right property taxes.
ultimately, i have come to believe that until we have a concientious citizenry,court orders and taking on the governance is really not enough.
Perfectly correct - you echoed my thoughts.
Administrators - raison d'être
a local neghbourhood has to feel the need and be motivated enough to save their locality.More times then not , it our own kind, that's starts the rot of a neighbourhood , not some big builder
Violating FAR & setbacks by residential units are signs of a lazziez faire or complete lack of governance. The administration exists to police on behalf of citizens & are expected to enforce the preservation of the FAR, setbacks etc. I have violations of setback right on my street & despite compliants by a neighbour no action is being taken by BBMP. Who is responsible for this? DO you expect the negihbour to take law into his hands? It is right of us to expect the protector of comon good ie administration to discharge their duty for they are paid & appointed to do so, otherwise we dont need them & can turn this into wild west. The first question they ask is who are you to tell me when BBMP has not objected to my building a wall ON (not even NEAR) your window.
We have systems precisely to not leave outcomes to consience. It will be naivete to think otherwise. BTW these violations are not misuse of mixed use but violations in general related to disrespecting common good for selfish needs.
citizens or govt agencies
Oh yes i agree, that government agencies are not doing their jobs, and also citizens cannot be expected to do their job.
All i was trying to highlight was that, the genesis starts with normal citizens not following or believing in the rule of law or the concept of greater good.
My feeling , rightly or wrongly. is that policing can only be done if the deviance is by a small segment ,not as across the board, as it has become in bangalore /india.
In building violations, almost 80% of bangalore buildings have some violation or another.
Sure ,an iron hand in enforcement can minimise or put fears to the rest.But somehow i believe there is societal issue here.Be it garbage , building violations, traffic sense etc etc.
I think we need to collectively also grow up as a society.And in this i would believe the role of civic education and instilling civic responsibilties, either by government bodies or NGOS, is not as centre stage as it should be.
It is actually easier to take on the government bodies thro PIls or other methods, rather than work on improving society.And i am equally culpable in that aspect.
vmenon
.
true..we are way too selfish
we are way too selfish as a society and these are the ills that come with it..the probelm is we never realise that those violations are not helping to lead better life for oneself either!
For example the guy who put the wall against the window in Sathya's case would not have realised the need for a window for ventialtion..instead he would be probably suffocating inside his own house but not realising it!
We need a change everywhere..in ppl's mind as well as in the administrations view
cdp 1995 copy
what is "begging"!?
Punith, any bad experience with BDA in getting the CDP from them? You just have to go there and pick it up at a nominal cost, as simple as that is what I know.