In his first meeting with all the MLAs, MPs and MLCs of the state capital after taking over the Bengaluru Development Minister, deputy chief minister DK Shivakumar on Monday, urged all the leaders to keep their political difference aside and work towards the city’s comprehensive development.Shivakumar, who took stock of the infrastructure and civic issues in the city, said everyone’s full cooperation and input are needed on the governance and development of the metropolis.

“Electoral politics is over. There might be ideological differences. Let’s put all of that aside. We need your advice for the development of Bengaluru,” he said at the meeting.

“Former Prime Minister Vajpayee had long ago emphasised the dignity and importance of Bengaluru at the world level. Prime Minister Narendra Modi has also said it many times. So, let us work together to retain the dignity and honour of Bangalore,” the deputy chief minister said at the meeting.

The ‘Brand Bengaluru’ has taken a severe beating due to its crumbling infrastructure, especially during rains. On May 21, a 22-year-old techie’s death in a waterlogged underpass after a short spell of heavy rain put the spotlight back on the civic apathy.
A recent report by property consultancy Knight Frank India, showed that Bengaluru needs approximately 658km of major stormwater drains to be constructed in line with the rate of the city’s expansion and population influx to curb the risk of urban flooding.

During the meeting, Shivakumar directed officials to install CCTV cameras at all the underpasses in the city, and said that a monitoring team will be set up to work round the clock to address the issues, a Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike official aware of the matter said, requesting anonymity.

“MLAs also suggested maintenance of trees, especially those that are old and prone to be being uprooted during rains, across the city. Since there is less staff in the horticulture deparment, some legislators also suggested the need for more officials to address this,” said the BBMP official.

The pre-monsoon showers in Bengaluru last month wreaked havoc in several parts of the city, resulting in traffic snarls and uprooting hundreds of trees. Experts have said that lack of maintenance by civic officials and concretisation are the root cause of tree felling in the city.

Shivakumar also addressed water supply issues in some parts of Bengaluru. “The concerned authorities should report immediately about the amount of drinking water being supplied to which area of Bengaluru, and whether water is being supplied according to the population.

“Karnataka, especially Bengaluru, has contributed immensely to the country’s economy. More money goes to the Center in the form of GST, Cess, various taxes. Let’s bring the due share to the state and develop it,” Shivakumar said, urging everyone to work together for the development of the city.The deputy chief minister also directed BBMP commissioner Tushar Girinath to suspend all the officials and engineers who planned and implemented the construction of a road project in the heart of the Hosakerehalli Lake in Rajarajeshwari Nagar, said officials aware of the matter.

“Who gave the idea of building a road in the middle of the lake? Who made the plan? Who implemented it?” Shivakumar asked the officials in the meeting. In March, trucks dumping huge mounds of soil in the lake had alarmed local residents and environmentalists, who shared photos on social media and demanded a response from the authorities.

BBMP had laid a 25-foot-wide mud road on the lake claiming that it would be used to move vehicles to de-silt the water body. After opposition, BBMP special commissioner (Projects) PM Ravindra had said that engineers would remove mud immediately and restore the 59-acre Hosakerehalli lake, the main water source at Rajarajeshwari Nagar, to its original condition.