BDA - Bangalore's Building Block
 The
growth of Bangalore has been phenomenal. From a population of
11 lakh in 1960 to more than 50 lakh in 2000, the
city has been transformed from being a 'pensioner's paradise'
to the 'IT capital of India' and host to hundreds
of MNCs and high-tech Industries. A survey conducted in 1999
by Business Week (US) ranked Bangalore as the fifth most
hi-tech city in the world.
Coping with the demand for land and other relevant infrastructure
required for such phenomenal growth is a Herculean task. This
is being taken care of by Bangalore Development Authority
(BDA). The BDA came into existence in 1976 as a successor
to the erstwhile City Improvement Trust Board. The development
of Bangalore in a planned manner, creating quality infrastructure,
provision of sites and services and catering to the housing
needs of the under privileged are the focus areas of the BDA.
In a bid to retain Bangalore's image as the Garden city, BDA
has reserved 5,729 hectares of land for parks, playgrounds and
open places. To make the city meet global standards, it is undertaking
the following:
- Drawing up development plan and town planning schemes
in the Bangalore Metropolitan Area.
- Acquire land to implement the above schemes.
- Enforcement of plans and developmental schemes.
- Issue instructions to other authorities concerned with
developmental activities.
- Coordinate with Bangalore Mahanagara Palike (BMP) whenever
development schemes are envisaged by either agency.
BDA's developers
 The
BDA consists of a Chairman, a Commissioner, an Engineer and
a Town planning member, two representatives of the BMP, and
two representatives each from the Karnataka Power Transmission
Corporation and Karnataka Road Transport Corporation. Among
others who share the responsibilities include the Secretary
to the Karnataka Government Housing and Urban Development department,
the state government's Chief Architect and the Director of Health
Services. Eight members of the legislative assembly and other
nominees of the state government also serve as non-official
members.
BDA's Achievements:
- Converted ten thousand acres of land into layouts.
- Allotted seventy five thousand sites to different income
groups.
- Assisted housing cooperatives to allot 21,000 sites in
1,800 acres of land.
- Constructed shopping complexes in all the BDA layouts.
- Allotted 777 community amenity sites for schools, colleges,
post offices, hospitals and residential associations.
On the anvil:
- The outer ring road (between Hosur and Tumkur road) and
an inner ring road to be completed.
- Implement computer based Management Information System.
 Goals
to be achieved by June 2002:
- Digitised platform for entire Metro region of 1,400 Sq.kms.
- Allocation of 25,000 housing sites.
- Construction of Commercial complexes.
- Equipping the city with Flyovers, Grade separators of
international standards.
- Web-enabled information sharing.
- Shifting of the Iron and Steel wholesale market on the
Old Madras road.
- Self-contained town ship with 600 sites for various categories
of traders in the steel yard.
Today BDA has made sincere attempts to reposition its corporate
image. The Bangalore Summit held in January has
set an agenda for BDA and the same is being scrupulously followed
by it to achieve the short term and long-term objectives spread
upto 2004. By executing these objectives, BDA is all set to
showcase Bangalore city as the Silicon Plateau of India.
Click
here to read an exclusive article on fly-overs
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