Turbo-charging Bengaluru, many projects at a time | Bengaluru News

By: D KumaraswamyIt goes without saying that Bengaluru is a global brand and India’s favourite employment hub. Youth from every corner of India – students or job-hunters — always aspire to work in Bengaluru at least once. As a Union minister, I can affirm this resoundingly. Not once has any entrepreneur, businessperson, or industrialist visiting me in my Delhi’s offices missed a chance to speak of Bengaluru’s talent, efficiency, and excellence in glowing terms.It is true India is progressing at a faster clip, and many cities are expanding their footprints in industry and employment. But Bengaluru is miles ahead of competition. The city has an irresistible charm and energy, welcomes everyone, shapes destinies, and empowers lives.The Bengaluru of the 1980s was different from its today’s version. In just three decades, the city has undergone a transformative evolution. This change is the result of hard work by many, carried forward in the legacy of city founder Nadaprabhu Kempegowda.My father and former Prime Minister HD Deve Gowda’s contribution to the development of Bengaluru is beyond debate. There’s a common misconception that Gowda — because of the epithet ‘son of the soil’ — focused mainly on farmers and rural areas. While that is true, it is equally indubitable that he never neglected Bengaluru. His work for this city is vast and a surprise to many.What most don’t know is Gowda was a visionary and technically sound engineer. Let’s list Gowda’s contributions — unparalleled to this date – to Bengaluru.About 450 years ago, Nadaprabhu Kempegowda founded Bengaluru. His vision for the city surpassed great cities of Europe and a flourishing Vijayanagara Empire. From temples, markets, residential layouts, and irrigation canals, Kempegowda imagined it all. He knew Bengaluru was a “cloud-level city”, perched on rocky elevations, rich in water resources and green terrain.Gowda carried forward the vision. As early as 1962, when he entered the legislative assembly as an independent member, he fought for the utilization of Cauvery water. His efforts led to the creation of major reservoirs like Kabini, Harangi, and Hemavathi. Because of his foresight, Bengaluru receives uninterrupted Cauvery water today.When he became Prime Minister, he allocated 9tmcft of Cauvery water to Bengaluru. He approved Stage IV of Cauvery Water Supply Project with Asian Development Bank support. In 1994, as CM, he successfully secured ?958 crore from Japan International Cooperation Agency for the first phase of Cauvery Stage 3 & 4, with 80% as a grant. From the 42tmcft of surplus allocated by Cauvery tribunal, he ensured 10tmcft was reserved to Bengaluru.Gowda laid the groundwork for the IT-BT revolution in Bengaluru. By offering 10-year tax holidays, he attracted global tech giants to the city, creating modern, tech-based employment for Kannadigas and triggering a massive socioeconomic transformation. He was the original force behind the Whitefield IT Park.He laid the foundation for Kempegowda International Airport, approved Delhi Metro project with a vision to bring the same to Bengaluru, and pioneered the concept of flyovers to ease traffic. The Sirsi Circle flyover is a testament to his vision.During my tenure as CM, I continued the legacy of both Kempegowda and my father. In 2006, Bengaluru had shorter municipal limits. Thinking of the city’s future, I issued a notification in 2007 to merge 100 wards of Bengaluru City Corporation with seven City Municipal Councils, one Town Municipal Council, and 110 nearby villages. This created Greater Bengaluru Municipal Corporation — a decision that laid the foundation for today’s global metropolis.Namma Metro, today the city’s most crucial public transport system, would not have started without the groundwork laid during my tenure. Until I became CM in 2006, no progress had been made. I swiftly approved the project. On June 24, 2006, then Prime Minister Manmohan Singh laid the foundation stone for Phase 1 (from MG Road to Mysore Road). The rest is history.I also denotified 90 acres of Defence land and transferred it to BBMP, the first such move in India enabling urban development.During my term, I initiated several projects for smooth mobility in Bengaluru: Elevated corridors, Peripheral Ring Road, Phase 2 of Metro, Suburban Rail, and road widening of about 80 key stretches. Roads to Electronic City, Tumakuru, and the new airport were all modernized under my leadership.In addition, I approved 180 firstgrade colleges, 500 junior colleges, 1,400 high schools, and directly recruited 56,000 teachers for the first time in the state’s history. Bengaluru benefited from all these initiatives too.As a Union minister, I’ve paid great attention to Bengaluru. Under PM Modi’s flagship PM-e-Drive mission, I sanctioned 4,500 electric buses to BMTC. This is just Phase 1; more ebuses will follow.This marks a transformative step towards reinventing Bengaluru’s public transport. My dream is to have e-buses operate across 800 to 900 km of the city’s routes, a vision shared by PM Modi.Recently, I met Union minister and colleague Nitin Gadkari and we had in-depth discussions on two key projects: 1. Building a state-of-the-art underground road network in Bengaluru; 2. Launching the Peripheral Ring Road to ease traffic and improve mobility. The minister has responded positively to both requests. Bengaluru is our pride. And I’m working beyond my limits to realize its full potential.The writer is Union minister of heavy industries & steel and former chief minister of Karnataka