BS Yediyurappa unveils 'Bengaluru Mission 2022', vows to make Karnataka's capital a 'world class' city

Karnataka chief minister BS Yediyurappa Thursday unveiled ‘Bengaluru Mission 2022’, a programme aimed to revamp the state capital and make it a world class city. Yediyurappa tweeted on Thursday that the aim is to overhaul the city’s infrastructure by 2022 when India will mark 75th year of Independence.

Launched #MissionBengaluru2022 - a vision for comprehensive development of Bengaluru. This mission will revitalise Bengaluru into a sustainable, connected city enhancing the quality of life of its citizens by 2022, to mark 75 years of our Independence.@PMOIndia @narendramodi pic.twitter.com/Amx0BuUY5w

— B.S.Yediyurappa (@BSYBJP) December 17, 2020

According to  Deccan Herald, Yediyurappa said the initiative will focus on four large areas: ease of transport, cleaner city, greener city and connecting citizens to the city’s culture through museums and cultural centres_._ As per  Indian Express, a blueprint for the overall development of the city has been made using recommendations from experts to beautify and develop the city, including adding more lung spaces, new stormwater drains, construction of twin towers for government offices, and other announcements related to road and traffic projects. The experts’ recommendations also include  developing the 20-acre Mysuru Lamps property in West Bengaluru into a tree park, similar to Lalbagh or Cubbon Park, as per  New Indian Express. “Budget has been allocated for all the works planned. We will conduct inspections once in six months and make sure that all the works planned are completed within the given timeframe,” Yediyurappa further said, as per Deccan Herald. He added that the financial distress caused due to the COVID-19 pandemic would not get in the way of the city’s development. As per a  report in Times Now, Yediyurappa said that the government has identified the problems and challenges the citizens face in everyday life and has resolved to provide all necessary infrastructure and other basic amenities to the citizens to make it the best place to live by executing the plan ‘Bengaluru Mission 2022’. “The population of Bengaluru is almost 13 million. There is a lot to be done in terms of infrastructure. The Honourable Chief Minister has announced today the construction of a lot of routes and also the completion of the Smart-city (masterplan) routes, all to ensure that the traffic congestion is minimised,” Manjunath Prasad, Commissioner, Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) told Times Now. The announcements are seen as part of the ruling BJP’s preparations for the upcoming Bengaluru local civic body polls. The high court had on 5 December ordered the State Election Commission to hold polls to the existing 198 wards and notify the elections within six weeks. The term of BBMP corporators ended 10 September.  The government has appointed a senior IAS officer Gaurav Gupta as administrator until the new council for the civic body is elected. With inputs from PTI