Bengaluru, 12 May

The Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) will officially cease operations on 14 May, paving the way for the newly established Greater Bengaluru Authority (GBA) to assume control on 15 May. This transition follows the enactment of the Greater Bengaluru Governance Act 2024, which aims to decentralise the City's administration.

Under the new structure, Bengaluru will be divided into three regional municipal corporations: Bengaluru Central, Bengaluru North, and Bengaluru South. These entities will report to a central administrative authority, with the Chief Minister serving as the GBA Chairperson and the Deputy Chief Minister as Vice-Chair. An appointed Administrator will oversee the daily operations of the corporations.

The GBA's jurisdiction is set to expand to include areas such as Electronic City, Attibele, Jigani, Bommasandra, Sarjapur, Bagaluru, Rajanukunte, Hesaraghatta, and Dasanapura. Peripheral zones like Tavarekere, Kumbalgodu, Kengeri, Kaggalipura, and Harohalli may also be integrated. Key civic agencies, including the Bangalore Development Authority (BDA), Bangalore Water Supply and Sewerage Board (BWSSB), Bangalore Electricity Supply Company Limited (BESCOM), Bengaluru Metropolitan Transport Corporation (BMTC), Bangalore Metro Rail Corporation Limited (BMRCL), and the Fire and Transport departments, will come under the GBA's purview.

However, the restructuring has faced criticism. Opposition parties and civic groups argue that the move violates the 74th Constitutional Amendment, which mandates decentralised urban governance. The Bengaluru Town Hall collective has announced plans to challenge the GBA in the Supreme Court, citing concerns over the concentration of power and lack of citizen representation.