Bengaluru’s civic problems have piled up over the years, leaving residents frustrated with poor roads, inadequate infrastructure and repeated failures in administration. In his first two weeks as Bengaluru’s development minister, Krishna Bhair Gowda sought to change that narrative by holding review meetings, questioning officials, and promising more accountability.
Since officially taking charge on June 16 after it was initially postponed due to what he described as “incomplete” allocation of Bengaluru-linked departments, Gowda has adopted a pragmatically aggressive approach, signaling a shift towards tougher accountability in city governance.
Its last review meeting brought together senior officials working within the organization Greater Bengaluru Authority (GBA) boundaries, where he reviewed civil cases and urged departments to respond more effectively to public complaints.
In a video message shared on X after the meeting, Gowda acknowledged the overwhelming public response since he took charge.
“Over the past few days, thousands of Bengalureans have reached out with suggestions, complaints, concerns and offers of assistance. Thank you for your support and valuable feedback. While I may not be able to respond individually, our team is working to address your concerns. We are committed to strengthening the system so that local authorities can effectively resolve day-to-day issues,” he said.
Read also: ‘Neighbors are moving fast’: Mohandas Pai points out DKS order in Bengaluru as Vijay govt in Tamil Nadu plans AC buses only
Questions, inspection and accountability
The minister has repeatedly questioned officials over what he described as systemic failures in the civic administration in Bengaluru.
During a review of the city’s stray dog management program on Tuesday, Gowda strongly questioned Animal Husbandry Department officials over the sterilization numbers.
“Do I have a flower in my ear? What is this magic?” He reportedly asked, according to Deccan Herald, wondering how thousands of stray dogs were sterilized over the years while their population continued to rise. Pointing out that people have lost their lives in dog attacks, he criticized officials for attending the meeting without specific statements.
Read also: Techie explains why people never leave Bengaluru despite complaining about it: ‘It’s a turning point’
Tree planting was another area of focus. Reviewing Bengaluru’s greening efforts, Gowda expressed concern about the gap between official farm records and the current tree census. While government records claim that nearly 20,000 saplings have been planted since 2008, the census indicates that only about 11,000 trees currently exist.
Seeking greater transparency, he directed officials to maintain complete documentation and accountability of every sapling planted in the future. He also announced that residents’ welfare associations would be given priority in receiving seedlings to plant along roadsides and lakes, while encouraging residents to take responsibility for their maintenance.
On pedestrian infrastructure, Gowda announced a city-wide ‘Safe Footpaths Campaign’ starting July 1 to remove encroachments from around 2,000 km of priority roads.
The minister also questioned infrastructure planning. During a meeting with Bengaluru Smart Infrastructure Limited (B-SMILE), he criticized the decision to put a white roof on a stretch between JC Road and NR Road despite plans to build a flyover there.
“When you know a flyover is going to be built, why do you paint the road white? Why waste money?” he asked the officials, as reported by the Times Of India.
Road quality featured prominently in his reviews as well. Questioning why potholes keep reappearing despite frequent repairs, Gowda said Bengaluru had fallen into a cycle of building poor quality roads only to spend public funds on repairing them repeatedly.
He told the engineers: “Is building a rocket road science? We have to get the basics right. Whatever you do, do it right. Prevention is the best cure. It will show that the system can work properly.”
$2000 crores allocated for roads
Gowda said on June 18 a special grant $Rs 2,000 crore has been allocated for road improvement in the five city corporations under the GBA. He said officials have been directed to identify damaged roads, invite short-term tenders and begin repair work immediately.
Intolerance
His words were also backed up by actions. After an inspection revealed substandard asphalt paving work on city roads, Gowda suspended an assistant engineer with immediate effect pending investigation and punished the contractor responsible. He warned that officials and contractors who compromise on the quality of public infrastructure will face strict action.
The Minister’s high profile over the past two weeks has drawn attention at a time when Bengaluru continues to face persistent civic challenges ranging from poor roads and floods to encroachments, traffic congestion and inadequate urban planning.
(With inputs from PTI)
