City Kemp News
Residents of Koramangala, as in other areas in Bengaluru, are going through the proposals in the Draft RMP 2031 with a mixture of perplexity and confusion.
While welcoming the categorical assertions in the document that no commercialization would be permitted in Residential roads of less than 12.5 metre width and welcoming the assertion that rampant commercialization in Indiranagar and Koramangala, among other areas, needs to be rolled back, residents are perplexed about how the draft document proposes to implement these changes.
These are the specific areas agitating residents of Koramangala.
n The assertion that commercialization of residential areas would not be permitted seems to be totally vitiated by the perverse inclusion of Small scale industries falling under the I-1 category in the list of permitted usages in roads of 30 ft width and above. The idea that a Beedi factory, for instance (which is one of the recommended I-1 usages) could come up in a residential area flies in the face of the no-commercialization assertion.
n There is no enforcement mechanism to prevent rampant commercialization and illegal non-conforming usage. When the BBMP turns a blind eye, BESCOM is unwilling to cut off power to such buildings, BWSSB also is unwilling to act and the State Commercial Taxes department insists on handing out GST registrations to such entities, what recourse do citizens have ?
n The premium FAR proposed to be sanctioned in the vicinity of Metro stations in Zone B could present a problem. While the Metro lines will certainly be available in the vicinity, what happens to the infrastructure required to support this premium FAR in the form of roads, water, sewerage and power ? There is no mention of these in the document.
n There appears to be a fundamental problem with regard to the assumptions in the document. The total area allocated to commercial activity is projected to decrease with the population doubling. This does not appear to be viable. The entire population doubling assumption has not been addressed in terms of infrastructure required to support this doubled population.
On top of this there appears to be a fundamental disconnect in terms of the population of Bengaluru assumed in 2031. Bangalore is assumed to double in population within the next 14 year period. That translates into a CAGR (Compounded Annual Growth Rate) of almost 5 %.
The growth over the past decade however has been barely 2.5 %. With Karnataka having it’s population growing at less than population replacement rates the growth assumptions need to be satisfactorily explained.
Huge implications on the average Bangalorean’s standard of living will be contingent on the growth assumptions.
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City Kemp News
The Residents’ Welfare Association, 4th Block, Koramangala, had arranged a talk on Revised Master Plan – 2031, by Sri. Nithin Sheshadri, Ex-President of RWA 3rd Block, Koramangala, on 17-12-2017 at RWA office, 4th Block. Sri. G. M. Shetty, President of RWA 4th Block, has welcomed the chief guest and the residents of 4th Block. Sri. Nithin has explained in detail the features of the Revised Master Plan 2031 and requested the residents of 4th Block to file suggestions if any, in this regard.
RWA 4th Block requests the residents to submit their suggestions/objections if any, in respect of the revised master plan, to the RWA office, on or before 27-12-2017. to enable the association to consolidate and submit to the concerned authorities. A copy of the Revised Master Plan 2031 is available in the RWA office.
