‘Aware of the rot’: D K Shivakumar cites ‘intelligence inputs’, says time to change BDA’s image

Shivakumar urged BDA employees to find solutions to people’s problems and “not create problems for them”. (Express Photo)

Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister and Bengaluru Urban Development Minister D K Shivakumar on Tuesday said he was aware of corruption in the Bengaluru Development Authority (BDA), citing his “own intelligence inputs,” and stressed the urgent need to change public perception of the organisation.

Speaking at the inauguration of a workshop on governance and grievance redressal for BDA employees, Shivakumar said that the time has come to change the Authority’s image, which has been tarnished due to “10 per cent corrupt employees”.

“It took me six months to find out, through my own intelligence inputs, about the corruption in the system. I am aware of the rot in the system at every stage, and I am also aware of what is working well in the organisation. In this backdrop, we have decided to digitise all the documents. Some may not like this, but we have to change BDA. The organisation is getting a bad name due to some 10 per cent of the employees who are corrupt,” he said.

Shivakumar speaks at the inauguration of a workshop on governance and grievance redressal for BDA employees (Express Photo)

Saying that the BDA and the Greater Bengaluru Authority (GBA) were the face of Bengaluru, Shivakumar said, “What this city needs today is discipline and honesty. Instead of red-taping the files, identify the mistakes constructively and find solutions for them. I am not going to be easy on corruption, and I will take strict action against the culprits. We need to change people’s perception about the organisation.”

Shivakumar also urged BDA employees to find solutions to people’s problems and “not create problems for them”. “Find a solution within the legal framework, don’t trouble the people,” he added.

He noted that engineers from disciplines other than civil engineering and architecture were entering the Town Planning Department, which was why a dedicated Town Planning College was being established in Bengaluru. “We will need to plan our cities and towns well. Other than some areas like Jayanagara, Malleshwaram, Chamarajapet, etc., there are not many planned areas. All of us are at fault for this. We need to correct these mistakes,” he added.

Pointing out that Bengaluru’s population had grown to 1.4 crore, Shivakumar said the city was not ready for such a population growth. “We need to think of ways to shape the new Bengaluru. A peripheral ring road was planned in 2010, and it could have been done in Rs 26,000 crore had they done it then. Due to the delay, it now costs Rs 50,000 crore. We have worked out a different plan to reduce the costs. We will build the Bengaluru Business Corridor, no matter who opposes it. I have told the chairman that we will not de-notify even an inch of land,” he said.