BBMP presents Rs 19.9K crore budget with ‘Brand Bengaluru’ in focus

BENGALURU: The Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) on Saturday presented a budget with an outlay of Rs 19,93,064 for the financial year 2025-26, with ‘Brand Bengaluru’ in focus. Of this, whopping Rs 42,000 crore has been earmarked for the tunnel road project.

The budget was presented by officials for the fifth time in a row with no BBMP council in in place yet. Special commissioner (finance) K Harish Kumar presented the budget in the presence of Chief Commissioner Tushar Giri Nath and and administrator Umashankar.

The civic body, which expects revenue of Rs 5,716 crore, has allocated Rs 880 crore for easing traffic, Rs 13,200 crore for elevated corridors/grade separators, Rs 9,000 crore for double decker flyovers, Rs 3,000 crore for roads on rajakaluves, Rs 6,000 crore for white-topping of roads and Rs 400 crore for construction of the skydeck.

The budget also proposes setting up of a separate wing for survey of the 20 lakh properties in the BBMP jurisdiction, tendering 143 properties for which the contracts have ended, increasing revenue through a new advertisement policy to generate Rs 750 crore and curbing illegal advertisements, curbing of vehicle parking on footpaths and creating mechanical parking facilities.

The Palike also expects to raise Rs 2 crore from the premium FAR policy, proposes counselling for employee transfers and allocates Rs 500 crore for regularisation of 12,692 civic workers in the financial year.

Other proposals include allocation of Rs 10 crore for purchase of 500 electric goods autorickshaws to be distributed among backward classes and minorities, electric two-wheelers for 1,000 eligible employed women and pourakarmikas, three-wheelers for the differently abled at a cost of Rs 15 crore, Rs 2 lakh aid for transgenders to set up business, Rs 130 crore for Griha Bhagya, Rs 6 lakh aid for housing schemes among others.

The budget also proposes Rs 675 crore grants for the 225 BBMP wards, including Rs 50 lakh each for maintenance, Rs 247.25 crore for permanent measures in flood-prone areas, Rs 2,000 crore for building 174 km of retaining walls along rajakaluves over the next three years with a Rs 500 crore loan from the World Bank.

Speaking to media persons after presenting the budget, BBMP administrator S R Umashankar said the budget outlay has been increased by 50 per cent over last year. “Last year, we had presented a budget of Rs 13,000 crore which has been increased to Rs 19,000 crore this year. While Rs 5,599 crore was allocated for capital expenditure last year, it has been increased to 12,592 crore this year with focus on ‘Brand Bengaluru’,” he said.

Chief Commissioner Tushar Giri Nath noted that taxes have not been raised. “There are 7 lakh properties outside the network and we will collaborate with KERC to identify them through GPS and bring them under the tax net”, he said. “This is vibrant Bengaluru and we will spend Rs 50 crore on installing designer streetlights to beautify the city and Rs 25 crore to redesign junctions and public spaces”, he added.

Reacting to the budget proposals, former mayor Harish Kumar said, “This is a deficit budget and not a single proposal will be implemented. They haven’t filled potholes, but increased the burden on citizens by raising garbage cess. Neither the BBMP nor the government has funds. Let the commissioner walk 10 steps on a footpath blindfolded and he will realise their condition”.