Bengaluru South MP Tejasvi Surya.
|
Bengaluru South MP Tejasvi Surya has urged the newly-appointed Bengaluru Development Minister Krishna Byre Gowda to undertake a series of governance, infrastructure, and mobility reforms to address what he described as years of “administrative shortcomings” in the city.
Mr. Surya met Mr. Gowda on Monday (June 22, 2026) and held a press conference on Tuesday (June 23, 2026) to detail the suggestions he has placed before the new minister. He has submitted a letter to Mr. Gowda, detailing the pending works and much-needed reforms in the Bengaluru administration. He said Bengaluru had suffered from the absence of elected local bodies, delays in infrastructure projects, and what he termed “unplanned and ad hoc urban development.”
The MP proposed a 15-point agenda covering transparency, roads, public transport, urban planning, environment, waste management, housing, and governance. A key recommendation was the creation of a public-facing Unified Infrastructure Accountability Platform within 60 days.
This has been a long-standing demand from the citizens since the formation of five new corporations under the Greater Bengaluru Authority (GBA). However, no work has started towards this cause.
Mr. Surya claimed that more than 30 major projects being executed by agencies such as the Bangalore Development Authority (BDA), B-SMILE, and Karnataka Road Development Corporation Limited (KRDCL) remain incomplete, including the Ejipura Flyover, Varthur Kodi Flyover, Kanteerava Underpass, and several Metro corridors.
Mr. Surya also sought a white paper on road repairs and pothole management, noting that nearly ₹7,000 crore had been allocated for road maintenance over the years while road conditions continued to draw public criticism. He further called for a “Mission Walkable Bengaluru” to restore and standardise footpaths across the city.
Public transport
The MP urged the government to rationalise Namma Metro fares, which he said are among the highest in the country, and to prioritise non-fare revenue sources such as advertisements and rentals. He also called for faster execution of delayed Metro projects, expansion of the network by an additional 200-250 km, increased train capacity, better last-mile connectivity, and extended operating hours. He pointed out that no new Metro works have started in the last two years.
Mr. Surya stressed the need to operationalise the Bengaluru Metropolitan Land Transport Authority (BMLTA) and ensure that all major mobility projects are routed through it for integrated planning. He argued that multiple agencies had continued to undertake projects independently despite the formation of the authority.
Housing and civic issues
Among other suggestions, the MP called for better utilisation of the Union Government’s Urban Challenge Fund, citywide piped natural gas connectivity, reforms to prevent urban flooding, rejuvenation of lakes, and a long-term water security strategy to reduce dependence on private water tankers.
He also highlighted Bengaluru’s garbage management challenges and sought a review of the ₹39,000-crore waste management contract awarded by Bengaluru Solid Waste Management Limited. The MP further proposed the creation of one lakh affordable rental housing units. He also called for a recruitment drive to address staff shortages in the city’s five municipal corporations.
Mr. Surya urged the government to conduct long-pending civic elections and restore elected local governance in Bengaluru, which has been without councillors since October 2020.
Published – June 23, 2026 05:42 pm IST
