The Greater Bengaluru Authority (GBA)’s ambitious initiative to raise Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) funds for the upkeep of city parks and lake development has failed to take off. Despite appointing a full-time CSR Manager with a monthly salary of ₹1 lakh, the civic body has managed to secure sponsorships for only about 10 of the 1,280 parks under its jurisdiction.
CSR adoption plan fails to gain traction
The initiative was launched to encourage corporate houses to “adopt” public spaces as part of their CSR activities. GBA officials said multiple rounds of presentations and meetings were held with CSR heads of leading companies to highlight areas in need of funding.
However, despite initial enthusiasm, few companies followed through.
“The CSR cell’s job is to reach out to companies through emails, social media and one-on-one meetings to mobilise funds for parks and lakes. We made detailed presentations explaining the areas where they could partner with us. While many appreciated the idea, none of the major corporates have come forward with tangible commitments,”
— a senior GBA official said.
Programmes to woo corporates fall flat
The GBA had introduced policies such as the Park Conservation Policy (CIPC-2024) and Namma Bengaluru Namma Koduge (My Bengaluru, My Contribution) to draw corporate attention. These schemes allowed companies to adopt and maintain parks, medians and traffic junctions, promoting civic engagement through CSR.
However, officials admit the response has been disappointing. Bengaluru has 1,280 parks across five zones, ranging from small neighbourhood greens to large parks covering several acres. The monthly maintenance cost of a medium-sized park is estimated at over ₹2 lakh, while bigger parks can require ₹30 lakh or more per month.
“For a city like Bengaluru, known globally for its corporate presence, it’s unfortunate that only ten parks have been adopted so far,”
the official said.
Minimal corporate funding and token donations
Officials said most contributions received so far were voluntary gestures rather than outcomes of GBA’s outreach. Some companies donated benches, dustbins and signboards, but no major financial support was extended for park or lake development.
“Corporates are actively funding causes like healthcare, education and traffic management. But parks and lakes don’t seem to be a priority,”
the official added.
CSR consultant quits amid poor progress
With little progress and no sustained corporate response, the CSR consultant engaged by the GBA has now resigned.
“We have decided not to pursue CSR funding any further,”
the official said.
Special Commissioner Preethi Gehlot confirmed that corporate interest in civic infrastructure remains low.
“If companies adopt even a few parks, it would ease a significant financial burden on the corporation. Due to an ongoing High Court case related to lake development, CSR funds cannot be used for core works, but they can support other developmental activities,”
Gehlot said.
Exploring alternative funding models
Officials said they are now exploring alternate funding and partnership models to maintain the city’s green spaces without relying solely on CSR support. This could include public-private partnerships, community-based maintenance drives, and citizen-led funding for smaller parks.