Eight months after the formation of the Greater Bengaluru Authority (GBA), the city’s civic administration is facing a major staffing crisis, with nearly 40 per cent of engineering positions lying vacant and affecting the execution of public works.
Officials said the shortage is particularly acute among Assistant Engineers (AEs) and Assistant Executive Engineers (AEEs), forcing existing staff to handle multiple responsibilities and supervise projects worth several crores of rupees simultaneously.
The issue has emerged across the five corporations functioning under the GBA, which replaced the erstwhile Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP).
Engineers handling multiple roles
The impact is especially visible in B-SMILE, the special purpose vehicle responsible for implementing major infrastructure projects. While the sanctioned strength for Assistant Engineers is 48, only 11 engineers are currently available.
Under normal circumstances, three Assistant Engineers manage each ward under the supervision of an Assistant Executive Engineer. However, officials say the shortage has forced individual officers to oversee multiple wards and projects simultaneously.
Residents have also reported difficulties in reaching ward-level engineers and obtaining timely responses to civic complaints.
Civic complaints and projects affected
Citizens have raised concerns that grievances filed through the Sahaya portal often remain unresolved for extended periods, while some complaints are reportedly closed without action due to the mounting workload on officials.
The shortage is also affecting field inspections and project monitoring. Sources said mandatory site inspections for road-cutting permissions and civic works are sometimes delayed or skipped because of insufficient manpower.
The problem has become more visible with the onset of the monsoon, as nearly half of the city’s civic works remain incomplete. Several road and infrastructure projects, including white-topping works and underpass construction, have reportedly witnessed delays.
Recruitment needed to fill vacancies
GBA Chief Commissioner M Maheshwar Rao has directed civic bodies to deploy additional manpower to speed up ongoing projects. However, officials admit that there are few employees available without additional responsibilities.
Authorities are exploring contractual appointments as a temporary solution, but officials acknowledge that long-term relief will depend on fresh recruitment and deputation of engineers by the state government.
Until then, Bengaluru’s civic agencies are expected to continue functioning under significant staffing pressure.