Bengaluru: Over the last few decades, Bengaluru has transformed from a quiet ‘garden city’ to a bustling ‘Silicon Valley’. However, the city is paying the price for its success because of the unplanned growth and ad-hoc decision-making. Overflowing sewers, roads with potholes, dismal waste management, dying lakes, long traffic jams, rising temperatures, and inadequate infrastructure have come to define the IT Capital of India.
Communities are being destroyed and neighborhoods’ transformed in the name of development, which stems from the negligence and continued apathy of public officials and crippling of government institutions.
However hope is not lost yet as citizens of Bengaluru have decided to wage a fight against massive corruption and institutional failure, misuse of public assets, deeply entrenched vested interests and the nexus of builders with public officials.
With the belief that ‘Cities exist for its citizens, and all modern cities must work on that fundamental principle’ the Swarajya in association with Namma Bengaluru Foundation and Public Policy Club of IIM-Bangalore, is hosting a one-day Urban policy conclave, ‘Swarajya Cityscapes – Reclaiming Bengaluru’ on October 7.
An impressive array of thought leaders – influential policy analysts, practitioner, commentators and policy makers – will be attending the workshop. Rajya Sabha MP Rajeev Chandrasekhar, R Jagannathan, G Raghuram, Deepak Malghan, Sridhar Pabbisetty, Nitin Sheshadri, N S Mukunda, S Vishwanath are among those expected to attend the programme.
The themes will be Namma Bengaluru – Vision 2030, Water sustainability in Bengaluru – Way ahead, Urban Planning – zoning and enforcement, Swaccha Bengaluru – Garden, Not Garbage city, Beyond Bangalored – How can India’s IT capital Maintain Its Pre-eminence as a Tech and Innovation Hub, Reimagining Urban Transport- Roadmap to a sustainable model, Making Bengaluru a 21st Century Smart City, among others. Professors at IIMB will also present case solutions on Land Titling, Real estate, Solid waste management and Transport.
The deliberations and conclusions will be shared with the government and other public bodies.
About Namma Bengaluru Foundation
Founded and supported by Rajya Sabha member Shri. Rajeev Chandrasekhar, Namma Bengaluru Foundation works towards making Bengaluru a model city, with well-planned infrastructure, well laid out neighborhood community models and people-driven governance measures. NBF aims to be the voice of the people; a voice that needs to be heard for Bengaluru to become a truly Global City.
