GBA Directs BWSSB to Curb Leakages and Orders Walkway at Iblur Junction

The Greater Bengaluru Authority on Thursday issued a series of major civic directives, ordering the Bangalore Water Supply and Sewerage Board to control leakages and demanding the completion of the pedestrian walkway at Iblur Junction on the Outer Ring Road.

The decisions were made during the third meeting of the GBA executive committee, which was chaired by Greater Bengaluru Development Minister Krishna Byre Gowda. Briefing reporters after the meeting, GBA chief M. Maheswar Rao outlined instructions issued across municipal corporations, the water board, and transport agencies.

On water management, the authority instructed the BWSSB to coordinate closely with city corporations while implementing its annual action plan and focusing on curbing leakages. Noting that rainwater harvesting systems were failing in certain areas and allowing runoff into the sewerage network, Mr. Rao stated that the BWSSB has been directed to launch a special drive to identify irregularities. The water board was further instructed to coordinate with local corporations to fill city lakes through sewage treatment plants and under the Cauvery Stage V project.

To tackle vehicular congestion, Minister Byre Gowda ordered the relocation of 103 bus stands across Bengaluru to eliminate persistent traffic chokepoints. He instructed the Bangalore Metropolitan Transport Corporation and other department officials to devise an action plan to strengthen first- and last-mile connectivity in an effort to encourage public transit use, while ordering work finished on the walkway at the congested Iblur Junction.

Safety measures were also reviewed during the executive meeting. Mr. Rao said city corporations were instructed to expedite the Suraksha 75 project, an initiative designed to curb road accidents. Additionally, the Fire and Emergency Services presented a list of 55 locations across the city where a fire hydrant network could be set up, prompting Mr. Byre Gowda to direct the department to review its requirement for foam-based fire tenders.

The authority also moved to repurpose existing surveillance infrastructure for municipal governance. Mr. Rao said surveillance cameras installed under the Safe City project could be deployed for civic monitoring, including spotting potholes and tracking garbage littering.