Bangalore Master Plan 2031: Highlights, zones, objections

The Silicon Valley of India and the capital of Karnataka, Bangalore is one of the fastest growing cities in India. This cosmopolitan city with the presence of IT/ITES industries and public sector undertakings, such as BEL, BEML and HAL had led to its growth that attracts people from everywhere in India to settle here.

BDA Master Plan: Evolution

The Local Planning Area (LPA) of the Bangalore Development Authority (BDA) spreads over 1,219.50 sq km (as per revised master plan (RMP)-2015) with a population of around 85 Lakh as per census 2011. The LPA of BDA includes the following:

• Bruhat Bangalore Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) excluding area under Bengaluru-Mysuru Infrastructure Corridor Area Planning Authority (BMICAPA)
• 251 villages in the BBMP periphery

Since 1976, all the BDA’s master plan projects have worked on addressing the changing urban landscape and challenges the city faced. In July 2020, the BDA withdrew the previous plan and decided to revise it. With the influx in population, the BDA is working on revising and preparing the master plan for Bangalore 2031.

The Bangalore Master Plan 2031 will focus on the infrastructure, effective usage of land, and transit-oriented development, while preserving the city’s green belt.

Revised BDA Master Plan: Objective

• Long-term planning
• Safeguard of environment and explore alternate sources of energy
• Garbage-free city
• Accurate representation of information
• Low-cost housing and green open space, large parks, and playgrounds
• Conservation of heritage places in the city
• Integrated land usage, traffic, and transportation planning, better road networks
• Disaster preparedness
• Citizen safety, support for senior citizens and differently abled
• Rebuilding houses and pattas and providing basic services for slum dwellers

BDA Master Plan Map

Source: RSP-2031-BMRDA

• The premium floor area ratio (FAR) in Bangalore Master Plan 2031 may be set to five, which will allow construction of tall commercial, and mixed-land-use projects along the transit corridors.
• The draft master plan has proposed large buffer zones around lakes and drains. However, the Supreme Court struck down this order, which was mandated by the National Green Tribunal (NGT). Now, the revised master plan may not have such conditions.
• There is an ongoing debate on whether the elevated corridor projects will be included in the revised master plan, following public resentment regarding land acquisition for the projects.

BDA Master Plan 2031: Highlights

• Transit-oriented development: The Bangalore Metro Rail Corporation Limited (BMRCL) came out with a transit-oriented development (TOD) policy in May 2019. This was at odds with the Draft Master Plan 2031. The revised master plan will use the TOD policy that will include dense, mixed-land-use developments along the transit corridors, such as bus hubs, and suburban rail corridors. Focus will be on developing integrated transportation hubs, enabling ease of travel.
• Impact zones: Impact zones will be created near transport routes that will have stores and houses nearby. These ‘Impact Zones’ will have high density, mixed-land-use developments that will be within five to 10 minutes of walking distance from the mass transit corridors.
• Higher buildings: Vertical development will be a focus so that larger space will be put into use. There are chances that the premium FAR in the Bangalore Master Plan 2031 will be set to five, which will allow construction of tall commercial and mixed-land-use projects along the transit corridors.
• Changes to lake and drain buffer zones: Due to the Supreme Court order, the RMP-2031 may not include prior buffer zones around lakes and drains.
• Elevated roads: A decision on use of elevated roads is still being discussed as this will involve use of land.

BDA Master Plan 2031: Various zones

Source: Revised Master Plan for Bengaluru- 2031(draft) volume-1 vision document

Zone A: With a little scope for further growth in this zone, it needs strategies that can stabilise its growth. Also, commercialisation and development of economic centres within this area will not be a focus.

Zone B: This area will be between the Outer Ring Road and the conurbation limit of RMP-2015, part of this zone. The development will be a priority here as the zone is characterised by narrow roads, and absence of good network.

Zone C: This zone is the outermost zone that extends from the conurbation limits till the BMA boundary. It has agricultural land use and has sparse developments. As per the RMP 2031, this will be developed to help the farmer community.

Bangalore Master Plan 2031: Timeline

BDA Master Plan: Objections

• Property owners across Bangalore opposed the demarcation of zones as residential, commercial, and agricultural.
• Inclusion of private property in 12 heritage zones was opposed.
• The National Green Tribunal’s (NGT) regulation of buffer zones around lakes was called out to be very strict.
• Property owners asked for more FAR, which would have given them more space for the construction.
• No public comments, or suggestions were included in the revised draft and no clarification was given by the BDA over why these were ignored.
• The draft did not evaluate the previous master plan and analyse the reasons why parts of RMP 2015 were not implemented.

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