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BENGALURU: In a significant development, the Greater Bengaluru Authority (GBA) will officially appoint urban designers and planners for the first time to enhance city infrastructure, including its roads, public spaces, and mobility networks. This initiative introduces specialized Urban Design Cells, signaling a transformative approach to urban planning in Bengaluru.
Traditionally, issues like potholes, flooding, inadequate footpaths, and traffic chaos were often attributed to municipal shortcomings. However, experts have highlighted a more fundamental problem: GBA lacked trained professionals in urban design and planning. Many past engineering projects, conducted without design oversight, led to temporary solutions and varied quality. A senior GBA official stated, “By integrating qualified urban design and mobility planning professionals, we aim to instill much-needed design integrity into our roadways, neighborhoods, and communal areas. These teams will tackle streetscapes, pedestrian and cycling infrastructures, mobility strategies, GIS mapping, public realm enhancements, and policy frameworks—domains where Bengaluru has faced challenges due to fragmented planning.”
Urbanists and civic advocates have embraced this shift as a pivotal moment. For years, they emphasized that without a foundational design capacity, a city cannot create world-class infrastructure or tackle recurring issues that impact residents’ daily lives.
The GBA is now inviting applications from seasoned urban designers and planners, providing a unique opportunity for young professionals to collaborate directly with the government and drive significant change in one of the world’s fastest-growing urban areas. The application deadline is December 15.
GBA plans to white-top 488 km of roads
GBA is set to propose white-topping for 488 km of roads from 2025 to 2028, according to Raghavendra Prasad, chief engineer at Bengaluru Smart Infrastructure Ltd (B-SMILE). He noted that delays in obtaining traffic police approvals and relocating underground utilities have hindered progress. However, white-topping initiatives within GBA limits have been expedited following directives from Deputy Chief Minister DK Shivakumar.
The project will cover a total of 161.8 km at a cost of ₹1,700 crores, with ₹800 crores sourced from state government grants and ₹900 crores from escrow funds. So far, work has commenced on 104 roads covering 145.7 km across 14 packages at a budget of ₹1,487 crores. Between 2016 and 2023, white-topping was completed on 47 roads, totaling approximately 124.2 km, GBA reported.
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