Bengaluru eyes world-class status with economic masterplan: DKS

Bengaluru: Declaring an ambition to transform Bengaluru into a "world-class growth hub" ahead of its 500-year milestone in 2037, deputy chief minister DK Shivakumar Tuesday said the govt will anchor the city's future development in a comprehensive economic masterplan for the Bengaluru Metropolitan Region (BMR)."We intend to make Bengaluru a world-class growth hub. The city is already competing with global centres like Tokyo, and we want to build on that momentum," Shivakumar said.His remarks came after the state govt signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with the Institute for Sustainability, Employment and Growth (ISEG) Foundation to prepare a comprehensive economic masterplan. The plan will guide the broader development of the nearly 8,000 sqkm Bengaluru Metropolitan Region.ISEG, which is also the knowledge partner of NITI Aayog for similar plans in cities such as Mumbai, Surat, Pune, Visakhapatnam and Varanasi, will prepare the blueprint over the next four months. Progress will be reviewed monthly by a steering committee comprising senior govt officials.Highlighting the need for a shift in planning approach, ISEG director Shirish Sankhe said economic strategy must come first. "While Bengaluru has done very well economically, much remains to be done in terms of quality of life and inclusivity. The economic masterplan will address these aspects along with sustainability," he said.Shivakumar clarified that the proposed plan is distinct from the revised master plan focused on land use. "This plan will look at the distribution of economic activity across the city and the larger metropolitan region," he said.Additional chief secretary (urban development) Tushar Giri Nath signed the MoU in the presence of Shivakumar and chief secretary Shalini Rajneesh among other senior secretaries and GBA commissioners."We have milestones every five years even as the masterplan has projections for the next 15 years. The current masterplan includes two five-year phases between 2027 to 2037," Tushar Giri Nath said. Chief secretary Shalini Rajneesh told TOI that the upcoming masterplan will be integrated with the land-use master plan and will be a comprehensive plan. "The major problem is with mobility and congestion. Bengaluru being the major economic engine of the state, we need to consider planning for a greater area around the city, including the possibility of satellite towns," she said. InsetBMR, spanning over 8,000 sqkm across Bengaluru Urban, Rural and South districts, has a population of around 16 million and a GDP of $149 billion (FY25). It accounts for 42% of India's software exports, hosts over 875 Global Capability Centres (more than 30% of the national total) and ranks as the world's second-largest hub for artificial intelligence talent, with its economy growing at over 9% annually.
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