Civil society organisations, think tanks send recommendations for ‘Brand Bengaluru’ initiative

ClimateRISE Alliance recommended the government to prepare flood management plans with support from the District Disaster Management Authority and Bangalore Water Supply and Sewerage Board (BWSSB). It also suggested that there should be regular desilting of tertiary stormwater drains.

The recommendations include, “Carrying out a comprehensive campaign to map flood points and areas with water stagnation across the city and collaborating closely with citizens to collect real-time data on flood points. Adopting a ‘sponge city’ approach and implementing nature-based solutions like bio-swales, recharge wells, wetlands, and parks for water infiltration and flow control.”

It also demanded strengthened implementation of Bengaluru Metropolitan Land Transport Authority (BMLTA) to ensure all transport related decisions are taken by a single entity. Enhancing capacity of public transportation through the expansion of network and coverage of Bangalore Metropolitan Transport Corporation (BMTC) buses. Apart from these, the consortium also asked for dedicated cycling lanes on all arterial roads of Bengaluru.

Apart from mandating creation of green spaces in all residential and commercial buildings, it also recommended to the government to invest in creation of small parks in every locality, especially in economically disadvantaged pockets such as slums and migrant colonies.

The consortium further recommended, “Creation of a concrete clean air action plan for the Greater Bengaluru Area based on city clean air action plan developed by municipal authority / smart city mission/state pollution control board, affordable and clean public toilets in every ward (at least 2) to address and cut instances of open defecation, availability of well-equipped Dry Waste Collection Center (DWCC), and ensuring sufficient vehicles to be employed to ensure 100 percent collection, ward level training for citizens on composting wet/garden waste; provision of subsidies and incentives for materials required for composting.”