Closer governance, but elected council remains missing link

With elections long overdue and councillors and ward committees yet to be in place, many feel the new administrative structure can deliver its full promise of bringing governance closer to citizens only when there is a stronger local accountability mechanism

Published - September 02, 2026 06:24 am IST - Bengaluru

A file photo of the Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike council meeting.

As the GBA completes a year on September 2, residents point to continuing gaps in areas such as solid waste management, funding, and execution. | Photo Credit: File photo

A year after Bengaluru’s civic administration was split into five corporations, the Greater Bengaluru Authority (GBA) has made it easier for citizens to reach civic officials, but whether that has translated into better delivery on the ground remains a mixed bag.

While some residents have seen long-pending issues being taken up, others say easier access has not necessarily meant faster execution or better accountability.

As the GBA completes a year on September 2, residents point to continuing gaps in areas such as solid waste management, funding, and execution. With elections long overdue and councillors and ward committees yet to be in place, many feel the new administrative structure can deliver its full promise of bringing governance closer to citizens only when there is a stronger local accountability mechanism.

Accessibility yes, resolution not yet

Satish Mallya, president of the Bangalore Apartment Federation (BAF), said easier access to Commissioners was among the most visible changes after the formation of the GBA. “The accessibility, however, needs to be followed by a system that ensures complaints are actually resolved. The next step should be time-bound grievance redressal, public performance dashboards, and regular meetings with citizens. Effective ward committees could further strengthen this,“ he said.

Vishwa Venkata Reddy of Bhuvi By Amsha Apartment, Kadabeesanahalli, however, argued that while it is easier to identify the relevant corporation and engage with officials than when dealing with the much larger BBMP structure, approachability has not yet translated into execution. “In the absence of elected councillors and councils, resident welfare associations still find it difficult to pursue issues and ensure that decisions translate into work on the ground.”

Mr. Reddy added that while corporations may identify local problems and even agree on solutions, the availability of funds, administrative capacity, and getting works sanctioned and executed continue to be constraints. “Decentralisation has brought the government closer, but the resources required to deliver have not fully followed,” he said.

Agreeing that elected representatives and ward committees are crucial to making the new structure more accountable, civic activist Preeti Sunderajan of Malleshwaram said: “The five corporations need elected representatives and effective ward committees to create greater local ownership and accountability. If we can combine local responsiveness with a larger city-wide vision, it could be a meaningful step for the city,” she said.

Garbage still a painpoint

Solid waste management is another area where residents say the system is yet to settle after the transition to the GBA and Bengaluru Solid Waste Management Ltd. (BSWML).

Citizens point out that apartment complexes classified as bulk waste generators continue to face uncertainty over the collection and management framework, empanelled vendors, pricing, and responsibilities. For apartment associations, this has translated into operational difficulties and, in some cases, higher costs. Citizens across different RWAs say the system needs to settle into a predictable framework, with responsibilities clearly defined.

Following re-structuring, Commissioners of all corporations had also started phone-in programmes to give residents a direct way to raise civic complaints without having to visit government offices. The programme, however, has not been equally effective uniformly. While residents in the North corporation have seen a significant response, citizens in the Central and West corporations say the phone-in programmes have not been regular enough to become a dependable way of getting civic issues resolved.

North Corporation Commissioner Pommala Sunil Kumar, however, said the division into five corporations had made it easier to monitor civic complaints and identify gaps at a more local level.

“With multiple corporations, citizens feel they are closer to the officials, which was also the aim of the GBA structure. We can now do a reality check on what is happening and what has been done. The complaints are divided and during reviews we can see where the gaps persist and where there has been improvement,” he said. After the North corporation was formed, between September 1, 2025, and August 21, 2026, it received 75,152 grievances, with only 1,167 remaining pending, he pointed out.