Bangalore set to expand into a “Greater Bangalore”

The 225 square kilometers of Bangalore Metropolitan Area is all set to expand into “Greater Bangalore” spread across 767 square kilometers by bringing under its purview the surrounding seven city municipal councils and one town municipal council.

After presiding over a meeting of Cabinet Sub Committee on Greater Bangalore, Karnataka Chief Minister H D Kumaraswamy said the work on the project is expected to start from January 2007.

To work out the modalities for a Greater Bangalore, the Government has constituted a high-level committee headed by the Chief Minister’s Principal Secretary Sudhakar Rao, who has been asked to submit a report in the regard in the next three days.

Kumaraswamy said the Government was yet to decide on whether to have a Mumbai or a Chennai model for Greater Bangalore. Once Greater Bangalore is formed, the City expects additional funds from the Federal Government like other metros – New Delhi, Mumbai, Kolkata and Chennai.

The Greater Bangalore will bring under its fold Bangalore City Corporation, City municipal councils of K R Puram, Mahadevapura, Bommanahalli, Byatarayanapura, Yelahanka, Rajarajeshwarinagar and town municipal council of Kengeri