Karnataka plans new agency for Bengaluru’s road infrastructure projects

The Karnataka government is considering establishing a dedicated agency to manage large-scale road infrastructure projects in Bengaluru, reducing the role of the Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP). The proposed entity, which may be named Bengaluru Smart Mobility Infrastructure Ltd (B.SMIL) or Bengaluru Smart Infrastructure Ltd (B.SIL), is expected to be officially announced by Chief Minister Siddaramaiah during the state budget on March 7.

Also read: Bengaluru RTOs crack down on unauthorized school transport, seize 65 vehicles

The new agency will function similarly to the Mumbai Metropolitan Region Development Authority (MMRDA), focusing on major urban projects such as tunnel roads, elevated corridors, and white-topping of roads. Bengaluru Smart City Ltd (BenSCL), which has nearly completed its projects, is likely to be dissolved to make way for the new organization.

Key projects expected to come under this agency’s jurisdiction include two tunnel roads—Hebbal to Silk Board Junction and KR Puram to Nayandahalli—along with a double-decker road-cum-metro project, sky decks, and road upgrades. The BBMP, which has struggled with delays in executing such large-scale infrastructure projects, will have a diminished role.

This move aligns with the state government’s broader plan to reorganize Bengaluru’s civic administration, including a possible division of BBMP into smaller municipal corporations. Essential services like water supply, power distribution, and urban planning are already managed by independent agencies, often with minimal coordination. The new infrastructure body aims to streamline execution and improve efficiency in the city’s rapidly growing transport network.