Karnataka Chief Minister DK Shivakumar lets BDA, BMRDA run PRR and Bidadi Township raises questions

ByTech Word News

File photo of Chief Minister DK Shivakumar and Bengaluru Development Minister Krishna Byre Gowda. | Photo credit: File photo

Chief Minister DK Shivakumar, who earlier handled the Bengaluru development portfolio, has retained the Bangalore Development Authority (BDA) and the Bangalore Metropolitan Region Development Authority (BMRDA). The move, despite allotting the portfolio to Krishna Byre Gowda, became controversial.

Sources said the Chief Minister wants to continue to manage key projects in the Peripheral Ring Road (PRR), now renamed Bengaluru Business Corridor, anchored by BDA, and Bidadi Township, anchored by BMRDA, which Mr Shivakumar has been spearheading since taking over in 2023. However, the other key project – anchored by Bengalur Tunnel – anchored by Bengalur Limit (B-SMILE) has been allotted to Mr Byre Gowda.

Mr. Byre Gowda was also not entrusted with the charge of the local bodies in Bengaluru city, which Mr. Shivakumar was in charge of as the Bengaluru Development Minister. The exclusion of key agencies like BDA and BMRDA, which are also planning authorities and work on key infrastructure projects, has raised questions as to whether this will once again lead to Bengaluru’s various agencies working in silos. The Greater Bengaluru Authority (GBA), chaired by the Chief Minister, has brought all parastatal bodies in the city on one platform for the first time.

Experts said that such a system of authority over Bengaluru’s key agencies, which is divided between two leaders, can come in the way of coordination as well as planned development. It is said to be the first time that Bengaluru’s development minister has not been given authority over all agencies in the city.

Experts also claimed that the idea of ​​creating a separate ministerial portfolio for Bengaluru development is to provide a targeted approach to Bengaluru development issues. But not having complete authority over all agencies has raised many eyebrows among experts.

Published – 07 Jun 2026 20:42 IST