Karnataka Bill Empowers BBMP Over Private Roads

The Karnataka government introduced a bill allowing Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike to declare streets public and regulate private roads. The amendment strengthens BBMP's authority to manage private streets, enforce penalties, and apply property taxes. A related bill targets rural asset management and penalizes non-compliance by officials.

In a significant move, the Karnataka government has proposed a bill enabling the Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) to declare any private street as public and oversee its development. This legislative amendment, aimed at enhancing urban governance, was tabled by Law and Parliamentary Affairs Minister H K Patil on Tuesday.

The Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (Amendment) Bill, 2025, seeks to empower zonal commissioners to intervene when private roads fall into disrepair, potentially endangering public safety. Commissioners can declare such streets public through public notices after considering any objections raised by landowners.

Additionally, the bill facilitates the imposition of fees and penalties in line with constitutional provisions, while also curbing unauthorized constructions. In a related development, the Karnataka Gram Swaraj and Panchayat Raj (Amendment) Bill aims to incorporate unauthorized settlements into the rural local authorities' financial network, ensuring better resource management.

(With inputs from agencies.)