Krishna Byre Gowda takes charge as Bengaluru Development Minister

BENGALURU: Karnataka minister Krishna Byre Gowda on Tuesday took charge as Bengaluru Development Minister and held his first review meeting with officials of the Greater Bengaluru Authority (GBA), after earlier delaying the move over concerns regarding the allocation of key city-related departments, according to news agency PTI.According to his office, the meeting focused on key civic issues facing Bengaluru, including solid waste management and other urban challenges. Officials from the Greater Bengaluru Authority (GBA) and various city departments attended the discussions.Gowda, who was sworn in on June 3, had delayed taking charge of the department, expressing concerns over the allocation of responsibilities. He was reportedly unhappy that the state government had kept the Bangalore Development Authority (BDA) and the Bengaluru Metropolitan Region Development Authority (BMRDA) under the direct control of the chief minister.The minister has been given charge of the Greater Bengaluru Authority, its five city corporations, the Bangalore Water Supply and Sewerage Board (BWSSB), and Bengaluru Metro.Before assuming office, Gowda held talks with chief minister D K Shivakumar and senior Congress leaders, including Karnataka in-charge Randeep Singh Surjewala, seeking clarity on his responsibilities. Official sources said the discussions helped resolve the issue and led to him taking charge.

The delay had drawn criticism from the opposition BJP, which questioned the government's lack of clarity over Bengaluru's administrative leadership at a time when the city was dealing with rain-related problems, potholes and other civic concerns. Bengaluru south MP Tejasvi Surya posted on 'X' on Monday, "In Bengaluru, rains have already begun, and the public is facing a hundred problems. But the government still lacks clarity on who the 'Bengaluru In-Charge Minister' is—this is tragic." Gowda had also travelled to New Delhi in recent weeks to discuss the matter with the party leadership. The BDA and BMRDA, which remained outside his control, are responsible for several major infrastructure projects in and around Bengaluru.Among the key projects, the BDA is overseeing the Rs 27,000-crore Bengaluru Business Corridor and the Rs 1,200-crore Hebbal short tunnel project, while the BMRDA is implementing the Bidadi township project worth more than Rs 18,000 crore.