Bengaluru corporations ramp up dog shelter infra works

With the Supreme Court passing the final order on relocating stray dogs from institutions and public spaces such as bus shelters, the Bengaluru corporations are pushing to expedite infrastructure works to begin the relocation process.

A survey undertaken by the city corporations revealed that around 2,696 dogs need to be relocated. A few corporations are also planning one more survey to finalise total count.

According to documents reviewed by The Hindu, the South and North City Corporations have made substantial progress in infrastructure works, while the others are lagging behind even in construction activities.

The South Corporation has already constructed a shelter home with a capacity to house 100 dogs in S. Bingipura. The corporation has also selected an NGO to oversee the care of stray dogs in the shelter home.

In the North Corporation, a shelter home with a capacity of 500 dogs is coming up in Medi Agrahara. Civil works are in the final stage, and the shelter home will be ready by May 30, according to the document.

The West and East Corporations have identified land in Sumanahalli and Basavanapura, respectively, and ground-level work is in the initial stage. The corporations plan to set up shelter homes with a capacity of 500 dogs each. While the West Corporation is eyeing completion within three months, the East Corporation is optimistic about completing the work within two months. The central corporation is also setting up a shelter home with a capacity of 500 dogs in Bingipura, where foundation work is currently underway.

According to a source in the Greater Bengaluru Authority (GBA), the relocation will take place in phases, and the care of the dogs will be outsourced to NGOs. The corporations will allocate ₹ 3,000 per dog per month, including feeding costs. The nodal officers, most of whom are veterinarians in the corporations, will oversee the operations.