Don't approve RMP without court consent, HC to govt

The High Court of Karnataka on Monday directed the state government not to approve the Bangalore Development Authority's Revised Master Plan (RMP) 2031 without the consent of the court.

According to the petitioner Namma Bengaluru Foundation (NBF) and Citizens Action Forum, the Bangalore Metropolitan Planning Committee (BMPC) is the constitutional body instituted for creating and implementing the master plans. However, the BDA is formulating the master plans and sending them to the state government for approval bypassing the approval of the BMPC.

The divisional bench of acting chief justice H G Ramesh and P S Dinesh Kumar, while hearing a PIL filed by the NBF, directed the BDA to follow the process as mandated in the constitution.

The BMPC has been constituted to be the nodal authority for all the development and planning in Bangalore metropolitan area. However, the BDA is undertaking the planning and development of areas and submitting it to the state government bypassing the BMPC. The state government has also not involved the BMPC in the decision making.

The next hearing of the petition will be on October 31.