South Indian Urban Development Ministers’ meet to be held on Oct 30: DKS

Deputy Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar announced that a conference of Urban Development Ministers from South Indian states will be held in Bengaluru on October 30, with Union Minister for Housing and Urban Affairs, Manohar Lal Khattar, agreeing to attend the event.

Speaking to the media near his residence in Sadashivanagar and later on Bannerghatta Road, Shivakumar said that the state government will raise key demands related to Bengaluru’s development before the Union Minister during the conference.

“We have already met Union Ministers and the Prime Minister several times seeking funds. This meeting will be another opportunity to press for central assistance,” he said.

The DCM also revealed that peripheral areas surrounding Bengaluru may soon be brought under the jurisdiction of the Greater Bengaluru Authority (GBA). “I recently visited local bodies located on the GBA border to assess their eligibility for inclusion. A review meeting with officials has been called this Friday. Based on the report being prepared by B.S. Patil’s committee, some areas may soon be merged under the GBA,” he stated.

He emphasized that public consultation will be held with MLAs, MPs, and local organizations before taking any final decision. Shivakumar further mentioned that the ‘Bengaluru Nadige’ (Walk with Bengaluru) program will be held this weekend to interact with citizens, followed by meetings with IT-BT companies in Mahadevapura and KR Puram.

Highlighting the city’s rapid growth, he said, “Nearly 25 lakh people live outside BBMP limits. These areas must be developed and gradually included under city governance. Some regions like Electronic City, Whitefield, and Yelahanka are still under panchayats — urban planning must be systematic and comprehensive.” Regarding the road repair and pothole clearance deadline, Shivakumar said, “Officials are already on the job. In some areas, we are relaying entire stretches instead of patching. Work is progressing rapidly based on priority. Once the rains stop, we’ll accelerate the works further.”

When asked about Yathindra Siddaramaiah’s recent statement and internal party matters, Shivakumar refused to comment, saying, “I will respond at an appropriate time.”

On reports of vote manipulation in Aland constituency, he confirmed, “Yes, the SIT has found evidence that nearly 6,000 votes were tampered with using fake phone numbers. The officials had filed complaints earlier, and the law will now take its course.”