“Better-quality roads are my priority,” Bengaluru development minister tells TOI . Bengaluru: Described as a ‘minister on a mission’, Krishna Byre Gowda prefers to be part of the solutions rather than the problems associated with Bengaluru. Excerpts from an interview with him:
You have completed 100 days as Bengaluru development minister; how do you assess the city’s challenges? My assessment after these 100 days is that if we can get the fundamentals right, citizens will experience tangible improvements in their day-to-day lives. Because i do believe that steady and consistent improvements are possible if we focus on the basics, i remain cautiously optimistic.
Bengaluru is a city that urgently needs better governance. People are demanding solutions to major issues such as traffic congestion, waste management, road quality and basic civic infrastructure, and rightly so. Some of these challenges, particularly traffic, do not have quick fixes. The number one issue is undoubtedly traffic and mobility. People spend far too much time commuting and it affects productivity as well as quality of life. The second major concern is waste management, cleanliness and hygiene. Citizens want a cleaner city and more efficient waste collection and disposal systems. The third issue is road quality, which continues to be one of the most common complaints. Beyond these, concerns vary by locality. Public life comes with both appreciation and criticism, and one has to accept both. Govt undoubtedly has a responsibility to improve governance and service delivery, but society also has a role to play. Bengaluru has many law-abiding citizens, but there are also instances where rules are ignored, whether in construction, waste management or other areas. Sustainable improvement requires cooperation from all stakeholders.