Bengaluru infrastructure reforms include deemed bill approvals and BWSSB expansion

Bengaluru Development Minister Krishna Byre Gowda has announced significant administrative reforms to address infrastructure and public works management in the region.

To prevent delays in contractor payments, a new system will implement “deemed approval” for public works bills across Bengaluru’s five city corporations. If officials fail to act within prescribed deadlines—such as the seven-day window for local engineers to submit inspection reports—the bills will automatically move to the next approval stage. However, officials remain personally accountable; if defects are discovered in the work later, the officers who missed the inspection deadlines will be held responsible.

In a separate move, the entire Bengaluru Urban district has been brought under the jurisdiction of the Bangalore Water Supply and Sewerage Board (BWSSB). The minister has directed the BWSSB to assess drinking water demand for the next decade and develop a blueprint for underground sewage disposal. To combat groundwater depletion, the Minor Irrigation Department has been tasked with creating plans to use treated wastewater to refill lakes, which are critical for maintaining groundwater levels.