Bengaluru: The Rs 4,732 crore budget of Bengaluru West City Corporation (BWCC), which was presented on Saturday, leans heavily on improving the internal revenue streams with khata regularisation identified as a key driver of resource mobilisation. BWCC, the largest of the five city corporations and with the highest number of wards (a total of 112), is dotted by some of the oldest localities including those that are home to Kempegowda’s towers and two major national highways (Mysuru and Tumakuru highways). The corporation is making earnest attempts to fix its financial fundamentals by turning the spotlight on properties. While revenue from tax-related income (including property tax) is pegged at Rs 1,074 crore (23 % of the revenue sources) the corporation’s dependence on central and state grants (including capital grants) is 30 per cent. While bringing more properties under the tax net will be priority, the corporation plans to ride high on the state govt’s green signal to convert B-khata (properties without clear titles) into A-khata (legally compliant properties). BWCC commissioner KV Rajendra said the move is expected to generate a substantial Rs 563 crore this year alone, making it one of the single largest contributors to the corporation’s revenue basket. “There are about 2.5 lakh B-khata properties in the BWCC limits. Even if 15,000 of the 1.5 lakh larger properties convert to A-khata, we can get nearly Rs 3 lakh from each property. We expect to get around Rs 600 crore from this source. We have received nearly 3,000 applications which are being verified. Around 800 of these are at the citizen payment stage. Once people are convinced, they will come forward in larger numbers for khata conversion,” Rajendra said.Beyond the numbers, officials say the khata conversion move could unlock wider economic benefits: it will bring more properties into the formal tax system, facilitate higher property valuations, improved access to institutional finance for homeowners, and a boost to real estate activity across the western parts of the city. A key focus remains achieving a revenue target of Rs 1,964 crore, largely through better tax compliance and plugging gaps in assessment. The corporation is rolling out online systems that allow property owners to submit documents and obtain approvals digitally. This initiative alone is expected to add another Rs 18 crore in revenue. This apart, civic assets (from community halls to land parcels) are set to be monetised through a contactless digital platform, further strengthening non-tax revenues. Inset – 1: Road widening for total cost of Rs 8 crSome of the major roads to be widened include: • Ittamadu Road: 10m to 18 m (length: 5km)• Kurubarahalli Main Road: 12m to 24m (length: 1.4km) • Mahalakshmipura Access Road: 15m to 24m (length: 3km) • Hanumanthnagar Main Road: 12m to 18m (length: 4.5km) • Herohalli Access Road: 9.5m to 15m (length 0.9km) • Thyagarajanagar Main Road: 12m to 24m (length: 1.3km) *Road from Hosakerehalli Main Road to Outer Ring Road: 12m to 24m (length 1.9km) • Road from Katriguppe Main Road to 50 Feet Road Vidyapeeta Circle: 12m to 24m (length 0.8km) Inset – 2SnippetsRs 9 crore to fight mosquitoes: BWCC has reserved Rs 9 crore to deploy gangmen and autos division-wise for spraying, fogging, and power spraying programmesParks: 496 parks; Rs 47.5 crore for maintenance; Rs. 6.3 crore for upgradation. This apart, plans are on to establish parks for specially-abled persons and pets3-day tour: High school students from corporation schools will be taken on a three-day ‘Karnataka Darshana’ educational tour, covering historical sites in Kituru Karnataka, Kalyan Karnataka, and coastal regionsBridge to be demolished: Under the Peenya Industrial Area Division, the bridge constructed across the major stormwater drain in Vidyanagar (ward no 39 – Chokkasandra) will be demolished as it is in a dilapidated condition and a new bridge will be built at a cost of Rs 1 croreResuming repair work: Rs 3 crore will be spent on completing the construction of observation tower in Kumaraswamy Park and Rs 5 crore on the development of Dr Rajkumar Kalakshetra, established in memory of the actor Dr Rajkumar, in Rajajinagar
