A metropolitan city like Bengaluru, which is growing at a rapid pace, needs a separate Act for governance and development of infrastructure, said former chief secretary A. Ravindra here on Wednesday. It is essential to pass the Bengaluru Metropolitan Region Governance Bill, which is pending wit the government, to bring all civic agencies under one roof, he said, speaking at a function to release his book “Bangalore Multiplicity”, which is a guide on the growth of the city.

He said other metropolitan cities, like Hyderabad, Chennai and Mumbai, have separate Acts to govern them. The new Act would help restructure quasi-state government bodies like the BDA and BWSSB and provide efficient administration, he said. Mr Ravindra also felt that a body like the Metropolitan Planning Agency (MPC) could help in holistic planning and coordination of various agencies dealing with water and power supply, urban planning, environment and infrastructure.

here is a need for reforms in the BBMP administration too. A directly elected mayor or a cabinet system would propel the growth of the city, he said. The city has been suffering due to lack of resources for infrastructure development. The BBMP should mobilise more revenues by looking at different avenues, he said. Providing quality roads, drains and sanitation should be the primary duty of the BBMP and it should not fail in it. Also Metro Rail network should be extended, he said. Chief Minister D.V. Sadananda Gowda, who unveiled the book, said it is a thought-provoking book and is a good read for bureaucrats and politicians. “His knowledge is 10 times more than what he has penned in the book. We have him with us to give valuable suggestions,” he said.