Bengaluru infrastructure projects exempt from BMLTA scrutiny under new rules

The Congress-led Karnataka state government has officially notified the Bengaluru Metropolitan Land Transport Authority (BMLTA) Rules, exempting major big-ticket infrastructure projects in Bengaluru from the authority's scrutiny. The final notification, dated July 2, retains a controversial "savings" clause that allows projects planned or initiated between 2022 and 2025—such as proposed tunnel roads and elevated corridors—to bypass review and approval by the transport authority.

The decision to retain the clause comes despite strong opposition from mobility experts and citizen groups. These groups had previously raised concerns during the draft rules stage in January, warning that the provision would allow significant urban mobility projects to avoid independent oversight. Despite these objections, the state government issued the final notification without removing the controversial clause.

According to the final notification, "Before the establishment of the Bengaluru Metropolitan Land Transport Authority and after the date of commencement of the Act, all the previous decisions, plans and operations and pending proceedings on the date of commencement of these rules, shall be deemed to have been construed under the Act."

This specific provision means that all major infrastructure projects planned before the BMLTA became operational will be deemed approved. This limits the authority's statutory role, which was originally intended to integrate and oversee all urban mobility and public transport projects across Bengaluru.

The BMLTA was envisioned as a critical statutory body to streamline the city's transport planning. Its primary mandate was to integrate and oversee all urban mobility and public transport projects in Bengaluru to ensure cohesive development.

However, the exclusion of major projects planned between 2022 and 2025 has raised concerns about the authority's overall effectiveness. By bypassing BMLTA scrutiny, big-ticket projects will not undergo the integrated review process that mobility experts argued was necessary for the city's long-term transport planning.