Meet the Big 5: Bengaluru’s New Civic Corporations Explained

Yes, in an unprecedented move that echoes both the ambition of modern governance and the complexities of urban sprawl, the Karnataka government has set into motion a transformative restructuring of Bengaluru’s civic administration.

To make it simple, as we seen last time, the BBMP is turning into GBA - Greater Bengaluru Authority, and the whole city is going to be categorised into 5 New Municipal Corporations

As you might be aware, until now, the entire city was managed by a single civic body called the Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP).

The city, long managed under the umbrella of the Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP), will now be divided into five separate municipal corporations.

This bold measure, aimed at decentralising power and enhancing grassroots governance, represents one of the most significant overhauls in Bengaluru’s civic history.

The state government's draft notification, published in mid-July 2025, formalises this proposed division under the provisions of the Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike Act, 2020.

With this, the sprawling metropolis will now be served by five independent civic bodies, falling under the broader framework of a proposed Greater Bengaluru Authority.

The Big 5 Municipal Corporations of Bangalore

The city will be reorganised into the following five municipal corporations:

1. Bengaluru Central Corporation

2. Bengaluru East Corporation

3. Bengaluru West Corporation

4. Bengaluru South Corporation

5. Bengaluru North Corporation

Each of these is expected to function with a dedicated commissioner, mayor, council, and administrative staff, with zones and wards redistributed to align with regional needs.

The move is aimed at bridging the gap between the rapidly growing urban populace and the machinery of civic services that has long been strained under a single unified system.

Why the Split into 5 Municipal Corporations?

The logic behind this seismic change lies in scale. Bengaluru, with its population crossing 1.3 crores and expanding peripheries, has outgrown the logistical bandwidth of a single municipal entity.

The BBMP, as one large civic body, was stretched too thin.

From solid waste management and stormwater drains to building approvals and road works, the BBMP had more or less become synonymous with bureaucratic delay and systemic inefficiency.

Now, with five separate corporations, the government believes services will reach citizens faster. Each area can focus on its own challenges.

For example, what works for Whitefield may not work for Rajajinagar and now there’s room to adapt.

By distributing the administrative load across five corporations, the government hopes to bring greater agility to local governance.

Civic issues can now be dealt with more swiftly and in tune with the nuances of each region. What plagues HSR Layout may differ vastly from the needs of Yelahanka and now, so will the approach.

Divisions of 5 Bangalore Municipal Corporations

Bengaluru Central Corporation

Highlights

• Area: 78 Sqkm

• Population (as on 2023): 2.5 million

• Density: 32,051 per sqkm

• Expected Property Tax Collection (2025): 659 crores

• Regions/ Assembly constituencies: CV Raman Nagar, Chamrajpet, Chikpet, Gandhi Nagar, Shanti Nagar, Shivaji Nagar

Bengaluru East Corporation

Highlights

• Area: 168 Sqkm

• Population (as on 2023): 1.3 million

• Density: 7,738 per sqkm

• Expected Property Tax Collection (2025): 912 crores

• Regions/ Assembly constituencies: KR Puram, Mahadevapura

Bengaluru North Corporation

Highlights

• Area: 158 Sqkm

• Population (as on 2023) : 3.1 million

• Density: 19,620 per sqkm

• Expected Property Tax Collection (2025): 543 crores

Regions/ Assembly constituencies: Byatarayanapura, Dasarahalli (excl Shettihalli), Mallasandra, Bagalkunte, T Dasarahalli, Hebbal, RR Nagar (excl Jalahalli), Pulakeshinagar (except Kushal Nagar), JP Park, Sarvagnanagar, Yelahanka and Yeshwanthpura.

Bengaluru South Corporation

Highlights

• Area: 147 Sqkm

• Population (as on 2023) : 3 million

• Density: 20,408 per sqkm

• Expected Property Tax Collection (2025): 733 crores

• Regions/ Assembly constituencies: Yeshwanthpur (part of Hemmigepura), Kumaraswamy Layout, Bommanahalli, Padmanabhnagar, RR Nagar (RR Nagar ward), Jayanagar, Chikkalasandra, BTM Layout, Banashankari Temple, Mahadevapura (part of Bellandur), Padmanabhanagar, Bangalore South

Bengaluru West Corporation

Highlights

• Area: 161 Sqkm

• Population (as on 2023) : 4.5 million

• Density: 27,950 per sqkm

• Expected Property Tax Collection (2025): 580 crores

Regions/ Assembly constituencies: Govindaraja Nagar, RR Nagar (HMT, Lakshmidevinagar), Malleshwaram, Kottigepalaya, Basavanagudi, Dasarahalli (Chokkasandra, PIA, Rajagopalnagar, Hegganahalli), Laggere, Rajaji Nagar, Padmanaba Nagar (Hosur Halli, Ganesh Mandir, Kari Sandra, Yediyur), Jnanabharathi, Vijaya Nagar, RR Nagar ward, Mahalakshmi Layout.

Governance Under the Greater Bengaluru Authority

Even as these five corporations take charge of their respective territories, a larger umbrella body called the Greater Bengaluru Authority (GBA) will be constituted to maintain coordination and uniformity in planning, infrastructure development, and policy implementation.

The GBA will oversee inter-corporation projects such as traffic management, major infrastructure corridors, and pollution control while ensuring that there is no administrative fragmentation in larger citywide matters.

A Political and Public Conversation

Unsurprisingly, the reorganisation has sparked spirited political debate. While the ruling dispensation hails it as a landmark reform for responsive governance, opposition voices have flagged concerns about potential overlapping jurisdictions, increased bureaucracy, and disruption to ongoing civic projects.

Meanwhile, the government has invited objections and suggestions from the public and civic bodies, giving residents a window to voice their concerns until the notification is finalised.

This democratic outreach is expected to help fine-tune the boundaries and functional demarcations of the new corporations.

Bangalore 5 Muncipal Corporations : Challenges Ahead!

Decentralisation may offer promise, but the devil, as ever, lies in the details.

Efficient redistribution of funds, clarity of roles, recruitment of capable administrative staff, and robust coordination mechanisms will determine the success of this civic experiment.

Moreover, transitioning from a legacy system like BBMP to a network of independent corporations requires not just paperwork, but a cultural shift within governance structures. A city that has often run ahead of its civic infrastructure must now embrace administrative innovation with caution and care.

What does This mean for Bengalureans?

For the average citizen, the reform may mean closer, faster civic access. Complaints may no longer be routed through an overburdened central office. Projects specific to localities might get more focused attention. But it may also mean navigating new bureaucracies, new helplines, and unfamiliar political representatives.

In time, the verdict will rest not with politicians or planners, but with citizens. If potholes are patched faster, garbage collected reliably, and neighbourhood parks better maintained, the experiment may just usher in a new era of civic trust.

A New Chapter for an Old City

Bengaluru, a city that has always straddled the line between legacy and innovation, is writing a fresh chapter in its civic story. Whether the five corporations serve as five engines of progress or descend into parallel silos will depend on leadership, accountability, and citizen participation.

One thing is clear, the age of the singular BBMP is drawing to a close, and in its place, Bengaluru's Golden Urban Age may just be beginning.