Can the Greater Bengaluru Governance (GBG) Act Deliver for Bengaluru? | The Bengaluru Debates

The inaugural session of the Bengaluru Debates by Janaagraha and Bangalore International Centre (BIC) on 11 October 2025 examined whether the Greater Bengaluru Governance (GBG) Act, India's first metropolitan governance architecture, can deliver for citizens. Civic and political leaders examined the Act from four critical lenses: planning and mobility, citizen-centric governance, transparency in finances and operations, and ward committees and citizen participation. A context presentation on the Greater Bengaluru Governance Act through a City-Systems Assessment was delivered by VR Vachana, Associate Director of Policy at Janaagraha and the Jana Urban Space Foundation. This was followed by a panel discussion featuring Tejasvi Surya, Member of Parliament for Bengaluru South; Rizwan Arshad, Member of the Legislative Assembly for Shivajinagar and Chair of the Joint Select Committee on the Greater Bengaluru Governance Bill, 2024; V Ravichandar, Member of the Brand Bengaluru Committee; and VR Vachana. The discussion was moderated by Srikanth Viswanathan, CEO of Janaagraha, and was followed by a Q&A with the audience. The Bengaluru Debates is envisioned as a quarterly dialogue series designed to expand civic space in Bengaluru through informed, constructive conversations that connect policy, practice, and public discourse.