How can Bengaluru get the ‘metro’ tag?

Social media activism, holding the city’s political representatives accountable and listing out the city’s significance in the country are ways to campaign for getting Bengaluru a ‘metro’ status, believe civic activists and urban planners. 

Earlier this month, Pankaj Chaudhary, union minister of state for finance, said Bengaluru will not be given the metro tag as the current rational tax policy (which offers higher HRA tax exemptions for metros) would not be changed. As a result, a large section of the population loses out on significant savings.

Political representatives

Measure cost of living Urban planner, Ashwin Mahesh, believes classifying a city as a metropolis is irrelevant, especially when it comes to HRA tax exemption. The last census was taken in 2011. Since then the city’s population has grown by over 4 million. “That’s four times the size of Mysuru. The approach should be data-driven, rather than policy-driven,” he explains.

The focus, according to him, should instead be on measuring a city’s cost of living. “If the cost is high, it should automatically be designated for higher HRA allowance. Cost of living should be studied on a regular basis,” he offers. 

The assumption has always been that metropolises are the richest cities. “This is not the case. There are smaller cities that are much richer than some metros,” he notes. 

Rajashree S (name changed) suggests the central government takes a look at the Karnataka economic survey of 2021. “It highlights the Bengaluru urban district’s GDP contribution,” she explains. She adds that it would be a good exercise to note down how achieving the metro tag would benefit the key stakeholders.

Bengaluru’s impact on the country — in terms of entrepreneurship, tax, and revenue — needs to be examined by the central government, states Priya-Chetty Rajagopal, cofounder, Heritage Beku. 

“Bengaluru leads in every sphere. We are a melting pot of cultures. Getting a metro status would mean the city would get priority for infrastructure development. We would be able to ask for more funds and develop Greater Bengaluru in a better way,” she shares.