The reason behind the Bhagalpur Municipal Corporation losing revenue is that the key properties are not functional. It is unable to create income because of delays, unclear legal questions, and a lack of coordination among related parts of the government. Because of this, many are worried about the city’s ability to cover its public services and development expenses. Lajpat Park is a prime example, as it is a big public area that the Bhagalpur Municipal Corporation (BMC) maintains in the city center. Still, events or programs such as fairs, circuses, or exhibitions are required to get permission from the Forest Department before they are approved, even if they take place in a city park. With this restriction, BMC cannot open the park for public occasions and is losing possible profits. Local leaders state that having dual control hurts the city’s financial situation and makes matters illogical.
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Bhagalpur Municipal Corporation Losing Revenue (Lajpat Park)
The Smart City Project in India built shops across the street from Lajpat Park to help renovate the city’s infrastructure and business sector. The Smart City office is the one that collects the rent from the occupied and working shops, not the Municipal Corporation. Some people and councilors have expressed concern that since the Corporation occupies most of the land, its financial independence should come from using the city’s facilities.
Since they are unable to meet the requirement, BMC cannot earn money by leasing the park for public functions. According to local leaders, managing the city’s finances this way is confusing and damaging to the city’s finances. Councillor Sanjay Sinha revealed that “We have access to the land, yet not the license to utilize it.” Other councilors from core areas have raised these worries during the board’s meetings. Ward Councillor Sanjay Sinha has insisted that the Corporation ought to handle its real estate directly and deal with empty spaces as promptly as possible.
This situation needs to change. The corporation will control the municipal parks, and the rent from the Smart City project will go to BMC. According to him, such changes must be made right away and make sense logically. He believes the city fails to use its assets because the administration is not working together in a timely way. The sources from the corporation say a review of pending land development and rental matters will start when the Municipal Commissioner returns from leave. Some officials are thinking of setting up a special committee to research income opportunities and suggest speedier approvals for business projects. So far, we are not aware of a deadline.
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Is there A Plan?
How will the city redeem itself from the Bhagalpur Municipal Corporation losing revenue? Experts in city planning think that Bhagalpur shows a clear connection between slow growth in small Indian cities and unclear responsibilities among officials. In fact, several communities across the country make their own funds from leasing land and commercial areas, but this is not happening in Bhagalpur yet.
Officials say that all cases regarding land development and rentals will be in focus after the Municipal Commissioner comes back from leave. Some people are proposing setting up a special committee to review how to make more money and speed up the approval of commercial projects. There is no planned timeline, and the majority of people are concerned about how much progress will happen in the near future. Urban development experts think that what happened in Bhagalpur occurs in many other small cities due to official hurdles and confusion over authority. Land leases, commercial buildings, and partnering with others have caused issues across India to get their own funding, but Bhagalpur is still struggling.
Corporation could substantially boost its finances and give better services to Bhagalpur people if its key lands are functional. Therefore, places like Lajpat Park, Smart City stores, and empty plots are all that remind us of missed income and lack of progress.
