The Greater Bengaluru Authority (GBA) will execute the Bengaluru Water Resilience Project, its first major independent initiative, funded by a USD 426 million (Rs 3,500 crore) World Bank loan under the Programme-forResults financing.

The loan, to be disbursed from 2026 to 2031, will support strengthening storm-water drains (SWDs) and constructing sewage treatment plants (STPs). The project, earlier under the Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP), shifted to GBA after BBMP’s dissolution. While GBA will manage SWDs, the Bengaluru Water Supply and Sewerage Board (BWSSB) will oversee STPs. Though B-SMILE, handling four mega projects, was an option, GBA chose direct control, planning to deploy more engineers under a Special Commissioner.

The Rs 5,000 crore project cost will be partly borne by the state government, with GBA funding smaller works from its revenue, primarily fees from single-site approvals earlier collected by the Bengaluru Development Authority. The strengthened Climate Action Cell will also align efforts with the state’s Climate Action Plan.