Bhatkal: The Karnataka Cabinet has approved the upgradation of Bhatkal Town Municipal Council (TMC) to a City Municipal Council. As part of this decision, the Jali Pattan Panchayat and Heble Gram Panchayat will also be merged into the newly formed council. The development was shared by Uttara Kannada district in-charge minister and Bhatkal MLA Mankal Vaidya through his official Facebook page.
Expressing gratitude, Vaidya thanked Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, Deputy Chief Minister DK Shivakumar, Urban Development Minister Byrathi Suresh, and Municipal Administration Minister Rahim Khan, calling the decision a major step toward Bhatkal’s progress.
Following the announcement, public opinion remains divided, with discussions focusing on both the potential benefits and drawbacks of the transition. On one hand, some believe that the new City Municipal Council status will enable Bhatkal to receive increased funding from both the state and central governments. These funds could significantly boost civic infrastructure, sanitation, road development, water supply, and other essential services. The new status is also expected to streamline approvals for large-scale development projects and enable more modern urban planning. Furthermore, the council is likely to be granted greater administrative authority, potentially allowing for faster and more efficient decision-making.
However, apprehensions have also emerged among citizens and elected representatives alike. Many fear that this administrative upgrade will lead to an inevitable rise in property taxes, electricity bills, and water charges, putting additional financial pressure on residents, especially those from low-income households. Concerns have also been raised by residents of Jali and Heble, who worry that the merger may dilute their local identity and autonomy, and subject them to urban regulations and administrative burdens they are not accustomed to.
Jali Pattan Panchayat President Afsha Qazia expressed her dissatisfaction over the decision, stating that the current panchayat body was elected only ten months ago and has not yet had a proper opportunity to function independently. She said it was disappointing that the panchayat had now been merged with the Town Municipal Council and Heble Panchayat to form a City Municipal Council. “We do not agree with this decision at all. In the upcoming council meeting, we will take the opinion of our members, and we may even approach the court regarding this matter,” she said.
Town Municipal Council in-charge president Altaf Kharuri also shared his concerns, stating that the decision was based on outdated population data from the 2011 census, which showed a lower population that did not qualify for a City Municipal Council upgrade. However, he said that by the current 2025 estimates, the population has increased sufficiently, and there was no need to merge additional panchayats to meet the population requirement. He added that even if there was a slight shortfall, merging only Jali Pattan Panchayat would have been enough. “The inclusion of Heble Panchayat as well is unnecessary and unwelcome. We are not satisfied with this decision,” he remarked, adding that the matter would be discussed in the upcoming municipal council meeting.