With residents complaining about the poor upkeep of parks, playgrounds and other public spaces, the West City Corporation is set to roll out a plan to rent out such open public spaces for various activities, with the revenue generated being channelled back into the maintenance of the same facilities.In a bid to further augment its revenue, the corporation is also planning to launch “Paschima Habba” on the lines of the city-wide “Bengaluru Habba”. West City Corporation Commissioner K.V. Rajendra said the corporation has the least revenue generation sources among the city corporations and is projected to be under revenue deficit, largely because it has fewer commercial establishments within its jurisdiction. However, he pointed out that the area has a significant residential population and a large number of public spaces that can be put to better use.“The corporation has 469 parks, several playgrounds, auditoriums, convention centres, 47 lakes and other open spaces where activities such as flea markets, cultural programmes and community gatherings can be organised. The revenue generated from these events will be ploughed back into the maintenance of these spaces,” he said.Mr. Rajendra noted that despite the corporation spending substantial amounts on the upkeep of parks, playgrounds and other public amenities, complaints from residents continue to persist. He said many such facilities remain underutilised for a large part of the week. “For instance, some playgrounds are used for sports activities only once or twice a week during the weekends. The remaining days can be utilised for community events and other public activities without affecting their primary purpose,” he said. While the corporation will continue to allocate funds to ensure uniform maintenance standards across public spaces, the additional activities are expected to increase community participation, create more engagement opportunities for residents and generate supplementary revenue that can be used for upkeep and improvements, he added. To ensure optimal utilisation of these spaces, the corporation is also considering roping in non-profit organisations and private agencies to organise and manage events. The initiative will be implemented on a pilot basis. If the response is encouraging, the corporation may consider appointing a private agency from next year to manage the programme on a larger scale.Paschima HabbaOn the proposed Paschima Habba, Mr. Rajendra said that just as “Bengaluru Habba” showcases the city’s culture through a multi-day, multi-venue format, the corporation intends to organise a similar event at a smaller scale to highlight the history, culture and significance of areas under its jurisdiction.He said that the West Corporation includes several historic neighbourhoods such as Malleswaram and other culturally important localities.The Commissioner said a meeting has been scheduled with the organisers of Bengaluru Habba to discuss the concept and work out a plan for implementing the event. Published - June 05, 2026 06:46 pm IST