The Greater Bengaluru Authority (GBA) Executive Committee on Friday decided to develop a unified GIS-based digital platform to improve coordination among civic agencies and minimise repeated road digging and duplication of infrastructure works across Bengaluru.The decision was taken at the second meeting of the Executive Committee, chaired by Greater Bengaluru Development Minister Krishna Byre Gowda. The committee, constituted under the GBA Act, brings together heads of key civic and infrastructure agencies to coordinate planning and execution of urban development projects.Addressing reporters after the meeting, Gowda said Bengaluru had suffered for decades because multiple departments worked in isolation, leading to repeated road cutting, duplication of work, avoidable public expenditure and inconvenience to citizens."People have been demanding better coordination among civic agencies for over three decades. The Executive Committee has been created to provide a permanent institutional mechanism to address this issue," he said.The minister directed all departments to jointly plan infrastructure projects and share timelines in advance so that utility works, road construction and other civic projects could be synchronised. He said coordination meetings, mandated once every two months under the GBA Act, would be held more frequently whenever required.The proposed GIS-based platform will integrate data on roads, utilities, streetlights, road history and ongoing infrastructure projects. All participating agencies have been asked to upload details of proposed works before execution to facilitate better planning and reduce repeated excavation.The platform will also allow citizens to report civic issues such as potholes and track the status of corrective action, improving transparency and accountability, the minister said.The Executive Committee comprises senior officials from the five city corporations, BWSSB, BESCOM, BMTC, BMRCL, BDA, K-RIDE, Traffic Police, Fire and Emergency Services and other agencies involved in urban infrastructure.Gowda also reviewed the ongoing Safe Footpath Campaign and said around 141 km of encroached footpaths had been cleared during the first two days of the drive.The campaign currently covers about 20% of Bengaluru's arterial and sub-arterial road network, where pedestrian movement is the highest. Commercial activity and street vending would continue on other roads in accordance with the law, he said.Stressing that pedestrian safety remained the government's priority, Gowda said the initiative was being implemented in line with Supreme Court directions and with the support of elected representatives across political parties."The objective is not to affect livelihoods but to ensure that every citizen can walk safely. Public safety and public rights must remain paramount," he said.