Bangalore: The Public Utility Building will finally receive a much-deserved face-lift. The Bangalore Mahanagara Palike council on Monday passed a unanimous resolution to renovate and modernise the building.

Apart from physical upgradation, the renovated building will have provision for rainwater harvesting, fire safety and a sewage treatment plant, the resolution said. The resolution also called upon the BMP Commissioner to take action against those who had illegally sublet spaces allotted to them. It also states that rentals could be hiked and legal action initiated against a restaurant on the 24th floor of the building. The lease period of that hotel management had expired yet the restaurant continued to run, said A.H. Basavaraju, BJP leader at the BMP Council.

Also called Subash Chandra Bose commercial complex, shop owners at the building currently pay a measly rental of Rs. 7 a square feet. The revenue generated from the complex falls far short of the maintenance expenditure. The Standing committee of accounts and finance had recommended that the rentals be hiked to 15 per cent of the existing fee.

Poster walls

To curb the menace of unauthorised posters coming up at different parts of the city, BMP Commissioner K. Jairaj said that "poster walls" could be a solution. He said that 10 or 12 walls could be identified in every zone and all posters put up there. The Film Chamber of Commerce had requested that space for at least 300 posters be made available to them, he said. If this proposal comes through, Bangalore could be among the few big cities to restrict film posters to designated spots. Film hoardings are already limited here to premises of cinema halls.

Mr. Jairaj said that the advertisement byelaws would come into effect from January following the State Government's approval.

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