Planned by the Upper Silesian-Zagłębie Metropolis (GZM), an association of 41 towns in Poland’s southern region of Silesia, the capital of which is Katowice, the vision is to amalgamate the different municipalities into one giant whole.
With a population of over 2.1 million and covering an area of roughly 2,500 square kilometers, the size of Metropolis GZM is greater than Greater London at 1,572 square kilometers and Rome at 1,285 square kilometers.
Stressing that the purpose of the agglomeration would be to “improve the quality of life of residents by using the potential of individual localities within one organism,” GZM Chairman Kazimierz Karolczak said: “We do not plan to transform GZM cities into districts, so they will still have their presidents and mayors, as well as city councils.
“What we are talking about is introducing a certain division of competences and creating a metropolitan municipality.”
According to GZM, the amalgamation has so far seen the introduction of a common public transport ticket and the launch of metropolitan lines along with the purchase of electric buses.
Public transport has also slightly improved the comfort of travel for those passengers who travel between municipalities.
However, they argue that the creation of one large city is to bring further benefits, including a coherent tax policy, differences in utility costs, and different development strategies of 41 cities and municipalities.
Earlier last year, Katowice Mayor Marcin Krupa said: “One city as the final stage of integration of all the municipalities of the Metropolis is my dream.”
