Residents at a round table discussion on “Future of Bangalore city” on Sunday were unanimous in opposing commercial activities in residential areas and urged the State government to bring out a zoning pattern in the proposed master plan for Bangalore metropolitan area.

Organised by Citizen’s Action Forum, an umbrella organisation of over 15 resident welfare associations, with an aim to elicit views of residents for the development of the City, Legislative Council Chairman Prof B K Chandrashekar chaired the round table.

Discussing the master plan being prepared by the BDA, residents opposed the ‘mixed’ zoning (both residential and commercial) pattern, as has been proposed in the draft of new master plan.

“The draft is faulty. There is no strict zoning rules. Commercial activities like shops, hotels, restaurants, cinemas, banquet halls, automobile shops and others are allowed in residential zone. How can a resident live peacefully with so much commercial activities around?,” Major Kapur of Koramangala Initiative asked.

A residential area should be peaceful and free of all kinds of pollution, especially noise. Living in ‘mixed’ zones, as it is now in several residential areas in the heart of the city, will be as good as living in a market place, he said.
Ravindra Nath Guru, a resident of Banashankari II stage, who also voiced the same concern, stated that draft plan allows commercial activities wherever roads are above 40 feet. “This is nonsense. No residents can live on such a road,” he added.

Not only residents, elected representatives too opposed the mixed zoning. Commercial activities should be confined to only small shops for the daily needs of residents. Any big commercial activity will cost dearly to residents and they cannot live peacefully, former mayor of Bangalore P R Ramesh said.

Jayamahal MLA Roshan Baig blamed the bureaucracy for blatant violation of rule book and allowing illegal construction in residential areas.

The officials don’t seem to apply common sense while planning. They spoil every thing and easily slip away by putting the blame of politicians, he said.

Single window agency
Earlier, Mr Chandrashekar stressed the need for a single window agency to ensure co-ordination among various civic agencies. Residents are made to run from pillar to post to get a problem solved. This should be stopped, he added. Many such discussion programmes will be organised in coming days before chalking out resolutions, which will be forwarded to the Government. Other elected representatives Ramalinga Reddy, N L Narendra Babu, Dinesh Gundu Rao, former mayor Mamtaz Begum and many former corporators of BBMP were also present.

Jayanagar MLA and former minister Ramalinga Reddy and some residents indulged in a wordy duel at the round table discussion. When the latter remarked that illegal buildings would not have come up if elected representatives were serious in their work, the former raised objections to it.
“Don’t think that we (politicians) will accept whatever you say...What we can do if some body builds an illegal structure”, he retorted.

BLAME GAME
Naganna of Lokaparitrana, who made the statement, shot back saying “elected representatives have all the powers to control official body. But you deliberately turn a blind eye.” He was seconded by another resident Ravindra Nath Guru.

Gandhinagar MLA Dinesh Gundu Rao intervened and pacified both parties.