The residents of Shanti Niketan Layout — a vast area off Bannerghatta Road at Arekere comprising 600 apartments — find themselves in an unenviable position today. Reason: Property meant for Civic Amenities (CA)
running into Rs 100 crore is lying totally undeveloped and, therefore, unfit for usage.

The Shanti Niketan Layout is occupied by Vysya Bank employees, NRIs and central government employees. A playground, hospital, recreation club, community hall, school, a site allotted for temple construction and 14 parks are among the CAs which are supposed to be developed here. 

Left in the dark

Residents are in a state of confusion as they do not know who can be held responsible for the sorry state of affairs here — Shanti Group which built their houses, the BDA or the BBMP. After knocking at the doors of all the three, they are now chipping in physically and financially, under the banner of the Shanti Niketan Layout Residents Association, to improve their surroundings. 

According to the residents, the plan for this private layout was approved by the BDA on a township basis in 1993.

Shanti Builders was supposed to execute the work and hand over the property to BDA in 1998. The builder failed to do so and was given time till 2000 to complete the handover. He has still not done the job, allege a few residents. Unless the handing over process is done, the BDA may not be able to do anything, they feel.

However, Shanti Group, which developed the place, acknowledges the responsibility is theirs. "As per the agreement signed with the BDA, this is a group housing colony and we (the builders) are supposed to develop all the CAs and we will do so," assures S Vijayakumar, a partner.  

No development

The areas located on either side of our place are improving in a big way, says Association president Ramakrishnan. Vijaya Colony and Hulimavu have tarred roads with good sign boards while the roads of this place are in a very bad shape.  

 “We now live amidst snakes and other reptiles which breed due to the weeds developing in the open land,” says Sudhir Samal of the Association. “We have sent several representations to the BBMP but nothing has happened.

So, we are now taking development work in our hands,” he adds. The Association and a few committed individuals are taking efforts now to clear the park off weeds and plant trees. They planted 200 trees with assistance from the Forest Department on Independence Day.

Maria Dominick, principal of Bizi Bees Play School Shanti Niketan Layout says, “These park spaces are sometimes used to dump garbage. I pay small boys to clear the park bordering my house and have bought saplings to plant mango and gooseberry trees.” She is also very upset about the non-supply of water. “Each house has paid Rs 10,000 for water supply three years ago. The pipes are all laid, but there is no water,” she adds.

When briefed about the non-development of the amenities and the confusion among residents, S Shekar, Deputy Conservator of Forests, BBMP, says, “Let the residents send across a fresh application to me with request for developing the parks and playgrounds and I will examine it seriously.”

“Let the association convince the builder to hand over the land to us (if it is mentioned in the agreement) and we will do our best to improve it. We have announced the development of CAs in various places through advertisements recently and will try to include this in the list,” a top official at BDA says.

Builder's reason for delay "Once the CAs are constructed, it will become the responsibility of the Association to maintain everything there. Right now, they have scarce resources and are not in a position to do so. The Association has a tough time convincing the residents to even part with Rs 100 a month towards maintaining the area,” Vijayakumar says.

There are many sites where apartments are yet to be constructed, he adds. “It would take us a year to complete the work.

Once this is done, we will concentrate on building the CAs. More houses around will also ensure more revenue towards the upkeep of the amenities. We have already asked them to use the parks as playgrounds and also permitted the construction of a temple here as per their wishes,” he says.

Right now, it looks like the residents have to wait for some time to enjoy their rightful due.