Palike pulls down 32 properties on drains

The Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) on Saturday demolished 32 properties encroaching on Raja Kaluves in and around the city.

The helpless owners told the officials that their buildings were approved by the state government.

The demolished properties are among the 1,923 identified by the Bangalore Urban District administration as encroaching on Raja Kaluves.

The Palike has pulled down 822 properties so far, but the drive to remove the remaining illegal 1,101 structures is yet to gain the desired pace, an official said.

Following flash floods in different parts of the city last week, the Palike officials had to face the wrath of Chief Minister Siddaramaiah and the public.

The chief minister ordered the demolition of all the illegal structures, which were said to be the primary cause for flooding of low-lying areas. The BBMP officials, accompanied by the police and officials from the Bangalore Metropolitan Task Force, brought down the houses constructed illegally on government land at Avani Shrungerinagar in Bommanahalli (17), Kasavanahalli in Mahadevapura (10) and Shivanahalli in Yelahanka (5).

Begging for time, the property owners showed the officials documents such as ‘A’ Khata, building approval, betterment certificate and tax receipts to prove that they had purchased the houses without knowing they were encroaching on drains. But the officials paid no heed and demolished the structures. A few residents pointed out that the BBMP was favouring some posh apartments and a few property owners who have also constructed buildings blocking the drains by diverting the Raja Kaluves.

Palike Commissioner Manjunath Prasad told reporters that the civic agency would initiate action against the guilty officials who have issued the town planning approval for the illegal structures. “It’s the handiwork of corrupt government officials. We will trace them and register criminal complaints against them,” he said. “Action will be also taken against the layout developer who sold these properties. But the BBMP will not pay compensation to the owners whose properties were demolished,” he added. Another official said the Palike would conduct similar eviction drives every Tuesday and Saturday.