Families panic as bulldozers begin to raze wall

Residents of Anekal apartment say map shows no drain

More than 300 families in Prakruthi Solitaire residential complex in Anekal are living in constant fear as the stormwater drain encroachment removal drive reached their doorstep on Saturday.

Shaken by earthmovers demolishing the compound wall of their complex, the residents frantically approached everyone, whom they thought could save them but relief was elusive.

One of the residents approached DH to underline the plight. She said most of the people living there are not the natives of Karnataka, so they are afraid of the clout the builder enjoys. Hence, she requested not to be quoted while narrating the sufferings of the dwellers. She had bought the 1,700 sq ft flat with three bedrooms, a kitchen and a hall for Rs 68 lakh.

“We have spent our life’s savings on this flat and now we learn that the building will be razed. We do not know whom to contact and how to save our property. We will be reduced to zero if this house is gone,” said the wailing complainant.

The registered sale deed shows that the property is in survey number 11/1 of Kammasandra village in Attibele hobli of Anekal taluk in Bengaluru urban district. Village documents show that there are no stormwater drains on the piece of land.

Now that the building may be flattened, residents suspect that the builder might have cheated them by giving wrong survey numbers in the sale deed.

Some of the residents had approached Anekal tahsildar Asha Parveen requesting her to spare their apartment but got no help.

Parveen told DH demolition of the buildings had become imperative after the floods in the area.

“During the torrential rains on July 28, the whole area was under deluge due to encroachment of stormwater drains. Many apartments have been built on these drains. The only way to prevent flooding is to demolish the buildings,” said Parveen.

She added that in the neighbouring Hebbagodi, there are many buildings, which are on the line of demolition.