The BDA board outside their head office.
Credit: DH File Photo
Bengaluru: A meeting between senior officials of the Bangalore Development Authority (BDA) and members of the Nadaprabhu Kempegowda Layout (NPKL) Open Forum ended abruptly on Tuesday, after the BDA restricted participation to site allottees only.
This sparked discontent among forum members, particularly legal heirs of the allottees, who were asked to leave the meeting.
The BDA had convened the meeting following directions from the Karnataka Real Estate Regulatory Authority (K-RERA), after allottees petitioned the body over long-standing delays in completing essential infrastructure work in the layout.
In a press release, the NPKL Open Forum criticised the BDA’s decision to exclude legal heirs from the discussion.
“To deny representation to the dependents of site owners — who are equally affected by the BDA’s failures and often bear the brunt of the consequences — is not only unjust, but also contradicts the spirit and intent of the RERA directive,” the forum stated.
BDA Commissioner N Jayaram defended the authority's stance, explaining that the meeting was intended for only five participants, but over 15 people were in attendance. “We have completed about 90% of the work, including roads, electricity connections, stormwater drains, drinking water supply, parks, and an electricity sub-station. Efforts are underway to finish the remaining 10%,” he said.
He attributed delays to legal challenges surrounding the acquisition of 550 acres scattered across the layout. “There was immense pressure to denotify parts of the land, but the BDA decided not to exclude any area from the acquisition process,” Jayaram added.
Site allottees have long expressed frustration that, despite having paid in full nearly a decade ago, the BDA has not yet completed the basic infrastructure. Many claim that the absence of electricity connections in several zones has made it impossible to begin construction of houses.