City has more illegal businesses than legal ones: Survey

A recent survey has revealed that businesses operating without trade licences are numbering more than those with licences in all eight zones of the city civic body.

The survey conducted by the Assistant Revenue Officers (AROs) of the Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike puts business entities in the city without licences to be 59,130, while about 50,000 function with licences issued by the health department.

The study — conducted after Rajya Sabha MP Rajeev Chandrasekhar complained to BBMP commissioner B H Anil Kumar about illegal establishments operating in residential areas —also found that 877 pubs, bars and roof-top pubs operate with licences, while 169 joints have no licences.

Following the survey, the civic body has decided to take action against the business entities having water and power connections from BWSSB and Bescom despite not having licences.

A health department official revealed that illegal business establishments have cost the civic body nearly Rs 300 crore in losses in annual revenues over several years.

"The BBMP will be amending its zonal regulations to make it harder for illegal business operations in residential areas. The new regulations are sent to the government for approval and it will be approved soon," a senior BBMP health official said.