BBMP ‘going slow’ on razing encroachments due to paucity of surveyors

The anti-encroachment drive that began after the recent flooding has come to a grinding halt yet again due to the paucity of surveyors.

The Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) has asked the revenue department to depute their staff to re-survey encroachment on rajakaluves. BBMP records reveal close to 550 encroachments are yet to be removed.

On Monday, Revenue Minister R Ashoka met BBMP Chief Commissioner Tushar Girinath along with senior zonal officers. One of the requests put forth by civic body officials to the minister was to depute surveyors as pressure has been mounting from encroachers to re-survey the rajakaluves before deploying the bulldozers.

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As surveying property is an exhaustive exercise, the BBMP has been going slow on the anti-encroachment drive after the initial rush.

“I’ve directed surveyors of the revenue department and BBMP engineers to work together without blaming each other,” Ashoka told reporters.

“Surveyors must survey encroachments and give those details to the engineers. Based on that, irrespective of how big or small the encroachers are, demolition must be taken up,” he further added.

Work will resume post festivals

Ashoka said backhoes and other equipment are not available during Ayudha puja, while workers have also returned home to celebrate the festivals. “The demolition drive will resume after the festivals,” the revenue minister assured.

“I have said indiscriminate action must be taken without buckling to pressure. In fact, I have asked officials to resume demolition of the big rajakaluves,” the minister said.

The minister said nearly 40 people have got a stay from the court.

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“We will deploy advocates to fight these cases. I’ve asked officials to file caveats so that the demolition isn’t stopped,” he said.

Close to 650 encroachments have been identified across all eight zones. Officials said they cleared about 100 encroachments in one month.

Prominent encroachments razed so far are Wipro, Rainbow Drive, RMZ EcoSpace, Puravankara Group, Bagmane Group, Prestige Group, and Nalapad Academy, among others. A majority of encroachers cleared the structures themselves due to public pressure.