Wait for basic amenities gets longer for KG Layout site allottees

Six years after securing site allotment at the Nadaprabhu Kempegowda Layout (NPKL), buyers are still waiting for basic amenities to begin constructing houses.

The month-on-month progress report given by the Bangalore Development Authority (BDA) has revealed that works at the layout has been stalling for months together.

Data accessed by DH revealed that not even a two-kilometre road has been constructed since May, while drains are built over a three-kilometre stretch in a layout sprawling over 2,650 acres.

“We hardly see any progress, and this has been the case for the last one-and-a-half years. This is a direct impact of the BDA’s inability to accurately assess and release funds to the contractors, according to the works taken up,” said A S Suryakiran from the Nadaprabhu Kempegowda Layout (NPKL) Open Forum.

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Problems began two years ago following estimations by the contractor and the BDA engineers that the layout needs more funds to complete infrastructure works. A variation quantity of Rs 650 crore was estimated and a proposal was placed before the BDA board for approval.

“The works will not gather momentum without the approval of the variation quantity. Though the BDA’s internal technical review committee approved the variation, the assessment was further passed to a third-party company, which is yet to submit a final report even after seven months of survey,” Suryakiran added.

BDA officials, on the other hand, said the project was stalled due to heavy rains and continuous festivals.

“Though the variation quantity is still under discussion, contractors have been asked to proceed with the work planned according to the initial estimation,” said a senior BDA official.

“We have received initial report from the third party on the assessment. Once we receive the final report, the variation quantity will be released accordingly,” the official added.

Though the site allottees have approached the Real Estate Regulatory Authority (RERA) and the petition committee of the Assembly, work on the ground is yet to gather pace.