In search of a commercial brake

For decades, the only sign of commerce in most planned residential layouts of the city was a lone kirana shop. But in their breezy walk to that outlet, did residents foresee how it would morph into gigantic commercial blocks, pubs, restaurants and office spaces, destroying their neighbourhood peace forever?

It did, and right before their eyes. Flouting every rule in the book, commercial interests spread their tentacles deep into the residential spaces. First the vehicular onslaught invaded every inch of parking space. Noisy pubs and restaurants blared late into the night. Law and order took a severe beating.

What regulations say

The land use regulations of the Master Plan 2015 had clearly barred commercial outlets along residential area roads less than 40ft wide. Even on roads that exceeded 40ft, only 20% or not more than 50 sq metres of the constructed area of a building could be allowed for ancillary use.

For citizen collectives actively fighting the menace, a Karnataka High Court order directing civic authorities not to allow any commercial activity along roads less than 40ft wide came as a shot in the arm. The Bruhath Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) was forced to act.

In December 2018, the Palike had identified 8,493 commercial outlets that violated the rules spread across all its eight zones. Most of these were in Indiranagar, Banaswadi, K G Halli, Kammanahalli, HBR Layout, Koramangala, Thippasandra and to a lesser extent in Sadashivanagar, Malleswaram and Gayathrinagar.

BBMP enforcement

The BBMP shut down 751 establishments but could go no further. Palike officials cite pressure from various quarters within the civic agency. But what makes it even more troubling is this: Many of those closed outlets are now back in business. The obvious indication: Palms were greased, and loopholes exploited.

To evade further trouble for them, some traders have managed to obtain stay orders. Enforcement, say citizen groups, has clearly slowed down.

But many concerned citizens are convinced that this is by design. Contends an online petition filed by citizen groups: “Deliberate attempts have been made to cause confusion through misinterpretation of the zoning laws, both by officials as well as politicians who probably have selfish interests in ensuring commercial activities continue in residential areas.”

Flawed interpretation

Urban planning experts blame the RMP 2015 itself for giving enough scope for misinterpretations. The Master Plan, through its rules and zoning, virtually legalized commercialisation of residential areas through a ‘faulty’ interpretation of ‘Mixed residential.’ This, as a veteran civic activist points out, allowed IT outfits to surface on every street.

But the bigger problem was the Master Plan introducing a concept of ‘Mutation Corridors,’ notes urbanist V Ravichandar. He explains, “Historically, you had to get permission to convert a residential property to a commercial one. Mutation corridors dismantled that need for permissions. Now, there is not even a need for occupancy certificates.”

The Plan barred commercial outlets on roads less than 40ft wide. But by allowing parking on 20ft, 30ft wide roads, “the whole purpose was defeated.” In Indiranagar, for instance, boisterous youth head out of pubs on the main roads and begin another party in the interior neighbourhoods.

Loopholes exploited

These loopholes triggered unprecedented, haphazard commercialisation, spreading its tentacles far beyond roads marked as mutation corridors. In Indiranagar and Koramangala, two areas where pubs and restaurants have mushroomed in huge numbers, parking spaces on all cross roads were invaded.

Noise pollution, particularly during weekends turned unbearable. Traffic has grown far in excess of these neighbourhoods’ capacity. “One solution to the parking issue could be this: The BBMP can issue residential parking permits to people living in those areas, establishing their right to that space. This will make it tough for others to park haphazardly,” Ravichandar suggests.

Bangalore Development Authority (BDA) officials themselves admit that the Mutation Corridors, with their blanket permission, helped small IT and ITeS firms to open shop everywhere.

This sparked much stress on the arterial roads. Since there was no focus on developing alternative roads, areas along Outer Ring Road, Sarjapur Road witnessed absolute chaos. No solution is in sight to wriggle out of this mess.

Traders cry foul

Meanwhile, in the residential neighbourhoods, traders outside the pub and restaurant category say they are being unfairly targeted. “For the last 40 years, we have had our outlets, paying water and electricity bills and all our taxes. While moving the court, RWAs should have consulted us,” says S G Aditya, Secretary, Indiranagar Owners and Traders Welfare Association.

Neighbourhood problems, he says, are created mostly by pub and restaurant customers. “They are the ones throwing bottles and creating nuisance, not us. Why did BBMP and BDA permit commercial spaces to come up on 30ft roads all these years? Livelihoods of lakhs of people are affected when they ask us to close down. Do they have any alternatives to compensate for our loss?” he wonders.

Can the future be any different? Tough to say, because building plans continue to be sanctioned based on projected infrastructure. A road shown as a widened 40ft stretch on a Master Plan, remains only 30ft wide on the ground. It comes up on the radar only after the next big commercial property has done its damage!