JOIN USThe High Court on Tuesday remarked that residential areas in the City should not be used for other purposes and information technology should not be allowed there.
Permissions should not be given to IT firms in residential areas as it leads to parking woes, Chief Justice D H Waghela remarked during a hearing on petitions against the amendment to Section 14 (1) of Town and Country Planning Act.
The petitioners, Citizens’ Action Forum (CAF) and others, had moved the High Court against the Comprehensive Development Plan (CDP), 2015, which provides for mixed land use.
Justice B V Nagarathna, who was part of the division bench, said: “Houses are converted into software companies. Are you aware of it? Even your BDA office does not have parking space. How can you allow this?”
The petitioners contended that the CDP was aimed at benefiting the real estate industry. They also said the CDP violated an interim order of the High Court in January 2012, which disallowed commercial activities in residential zones. They sought restructuring of zoning and change in land use.
The Chief Justice said, “When cities like Mysore have good roads and no parking problems, why can’t Bangalore...” Justice Nagarathna said, “Even the ancient cities of Harappa and Mohenjo-daro had planning for good roads.”
The court further said that the four towers built by Kempegowda had become City centre and now there was need to plan Bangalore for the next 30 years.
‘Work on EWS stopped’
In one of the petitions, Maverick Holding Private Limited (MHPL), which is building houses for Economically Weaker Section (EWS), sought directions to the BDA to allow the firm go ahead with construction. It said that work had been stopped as the BDA was yet to give it permission. The delay in permission would force the beneficiaries to spend the monsoon in tin sheds and the construction site, which was already excavated, would be filled with water, the firm claimed.
Notification submitted
The State government submitted the final notification of Bangalore Metropolitan Planning Committee (BMPC) Rules, 2013, to the High Court on Monday. The gazette notification was issued on January 1, 2014.
C N Kumar, the petitioner, had challenged the validity of Section 14 A of Karnataka Town and Country Planning (KTCP) Act, 1961, which empowers the State to permit use of land for purposes other than that earmarked in the development plan. Additional Advocate General H Kantaraj said the BMPC Rules, 2013, incorporated clear regulations.