RWAs launch petition against zoning violations in residential areas

In the wake of rampant commercial activities in residential zones, around 20 resident welfare associations (RWAs) have started an online petition to bring the issue to Chief Minister Siddaramaiah’s notice.

Bengaluru Residents’ Associations’ Confederation Ensemble (BRACE), a registered society comprising RWAs and Namma Bengaluru Foundation (NBF), initiated the petition on Monday morning and over 150 citizens signed the petition within hours of its launch.

The RWAs aim to pressure the civic agency to take strict action against owners of commercial buildings operating in residential zones and gather a large number of supporters through this social initiative.

President of the Indiranagar I Stage RWA, Sneha Nandihal, emphasised that though violators were issued public notices by the BBMP and were asked to shut down on their own, they have not complied with the orders. She said: “Indiranagar has numerous such structures and most of them are illegal.”

According to the Karnataka High Court order of January 2012, “no new commercial activity should be allowed in residential main and residential mixed zones if abutting roads are forty (40) feet or less in width”.

The RWAs, in the petition, have urged political leaders and government officials to enforce the law, execute the orders of the BBMP commissioner and the high court orders on zoning regulations.

Urban expert Vijayan Menon said the civic agency has the authority to close down establishments that violate zoning regulations and the high court orders without issuing notices.  “They need to follow high court orders more effectively,” he added. 
 
The link for the petition is www.change.org/p/stop-commercialisation-of-residential-areas-for-a-better-bengaluru.