Temple comes up illegally on site marked for park

BWSSB, Bescom admit they wrongly provided connections

The civic amenity site measuring 50x80 in AG’s Layout in Arehally, Subramanayapura, as reserved by the Bruhat Bangalore Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) has been now remodelled to accommodate an “illegal” structure for a religious association.

What is even more shocking is the fact that both the Bangalore Water Supply and Sewerage Board (BWSSB) and the Bangalore Electricity Supply Company (BESCOM) have admitted that they had “wrongly” provided the respective water and electricity connections.

Illegal construction

Under a Right To Information (RTI), filed by a local resident, K Raghunatha, it has now become clear that the structure, under the name of Arale Kette Seva Samiti Trust (R), has been built illegally but ignored blatantly by the BBMP officials. While the BWSSB corrected its mistake quite early and disconnected the water supply, the BESCOM is yet to comply with the same.

The BWSSB in its answer to the RTI has said: “Since the construction has been found to be an illegal structure and further illegal additions are likely to be made including that of installing a religious idol and a temple structure, on June 7, 2010 we have hereby disconnected the water supply connection to the said structure”.

On the other hand, in an embarrassing statement provided by the BESCOM on June 17, it agreed that on providing the requisite documents they had indeed provided electricity connection to the said structure built on site 533.

However, according to the layout plan, the structure has been built on site no 524 which could not be explained by the BESCOM officials. BESCOM officials in their justification have said that it was done “unknowingly” and it will be “corrected” at the earliest.

No reply

The BBMP legal cell that approved the “illegal” construction is yet to reply to an RTI filed with them. According to the objectives of the Seva Samiti, the association will enhance the temple complex and will add more religious activities including bhajans, temple pujas and other associated activities.