3 illegal floors coming near Ashoka Pillar, BBMP ‘in no hurry to act’

Bengaluru: An illegal building is being constructed a stone’s throw away from Ashoka Pillar, a heritage landmark in southern Bengaluru's Jayanagar. 

Area residents say the BBMP has not taken any action to stop the work despite drafting a standard operating procedure to act against such construction and submitting the same to the High Court of Karnataka. 

The building, according to the BBMP, belongs to K Dushyantha Kumar. In October 2022, the civic body approved a commercial building consisting of three floors plus the basement and ground floors on the 691-square metre land. 

However, the builder constructed three more floors in violation of the sanctioned plan, according to a BBMP inquiry conducted based on a complaint from residents. Locals were perplexed by the illegal construction next to the heritage structure and in an area that largely followed building bylaws. 

While BBMP officials say they have issued a notice to the builder to comply with the sanctioned plan, a spot inspection revealed the work has not stopped. 

Besides a 19 per cent to 25 per cent deviation in the basement to the third floor, there was a 100 per cent deviation on the fourth, fifth and sixth floors. The deviated portions — over and above permissible and compoundable limits — were also found on all four sides of the building. 

The BBMP’s assistant director for town planning (south) did not respond to phone calls seeking comment.