BBMP demolition drive continues for second day in Bengaluru

The Bengaluru civic body razed illegal structures built on the stormwater drains in several areas of the Mahadevapura zone that were allegedly causing flooding

The Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) carried out its anti-encroachment drive for the second day on Tuesday, razing illegal structures that were built on the stormwater drains in several areas of the Mahadevapura zone which were allegedly causing flooding.

BBMP officials have said that the demolition drive in Bengaluru will continue for the next few days. (PTI)

On Tuesday, a few residential buildings in the Munnekollal area near Mahadevapura, which are on the list of encroached wetlands, were demolished. Officials said the drive will continue for the next few days.

Apart from residential complexes, commercial buildings in some of Bengaluru’s biggest IT parks are also on the list of encroached spaces.

A BBMP official, who is part of the drive, said the government has given a go-ahead and there is no question of sparing anyone, however powerful they may be.

However, a section of residents in the layout alleged that only poor people are targeted whereas the stormwater drains encroached by the “high and mighty” in the posh layouts and major IT parks have been spared.

However, BBMP argued that constructions in IT parks such as Bagamane Tech Park, Eco Space and Gopalan have been identified as Storm Water Drain (SWD) encroachments and the civic body has issued notices to these IT parks as well. Apart from IT parks, a few buildings in New Horizon College, Adarsha Retreat, and Columbia Asia hospital are also on the SWD encroachments list, they claimed.

Watch |Bengaluru civic body continues demolition of illegal constructions

Upscale and gated apartments such as Divyasree and Epsilon have been identified as encroachments on SWDs in Yamlur. In addition, a notice has been served to 15 owners of villas on the Rainbow Drive Layout, which was inundated after heavy rainfall in the city. The National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) had to evacuate people in boats and tractors, the officers added.

On August 17, the assistant executive engineer, storm water drain (Mahadevapura) wrote to the Mahadevapura joint commissioner, detailing a list of encroachments by IT parks and developers in Bengaluru’s Mahadevapura that have encroached on stormwater drains.

The action against these encroachments is being carried out as it was identified as one of the main factors why this part of the city found itself under water after the heavy rains on September 5.

Mahadevapura MLA Aravind Limbavali tweeted that illegal encroachments within Gopalan school premises in Basavananagar, parts of Epsilon villa near Yamalur, Santiniketan layout in Munnekolal area and areas within the Eco space were cleared.

“In Mahadevapura assembly constituency’s Challagatta, Nalapad Academy encroached Survey No.70, and now its clearing work has been initiated by BBMP and revenue department officials,” Limbavali said, adding pictures of the demolitions. “In my constituency limits, if anyone has encroached rajakaluve (stormwater drain), I request them to immediately vacate it,” Limbavali added.

Revenue minister R Ashoka told reporters his department is giving a list of encroachments to BBMP. “I have given instructions to the deputy commissioner, assistant commissioner and tahsildars to stand with BBMP and provide their documents, without looking at big people, small people and so on, and unsparingly demolish (illegal) structures,” Ashoka said.

“By next monsoon, we have to clear all pending demolitions, as you saw in Noida. Action will be taken against officials and builders. A discussion regarding Bengaluru floods has happened in the assembly,” he added.

On September 2, Karnataka chief minister Basavaraj Bommai ordered the clearing of encroachments on rajakaluves in the city. Following his orders, BBMP demolished compound walls, a security guard’s cabin, makeshift homes, etc in Bengaluru.

(With inputs from PTI)