‘Influential people interfere but we will remove them’: CM Bommai on encroachments in Bengaluru

Amid demolition drive by the civic body, which has not spared IT giants and high-profile builders, Karnataka CM Basavaraj Bommai on Monday said influential people interfere with the process, but assured "merciless' action against illegal buildings".

As Bengaluru civic body's demolition drive continued in full swing, Karnataka chief minister Basavaraj Bommai assured on Monday that his government would “mercilessly” remove encroachments despite the interference of "influential" people. Bommai was speaking in the state assembly. "We have to remove encroachments, but influential people interfere and do politics. We will remove encroachments mercilessly because if we don't take harsh steps, there will be flooding again in Bengaluru," he said, news agency PTI reported.

IT giant Wipro, however, took a stand by volunteering to help clear the encroachments on its Bengaluru campus.( (Facebook))

Bommai added that officials would soon be holding an inquiry into the encroachment of lakes and stormwater drains (SWDs), many of which have been converted into layouts. The state government has also formed a special task force to make sure that new SWDs are constructed as per standard norms.

Moreover, Bommai has approved ₹600 crore for the city's development. Of this, ₹300 crore will be used to revamp SWDs. Officials are also in the midst of installing sluices at major lakes in all the four valleys of Bengaluru, namely Hebbal, Koramangala, Challaghatta and Vrushabhavati, and setting up additional sewage treatment plants (STPs) to prevent the pollution of lakes.

The Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP), meanwhile, resumed its demolition drive in several parts of the city where severe waterlogging and a flood-like situation was reported earlier this month. It had taken a two-day break over the weekend. The civic body has razed down several illegal constructions since the beginning of the drive, including parts of the Wipro campus, Salarpuria and Prestige buildings.

BBMP targeted the following areas as part of its latest demolition activities:

1. Royal canals at five places within the Mahadevapura zone
2. Compound wall of the apartment near Garudacharapally lake
3. The shed on the Raja Canal behind East Park Ridge and the road built on it
4. Slab installed on the 150-metre-long royal canal in Green-Wood Residency premises
5. Compound wall of Salarpuria
6. Slab blocking canal within Wipro campus
7. Compound wall and two sheds on both sides of Raja Canal in Vijayalakshmi Colony, Kadugodi.
8. Apartment wall and four sheds encroaching rajakaluve in Papaya Reddy layout
9. Compound wall built by CBS Institute encroaching on the 120-meter-long Raj Canal in satellite town of Yelahanka zone
10. Three compound walls belonging to Prestige, a compound wall of Gopalan School, and Mahaveer Apartment near Hoodi in Chellaghatta.

The BBMP has also sent out notices to 8 out of 10 families living on the Raj Canal in Vijayalakshmi Colony of Kadugodi.

IT giant Wipro took a stand by volunteering to help clear the encroachments on its Bengaluru campus on Monday, a report by the Deccan Herald said. Karnataka Revenue Minister R Ashoka meanwhile said, “30 to 40 IT companies have encroached the Rajakaluve in Bengaluru city and apartments will be demolished without any partiality.”

(With inputs from agencies)