JCBs roar as BBMP starts demolition drive from Mahadevapura, KR Puram

NT Correspondent

Bengaluru: A day after Deputy Chief Minister DK Shivkumar who is also Bengaluru Development and Town Planning Minister gave clear-cut directions to clear encroachments constructed on storm-water drains as his government prepared an action plan for ‘Vision Bengaluru, Better Bengaluru’, Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) began a demolition drive from Mahadevapura and KR Puram areas of the metropolitan city on Saturday.

The BBMP has identified 571 encroachments on storm-water drains and lakebeds after conducting surveys in all eight zonal limits. It launched the drive from Mahadevapura and K R Puram assembly segments, which found to be having the highest number of encroachments.

They razed down a few structures that have no legal problem amid resistance from the occupants while postponing the court disputed structures to another day. The BBMP has identified encroachers constructed a five-storied building after encroaching a storm-water drain at Munenakolalu area in Mahadevapura constituency. BBMP officials marked the boundary of the structure for demolition after issuing notices on the spot.

As one of the owners had constructed a paying guest home after encroaching upon a storm-water drain at Spice Garden in Mahadevapura, BBMP officials made a mike announcement appealing its occupants to leave the paying guest building.

Officials marked the boundary of this building to demolish it on Monday. The occupants of the paying guest are now in utter shock after BBMP made the announcement and owner of their building not informed them regarding the demolition of their building.

Shopkeepers at Hoysalanagar resisted the drive when BBMP officials went to clear the encroachments. They sought more time form the BBMP, assuring that they would vacate their structures voluntarily. Shopkeepers and residents expressed their anger over the operations “without issuing any notice in advance” to them.

Residents in Hoysalnagar alleged that only poor people are being targeted in their areas, leaving the powerful in posh layouts and major IT parks. As many of the residents showed a stay order brought from the court to stop demolishing their building in Munnekollal area, the BBMP officials stopped the drive and postponed it to another day.

A BBMP official, who is part of the drive, said the BDA minister has given the go-ahead and there is no question of sparing anyone, however powerful they may be. BBMP Special Commissioner Trilok Chandra said the demolition drive in Bengaluru would continue to clear all 571 encroachments it identified in all eight zonal limits.

A few residential buildings in the Munnekollal area near Mahadevapura, which are on the list of encroached wetlands, were demolished. He said that notices were given to encroachers in KR Puram and Mahadevapura constituencies who had constructed buildings on storm-water drains. Apart from residential complexes, commercial buildings in some of Bengaluru’s biggest IT parks are also on the list of encroached spaces.

All will be cleared once the court gives its final verdict as most of them brought a stay and final orders are pending in the court in this regard. Mahadevapura Chief Engineer Lokesh said that some structures were demolished in the Munnekolal area on Saturday as most of the owners were issued notices last week.

His officials marked 22 illegal structures in Spice Garden. Many of the residents and shopkeepers sought some more time for their vacation voluntarily. As there is some confusions regarding the court orders, the drive will be carried out once the court clears it, he said