Building construction on despite notices citing violations

By Y. Maheswara Reddy | NT

Bengaluru: If the ongoing illegal construction at Shanthinagar, despite authorities concerned issued notices, is anything to go by, it seems either the authorities are content in just issuing notices or political pressure is preventing them from taking action.

The BBMP had on March 2 issued an order to demolish the deviated portions of a high-rise building under construction in Shanthinagar Division. News Trail had published the story – Building work continues despite lack of permission – on March 3.

“It is quite amusing to see illegal construction continuing despite the BBMP issuing an order to demolish the portion of the building. I am of the opinion that a few influential people are preventing the BBMP authorities from taking action,” said a resident on a condition of anonymity.

After bringing to the notice of BBMP engineers, now a social activist complained to the Chief Minister’s Office against the BBMP engineers’ inaction. C.V. Haridasan, Under Secretary (Administration), Chief Minister’s Office wrote a letter to the BBMP authorities on April 8 advising them to take action as per the norms against illegal construction.

The latest notice to the building owner is from Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) Police Inspector Manjunath G Hugar directing Madhubala, the owner of the building to submit the documents within three days. Though the ACB Inspector issued the notice on April 11, nothing has prevented the building owner from going ahead with the construction work. he Executive Engineer of Shanthinagar Division, Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike has issued a demolition order directing Farzana M, assistant executive engineer of Shanti Nagar Sub Division to remove the deviated portions of the high-rise building under construction at Khata No. 2, Swasthi Main Road and report back the details of expenditure to enable to proceed to recover it as improvement expenses.

The Executive Engineer has said Madhubala, the owner of the building, had obtained a sanctioned plan by the Assistant Director of Town Planning (East) vide LP No. Ad. Com/Est/1276/14- 15 dated 13-04-2015 for construction of residential/commercial use building at Khata No. 2, Swasthi Main Road, Bangalore, PID No. 70-52-2, ward No. 117.

“Since the construction of the building is found to be deviating from the sanctioned plan. Hence provisional order under the Section 248 (1) and 248 (2) of the BBMP Act 2020 had been passed on February 10, 2022 and the same has been served on the owner. The owner has not replied to the Provisional Order and it is found not satisfactory,” the Executive Engineer said.