The Hindu 27.12.2013
BDA begins distribution of flats through lottery
Vertical growth is the only way, says Siddaramaiah
Chief Minister Siddaramaiah appeared upbeat on Thursday as he presided over a function where the Bangalore Development Authority (BDA) commenced distribution of its 3,000 new apartments through a lottery system.
Mr. Siddaramaiah said that half of the promise he had made during his July 2013 budget speech had been delivered. “I had promised that the BDA will be made to deliver 6,000 apartments before I present the next budget. Of that, 3,000 flats are being distributed now. I will make sure that the remaining are delivered by March 2014.”
The Chief Minister hauled up the BDA for its failure in distributing possession certificates to those persons who had been allotted housing sites in Arkavathy Layout. Although the allotment was made in June 2006, the BDA has not yet been able to give possession to the allottees.
Mr. Siddaramaiah told BDA Commissioner T. Sham Bhat, “I am promising people that you will giver possession certificates by March 2014. Do not let me down as I am making a public announcement.” However, the Arkavathy layout allottees, who were present at the venue, were not convinced. “The BDA has still not completed acquisition of land. How will they give possession by March 2014?” G. Shivaprakash sought to know.
Satellite towns
Mr. Siddaramaiah said the city had reached saturation and cannot grow horizontally any more. “Vertical growth is the only way. We propose to build 30,000 flats in phases,” he said while adding that an ambitious project to construct several satellite townships around Bangalore was under way.
Projects such as the Peripheral Ring Road would facilitate the satellite township project, he said commending the BDA for making progress on the 65-km road project. H.N. Manjula from Soladevanahalli, near Hessarghatta, said: “They have not paid a single rupee as compensation to land losers. How will they go ahead with the PRR project without paying the land losers?”
He said that the government gets a large number of complaints of irregularities and corruption against the BDA. He said the authority had not formed a single new layout in several years.
