Deccan Herald            03.09.2013

Law no bar for construction at BDA site

The Banashankari 6th stage extension, a layout carved out by the Bangalore Development Authority (BDA), is awaiting approval from the BDA board. Houses coming up there could be held illegal without the approval.

The BDA rule book says it is mandatory to get the plan approved by the board before formation of the layout. The Banashankari 6th stage extension, however, is awaiting approval 10 years after its formation. Strangely, not only were several houses constructed, but real estate business is also thriving in the area.

BDA commissioner T Sham Bhatt has admitted that the layout is yet to get the board’s approval. “The houses there are like houses under any village panchayat limits, but they are illegal,” said Bhatt. Despite absence of the approval, the BDA’s Bangalore south division continues to sanction building plans and collect property taxes.

N S Shamanna, Deputy Director (West), Town Planning, BDA, replied: “The Town Planning division has not approved the layout in Sy No-8 of Gubbalala village.” A copy of this reply has been forwarded to the engineering division, from where the applicant can avail information.” The engineering division has not given a reply in two months.

A BDA engineer requesting anonymity said Banashankari 6th stage was approved in 2009, but the extension comprising around 6,000 sites is yet to get the board’s nod.
“In a day or two, approval for the extension will be given,” he said.

The layout was mired in controversy since inception.

The BDA had encroached upon Thurahalli forest land. The forest department woke up to media reports on the encroachment and recovered large swathes of land. Besides, there were issues regarding denotification of acquired land, which prevented the BDA from approving the layout.

This apart, the BDA filled Venkatarayana Kere and carved out 130 small sites of 600 sq ft each. Though the site was around 2 km from Banashankari 6th stage, it was included in the 6th stage extension. The BDA board is all set to approve the lake bed layout, though it finds a mention in revenue records and village map as a lake.

Local activist Uttarahalli Nagaraj expressed shock over the revelation. He questioned how the BDA allotted sites, sanctioned building plans and collected property taxes in the absence of a layout plan approval.