BANGALORE: Crowded, dusty and echoing with the noise of earth movers and falling building blocks -- it's quite an unusual early morning on this stretch on KEB Road at Ittimadu, near the busy Katruguppe signal.

Nearly eight of the shortlisted 45 buildings encroaching the storm water drain here were demolished by the BBMP on Thursday.

The demolition work is expected to continue for another three or four days to raze a total of 45 RCC buildings -- including 10 with ground plus one floor, 12 buildings with ground plus two floors, an entire block of apartments, the house of a temple priest and one school!

"These have been encroaching the drain for the past 15-20 years. According to the survey map, the storm water drain here has to be 33-ft wide. But, the stretch from Ring Road up to Terrace Gardens apartment was just 15-10 ft. The reduced width due to the encroaching buildings is causing serious floods in adjoining areas every time it rains,'' explained a BBMP engineer on the spot.

The operation began at 9 am. Despite initial resentment from the public, work took off in full swing. Nearly 150 employees are working on the site with earth movers.

WE HAVE DOCUMENTS, SAY APARTMENT OWNERS

According to BBMP engineers, a majority of these buildings will lose a minimum one-third of their built-up area. However, residents of one of the blocks at Terrace Gardens here were rather shocked. Not by the demolition, rather the confusing information on what would be demolished within their complex.

While the BBMP maintained that one block with 18 flats encroaching the drain space will be demolished, the residents said that till date, they were informed that only the compound wall would be demolished to expand the storm water drain.

"We have been talking with BBMP for the past few months. We are willing to provide them the space to expand the drain, and that does not require any demolition of any block. We have all our documents to prove that there have been no violations. It's unfortunate that we have been put into this situation despite having clear documents,'' a resident told TOI. Built in 1991, the complex has 135 flats, split into six blocks.