Bengaluru: After a gap of more than two months, the BBMP on Wednesday resumed its drive to remove encroachments on storm water drains (SWDs), albeit with small steps.
Officials recovered 12 plots at Attur near Yelahanka, which had encroached upon nearly 1.3-km of SWDs. The properties had not been developed, but had been fenced. The fencing was removed.
Moreover, civic officials inspected some large buildings that will be brought down ( see info graph ).
In the coming week, BBMP hopes to clear encroachments along nearly 8.9-km of SWDs in Attur, Sajjepalya near Vijaynagar, Hoysala Nagar near Horamavu, Chokkesandra near Dasarahalli, Singasandra and Madivala. This includes 68 buildings and 95 empty plots.
Commercial complexes under the radar
Nearly 60 buildings, many of them multi-storey commercial and residential complexes, will be demolished along T.C. Palya Main Road in Hoysala Nagar. “We have given them a notice to evict within three days. We will start demolishing them starting December 19,” said Siddegowda, Chief Engineer (SWD), BBMP.
The drive follows a lull in the campaign, which had caught many residents unaware earlier this year. The drive was undertaken by the civic body following flooding in July and subsequent High Court orders on this issue. The first demolitions were undertaken on August 6, but the drive petered out by the end of the month.
On December 7, an angry Chief Minister Siddaramaiah directed the BBMP to resume the drive and remove all encroachments by February 2017. Of the more than 1,900 encroachments identified, BBMP is yet to clear 873.
