The Bangalore Development Authority (BDA) has decided to issue notices to building owners who have allowed service providers to put up mobile towers without receiving proper permission. The authority’s decision followed a memorandum submitted to it by RTI activist B.M. Shivakumar where he expressed concern over the hazards of having mobile towers erected across the city.
As per the BDA rules, any person leasing out his or her terrace for the erection of a mobile towers needs to get BDA’s sanction for utilising residential space for commercial purposes.
BDA Commissioner T. Sham Bhat on Monday issued the order to the Town Planning Department seeking its report on the status of buildings where owners have erected unauthorised mobile towers.
In his order, Mr. Bhat stated that BDA must ensure that building owners who have not got the permission must be brought to book.
In his memorandum Mr. Shivakumar said the BDA (Allotment of Sites) Rules 1984 clearly stipulate that land allotted by the BDA for residential purposes cannot be diverted for commercial use without permission.
“Despite this, several house owners have gone ahead with leasing out the terrace space of their homes to erect these mobile towers,” he said.
