There was chaos at Banaswadi lake area in Kalyan Nagar as shopkeepers and residents began frantically vacating their premises reportedly after officials of the Bengaluru Urban district administration informed them that the structures were encroachments and would be removed.
Arvind Venkatesh, who had gone to help his friend vacate a garage, said owners of eateries and mobile shops had got vehicles to shift their belongings. He claimed that some residents too vacated their houses over the past week.
The encroachment drive is likely to begin on Saturday and comes a fortnight after the administration carried out one of the biggest drives to clear encroachments in Sarakki lake area.