A fresh survey conducted by the Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) has identified 1,512 unauthorised/illegal religious structures in the city.
According to data provided by the BBMP, the maximum number of illegal religious structures, including temples, churches, mosques, gurudwaras, are in the East zone (503), followed by South (427), Bommanahalli (203), West (129), Rajarajeshwarinagar (95), Mahadevapura (76), Dasarahalli (53) and Yelahanka (26).
In a PIL filed in 2009, the Supreme Court had noted that structures that had come up before 2009 may be shifted to other locations while no structures should be allowed after that.
An earlier survey had identified a total of 108 illegal structures. Dissatisfied with the manner in which the survey was conducted, the civic chief had directed officials to conduct a fresh survey, involving both engineering and revenue departments.
Zonal joint commissioners and engineers were instructed to issue show cause notices to illegal religious structures that had come up after September 2009.
The new survey found that of the 1,512 illegal structures, 214 had come up after 2009. The survey results will be submitted to the Karnataka High Court, which is hearing another case on the same matter.
BBMP Commissioner Manjunath Prasad said that the civic body will prepare a plan of action for removing these illegal structures with assistance from the police. “The BBMP will draw up a plan of action following another round of discussions with senior civic officials on Thursday. The same will be submitted to the High Court before the next date of hearing,” he said.
