Slow progress in clearing encroachments on drains

Surveyors have marked 348 buildings as encroachments

Buildings, roads, open spaces and sites, compound wall/fencing are just some of the encroachments on stormwater drains (SWDs). But the encroachment removal drive of the Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) has slowed down after hitting a few road blocks.

The stormwater drain network in the city measures around 842 km. The BBMP, in a statement submitted to the Karnataka High Court recently, had claimed that there were initially 2,626 encroachments on the drains. Of these, it claims to have cleared as many as 1,890 encroachments while 736 are yet to be cleared. Of the 736 encroachments, there are as many as 348 buildings and 19 compound walls/fences.

According to sources, these encroachments have already been marked for demolition by officials from the Department of Survey, Settlement and Land Records. The survey of the remaining 369 encroachments is under progress.

Sources said that the encroachment removal drive began around four years ago with much gusto. This followed flooding in many areas of the city after heavy rainfall. Encroachments, including buildings, were cleared in Avani Sringeri Nagar, Saraswathipura, Kodichikkanahalli, Halegevaderahalli, Doddabommasandra, Dasarahalli, Kalkere, and Kasavanahalli.

However, after owners went to court and got a stay, the drive slowed down considerably. Officials pointed out that even buffer zones around drains had been encroached. As per the National Green Tribunal's directive, the buffer zone ranges from 15 to 50 metres for stormwater drains. “Several buildings have come up even in the buffer zones,” said an official.

BBMP Commissioner B.H. Anil Kumar admitted that the encroachment removal drive had slowed down. He, however, maintained that the civic body had issued notices to owners of buildings that had encroached the drains, and was clearing encroachments wherever already marked.

Mr. Anil Kumar said that the BBMP is working on getting the stay vacated. “If people are living in some building marked as an encroachment, we have to give them time to vacate the premises. The BBMP cannot just raze a building,” he said.