When a bunch of prospective site seekers, having waited for 25 years hoping to own a bit of land, found their dreams evaporating thanks to their house building cooperative society's ineptitude, they decided to do something about it themselves.
Today, with over 60 related court cases resolved in just four years, over 1,300 sites have been allotted to members.
Inspiring saga
How the National Tuberculosis Institute Housing Cooperative Society members fought and won is a saga that could inspire members of other house building cooperative societies (HBSCs) where site allotments have been delayed for years.
It all started in 2005 when a small group of members, frustrated at not getting the sites for which they had registered in 1982, met at a Malleswaram park to plan their strategy.
“About 2,000 members had registered for sites in the proposed Rajiv Gandhi Nagar Layout on 173.29 acres in Kodigehalli, Kotihosahalli and Byatarayanapura. Each had paid Rs. 40,000 to Rs. 1.2 lakh. However, even after two decades, sites had not been allotted to us,” said a society office-bearer who didn't want to be named.
The beginning
The aggrieved members formed the Rajiv Gandhi Nagar Layout Welfare Association soon after.
Their journey began when they successfully contested in the society elections in 2007 and B. Narasimha Raju became president of the society.
“Illegal sale deeds had been executed, a chunk of the notified property encroached upon and land owners had disputed the acquisition. The disputes, many of which were not legally tenable, arose due to a steep spike in land prices,” the member said.
To overcome the problems with the land owners, the society offered Rs. 10 lakh per acre to them, apart from the ex-gratia payment.
From 2007 till now, “we have been successful in 62 court cases as we wanted to take the correct path,” the member said.
Apartments
Though 1,300 sites were allotted, the society was unable to help another 650 members as about 20 acres of the earmarked area had been encroached upon.
“We are building apartments of various dimensions for these members, which will be distributed to them for no additional cost (apart from what they had paid in 1982),” the member said.
The member said that they are now scouting for a developer with whom the society plans to have a jointdevelopment agreement to enable members to gethousing units practically for free.
