The Committee on Petition of Karnataka Legislature has directed the Additional Chief Secretary of Urban Development Department (UDD) Rakesh Singh to arrive at a consensus on which agency should implement projects related to civic amenities in Bandemutt KHB Layout.
For years, property owners of the layout have been suffering because of the tussle between Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) and Karnataka Housing Board (KHB). Both the agencies have been shying away from the responsibilities of implementing infrastructure projects in the layout.
On Thursday, the committee held a hearing on issues faced by the property owners in Bandemutt KHB colony and Nadaprabhu Kempegowda Layout. With regard to Bandemutt KHB colony, BBMP Commissioner Tushar Giri Nath told the committee that it requires ₹10 crore to take up the civic amenities works, however the KHB which had formed the layout has provided ₹2 crore.
The secretary of the Housing Department Ravishankar said that since 2016, the BBMP has been giving planning sanction for constructions inside the layout and collecting related taxes. He said that the BBMP has collected ₹6 crore as tax so far and will continue to collect the taxes in coming days as well. He said that considering these aspects, the BBMP should own the responsibility and take up the projects.
It is said that in a meeting headed by Housing Minister V. Somanna, it was decided that the BBMP will take up the project and the KHB handed over ₹2 crore. However, after a reality check by the BBMP officials, they took objection that ₹2 crore was not sufficient for the project.
The chairman of the committee S. Suresh Kumar said, “It is the property owners who are suffering in the tussle between two agencies. Considering this, the committee has directed the Additional Chief Secretary to resolve the issue and come up with plans on execution of civic amenities work before next June. The committee has set 10-day deadline to comply with the direction.”
General Secretary of the Bandemutt KHB colony residents’ welfare association Satheesh Bandemutt said that the layout was formed over 20 years ago but civic amenities works were not implemented for the benefit of the residents. He added that the layout lacks a park, proper walking path and other amenities. He also brought to the notice of the committee that land reserved for parks were being used for other purposes by private people.
Acquisition of land
With regard to issues faced by the Nadaprabhu Kempegowda Layout, BDA Commissioner G. Kumar Naik informed the committee that pending land acquisition in the layout will be done on the lines of Shivaram Karanth Layout where land acquisition is being monitored on a regular basis. The Commissioner said that a dedicated team of officials will be formed and every week, the committee will be apprised of pending land acquisition of 1,400 acres of land in Kempegowda Layout.
The Chairman said, “The BDA Commissioner has agreed to the fact that there has been inordinate delay in acquisition of the pending land. He said that he will monitor the acquisition process on a weekly basis and submit the report to the committee fortnightly”.
Surya Kiran A.S., Joint secretary, NPKL Open Forum, said: “Many works related to roads, minor bridges, drains and others are pending. Without the basic infrastructure, the site owners are not in a position to construct their houses.”
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