Thursday, January 20, 2005

Koramangala residents lose sleep over proposed layout

Koramangala residents lose sleep over proposed layout
New Indian Express

BANGALORE: A large tract of land, part of the Bellandur tank bed area, is witnessing hectic developmental activity for the last two months. Tonnes of construction debris is being filled by hundreds of tippers into the green estuary.

Residents, aghast with the pace of work and the sudden change in the landscape, have approached the Bangalore Development Authority (BDA) with petitions as a layout of this size should have well-marked roads, drainage and sewage systems.

But to their horror, they found the BDA has already put its seal of approval on the layout plan, without even the builders, Shantinagar House Building Cooperative Society, submitting any final layout plan. Hundreds of Koramangala residents have already held meetings and brought it to the notice of the BDA, Bangalore City Corporation (BCC) and the Bangalore Water Supply and Sewerage Board (BWSSB).

This development activity, spread over 60 acres is spelling doom as it comes in conflict with the Koramangala valley and Bellandur estuary. The green acres are home to winged visitors and aquatic life. Now with the area being dumped with 20-foot high debris and being levelled, even the snakes have escaped. It is also not known how some parts of the land, especially opposite the rejuvenated Agaram lake, earlier held by the BDA, were handed over to the building society.

Residents of Asia’s largest extension have been watching with trepidation the rise in levels of the proposed layout that has plans for more than 8,000 dwelling units. They fear the sewage will run into their homes. Already, several high-rise builders in the vicinity have dumped debris and choked the Koramangala valley.

As a result, sewage is flowing into the nearby Ashwini Layout. That apart, Ashwini layout and neighbouring ST Bed layout are low-lying areas whose sewage lines are not connected to the lateral BWSSB connections in Koramangala.

BWSSB officials said it was difficult to connect them as the levels were much lower. Also the layouts need a wet well, like a giant septic tank, which has to come up near the proposed Shantinagar Society area. ‘‘Neither will their sewage be carried away, nor ours,’’ a resident feared.

But strangely, BWSSB engineers have already said they will not be in a position to sanction the sewage lines and have pointed out that the layout will choke the existing drains.

The approach roads are also cause for concern. The entire layout with sites and flats earmarked has only one approach road at Kamal Bakery-Wipro Park junction.

Following several complaints, BDA Commissioner M.N. Vidhyashankar has promised to visit the site. A group of senior BDA officials have made a preliminary inspection to allay the fears of the residents. Meanwhile, the builders are working overtime and dumping debris while the residents are asking the BDA to intervene.

‘‘Let everyone follow rules. We want the BDA to see if the layout proposal is according to the law. We want the authority to address all our grievances,’’ a resident said.

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