Sites out of sight: New BDA layouts cry out for amenities

Sites out of sight: New BDA layouts cry out for amenities
New Indian Expess

BANGALORE: Bangalore Development Authority (BDA) has been allotting sites in many areas of the city sparing no thought to providing these layouts civic infrastructure. The condition of areas like Visvesvaraya, Banashankari VI Stage and Anjanapura Layouts speaks of total neglect.

BDA has allotted sites in these areas four years ago but they are still not fit for human habitation. An aggrieved allottee sums up the situation: ‘‘In Anjanapura, not a single house has come up because basic amenities do not exist. Shrubs cover everything. Our site is just out of sight.’’

Says one allottee Usha R. Nathan who secured a site in Anjanapura Layout after seven attempts, ‘‘BDA has dug up all the roads for laying water and sewage lines and left them open. A photograph of the area resembles forest terrain. BDA is actually taking the gullible public for a ride.’’

Says another allottee of the same area A.R. Srivatsa: ‘‘When I last visited my site in Anjanapura, I was told that development works had come to a standstill as quarrying was going on in the area.’’

‘‘At Visvesvaraya Layout the drainage is inadequate. Rainwater enters houses in case of a downpour. The roads remain unasphalted,’’ says Mamatha Vatsa, an allottee.

Banashankari VI Stage (Vrishabhavathinagar) and Further Extension are also in a pitiable condition.

Though some development work has taken place in the area, there is no water supply. The Banashankari Further Extension remains heavily wooded and is unsafe in every sense of the word. Says one allottee Bharathi Srinivas: ‘‘We have taken loans and built homes. Now we cannot get the khatha done or get building plans approved because there is no civic infrastructure in the area.’’