Huts mushroom on disputed land in BTM Layout

Huts mushroom on disputed land in BTM Layout

Deccan Herald


With private land owners and Bangalore Development Authority (BDA) continuing to wage a legal battle over acquisition of a piece of land in BTM Layout, hundreds of slum dwellers on Sunday unauthorisedly put up huts in the area.

An eight acre one gunta plot located near Shopper’s Stop off Bannerghatta Road is under dispute for over five years, as the original land owners have challenged the BDA’s move to acquire their land.

“The land was originally meant to be part of the BTM Layout plan. But as there is a court stay, nothing can be done about it, BDA Commissioner M N Vidyashankar told Deccan Herald .


People from surrounding areas like Gurappanapalya have constructed small sheds and huts, and shifted their belongings to the new dwellings. “They started moving into this place on Sunday morning and by evening the entire land was covered with small huts,” residents in the surrounding areas said.

Some said that land owners themselves had allowed them to occupy the place temporarily, while others alleged that local politicians were responsible for the encroachment of the land. Mr Vidyashankar said that nobody could claim the land now as it is pending before the court.