Koramangala turns hostile to petitioners

Koramangala turns hostile to petitioners
The Times of India

Bangalore: A day after demolitions of deviations started at Koramangala, a large neighbourhood has turned hostile towards the petitioners. So much so, that they have been unable to step out of their homes fearing hostility and threats. It has not stopped with the petitioners, but has also extended to their families, children not excluded.

The petitioners formally moved the court, urging that their names be removed but the high court declined their request.
A petitioner (who does not wish to be named) had TOI earlier: “The point of filing a PIL was to bring the authorities’ attention to blatant commercialisation of a residential area. The high court took a larger view of the entire thing and asked for a survey of buildings in the area. The survey showed that most buildings had deviations from the sanctioned plan. So instead of tackling commercialisation, the civic agencies are looking to demolish buildings.’’

This has boomeranged because some 700-odd residents whose houses are under the scanner, are asking the petitioners: “Why did you have to rake up the issue?’’ An auto-rickshaw driver who ferries one of the petitioner’s children to school apparently asked the child: “Are you happy now? What did your father get by breaking all these houses?’’ The hostility, anger has extended to the work place and market place so much that petitioners are considering to move out of Koramangala.