New buildings may not be allowed in `critical areas'

New buildings may not be allowed in `critical areas'

The Hindu

Government may issue TDRs to site owners with a rider

# Buffer zone of 100 metres recommended on either side of the valleys
# All upstream parts of Dakshina Pinakini occupied
# Valleys on the southwest of the city, along Outer Ring Road worst hit

BANGALORE: The State Government, which has constituted a task force to preserve valleys and lakes, is framing a policy to prevent new constructions in the areas immediately adjoining the valleys.

"We have thought of a few measures that will prevent new constructions as well as relocate people living in critical areas immediately outside the valleys that are prone to flooding. We are working out final details," said an official.

The Government's thinking seems to be in line with the Comprehensive Draft Master Plan 2015, developed by Bangalore Development Agency and France-based SCE Creocean, which recommended that the water overflow area of the tanks and valleys needed to be protected.

It recommended a buffer zone of 100 metres on either side of the valley zones.

The Master Plan shows that about 5 to 10 per cent of the sensitive valley-networks in Bangalore have been encroached upon, mostly by residential areas.

While about 7 per cent of the area has been built up, the rest has been fenced but untouched. It shows that all the upstream parts of Dakshina Pinakini valley are completely built-up.

"Residential developments are the first major encroachments on the valley surface, particularly south-west along the outer ring road. Second come industrial areas, along Hosur Road, Tumkur Road, Bannerghatta Road and in Yelahanka and Whitefield areas." As a first step in protecting the valleys, no building construction may be authorised in areas immediately adjacent to the valleys even where the land is legally allotted, said the official.

Since the current Comprehensive Development Plan does not have any mention of tanks and valleys, buildings in these areas are not yet illegal.

New initiatives

The official says new initiatives are likely to be taken in this regard. One suggestion is to ask people who have not yet constructed buildings on these lands be given transferable development rights (TDRs) on the condition that they can continue to own the land in the critical areas but not build on it.

"We are not talking about demolishing the buildings because some of them in the critical areas are authorised. We want to offer people a better solution in the low-lying areas."

But since moving people out of areas or urging them not to build may be too contentious, the Government is thinking of how to repair these areas and to introduce measures to prevent them from flooding.

Improving the drainage system and putting in place larger drainage pipes is an alternative that is being considered, said the official. "We will decide the measures depending on the areas. Some of the valleys and surrounding areas are in a very critical position and we need to see what we can do best," said the official.