Broke BMP continues to lease out properties for peanuts

Broke BMP continues to lease out properties for peanunts
Vijay TImes

A ridiculously paltry sum of Re 1 per year is the lowest cost of lease charged by a severely cash-crunched Bangalore Mahanagara Palike (BMP), which has leased several properties to various organisations and individuals at throw away prices.

VViij jaayy T Tiim me ess discovered the police department paid just Re 1 per year for the space taken for a memorial ground at the junction of Nrupathunga Road and KG Road, while Karnataka Pradesh Congress Committee office on Queen’s Road pays just Rs 10,500 per year to BMP as rent.

BMP has leased out 725 properties under its jurisdiction, fetching a meagre revenue of Rs 45 lakh per year.

Considering the prevailing market value, BMP could easily improve its revenue by at least 150 times.

BMP commissioner K Jairaj says at least Rs 60 crore could be earned by revising property rates. He adds around 193 abysmally low-cost leased properties have lapsed their contract.

The existing poorlyleased properties are presently used by schools, clubs, playgrounds, government offices, libraries, scrap business vendors, political parties, hotels etc.

After realising it is yet to recover 40 per cent of leased properties even after expiry of the lease period, the BMP has constituted a special eight-member task force headed by its joint commissioner (works) to ensure maintenance of BMP properties. It has been getting a meagre sum of Rs 45 lakh from its leased properties.

“Henceforth, those properties with expired lease period could be leased only to educational and public purposes. Otherwise, they would be rented out based on prevailing guidance value to mop up revenue,” Jairaj adds.

The primary duty, as directed by the commissioner, of the task force members is to prepare a ward-wise checklist consisting of details on location of BMP properties, address, measurement, whether vacant or built-up with structure including violated lease conditions.

BMP will take over any property whose lease agreement has expired. The commissioner has also directed task force members to ensure a BMP board is displayed at all its properties.

Properties, and rent

nBMS Nursing Home, KR Road: Rs 15

nGokhale Institute, NR Colony: Rs 12

nAlliance Francaise De Bangalore: Rs 500

nIndiranagar Club: Rs 500

nDr B R Ambedkar Bhavan: Rs 1,000

nCosmopolitan Club, Jayanagar 3rd Block: Rs 1,880

nKarnataka Pradesh Congress Committee office (33,720.5 sq yards), Queens Road: Rs 10,500

nIndian Gymkhana Association: Rs 75

nHockey Association: Rs 1,000

nKarnataka State Badminton Association: Rs 100 per year

nFootball Association: Rs 1,000

nKarnataka Billiards Association: Rs 100