BDA, BMP rapped for not protecting government land

BDA, BMP rapped for not protecting government land
Deccan Herald

Mr A T Ramaswamy, President of the Joint Legislature Committee looking into encroachment of government land in and around Bangalore, accused the BDA and BMP of not taking proper measures to protect government property.

Mr A T Ramaswamy, President of the Joint Legislature Committee looking into encroachment of government land in and around Bangalore, on Tuesday accused the Bangalore Development Authority and Bangalore Mahanagara Palike of not taking proper measures to protect government property.

Mr Ramaswamy, who visited some places in Bangalore along with committee members said, illegal construction have come up in more than 79 acres of land in Banashankari III Stage.

Members of the Vishwa Bharathi House Building Co-operative Society, against whom the BDA has initiated legal proceedings, have started constructing houses without obtaining formal permission from the BMP.


The committee, during its visit to the spot on August 9, 2006, had found only a few structures in the area. Within two months, innumerable structures have come up without plan approval or permission from the authorities concerned. Encroachers have constructed walls to mark their boundaries.

“This is nothing but ‘daylight robbery’. Bangalore has become a haven for land robbers as BDA and BMP have failed to protect government property,” he said.

Threat to park area

The committee visited Yeshwantpur, where the Carle House, a private company is maintaining a park on a mutual understanding with the BMP.

The committee felt that as there was always a chance of the park being encroached upon by the private company, the BMP could make use of it to widen the adjoining narrow road. Mr Ramaswamy said, the committee will write to the BMP in this regard. The committee also found many illegal constructions in Nandini Layout.

Letter to CM

Mr Ramaswamy has written a letter to the Chief Minister stressing the need for strict measures to protect government land. He has expressed displeasure over failure of the BMP and the BDA in protecting government property. Referring to the illegal construction in 79 acres of land in Banashankari, Mr Ramaswamy said, if proper measures to check such unauthorised construction are not taken immediately, there is no point in having a Joint Legislature Committee to look into encroachments.