Loot nexus eating into Bangalore’s civic-scape

Loot nexus eating into Bangalore’s civic-scape

TIMES NEWS NETWORK


Bangalore: Their dream houses are reduced to mounds of debris. These homeless residents of Puttenahalli and JP Nagar whose houses have been razed for encroaching on drains don’t know whom to turn to. They are victims of an official-corporatorbuilder nexus that has been gnawing Bangalore’s civic underbelly.
Like Lokanathan, who had a house in Puttenahalli till Sunday night. He owned a four-storeyed housing complex whose foundation was laid deep into the raja kaluve (main canal).
Lokanathan says he purchased the land in 1997. In 2005, when there was large-scale flooding in Puttenahalli, CMC engineers dug up his site. But last year, when he approached the CMC to get his building plan approved, they okayed it. Thanks to palm-greasing, the area engineer, who connived with the corporator, supported it, knowing well a building would come up on the drain.
“I have all the records: plan approval, titles, tax-paid receipts. The area coporator had assured me that my building was safe, but now I have lost everything,’’ Lokanathan says.
There are thousands of Lokanathans who are victims of the nexus. Here’s how the linkage of loot operates:
The builder identifies a soft target; it could be a government property. He works on it for a few months: filling up a tank bed/drain bed, cleaning up kharab land (that can’t be sold)/CA site. Then he approaches the area corporator and lures the engineer with a deal. A percentage of the bribes to be paid is calculated and agreed upon. The deal can range from cash, vehicle, share in the property (dwelling units), sponsoring events and elections.
The next step: the engineer acts as a liaison officer for the builder and strengthens his case for approvals. He even helps the builder in greasing the palm of his higher-ups.
The last step: The project is completed without any hitch. Lawyers say duped apartment owners can sue the builder. But nothing can get them back their dream homes and money. THE BLITZKRIEG CONTINUES
Bangalore: The BBMP and district administration continued the demolition of unauthorised constructions on the raja kaluve in JP Nagar V Phase and Nayandahalli on Tuesday.
While the authorities cleared all the 20 properties in Nayandahalli, which were constructed on the raja kaluve, the BBMP continued the Puttenahalli operations through the night.
Around 15,000 sqft of drain space was recovered on Mysore Road and work to widen the existing raja kaluve has already begun.
In Puttenahalli, five buildings were brought down on Tuesday evening and debris was being cleared till late in the evening even as earthmovers were pressed into service to dig trenches.
As many as three earthmovers, drillers and hammers smashed through portions of at least five buildings — mostly residential colonies — on 17th Cross, 22nd Main of JP Nagar V Phase. According to BBMP officials, demolitions will continue non-stop and additional machines will be pressed into service if needed.
The drain work and demolitions are being carried out simultaneously. With a width of about 20 feet or more, the drain is being dug up from A R Layout, through 22 Main Road — connecting K 209 (the drain number), which connects to the Koramangala Valley, a BBMP official said.
Bescom personnel are realigning the poles and insulating overhead cables. Transformers have been checked to restore power to affected areas once the demolition is over. Mobile transformers are on standby in case of any emergencies.
Yet another building was brought down in AR Layout, in Sarakki Kere area of JP Nagar. This building stood smack on top of the main drain.
In Bhadrappa Layout, the joint commissioner of Byatarayanapura zone, N Jayaram, spearheaded the demolition operations and razed parts of 10 threestoreyed buildings, which were abutting the primary drain. Work was also in full swing to drain out water from the locality, which was inundated following last week’s rain.
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Mother deed to trace the origin of property and all other relevant conveyance deeds Conversion order Relevant mutation records Index of Land Records of Right Nil Tenancy Certificate Nil Acquisition Certificate from the competent authority Endorsement from the competent authority stating that the land is not a grant land Village map, survey map, tipny, akar bandh, atlas If it is a grant land, permission from competent authority is to be obtained Betterment charges paid receipt Latest tax paid receipt Encumbrance certificate for the relevant period Sanctioned building plan in case of a built house No objection certificate from BDA BDA approval for layout/apartment complex
NEXT STEP
PUTTENAHALLI
Construction of a 2-km stormwater drain (SWD) along 17 Cross via Ashtalakshmi Layout, 24th Main, VV Circle to BBMP drain
Construction of SWD from sluice gate all along the raka kaluve to join 24 Main JP Nagar — 0.72 km
Construction of SWD to join 24 Main Road JP Nagar near VV Circle — 1.75 km
Construction of SWD from wasteweir of Puttenahalli Tank to join 24 Main JP Nagar — 1.18 km
Construction of SWD from 24 Main JP Nagar, VV Circle to join the drain constructed by BBMP near Dollars Colony via 17 Cross of Puttenahalli — 3.68 km Estimated cost — Rs 20 crore NAYANDAHALLI Construction of SWD from the wasteweir to Vrishabhavathi Valley along the raja kaluve The BBMP and district administration have worked out an alternative solution to construct the drain from Nayandahalli Tank to Vrishabhavathi Valley along the road Estimated cost — Rs 3.5 crore Drain length — 4.10 km, with a diameter of 4.5 m by 3 m