Why the scheme?

Why the scheme?
Deccan Herald is organising an interactive session on Sakrama 2007 at Jaraganahalli Govt Primary School playground, Kanakapura Road, near HM, Tambourine Apartments on Sunday at 11 am. Senior officers of the Palike will reply to questions on Sakrama. Property owners can make use of this programme.

'Why Sakrama?' was the common question raised by many residents of Marathahalli and surrounding areas, when they had an opportunity to interact with officers of BBMP on Saturday.

Deccan Herald had organised the interactive session at Navajeevana Nilaya in Marathahalli. Palike Deputy Commissioner U A Vasanth Rao and Deputy Director (town planning) Hafeez replied questions raised by the public. Questions ranged from why should we regularise our properties to will the State Government withdraw the scheme and how could NRIs apply for Sakrama.

Vasanth Rao gave a patient hearing to all questions and repeatedly affirmed that he was not a competent authority to say whether Sakrama will be withdrawn or not. He said the Palike is only an implementing agency and he can’t debate the policy, passed by the State Legislature. “Your doubts on validity of the scheme can be clarified by Raj Bhavan”, he said.

Rajesh Taneja, Vice President, Global Treasury Management, Bank of America, wanted to know whether all residents of the layout should apply together to get their layout regularised. Mr Rao replied that residents can apply individually and get their plots regularised. He asked Mr Rajesh not to miss the deadline (December 14) to submit applications and need not wait for all residents to come forward.

Sreepad Gopalarao, Engineering Section Manger, Motorola, said he owns a house in a layout developed by a builder. Though the builder has allotted all plots he still owns the club house. He wanted to know who should apply for regularisation of club house. Mr Rao replied that the owner should apply. Club house is considered a commercial property and the fee should be paid accordingly.

Athreya a resident of Skylark Green Layout and trainer in a country-trainer in software company, wanted to know whether the registered association of their layout is authorised to sign on behalf of other members of the association staying abroad and file for regularisation of their layout. Rao informed the gathering that a notarised copy of consent by such members living abroad could be attested along with the regularisation form which would later be scrutinised by the screening committee.

Citizens also raised questions about why property builders have gone scot-free from paying any regularisation fee under Sakrama. Rao stressed that apartment owners can regularise their buildings independent of their developers and take action against the developers if the wish to do so.

Jose Simon from Whitefield wondered whether the property regularised by BBMP will actually help public given a hypothetical situation of some other civic agency coming up later and demanding for property regularisation all over again to label it as legal.

Ms Baindur informed Rao that for her plot she neither had the khata or plan sanction and has not paid the betterment charges. Whether she could could apply for regularisation at all. Mr Rao said that there was a provision for her to apply for regularisation.

As far as disputed properties are concerned Rao urged citizens to apply for regularisation anyway and wait for the courts verdict to come through. Some people also wondered whether the floor area ratio of properties remained the same across Bangalore to which Rao explained that under the revised CDP the floor area ratio depends upon the zone, width of roads and building bylaws. Some residents also felt that the regularisation charges were very high given the taxes they have been paying duly.

Rao assured that of the total revenue generated under Sakrama by the Palike 50 per cent would be utilised towards infrastructure and the remaining 50 per cent would be utilised for parks and open spaces.
Ananda Chaturvedi, a trainer in a software company, wanted to know how the BBMP was allowing the builders to go scot-free on violations.